CEAC Tutors

Abraham Kunin works as a producer, songwriter, guitarist, and recording engineer. He is a band member with Home Brew and Teeks (and has been a permanent member of somewhere between 12-15 bands at last count!).

Other acts and artists he has worked with recently include Avantdale Bowling Club, Maisey Rika, Freddy Reynold, Noah Slee, Tourettes, Rush Wepiha, Average Rap Band, and Anoushka Shankar. He has toured internationally with a plethora of bands and theatrical productions. He has a BMus (Jazz), and is an endorsee for Elixir Strings.

Abe is passionate about alternative education, and passing on his experience as a resource to the next generation of artists. 

Abraham's upcoming workshops:

Beats 'n' Lyrics

Chloe Lam is an artist who recently moved to Auckland. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Visual Communication (Graphic Design), and a Master's degree in Art and Education from Birmingham City University. She completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Education in Visual Art at The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Chloe enjoys writing songs on piano, guitar and ukulele. She is interested in multiple disciplines, studying both arts and music in her Master's.

With more than 10 years teaching experience, she has taught a variety of art projects in schools and studios. Chloe uses multidisciplinary and innovative art activities to elicit each student’s talent and ability to express feelings, emotions and ideas.      

https://chloelam.weebly.com/

Dr. Bobby Hung is a graffiti artist known under the name Berst. He has painted graffiti for 15 years and involved in a range of community centred projects with youth and visual arts education in the tertiary sector. His creative practice involves the production of large scale aerosol artworks in public spaces while also intersecting with a range of studio practices.

Since 2010, Berst has been involved with Corban Estate Art Centre delivering art workshops and curating graffiti art battles with an aim to engage with the youth. In parallel to art making, Berst has been employed for the past nine years in the Creative Industries at Unitec Institute of Technology and lectures in art and design education. He holds a PhD in Education from the University of Auckland and his list of accolades includes a second-place award at the international Ono’ U graffiti competition in Tahiti, Guinness World Record for the World’s longest graffiti scroll completed in Dubai, and a recipient of the Unitec- Taipei Artist Village residency programme.

Find out more about Dr. Bobby Hung on www.berst1.com
 

James Lawrence holds an MFA from Otis Art Institute, Los Angeles and is a well-known artist who has exhibited both nationally and internationally. His practice focuses on energy, movement and colour; what emerges represents a distillation of personal expression, gestural marks and discoveries. "For me, painting is letting go!”

In his popular workshops, he explores abstract painting concepts while sharing techniques to utilise paint, gel and additives. His teaching style will give students a base for further painting adventures with an emphasis on process and discovery.

www.jameslawrenceartist.com

Jean Stewart is a painter and art educator. She has a Masters in Design and Painting. She says: 

"I have been painting for around 20 years. I love paint, colour, mark making and all the formal playful aspects of painting. Over the years I have investigated how to tell stories in paintings and how paintings can operate as memories. My current trajectory is to realise projects that take the painting outside of itself and connect to the community in various ways. for the last 2 years, I have been painting the Whau local hero portrait, the community votes and the winner gets their portrait painted. I am also currently painting a wall painting in the Huia Hall, a painting that will see the people of the area up on the wall in masquerade. Painting for me has been a constant challenging connecting force, it is always there and ready to be grappled with."

Find more of Jean's work here - www.jeanstewart.co.nz

Originally from the UK, Julie studied Metalcraft and Jewellery Design BA(Hons) before moving to New Zealand in 1998 where she pursued a career as a jewellery designer/maker selling her contemporary handmade jewellery in galleries across Auckland.

During this time, Julie's passion for learning led her to study a variety of disciplines such as printmaking, painting and stonecarving before rediscovering her passion for metal and sculpture.

Julie currently works out of her studio here at Corban Estate Arts Centre where she fabricates large scale steel sculpture. The main focus of her practise is on the relationship between light and space, creating elegant curvilnear forms where surfaces interplay with light and shadow. Present in all of Julie's work is an underlying current of symbolism, which represents her cultural background and strong connection to the natural environment.

Julie has had a desire to teach from a young age, and enjoys sharing her knowledge. During the 14 years that Julie has been a tutor, she has gained experience teaching adults, children, adults with special needs, youth and vulnerable youth. Julie's broad depth of knowledge in a variety of disciplines has led her to teach painting, printmaking, jewellery, mixed media and drawing.

Julie is currently Head Tutor of Alt Arts where she facilitates art classes for youth in Alternative Education. She also teaches 'Learn to Draw' weekly classes for children as well as weekend workshops for adults in a range of different disciplines.

Kairava Gullatz is a ceramicist with long term experience in making as well as teaching. Kairava’s Studio in Henderson is now open for students too, where she teaches pottery and clay sculpting techniques. Kairava has been tutoring ceramic classes at CEAC, Artstation and Studio One for the last 17 years so is well-known by kids and adults alike. 

Originally from Germany, Kairava came to New Zealand in 1997.  After studying Ceramic Design in her home country, she enjoyed a profession as a ceramicist and participated in exhibitions, winning two ceramic awards.

