Art for our sakes

UNO catches up with Deborah McCormick, the newly appointed chair of Tauranga’s Public Art Panel, to find out how our city is about to change for the better.

WORDS Karl Puschmann

Deborah McCormick.

When you look at Tauranga you see the sparkling glint of the Pacific Ocean, the potential of a city centre revitalising itself, and the excitement afforded by our great outdoors that offers ample activities of escape and recreation to indulge in.

When UNO asks Deborah McCormick what she sees, her answer is simple: “A blank canvas”.

As the recently appointed chair of Tauranga City Council’s new Public Art Panel, hers is an invigorating view. After all, a blank canvas offers only possibility and promise.

So what are we talking about when we say public art? Deborah says the council has developed a “sophisticated” framework that expertly defines
the parameters but, after some light prodding, gives her own explanation.

Fanfare by Neil Dawson. 

“My definition is that it’s art in a public space developed with a community. It’s often sculpture or installations, it can be mural or performance,” she explains, noting that public art comes in two flavours, permanent and temporary. Even though the medium and duration can be vastly different, there is a shared commonality. 

“All public art comes with a different idea and all start with an artist responding to a site, responding to a brief, and responding to the current issues of the time,” she says. “That’s the exciting part of it.”

Deborah’s worked in the public art space a long time, 25 years by her reckoning. In 1998, aged 23, she co-founded Scape Public Art in Ōtautahi Christchurch after finishing art school. In that time Scape has commissioned over 250 temporary public artworks and 15 permanent artworks, indelibly enhancing the Garden City. 

Te Aika by Rachael Rakena and Simon Kaan.

“I want to bring that experience to this role,” she says of her new position as chair. “I want to learn about the local connections and stories and show how a shared vision can be produced when a group of civic people come together with artists to take art out to the public realm.”

These qualities are what the newly appointed panel of six will be looking
for during their three-year tenure as they start envisioning how best to
fill our shared blank canvas.

“It’s one of the first – if not the first – opportunity where a city in New Zealand is wholeheartedly placing art and public art at the centre of a lot of very important civic projects,” Deborah enthuses. “This idea of ‘a per cent for art’ model is brilliant in terms of bringing sustainable funding. It’s a model that’s been implemented to great success overseas, most notably in Australia and in America.”

Two years ago the council realised they needed to rethink how public art was working – or rather not working – in Tauranga. The solution was the Public Art Framework, which includes a ‘Per Cent for Art’ funding model. As the name suggests, this model allocates one per cent of the budget for any above-ground council-led capital project, to a dedicated public art fund. The independent Public Art Panel provides advice to Council on which projects should receive funding. The Council is staging the implementation, starting at 0.25 percent this financial year, and growing to one percent over the next four years.

Stay by Antony Gormley.

“This sits alongside council and development regulations and creates
a whole industry for the arts that sustains itself with jobs, fabricators, consultants and design experts,” Deborah explains. “There’s a wonderful opportunity to build all of that alongside this ‘Per Cent for Art’ model and for Tauranga to become a hub for public art and creativity.”

“People come to cities to see things. That’s why public art is so important.

If we want to build cities that are livable and that people want to explore, spend time and linger in then we need to get that human connection back and provide really exciting public space,” she continues. “With good architecture, good landscape design and public art as the jewel in the crown, Tauranga will become a place that people will want to visit as a destination and come back to. Public art needs to be a layer we build the aspirations and plans of the city upon. Part of my role will be to understand how the public art vision of the group aligns with where the city is going.”

It’s hard not to get caught up in her enthusiasm. It’s fair to call her a passionate evangelist. But that’s exactly the qualities you want in someone who is going to play a key part in steering the look, feel and vibe of our city moving forward.

“There are many purposes to public art, including well-being and connection,” she says. “Public art brings people together. It stimulates learning and thought and connects people to art concepts. It’s about creativity and creates opportunities to push boundaries and challenge perceptions.”

Since being appointed a month back the panel has already met and begun work. While it’s too early for Deborah to share any details or timeframes, she’s itching to get works underway. 

Watch this space. 

Deborah is joined on the panel by Darcell Apelu, Shea O’Neill, Kereama Taepa, Alice Tyler and Arohanoa Mathews, who represents Te Rangapū Mana Whenua o Tauranga Moana. 

tauranga.govt.nz/exploring/arts-and-culture/public-art 

Windows to history

The CBD is getting a much-needed glow up, courtesy of acclaimed artist Sara Hughes, the council and over 250 local children.

WORDS Karl Puschmann | PHOTOS Katie Cox

Anyone who’s ever watched a home renovation show knows that a well-chosen artwork hung on an otherwise plain wall will elevate an entire room. Extrapolate that arty truth to encompass the drab vacant storefronts in Tauranga’s city centre and you start to see the genius of the new public art initiative, Reimagine Tauranga.

Envisioned by renowned artist Sara Hughes and created in partnership with the Tauranga City Council, the exhibition has taken over the windows of eight prominent shops in the CBD. These otherwise standard storefronts, transformed by creativity, imagination and generous dollops of Sara’s unique style of vivid colours and embrace of bold patterns, tell the story of Tauranga’s rich history. 

“That’s a really important aspect of this project,” Sara says. “I’m fascinated with the history of a place, so I really wanted to bring that in.”

Banish any thoughts of dusty old black and white history lessons. Hughes also reimagined how to bring the past into the present while keeping true to her acclaimed style and the project’s vision of light, colour and creativity. With assistance from Tauranga Museum’s curator Fiona Kean, Sara worked her way through the Tauranga Museum collection, a vast archive of treasured items from our collective past that includes everything from beach balls to surfboards to newspapers. 

“It’s a way to celebrate some of the lesser-known objects, but things that particularly relate to the important beach culture of Tauranga,” Sara explains. “Things like beach balls and parasols or a particular swimming tog pattern. It’s to celebrate and draw attention to these special things that are held within the Tauranga Museum collection.”

The idea was to use the patterns and colours of these everyday objects as inspiration. They may be of historical value and from a museum’s curated collection but these artworks encourage you to look at common items in a new way, to find the artistic hidden in things people don’t usually look at twice, to reimagine the every day. Like, for example, the window given over to celebrating the patterns on beach parasols.

Sara also reimagined what this project could be on a fundamental level. She didn’t want it to be all about her, and her take on Tauranga’s history. Instead, she wanted to bring in the community, particularly children, and have them contribute in a tangible and very real way. 

After viewing the museum collection with Fiona and selecting the items she then ran a series of art workshops at Tauranga Art Gallery and ran classes in different schools all over Tauranga. Around 250 children of different ages, schools and backgrounds all took part and now find themselves contributors to a major public art project. 

“They’ve all come together through art, which was also an important part of this for me. Reimagine Tauranga is less about me – it’s not so much my artworks in the eight windows – instead the children created either the objects or the imagery that will be in the windows,” she explains. “I am running it, and the concept of this project is mine, but it’s not my artwork as such.”

She sees herself more as the curator and exhibitor. In fact, when UNO calls she was getting ready to spend a week in the different window locations, installing, hanging and displaying the eight works. All of which will have a plaque detailing the inspiring piece or item and its historic relevance to the city.

A neat twist is that the art will look different depending on when you see it, with Sara calling on famed lighting designer Richard Bracebridge to illuminate the different works.

“The night aspect of it is very important,” she says. “Because light has such a strong effect in how a city centre looks when it’s lit at nighttime.”

There is one question that’s been niggling; how on earth did they persuade eight shops to give up their window space for an entire year? The short answer is, they didn’t.

“They’re being put into shop fronts that are currently for lease,” she explains. “It’s been great to have the support of the shop owners who believe it’s a good idea to have public art and artworks created by children in the city centre.”

She’s excited about the public finally seeing the project she’s worked on for the past few years. It’s been a massive undertaking, but one that more than lives up to its ambitious title.

“Hopefully it will be something people will be excited to come and see,” Sara says. “I want people to be really intrigued and curious.”

Then she smiles and says, “I think they'll come away feeling joy and excitement, and that will really positively impact their day or evening.”  

tauranga.govt.nz

Still evolving

Judy Bailey reflects on purposeful ageing, what brings her joy, and her feelings of imposter syndrome ahead of her Tauranga literary festival debut.

WORDS Monique Balvert-Connor

A serendipitous call from Harper Collins publishers sparked a new chapter in Judy Bailey’s illustrious career.
New Zealand’s beloved former broadcaster, once affectionately dubbed “Mother of the Nation”, has penned a book that’s now whizzing off bookshop shelves.

This exciting opportunity came after Judy had been contemplating the ageing journey and its challenges. “When the chance to write about it arose, I embraced it wholeheartedly – just as I’ve approached life’s adventures throughout my years.” Her book, Evolving, is set to be a focal point at Tauranga’s literary festival, Escape, where Judy will be speaking later this month. Between engagements, she might even squeeze in a visit with her former TV news anchor colleague, Richard Long, now based in Tauranga.

As for the title, Judy laughingly confesses she “stole” it when tennis great Serena Williams served it up in a quote. “People were constantly asking her how retirement was. She said, ‘I am not retired; I am evolving.’ That’s how I feel about it.”

Retirement is such a hideous word. Look in the dictionary. It means things like ‘to go to bed’. “Evolving is what we are doing – from one stage to another – and that can be equally rewarding and fulfilling, as we still have a contribution to make,” says Judy, who will turn 72 the day she presents at Escape’s morning tea event on October 18. 

In a sense, the book has enabled her to champion the cause of the elderly, whom she feels often get “a really bad rap”. “Older people are sometimes dismissed; considered past their use-by date. They shouldn’t be lumped into a universal aged category. The over-60s age group is enormously diverse, and this age group has an enormous amount to offer still. Many remain vibrant and intelligent, contributing members of society with a lot to offer. We need to think proactively about our ageing and not just let it happen to us. It’s not all downhill to the zimmer frame.”

Judy says writing Evolving has been an exploration of her journey and a discovery of how she can live her best life after 65. There’s much that many people will relate to, with learnings aplenty. Personal experiences and science are melded with the subjects tackled including taking care of your body and mind, navigating health scares, dealing with dementia, grieving loved ones, Botox, organising finances, wills, power of attorney, end-of-life care and enjoying the finer things. 

Readers are enjoying simple messages and a few surprises in this ‘dip in, dip out’ book, she says. “There are things we instinctively know to do to take care of ourselves – common sense things involving sleep, fresh air and good diet. But there are some helpful tricks along the way. For example, foregoing the sunnies on the morning walk so we can get some UV rays on our eyes. Things like the importance of going to bed and getting up at the same time, even on weekends, to maintain our circadian rhythm. “What I have discovered along the way, really, is the people who should be reading this book are those in their 40s and 50s, as what you are doing then has a huge bearing on how you age.” 

One ‘big, big thing’ of concern is alcohol consumption in New Zealand and the fact that it’s increasing among the older population. Many drink as a stress release, but alcohol actually increases stress and is really bad for the heart and brain, Judy informs. Far from sanctimonious, Judy says she’s the first person to enjoy a glass of something. While she keeps herself fit and healthy and eats reasonable food, she does have “a big hankering” for blue cheese and chocolate. Life’s too short to not enjoy those things, she smiles.

In writing Evolving, Judy has referenced Harvard University longitudinal studies and spoken to geriatricians and gerontologists and other academics. It’s reassuring, she says, that they are saying similar things, so the research is robust. She’s heartened by the fact there’s “amazing” research being conducted in New Zealand around ageing and that we have a professor of ageing.

Judy’s own evolving continues to involve some paid work. Since reading her final TV news bulletin in 2005 she’s enjoyed other broadcasting stints, some promotional work and she continues to write about inspirational women and travel. She loves Africa, “with a passion.” Botswana (the Okavango Delta) is one of her favourite places. Paris and Italy also get a mention. A wonderful amount of time is also spent with family – she and her husband Chris have three children and eight grandchildren who all live near their Auckland home. Judy and Chris also
enjoy being at their Flaxmill Bay property. 

Anywhere with a good book is also a very happy place, Judy says, citing Where the Crawdads Sing, Lessons in Chemistry, and The Axeman’s Carnival as much-enjoyed reads. Escape will be Judy’s first time presenting at a literary festival. With that comes a massive sense of impostor syndrome, she confesses. She’s not sure she’s sufficiently “literary”. Neither, she says, is she totally comfortable with being called Mother of the Nation. “So many other people would wear that title so
much better than me. I’ve been called it for decades and always feel embarrassed by it.” As for Judy’s own longitudinal, constantly evolving journey, she says she hopes to have “a couple of decades of useful life” left in her.  

Judy’s visit to Escape has been sponsored by Craigs Investment Partners.

taurangafestival.co.nz

Bird’s-eye view

Julian Godfery’s unique interpretation of the world is captured in his intricate artworks.

Artist Julian Godfery happily admits his biggest source of artistic inspiration is his mum.

He has been making art since he was five years old and actually inspired her to begin painting again 20 years after she graduated from art school. His mum is well-known artist Jane Galloway, whose work can be found on greeting cards, paintings and prints in galleries around New Zealand. Her full-time artistic career began 25 years ago after she was inspired by art Julian made for a kindergarten fundraiser. Now their work is displayed together in the same Waikato galleries.

Here, UNO talks to Julian about his passion for art.

UNO: What drew you to your particular style of art?
I like doing detailed drawings in pen and ink. I have been inspired by watching mum do realistic watercolours, which she used to paint on paper stretched over the dining table. She would cover the work with blankets and a plastic sheet whenever we wanted to have a meal. I got to see what she was making up close. I always carry a sketchbook and pens with me when I go to my day base at Enrich Plus in Hamilton.

What’s it like to grow up in an artistic household?
From when I first started school, my parents always worked on a daily diary with me and I got to illustrate the stories of what happened each day. I was obsessed with the Home Alone movie series for a long time, so a lot of my drawings were about designing traps to catch the robbers. I still have most of the diaries 30 years later.

Who or what are your greatest inspirations?
My mum did a series of paintings called “There Is No Planet B”, which showed New Zealand birds flying over motorways and cities. They inspired me to do drawings of towns and birds too. I have done a lot of owl paintings and some of chickens because I like drawing the feathers. My mum’s favourite is called “Midnight Morepork”.

What has been your favourite piece to make and why?
Because I love owls I think “Night Owls” is one I still really like. Also, over the Christmas holiday, I spent weeks drawing a big piece on watercolour paper. It was called “Invisible Magic” and was what you can see in water when you use a microscope. Mum is always getting me to look for new subjects for drawings on my tablet. I entered it in the IHC Art Awards a few years ago and it won the People’s Choice Award. Then I sold it at the auction, which was really exciting.

How long have you been living in the Waikato and what do you love about it?
I lived in Raglan until I was 21. Mum’s house is next to the estuary and harbour so I get to see herons, tui, spoonbills and fantails flying very close by all the time. I moved into supported living in Hamilton but I still come home regularly and I always bring my sketchbook to show mum what I’m working on (and to watch the All Blacks games).

What are your future plans in terms of your art?
I would like to have another exhibition at my Mum’s gallery in Raglan. It’s called Artists at Work and sometimes I go there to draw while she works
in the gallery. At Labour Weekend in October I always take part in the Raglan Arts Weekend where I show my latest drawings. We used to have an open studio at home and heaps of people would come to look at our work but now we can have it at the gallery. I look forward to it every year because I get to talk to people about my art. I’m working on a playlist of music for the weekend but mum says she wants to ok it first.

Where can we find your artwork?
Come and visit me over the Raglan Arts Weekend to see my latest
artworks at the Artists at Work Gallery. My work can also be seen in The Little Gallery, Tairua and Whangamata; Soul Gallery, Hamilton; Heritage Gallery, Cambridge; Artists at Work Studio and Gallery, Raglan.

Raglan Arts Weekend is a self-guided tour of artists’ studios being held from October 26-28, 10am to 5pm daily.

raglanartsweekend.nz

artistsatwork.co.nz

Find prints of Julian’s work at palmprints.co.nz

History in the making

After a couple of false starts, Tauranga is finally getting its very own museum in 2028. But what will it show and why do we need one?

words Karl Puschmann
photos Katie Cox + supplied

The grand opening of the new Tauranga Museum may still be four years away but director Greg McManus’ excitement has already well and truly arrived.

When UNO calls for a chat to catch up on how the project’s going he’s bubbling with enthusiasm and bursting with ideas for how he sees the museum benefitting and adding value to the community.