Since immigrating to New Zealand, she finds inspiration in the beautiful nature of Auckland’s West Coast. Her career includes 40 years of creating functional as well as sculptural ceramics. 

Check out Kairava's website here:

https://ceramicdesign.co.nz/

A West Auckland local of 18 years, Leela Bhai holds a Diploma in Film and Television Make-up, Bachelor of Design and Visual Arts, and a Post Graduate Certificate in Design.

As an independent curator, her practice involves cultivating community space, using art as a tool for connection. 

​She has been part of the Corban Estate Arts Centre team since 2015 teaching creative workshops for children, youth and adults, responsible for engagement, encouragement and impressive outcomes. She also contributes to the public programme at Studio One Toi Tū teaching children’s holiday art classes.

When teaching, her focus is on the process, pursuing careful observation of the subject matter, experimental use of mixed mediums and pure self-expression through art.

In 2017 Leela taught a second-year student spatial design elective for the Bachelor of Creative Enterprise at UNITEC and held a mentoring role for graduating third-year students of multiple disciplines.

Leela has also designed and facilitated public workshops for the annual events of ArtWest, Love Hendo, The Didsbury Art Trail and Mental Health Awearness Week 2021.  

Lina Castro, originally from Bogotá, Colombia, describes embroidery as a passion that makes her happy. "Thanks to embroidery, I have been able to connect creative worlds and discover new ones."

She has an Industrial Designer honour degree, her experience includes 4 years as a teacher at the Faculty of Design in Colombia and 11 years experience in product development and marketing.

Her story with embroidery started in 2015 and since then, her obsession has been to expand the possibilities of “embroidery beyond the hoop” turning the embroidered pieces into earrings, necklaces or key rings. That is also, the reason why she specializes in tiny stitches as the technique is used to embroider small garments.

She is constantly studying and using different techniques so her contemporary embroidery is changing and innovating to explore new ways to popularize this beautiful craft.

Her workshops are aimed at both beginning and experienced creators where they are encouraged to tell stories, experimenting with sewing techniques, various fabrics and different fibres.

You can find more of Lina’s work on her Instagram account @lin.island.creative

Lucie Blaze is a Graphic Designer, Illustrator, Artist, Art Tutor, and Arts Therapy student at Whitecliffe College. Originally from the Czech Republic, Lucie moved to New Zealand in 2014 and has fully embraced the culture and art scene over the past few years, further developing her art style with a wide pool of influences and techniques.

Lucie is passionate about creating workshops that take you on a journey of self-exploration. Also, Lucie is all about the inspiring women in our communities and those around the world. Her workshops are designed to be a fun and empowering experience.

Maha has been carving bone and pounamu for over 10 years and has found that his art has opened doors to new places… and new people.. while at the same time …connecting him back to old places, and to his old people. Maha is of Waikato Tainui, Rangitane, Ngati Kauwhata, Ngati Toa and Ngai Tahu descent and his hapu in Te Wai Pounamu is Ngati Huirapa of Arowhenua in Temuka.
Maha has a Bachelors degree in Creative Arts and a post-graduate diploma in Cross Cultural Supervision and is the Director at Aotearoa Bone and Stone Carving. 

Maha's workshops specialise in crafting contemporary Taonga. 
“Following my passion for craft; I found purpose, direction and have strengthened my identity. I feel privileged and grateful to be able to share my passion of creating Taonga from beef bone and Pounamu. I enjoy the beauty of the materials. Simple forms with complex interweaving binding on Taonga that create an intrinsic balance with my work."

https://absca.nz/

“I will continue my studies in traditional and contemporary mokuhanga in Japan, but always return from the security of this tradition to the painterly freedom of my personal practice”

Originally from Germany, Sybille has lived in various parts of New Zealand with her family for the last 15 years. She currently resides in Hamilton. Sybille has a background of study in art and design, and after years of teaching and working—mainly in painting, drawing, murals and installations—she started working in woodcut in 2015. She studied Japanese woodcut with Roslyn Kean in Australia, Eva Pietzcker in Germany, and at Mi-Lab in Japan, with teachers such as Tuula Moilanen (Doctor of Arts) of Finland, and Chihiro Taki (Master of Arts), Michiko Hamada (Master of Fine Arts), and Ayao Shiokawa (Master of Fine Arts), all from Japan.

Sybille's work on The Big Idea

Sybille's work on Google

You can also find more of Sybille's work on her Instagram account @sybille_schlumbom

Sylvia Marsters is an established artist, based in Auckland. She creates often using oil paint but she is also a keen printmaker, employing screenprinting, woodblock and intaglio printing.

Sylvia has previously taught secondary school art and enjoys the exchange of knowledge and experience in the classroom. After many years working as a freelance artist, Sylvia is keen to get back into it and interact with young minds in an exciting and creative environment.

You can find more about Sylvia here:

https://bergmangallery.co.ck/artists/sylvia-marsters/