His energy towards the long-delayed project is infectious and leaves you wishing it was opening as soon as possible.

But alas, the museum doors won’t open until 2028. With construction on its prime inner-city site having recently started, it proves the adage ‘good things come to those who wait’. Greg is a 30 year veteran of museums around New Zealand, including stints as Director at Rotorua Museum and most recently as CEO of Waitangi Treaty Grounds where he oversaw the development of two new museums, and feels strongly about the importance of museums to communities

“I believe every community needs a museum,” he says. “Museums house our collective memory, they store and interpret the history of an area, not just for visitors from out of town or overseas, but also for ourselves. We need museums to help us better understand the stories of the place we live in, and also the stories of others who share the place with us. Museums encourage an understanding of diversity and the interwoven relationships we have as people living together in the same place and they play a huge role in inspiring children and young people to have an interest in art, culture, science and natural history.”

The future Tauranga Civic Whare, Exhibition Gallery and Museum.

Strengthening the connection between people and place is one of Greg’s big passions and is high on the priority list for the museum.

He says that people get a greater understanding and sense of belonging from knowing the history of where they live. Tauranga and its surrounding region is full of unique stories and significant sites that deserve our attention.

“When people drive down Cameron Road, they drive past the Gate Pā battle site,” he cites as an example.

“I suspect a lot of people don't know or don’t give it a second thought, but that battle was a really important event in the history of Aotearoa New Zealand, not just Tauranga. There are sites like that all through the region.”

He’s also keen to showcase the many innovations that have occurred here, including the first-ever hot water cylinder to be run off public electricity invented right here in Tauranga in 1915 by Lloyd Mandeno and in the museum’s collection.

In total the museum collection houses more than 33,000 objects in total, with most having never been seen publicly because, until now, there’s been nowhere to display them.

“Obviously, we're not going to have 33,000 objects on display in the museum,” he clarifies with a laugh. “But the permanent exhibitions will be rich with objects from our collection and other collections around the country. It will be a real weaving together of stories, objects and images into a broad, rich experience. Because that’s what museums are: places that tell stories.”

Along with the main, permanent exhibitions, there will also be two large galleries for temporary exhibitions. This, Greg says, will open up Tauranga to world-class exhibitions that we’d usually need to travel to places like Auckland or Wellington to see. He talks about partnering with other museums to bring exhibitions from overseas but also about leading the charge and bringing international exhibitions exclusively to Tauranga. This would enrich our cultural exposure and also encourage people from other parts of New Zealand to visit the region.

“There's a huge circuit of exhibitions travelling around the world all the time,” he says excitedly. “We'll be able to tap into that and bring exhibitions to Tauranga. People love coming to the Bay of Plenty year-round and if we have fantastic exhibitions it will encourage them to stay longer and contribute more to the local economy.”

But all that is secondary to his first objective of telling Tauranga’s stories and encouraging locals to feel a connection with their shared history. He wants residents to have free entry to the core museum experience and, to encourage engagement and a sense of ownership, is starting a Friends of the Museum programme. The idea is to keep people informed about what’s happening as well as provide exciting opportunities and benefits to members.

“It really will make people feel a part of the museum as we build it and make that connection so much stronger,” he smiles.

And that’s what the new Tauranga Museum is going to be all about. Greg says he wants people to come to their museum and see themselves reflected in the stories it tells and perhaps learn a little more about the place they call home and the people they share it with. It's all about providing the opportunity for gaining an understanding of the richness of living in a place.”

He pauses for a second and then laughs and says, “Tauranga’s not just about going to the mall or going to the beach. There's a lot more to it than that and our museum will reflect that!”

letstalk.tauranga.govt.nz/projects/tauranga-museum

Art and soul

Visual artist Shona Moller brings artistic diversity and a unique approach to Mount Maunganui's arts scene.

After more than 20 years of professional practice from her beachfront Kapiti studio gallery, Shona Moller now calls Mount Maunganui home. From her gallery space at 102 Maunganui Road, Shona creates new works within two very different genres that tell stories of heritage and belonging within contemporary artworks, and reflect the unique Bay of Plenty light and energy through lusciously applied oils in representational works of local landscapes and seascapes.

UNO: Tell us about your background. How did you become an artist? 
Shona: Perhaps, to some extent, artists are born into it. I was a curious, explorative child, expressing and recording through artworks from an early age. In some respects, then, art is my first language. 

How would you explain your art approach now?
Similar to that as a child; explorative, intuitive, although now I work within two diverse genres where each allows me to express myself fully in different ways. Through representational works, which is really just a flash word for an artistic representation of what you can see, I explore my surroundings, my environment, intimately. I sketch, photograph and plan larger works on canvas where it is my intention to capture essence, mood, and resonance as opposed to finer details. My more contemporary urban inspired works tell stories of heritage, English and Maori, employing icons like the London Tube map with New Zealand place names. These speak on a national level as well as a |personal one.  

You self represent. Why does this work for you?
I realise how fortunate I am to have my own gallery; I don't take this for granted at all. Self-representation works for me on many levels. First, it frees me to work how I want, at a pace where I can do my best work. I am
not obligated to gallery directors, to create what sells well, to deadlines and timeframes. While I take commissions, I can be selective, and I'm very grateful that my work has commemorated many significant milestones in peoples' lives. Also, being accessible allows for a real connection with those for whom my art resonates. 

What inspires you to create?
Too many things! I'm inspired by East Coast sunrises, full unapologetic new beginnings. I'm inspired by (what someone much more articulate than me coined) the DOGS, the Dead Old Guys; Van Gogh, Monet, Picasso, Vermeer, Rembrandt. I'm inspired by those artists that had the foresight and the genius to simplify forms when others strove for realism, to leave brushstrokes proud where others blended, to use pure colour where others mixed. I'm inspired by narrative, and the circle of energy created between myself as the artist, a completed artwork, and the viewer.

What is your favourite piece and why?
It sounds very PC to say, but it's always the one I'm working on. 

What have been your career highlights?
I have loved every aspect of having my own space. Over and above that, the sell-out London show was an unexpected success. Travel, art tours; I've painted in Renoir's garden, followed Van Gogh's exact footsteps in Arles, sketched where Monet painted his water lilies. I've featured in many media outlets over the years; magazines and Holmes back when that was a thing. Katherine Ryan interviewed me for Radio New Zealand, and most recently 7 Sharp spent a full day with me. The article aired in July, and anyone interested can view it via my website. I think the biggest career highlight though, in all honesty, in no small part because of the amazing support I have received, is that I get to live my art every day.  Oh, and UNO, obviously!

UNO: What do you love about living in the Bay?
Let me count the ways. Sunrises, as mentioned. The sense of coming home, evident in the smells of white sand warmed by a spring sun, sea foam, and rock pools. Mynar birds. Tui song alarm 'clocks'. Coffee at café sharing tables. Dappled sunlight through ancient base track pohutukawas. Port lights reflected in the inky sea. Mauao, her moods, her constant grounded reassuring presence in all weathers. 'God rays' through thunder clouds. Whānau. The people! Bay people are good people. I have been so beautifully welcomed into the community here, and from what people are telling me, they're delighted to once again have an organic, authentically artist-run gallery space at The Mount. So, can I just say thank you to everyone for their generosity of spirit. I feel seen, acknowledged, and home. 

Shonamoller.com

The art of ink

UNO talks to local experts about the transformation of the Bay’s tattoo industry and the healing power of this often misunderstood art form.

Words Karen Clarkson

In 2012, when celebrated tā moko artist Julie Paama-Pengelly (Ngāi Te Rangi) set up shop in Mount Maunganui, there were four tattoo studios in the area. Today, the local body-art industry has expanded to nearly 100 artists, operating from Waihi to Te Puke. 

“Only a decade ago, the perception of the tattoo industry wasn’t positive. It sat within a genre which was not understood or recognised as mainstream. Aotearoa is now considered in the top five in the world as a destination for body art, and the scene here in the Bay of Plenty is as vibrant as ever,” says Julie, owner of Art + Body Creative Studio, which embraces a range of experienced artists offering contemporary tattoo alongside traditional tā moko and custom Māori design.

Overall, New Zealanders are becoming more discerning, respecting the honoured tradition and its therapeutic benefits, and selecting artists who value authenticity and originality. “For a while there it became a copying profession and people were wanting the same as a friend, or choosing a design straight from the wall. Tattoo is like any fine art form, where originality is what drives and defines what we do, and there is more appreciation for that now,” says Julie, who features in World Atlas of Tattoos, a book showcasing 100 notable artists from around the globe.

Tattoo as therapy

Tattoo artist Veronica de Oliveira, of Black Orchid Collective Studio, moved to New Zealand 20 years ago from Brazil and agrees the perception has changed radically. “When I first got my neck tattoo and walked around, people just stared. There is a renewed appreciation and respect for this form of self-expression, including its transformative power,” she says.

“Tattooing alters your state of consciousness,” she explains. “The chemicals your body produces to manage the discomfort changes the energetic field and transforms your body into a different state. When you alter the vibration, you can heal the cells, make new cellular memories, and create a new state of mind. It's a special, sacred process that can heal people,” Veronica says.

Julie agrees. “In the tā moko space, it is very much a therapy-based practice. Yes, there is execution, care and aesthetics that goes into the marking. But you’re also confronting pain, past trauma, covering scars or claiming a new path, which opens a healing, spiritual and cultural journey for people.”

The COVID-19 pandemic presented an interesting phenomenon for the local tattoo industry, with a huge spike in demand after lockdowns and studios booked out months ahead. 

“People were confronted with mortality, loneliness, and disconnection from the world. They had time to research a meaningful piece of art that reflects their story, where they have come from and where they are going. For some, it was a way to mark a critical time in their life or to set a future goal,” Julie explains. 

TRENDS

International artists sharing their work online and connecting with people globally have challenged stigmas, resulting in a range of ages and stages getting inked – from Gen-Z first-timers or groups of millenials wanting to memorialise something, to an 80-year-old ticking off their bucket list. 

“Larger, colourful pieces seen on heavily tattooed people in Europe or America are gaining momentum here alongside full sleeves, legs, necks and heads. I recently did a project with an older lady, maybe in her 70s, who wanted to fully cover her back. It was a beautiful, vulnerable experience,” says Veronica. 

Cover ups or redos are on the rise, too, with Kiwis wanting to reink old tattoos, or cover “regret” and “party” tattoos. “Some people go for years hiding a tattoo that reflects a bad memory or experience in their life. We can take something shameful and create something beautiful together,” says Veronica. 

MODERN TECHNOLOGIES

From hand-tattooing to machine-produced designs, new technologies are constantly evolving and opening the doors to a range of clients desiring thinner, more stylised lines, shading, florals, and delicate work.

“The rise of portraiture and realism in the Bay of Plenty mirrors the growth internationally. Micro-tattooing allows portraits across smaller
areas using finer needles, different machines and ink,” says Veronica. 

Julie credits the Māori art revival as playing an important role in the changing psyche of New Zealanders and popularity of tattoo. “We are highly regarded for tā moko and the work of Aotearoa tattoo artists is honoured around the world. Indigenous cultures that have embraced this sacred art form have created a pathway for tattoo in general,” she says.

“Tā moko and tattoos are one of the most powerful forms of communication. There's authentic connection and cultural function that is created through this historical practice. When you get a tattoo, you embody that art form, its power and healing, and share that everywhere you go.”

Read on to discover the many tattoo artists around the Bay.

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Sacred honour

Veronica de Oliveira brings art and healing together through her collective of creatives.

While the Western world may have adopted tattooing in recent decades, ancient cultures around the world have performed this sacred art form for millennia. One local tattoo artist has set up a creative studio combining body art with holistic healing, products and services, all honouring a theme of healing, transformation and community.

Black Orchid Creative Studio in downtown Mount Maunganui is a collective of artists offering tattoos, hair and barber services, piercing, massage, coffee and healing reiki. Owned by Veronica de Oliveira, tattoo artist and mum of three, she is determined to transform the male-dominated industry, reclaiming its feminine history. 

“Ancient cultures used body markings to acknowledge the energy of the divine feminine, and some of the earliest recorded tattoos were found on female Egyptian mummies. Considered gods of birth, Egyptian women were tattooed on the abdomen and upper thighs, to celebrate creation and provide protection over the birth,” she says. 

Veronica studied Reiki and is passionate about increasing understanding about the transformative power of tattoos by offering a large range of healing modalities alongside body art. “Tattooing is a historic blood ritual that transforms energy through art to someone's skin. There's an opportunity for more people to be educated on this sacred experience for its ability to heal trauma, overcome shame, provide empowerment and increase body positivity,” says Veronica.

Inspired by her own journey to becoming a body art professional, Veronica believes with the accessibility of Youtube tutorials, and machines easily purchased online, it's important to create opportunities for the next generation to learn all the elements needed to become a professional tattoo artist. 

“My goal is to create an educational platform and offer workshops, education and guest speakers so up-and-coming artists can not just hone their artistic talent, but learn about the history of tattoo, its healing powers, how to honour the client, as well as the ins and outs of running your own business,” she says.

Quick questions with Veronica de Oliveira

UNO: How long have you been in the industry?

Veronica: About seven years.

How did you become a tattoo artist?

I’ve always been an artist; I believe you are born like that. I am a self-taught person, and when something interests me, I can’t stop until I master it. Before tattooing, I was working as an interior and events designer and as a florist. I tried a friend’s tattoo machine once and never went back! I was quite good on it to start, which made me buy my own equipment. I’ve offered free tattoos for family and friends until I worked as a volunteer in the Tattoo & Art Extravaganza and met my mentor, Pepa, who gave me my first opportunity to work in a shop. By that time, I had two small children on my own. It was my return to work life, and I knew I was supposed to do something big with my life. 

What do you love most about your job? 

My job empowers me. Through art, I can transcend reality and bring happiness to people. My studio is my temple, my dream. I love to come to work, meet people, share energy and heal. 

Do you have a favourite piece of work? 

At the moment I’m working on a collection of star sign goddesses. I’m in love with it! I create large pieces with my clients’ astrology characteristics in a black and grey neo-traditional style. 

Who and/or what inspires you?  

I could name so many artists that  inspire me, but my real inspiration comes from my family and my devotion to women, the Divine Feminine. I think we are so resilient, so powerful and beautiful. Most of my clients are women, and we learn so much from each other. 

What do you think makes a good tattoo artist? 

Drawing skills, creativity, drive, humility, compassion, cleanliness, good customer service, ethical professional mentality, good communication and understanding, intuitive people reading. Good common and aesthetic sense. Hunger for learning.

What do you think has changed positively in the tattoo industry in the last 10 years? 

The increase of women in the industry and the technology. We now can rely on amazing equipment and material. Social media became a great marketing tool for artists to show their work. There is also less discrimination against tattooed people and artists. I also love that we see young and older people getting tattooed in the same room. Tattoo art has also evolved significantly – these days, artists are doing the most incredible art on peoples bodies. 

What do you want to see in the future for the tattooing industry? 

I would like to see more recognition
of the profession from governmental institutions through more regulations and more educational incentives to apprentices and mentors. At the moment, I’m in the planning phase of an introductory tattoo course and workshops, to be released next winter. I believe that so many people out there are trying to learn on their own and wanting some guidance, support
and the opportunity to succeed
in the profession. 

 Ladydragontattoos

 Blackorchidcollectivestudio

Blackorchidcollective.co.nz

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Making her mark

Characterised by openness and support,
this tattoo studio balances the mana of its artists with deep respect for its clients.

Step into Art + Body Creative Studio in Mount Maunganui, and embrace a vibrant, collaborative, light-filled space buzzing with a large team of artists including tā moko and contemporary tattoo artists working alongside eager apprentices. The open-plan workshop, complete with
bus-theming throughout signifying the shared journey between artist and client, is the antithesis of the closed-off, traditional tattoo shop stereotype; a deliberate design by owner Julie Paama-Pengelly. 

“When I opened ‘Body’, I wanted to reject the conventional male-led tattoo paradigm; expose the mainstream to the often hidden nature of the industry, while also demystifying tā moko. As a result, we have created an environment where the powerful, intimate and transformational practice of tattoos is shared and celebrated,” explains Julie.

Considered one of New Zealand’s leading tā moko artists, Julie (Ngāi Te Rangi), has played a key role in the revival of Māori arts since the 1980s. With a background as a university lecturer, arts faculty leader and renowned arts advisor, it was natural to combine her experience in education space with her commercial studio, evolving a pathway for apprentices since 2015.

“As client demand for experienced moko artists took off, I knew I had a role to play to support the succession of artists. More female practitioners were also coming to me asking, ‘How do we get access to more knowledge, more learning, more mentors?’, and I was passionate about supporting the rise of Māori women practising tā moko,” she explains.

In the last nine years Julie has trained over 20 artists, with one to two per year graduating to full-time employment at  Art + Body Creative Studio or starting their own successful business. 

“Our apprentices learn technical skills and hone their artistic niche, but at the forefront of our kaupapa is creating an environment to support the clients' physical, emotional and spiritual transformation. This includes learning protocols, tikanga, health and safety, and coordinating an open and supportive client dialogue - which is less about the purchase and more on creating an honourable, respectful exchange,” she explains. 

Julie’s education work also extends beyond the studio, into orchestrating festivals, exchanges and exhibitions working to strengthen and enrich Māori arts and indigenous tattoo around the world. Toi Kiri, the world indigenous arts festival, developed by Julie and the team from Te Tuhi Māreikura Trust, was held in Tauranga last month. The fourth world indigenous tattoo event is held annually in October over 10 days, featuring a symposium, exhibition and public event showcasing 45 tattoo artists and 200 cultural performers from 16 different nations around the world.

“We have worked hard to create a healthy and vibrant tā moko and tattoo community in Tauranga, and as a result of the vision here, New Zealand is at the forefront of an international movement supporting the revitalisation and exhibition of indigenous arts around the world,” says Julie.

Tā moko on display

Julie Paama-Pengelly is one of eight cultural tattoo practitioners selected to take part in a world-first exhibition at the Museum of Vancouver in 2024. Internationally-acclaimed tattoo artist Dion Kaszas is curating “True Tribal: Contemporary Expressions of Ancestral Tattoo Practices”, an exhibition featuring podcasts, documentary, live performances, living portraits and a photographic exhibition; all celebrating the work of contemporary indigenous tattoo artists around the world. 

Quick questions with Julie Paama-Pengelly

UNO: What's your background? How did you become a tattoo artist?

Julie: I have a background in design and did an undergraduate degree in anthropology, which gave me a cultural context to Māori ethnography, world view, and also the importance of our historical art objects. This led to an interest in Māori and Pacific Island development and a Masters of Third World Development. I then did a Bachelor and a Masters in Māori Visual Arts and went on to teach at Massey University School of Design, doing tā moko on the weekends. Tā moko is a cultural signifier of identity and pride; in the early days, it was a community practice that happened on marae and in whanau contexts, as part of the ongoing reclamation of health and wellbeing for Māori.

How long have you been in the industry?

I have been applying tā moko for more than 30 years, at times around my other roles as teacher, writer, exhibiting artist, and parent to two children. When I moved to Tauranga to be closer to my tribal base (I’m from Matakana and Matapihi), I saw the contrast between an affluent Western community and the relative position that Māori now occupied in Tauranga after suffering loss of land and capacity during colonisation. In 2011, I decided to open a studio to locate tā moko within other tattoo practices, to clarify the relative differences between tā moko and tattoo, and to engender further acceptance of tā moko – particularly facial markings which had historically faced discrimination in Western tattoo history.

How would you describe your style?

I am a tā moko specialist and since I have been practicing for an extended length of time, this practice has developed quite a bit. I understand that the principles of tā moko design are underpinned by an inherited language vocabulary (Māori didn't have a written language so our arts served a powerful role), and once you know this, its up to the tā moko artist to expand on this and to reflect the changing nature of Māori experiences and society. When non-Māori copy tā moko, they fail to understand the language system, the design meaning as a personalised engagement between the wearer, their community and Māori ancestors, connecting us with our ancestors throughout time.

Do you have a specialty or area of expertise and if so what?

Within tā moko, I now focus most of my attention to doing moko kauae (the chin area) and moko peha (the lower back, buttocks and down the legs) on women. My body doesn't hold up like it used to, so my focus is now on what I can contribute to the ongoing practice of tā moko. As one of the few female practitioners, it is important for me to consider what unique voice I bring and how I can help keep the art form current into the future.  

What do you love most about your job?

Tā moko is all about the people, and while this requires energy, it is the most rewarding part of the job. Particularly the therapy that we each share on the journey, what their story is, their hurdles and celebrations, and being able to collaborate to bring forth something that holds the meaning of generations of Māori. With bigger pieces where clients return time after time, they become family and we all feel connected, and this affects our studio too. Some clients will seek out our other artists to get pieces that reflect their specialties, which makes for a really nice working environment.

Tell us about your most memorable experience with a client.

This is a difficult one, but I have had affirmation of the healing power that tā moko can have. One client who received a significant piece (some
60 hours of work) as a moko peha had a significant history of understanding that she couldn't conceive. She went on to have a child four years later, and more recently reflected that the moko peha might have contributed to this.

Do you have a favourite piece of work?

I treasure my large projects the most, as they allow me to build a significant design relationship between the elements as well as a bond with the receiver. My original first full moko peha piece on Jeanette Rata in 2004 still resonates with me, because the work flowed quite spontaneously from session to session, and the image has been widely viewed so I have had plenty of time to be critical of the work. My current moko peha piece on Erena Mikaere represents how my practice has developed over a 20-year period.

What inspires you?

The work of my ancestors, particularly when I see photos and marvel at the expertise of what they executed with tools fashioned from nature. They remind me of why it’s important to continue this practice, not necessarily to replicate their work, but to look at how they responded to the world. If only we had more primary material from artists back then! I am also inspired by everyone that takes on the commitment to wear tā moko. It’s a mark of bravery and a commitment to wear their identity, experiences and journey forever. They are the ultimate muse, creative influence and legacy for our tā moko traditions.

Artbody.co.nz

artbodycreative

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Art with heart

Pepa Heller of Bohemian Tattoo Arts in Tauranga strives to provide a friendly, relaxed atmosphere in his well-established, legendary parlour, with plenty of talent to choose from.

UNO: How long has Bohemian Tattoo Arts been open?

Pepa: We opened the studio in 2002, so we've been established for more than 20 years now.

Did you have a big party to celebrate the anniversary?

Not quite a party but we wanted to do something special that would also support the wider community, especially those in need of help. We also wanted to express gratitude to our clients and supporters, so we decided to run a mental health awareness fundraising project for I AM HOPE. It took us more than a year in preparation and about four months to execute. 

What was the project about? 

One of our team members, Jeffrey Robinson, had the idea of coming up with an animation in support of mental health. It consisted of 100 sketches of John Dory fish in support of men's mental health. The storyline is that the fish was absorbing a lot of darkness and negativity and became sad, only to realise that it could speak 'bubble' to become a happy fish once again. This was to represent mental health struggles. Everyone was really excited about this, so we decided to go ahead with it. The task was to tattoo 101 animation frames on 101 people. All profits were donated to I AM HOPE. Tattooing that many people takes a lot of time, so we called for more tattoo aficionados, mostly the ex-Bohemian crew to help us out. By the time we finished, it had taken us four months to complete all 101 tattoos. We are very happy to have fundraised over $15,000 for a great cause.

That's amazing. How many artists worked on the project and how many do you have in the studio?

Fifteen artists took part in completing the John Dory frames. We have eight amazing tattoo artists at the studio at the moment.

Could you elaborate on your artists and their styles?

Our team, from four different continents, consists of incredible talent and covers a broad spectrum of tattoo art styles. I cover large-scale realism/freehand kirituhi, while Julie of Reconnectink has her own unique style that is strongly connected to nature and good energy. We are both from Czech Republic. Grace of Ink_trek (NZ) is a master of fine lines, mandala art and stipple shading. Paul Collier (NZ) is amazing with large-scale colour and black and white realism. Bryn of spookeestuff.tattoo (UK/NZ) specialises in traditional tattoo style with solid lines and fine shading. Matias of Eme_Ese from Argentina is a solid artist on the rise. Sanjay of Swostiktattoo (Nepal) holds a Masters degree in Arts and focuses on oriental style and realism. Last but not least, Aidan Holland (NZ) covers most styles. Just as cherished and important is our shop manager, Aja, along with professional piercer Olive, both hailing from Bohemia, Czech Republic. 

What do you think makes a great tattoo?

I believe there must be a great deal of understanding and good communication between the artist and the client. The client needs to be tattooed by an artist whose style aligns with what the client wants. We are very fortunate to be able to cover most styles of tattooing at Bohemian Tattoo Arts. A great tattoo must strike a balance between scale, proportion, and flow while meeting the client's goal.

How do you work with clients to create a custom design?

First, we arrange for a free, no-obligation consultation, during that time we discuss the client's ideas and offer our own professional input. For the best possible result, it is important to come to a mutual understanding regarding the concept. Once we strike that balance, an appointment is determined and we start designing.

What's the most interesting tattoo you've ever done?

My awesome client Brent gave me his full back to do whatever I wanted, so naturally, I reached for a portrait of a majestic horse. During the first session, to my surprise, Brent was keen to make the commitment and come along with me to the Las Vegas Tattoo Convention in only four weeks. At that point, it sounded impossible to finish such a large-scale tattoo, but in the end, that’s exactly what we did. There were a lot of hours squeezed into a short time, but it was well worth it.

What do you love most about your job?

I am the luckiest man in the world to have the job that I do. It is creative and intimate; I get to know my clients very well and I feel privileged to be part of their life and journey. In the end, they will never be the same after they leave my chair. 

Do you have a favourite piece of work?

The personality of my client and the project itself go hand in hand to determine my favourite projects, and there are a lot of these. So, if you’re reading this, and have a tattoo in mind, don’t hesitate to get in touch!

Bohemiantattooarts.com

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Body of work

With almost 20 years of history, this tattoo studio is a multi-generational hub of creativity, where originality and custom designs take centre stage.

Originally established in Dunedin in 2004, Visual Intelligence is a boutique-style tattoo studio, which recently moved to Pāpāmoa from the Mount. With three tattoo artists – Aaron, Emily and Kyah – the studio has a combined experience of almost 50 years. Macaela, who paints canvases for the studio gallery, is the manager and what the staff call the “organiser of everyone’s lives”. The studio specialises in all styles of tattooing and offers a friendly, professional and personalised service, together with high-quality artwork, in a comfortable and relaxed environment. 

Here UNO asks the team a few burning questions.

UNO: How long have you been in the industry?

Aaron: Visual Intelligence has just celebrated its 19th birthday! I’ve been tattooing for 26 years, Emily for 20 years, and Kyah for two years.  

How would you describe your style?

Aaron: We don't box ourselves into one particular style. We specialise in all styles of tattooing, from realism/portraits, to Tā Moko and Polynesian, full-colour, black and grey, illustrative, neo-trad, fineline, and everything in-between. We also custom design almost all of our work because, first and foremost, we are artists.  

What is your favourite style of tattooing?

Aaron: I prefer big, bold custom work in black and grey or colour – tattoos that are built to last and will stand the test of time. I also have a large portfolio of Tā Moko/Māori, Polynesian and Japanese-style work.  

Emily: I love illustrative and neo-traditional art, but am happy to do all styles of tattooing.  

Kyah: I’m Aaron's apprentice and son, so I’m following in Dad's footsteps. I have a passion for tā moko/Māori, Polynesian and Japanese art.

What do you think makes a great tattoo?

Macaela: A customised design which has been skilfully executed, aesthetically pleasing to the eye, and one that both the artist is happy with and the client is proud to wear. It's also important to note that even a perfectly executed tattoo needs to be followed up with a perfectly well-healed tattoo. We provide personalised aftercare advice which is the responsibility of the client. This would include keeping the fresh tattoo clean at all times and out of the sun, sand and surf, using an aftercare product specifically for tattoos, and even once healed, using sunscreen whenever exposed to the outdoors.

How do you work with clients to create a custom design?

Macaela: The client would come to us with an idea or reference images and we then go through a consultation process, with the artist talking through their ideas, what will and won't work, size and placement and whether they're wanting colour or black and grey. Consulting with the client eliminates the need for multiple designs to be done, as a solid tattoo plan is discussed prior to any designing. There also needs to be an element of trust between client and artist. At the end of the day, the client has come to us through either a recommendation or because they've loved the work they've seen, and are happy to wait months in advance for a booking. Some clients like to see a design prior to their booking; however, most trust our process and only see their design on the day of their booking.

What inspired you to become a tattoo artist? What is your background? How did you become a tattoo artist?

Aaron: I’ve been drawing since I could hold a pencil and I’ve been an artist my whole life.  Drawing and design led me to becoming a self-taught tattoo artist and eventually Macaela and I opened Visual Intelligence in Dunedin in 2004. I also enjoy digital art and painting in oils and acrylics, and as well as being a tattoo artist, I was an aerosol artist for many years in Dunedin, painting large-scale murals. More recently I’ve been busy with commissions for custom-carved skate decks, inspired by my love for music, art, culture, skating and tattooing. 

Emily: I was brought up in West London and, as a teenager, was into the punk scene and also enjoyed designing tattoos for friends to get tattooed by other tattoo artists. I was always stoked to see my own designs as tattoos on my friends and one of them suggested I should look for an apprenticeship. I approached one of the best tattoo studios in West London for an apprenticeship, and that's where it all started! I have since tattooed in London, Perth and Sydney, and then joined the
Visual Intelligence team in 2018. I also enjoy painting in oils, acrylics and watercolours.

Kyah: My parents are Aaron and Macaela and I’ve basically been brought up in a tattoo studio my whole life. I’ve always been surrounded by their art and seeing what my dad could do in the tattoo studio inspired me to focus on my art at college. In my final year, I received the Mana Toi Tāne Award, which is awarded to "the male student who represents their culture through visual arts with perserverance, commitment and pride." I also completed a Certificate in Art & Design at Toi Ohomai and started my tattoo journey in 2021.

What makes your studio unique?

Macaela: Our studio not only produces high-quality, custom work, but also provides our clients with an experience.  We have a beautiful new studio in Pāpāmoa and our environment is a professional hub of creativity, artistic flair, with a personalised service created for each individual client. Our clients feel welcomed, listened to and looked after throughout their tattoo journey.  The majority of our clients are also repeat customers and are always thinking ahead and discussing with us the next project they wish us to help them undertake, whether that be on skin, canvas or a wall! 

Visualintelligence.net.nz

Change of art

Tauranga Arts Festival is renowned for bringing the world to the city’s doorstep but for this year’s October 19-29 extravaganza, the new team at the festival’s helm are embracing the moment.

Words Sandra Simpson

The Up-Doos - He’s a Rebel

Taking on the mammoth project that is the Tauranga Arts Festival is beyond exciting for the new festival organisers.

“In building this year's programme, we're reflecting a need to provoke joy and belonging for our audiences – as well as undertaking necessary conversations with the vital voices of Aotearoa,” says artistic director Shane Bosher. “We'll be staging some out-of-the-box experiences, including an interactive work for families, which we are super excited about.”

The superb travelling venue, the Carrus Crystal Palace, will be at the southern end of The Strand waterfront for music, a night of comedy and all the fun of a poetry slam, with other performances and events unrolling throughout the city.

Our place on the planet is Oceania, borderless and vast, ranging from the fiery volcanoes of O'ahu to the wild tides of Rakiura. It’s a place rich with story that UPU brings to roaring theatrical life with an all-star line-up of Māori and Pasifika performers who will invigorate the words of Oceanic icons as well as writers transforming Aotearoa today, including Maualaivao Albert Wendt, Briar Grace-Smith, Apirana Taylor, Tayi Tibble,
Selina Tusitala Marsh and Hone Tūwhare. 

UPU

Tusiata Avia, whose work features in UPU and is the author of a previous festival hit, Wild Dogs Under My Skirt, is the first female Pasifika poet to win the Ockham Award for poetry. The festival is delighted to feature the ferocious stage adaptation of that award-winning 2021 collection, The Savage Coloniser. Avia’s unapologetic examination of race and racism is full of bold humour and lacerating truths. “This is a red-hot festival ticket that audiences should fear missing out on,” Shane says.

The Haka Party Incident brings the events of a more-recent history – the “last New Zealand war” in 1979 – to the stage in an award-winning production. Resurrected is the eventful day when a group of Auckland University engineering students rehearsing their annual tradition of a mock haka are confronted by the activist group, He Taua. Provocative, resonant and unforgettable, this is a not-to-be-missed theatre event from writer and director Katie Wolfe.

The Haka Party

Laughter is an important component of any Tauranga Arts Festival and, thanks to an evening exploring questionable dating choices and romantic misadventures with Mr Wrong, the Carrus Crystal Palace will be a rollicking place to be. He’s a Rebel is a playful cabaret performed by The Up-Doos, actress-singers Liv Tennet, Esther Stephens and Aria Jones, who feature the music of Dionne Warwick, Shangri-Las and The Chiffons, among others. 

Meanwhile, in her new solo show Mean Mums, actress Morgana O’Reilly wants to tell you Stories about my Body, some not-so-funny, but some definitely funny, and with the healthy reminder to be more gentle and kinder to ourselves. Warning: There will be nudity (and you will love it!).

Do you love to sing, but only when no one’s listening? Two of Aotearoa’s musical heavyweights – award-winning musical director Jason Te Mete
and Rutene Spooner, a member of the Modern Māori Quartet – will tempt out your inner star and let you enjoy the thrill of a collective performance. In Battle Chorus, the maestros divvy up their audience and fight it out in a social singalong. With a complimentary drink to loosen the vocal cords, audience members will learn harmonies to great Kiwi hits, then join forces in a fun sing-off.

Tusiata Avia

A rising star with a voice born in the rushing mountain streams and placid green bush of Te Wai Pounamu is singer-songwriter Jenny Mitchell, who blends folk, alt-country and Americana into her own captivating style. Just as her songs speak to the family ties that bind, so too does her backing band that includes her identical twin sisters, Maegan and Nicola, accomplished performers in their own right.

Festivals encourage innovative art and Kiwi singer/songwriter Finn Andrews, lead singer of the rock band The Veils, does just that by joining forces with the luscious sounds of violin, cello and piano of NZTrio’s contemporary classical musicians Amalia Hall, Ashley Brown and Somi Kim to perform songs from One Piece at a Time, Andrews' first solo album and previously unreleased material.

Finn Andrews, Amalia Hall, Ashley Brown and Somi Kim

As well as top home-grown talent, the festival is thrilled to welcome Gráda, a five-piece Irish folk band (albeit one with a Kiwi member) that has reunited in 2023 especially for a New Zealand tour. Said to be to its genre what Arcade Fire are to indie (a big compliment), Gráda has appeared multiple times in Ireland’s top 10 music charts. 

Thought-provoking conversations are guaranteed with a Speaker Programme that includes novelist Emily Perkins, Jared Savage (Gangland), writer and director Katie Wolfe, comedian and writer Michele A’Court, children’s author Dame Lynley Dodd, and while playwright Nathan Joe, who also performs his Scenes from a Yellow Peril as a spoken-word event.

Another high-impact performer sharing stories from a life that straddles two cultures is Sameena Zehra, an award-winning performer, writer, director and blues singer-songwriter. Before moving to Aotearoa, Sameena lived in Britain where she performed at the National Theatre and toured internationally with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Her show, Tea with the Terrorists, confronts everything, whether sombre or silly, with a light and insightful touch. 

Jenny Mitchell

A Seat at the Table is one of the visual art installations in the central city during the festival. Attempting to rebalance the voices at the table of contemporary fine art, this intriguing work asks spectators to move around a large dinner table, with each place occupied by work from a diverse point of view. Pull up a seat and taste a more balanced contemporary art diet. Like the festival itself, everyone’s invited to this party!  

Tickets from ticketek.co.nz or the Baycourt box office in Tauranga. See the full Tauranga Arts Festival programme at taurangafestival.co.nz

Behind the curtain

This April, take a peek backstage at Baycourt’s colourful history – and celebrate its ruby anniversary with a diverse roster of performances, exhibitions and community engagement.

Words Monique Balvert-O’Connor

If a venue like Baycourt is marking a milestone, then it follows that creative celebrations can be expected.

And such is the case, with all eyes on the stage between April 21-29, when Baycourt’s 40th anniversary
celebrations will be rolled out. It will be a time to reflect upon, and celebrate, the many magic moments delivered in one building over four decades, says Baycourt manager Reena Snook.

In its time Baycourt has served its community well – providing the venue for hundreds of school musicals, primary school music festivals, all sorts of dance competitions, dramatic performances, Tauranga Art Festival and Jazz Festival events, and so many more. It’s provided a stage for comedians like Ben Elton, for example, and national dance companies like Atamira, for Kiri Te Kanawa, and repeatedly for The Royal NZ Ballet and NZ Symphony Orchestra. 

Many have used the Baycourt stage over the years as the springboard to stardom, with these including actor Tim Balme, and prima ballerina Katherine Grange. Technicians involved backstage have gone on to work in some of the world’s biggest venues.

This Tauranga premier performing arts venue’s impressive history actually has a royal connection too. On April 26, 1983, Baycourt was opened by the Prince and Princess of Wales – the late Princess Diana and the then-Prince Charles. 

Baycourt’s Technical and Operation manager Dale Henderson - who has a lengthy association with Baycourt - tells how the Royals were restricted to entering solely the then-called Exhibition Space as Addison Theatre, with its many curtains and entry points, offered too great a security risk.

Reena says the 40th celebrations are a time to remember such momentous events and to acknowledge her predecessors, such as the late Bob Addison. The city identity started his time as long-serving manager of Baycourt in 1988. Dale recalls Bob’s focus on getting school and community groups in using the venue.

Baycourt’s history tracks many changes in performing arts in general, he says, back to the days pre-radio microphones, LED lighting, and e-ticketing. And he recalls the days before Baycourt’s flytower was constructed. One of the biggest changes Baycourt has been through, he believes, is in what was called The Exhibition Space, now X Space. 

“It was used as a display/exhibition area but is now much more around performing arts and enables emerging-type performances to go ahead there.”

Baycourt can boast many wonderful stories of community involvement, and Dale offers up one dating right back to when it was being built. 

“With acoustics in mind, material was needed for the back wall. So, local spinners and weavers managed to create 20 woollen wall hangings. They still hang today on The Addison Theatre’s back wall.”

Reena and Dale see the 40th anniversary celebrations as a launching pad for the next stage of Baycourt’s journey too. In the not-too-distant future, Baycourt’s interior will be refurbished and its façade upgraded, as part of the development of the new civic arts and culture precinct, Te Manawataki o Te Papa. ” 

baycourt.co.nz

Let’s celebrate

There’s much to remember, much to celebrate, and Reena assures the public can expect a diverse 40th anniversary programme that will involve:

A gala concert (7pm on April 21). Think royal variety show. Taking the stage will be groups like Tauranga Musical Theatre, Opus Orchestra, and local dance groups – all of which have performed on the Baycourt stage over the years. 

A curated art exhibition in the X Space (from April 21-29) – free entry. Organised in collaboration with The Incubator, X-bition will be a creative presentation of historical and current images from Baycourt’s collections. 

An online digital component which has involved taking archival images and digitalising them. A website, with the images, will be launched on April 21. 

A community engagement programme named He Toi Kupu is being produced by Tauranga-born creative Jason Te Mete (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi) and his organisations Tuatara Collective and Ahipoutu Collective. This event will involve extracted stories dramatically interpreted. 

A whānau day on April 29 to end celebrations. The community will be welcomed for guided tours of Baycourt during this free, family event. Face painters, balloon sculptures and food will all be part of the fun atmosphere.

On purpose

Vivid, bold and playful, Paul Darragh’s artwork brings all the drama.

Words Hayley Barnett

Having worked on projects for Rihanna, Nike, IBM and The New York Times, Mount Maunganui artist Paul Darragh knows a thing or two about pop culture. When he moved home from the bright lights of New York City, where he had established his own design studio and gallery space (Manhattan Born), he knew he wanted to “strip back the BS” and focus on getting to the bottom of who he really is. Each painting, he says, gets him a little closer to that place.

UNO: How did you become an artist?

Paul: I believe you are born an artist, and you can try and ignore those tendencies, but eventually they must come out in order to fulfil your life’s destiny and purpose. As a teenager, I loved art and graphic design, but decided to pursue the latter professionally. I worked as a graphic designer first in Melbourne for four years, then in New York City for 10 years. It was at the end of this period, after working with some top brands and experiences, that I realised I was no longer creatively fulfilled just doing that work. I needed to also create art. So I remember that day in 2015, at my job in Brooklyn, deciding from then on I would become an artist. 

How did you discover this medium?
My art practice is distinctly influenced by my design career; the work is flat, graphic and bold. However, I have always been influenced by artists that work in this style. When I discovered Andy Warhol as a teenager, his work really resonated with me, and so began a love of paintings that have a strong sense of composition and colour with a nod to commerce and pop culture. These things all interest me, it’s what I think about, and it’s who I am. I believe my art should reflect the contemporary world around me, through my visual language of colour and composition. 

What do you love about it?
I love that I am in complete control when I create an exhibition or collection of paintings. I have no boss or subordinates to consider. I have no one to bounce ideas off of. I only have my own mind and a belief in myself. It’s very raw and it can be very cathartic. Creating is very much a journey. You start with nothing and you have to make thousands of decisions to arrive at this final image and it often doesn’t come easy, nor does it end up like the image in your mind's eye. But therein lies the magic. 

Why did you move to the Mount?
When I moved home from New York I didn’t really know where in Aotearoa I wanted to live. I decided I would move home to my parents’ farm outside of Matamata and figure it out from there. I ended up staying there for a couple of years before meeting my now-partner Ali, who lives and has a business at the Mount. We had been together for seven months when the pandemic hit in 2020, so I moved over when the lockdown started. Three years later, I’m still here, and the Mount is now my home. 

What inspires you to create?
I have a theory that each person is born with a pure soul that is the representation of their unique identity and spirit. Over time, this gets whittled away as we learn how to navigate life. We pick up insecurities and bruises. We feel shame and hide parts of ourselves. We let in resentment and bitterness. When I paint, I am trying to achieve that purity again.

What is your favourite piece and why?
One of my favourite pieces is from my latest show “Shape Up or Ship Out” at Tauranga Art Gallery. It is called Precious Cargo. I love it because it’s really big, really simple and really bright. It has an optical illusion to it. It could be a jewel, it could be a container or it could be a button from a 1980s game. You could be viewing it from above, or in front or inside of it, so it has the ability to distort space and perspective.

Who is your favourite artist right now?
One of my favourite artists right now is Ad Minoliti. They are a non-binary artist from Argentina. They make incredible geometric abstraction and installations. There are also a lot of references to children’s illustration. The paintings are bright and fun and filled with joy. 

bemodern.co.nz

Home remedy

Photographer Alan Gibson’s new book For The Love Of The Country highlights the everyday beauty in the work of New Zealand’s farming families. Here’s an extract on Tauranga’s The Good Farm, a family
of organic farmers supplying the Bay with “good medicine”.

Loren Gibbs and partner Michaela Good own The Good Farm in Welcome Bay, Tauranga, and run it on organic principles, selling the milk, veggies and eggs they produce to locals. Loren Gibbs explains: “My mum always said that food is medicine. So, if you are eating good food, you are getting good medicine.

“At The Good Farm, we are on 10 hectares, and we are running mainly a raw-milk dairy herd. We milk between 14 and 16 cows during the day. We are not certified organic, but we like to think that we work alongside the principles of organic agriculture and gardening. We are spray free on our pastures and our vegetable garden. We don’t use synthetic fertilisers, any chemical pesticides or herbicides.

“We have a farm shop and that’s where we make most of our income. All the milk from our cows gets sold on the farm through a self-service dispenser. That’s about 180 litres a day. All the produce from the veggie garden and our eggs get sold through the shop as well, on an honesty system that works well. We get hundreds of people through the shop every week and they come from all walks of life; they are not all a bunch of hippies. The only thing they have in common is that they all want fresh, raw milk and that they care about their food. That’s the main thing.” 

Purchase
For The Love of The Country

at all good bookstores.

Permission to play

Artist Lily Ivana taps into her creative flow by freeing herself of expectations and the result is mixed-media magic.
Interview Hayley Barnett

Growing up, contemporary mixed media artist Lily Ivana was “never not doodling”. Back in her hometown in Yorkshire, UK, she often sat in front of the TV with a huge wooden board holding wallpaper and drew out masterpieces whilst watching her favourite shows. Now she calls the Bay home and says her artistic inspiration these days comes from the golden sands of the East Coast and wherever her weekend adventures take her.

How did you become an artist?
I come from quite a creative family. One of my earliest memories is sitting for my grandfather whilst he sketched my portrait. My dad is a bespoke joiner and triggered my love of design and ‘the makers mark’. I was lucky to get a place at Leeds College of Art, where I studied Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, specialising in object and spatial design. I also completed the UCA Drawing qualification whilst there. Then headed on to Nottingham to do my BAHons in Decorative Arts, specialising in ceramic sculpture.
Following university, I worked in various community arts projects in the UK and Aotearoa. And it opened my eyes to art as a tool for wellbeing and connection. 

How did you discover this medium?
My curiosity to experiment and play with new materials has led me to my current style of creating. Around five years ago, my partner bought me my Adventure Journal. I took it with me on all our travels with an ever-expanding materials’ case and filled it with non-pressured, playful, mixed-media creations. When we got back it was the natural flow for me to start translating what I’d learned into larger scale works. Creating is my mindfulness practice. Removing the pressure of what it’s going to turn out like really helped me to free up and create more. 

What do you love about it? 
Acrylic paints are so versatile, they can be thickened, thinned, textured and layered. I love working with acrylic and mixed media as anything goes and I don’t feel limited. I play around with materials to learn about them. Sometimes I don’t know how they’re going to interact, but that’s all part of the magic. My outcomes rarely come out like my initial idea. I find it very freeing, allowing myself to just go with the flow and let the materials lead the way. 

What are some of the things that inspire you to create your art?
I am super grateful to have an inspiring studio space, full of natural light, attached onto the deck where I live. It’s my happy place and having everything in one spot definitely helps with the momentum of creating.
The majority of my current work is influenced by my early morning coastal walks, weekend adventures and the plants I fill my home with. I create to recharge. The materials I’m drawn to and how the work turns out is always quite in the moment. All my work has brought me happiness.

What is your favourite piece and why?
Currently, my favourite piece is "A Gentle Day". I can imagine it bringing a peaceful, chilled feeling to a room. I like how the soft oil pastel line and block acrylic complement each other. This piece evolved over six months. When I see it I see the layers and the journey I went on when creating it.

Who is your favourite artist?
This changes all the time! At the moment, I can’t get enough of Californian artist Hilary Pecis, especially her landscapes. They feel so inviting with the contrast of solid colour and delicate, intricate shapes. I hope to be able to see her work in person one day. 

Why art matters

Bringing Māori art to the mainstream is a personal and professional passion for Julie Paama-Pengelly.

Words Monique Balvert-O’Connor / Photos Salina Galvan 

Julie Paama-Pengelly is unsure why UNO finds her story-worthy. Where to start? How about the fact she’s described as a formidable powerhouse artist, curator and strategist doing amazing work. 

She heads Te Tuhi Mareikura Trust – known for exceptional work nurturing and celebrating Māori creativity at all levels. The Trust was the driving force behind the inaugural Tauranga Moana Creatives’ Awards, introduced this year and held to align with the country’s first national Matariki holiday.  

She’s one of Aotearoa’s foremost wāhine Māori tā moko practitioners – she owns Mount Maunganui’s Art and
Body studio, has practiced ta moko for 30 years and was an initiator of the recent world indigenous tattoo festival, named Toi Kiri. 

And Julie is heavily involved in digitally promoting the work of Māori artists.

Of Ngāi Te Rangi heritage, Julie (whose whakapapa is Matakana) works closely with the commissioners, appointed to Tauranga, on a soon-to-be-released arts strategy.

She says, “You can’t do everything.” But it appears she’s giving it a go, fuelled by a desire to create an art space for Māori.

“I have immersed myself in what the Māori world means. I want to leave a better place. I understand what art means to our people and know that’s what to concentrate on to make a difference.”

When not heavily immersed in all of the above, Julie does… Art. Of topical interest, she has a proposal lodged for a solo exhibition at Tauranga Art Gallery. Plans are for that artwork to then travel to Vancouver in 2024. Julie trained in Māori visual arts painting and sculpture (she also has a Masters in Third World Development). Bringing art to the fore

Julie says chairing Te Tuhi Mareikura Trust “is a passion and a privilege”. The Trust advocates and leads education initiatives for artists and audiences and is dedicated to increasing opportunities for Māori visual stories to feature prominently. A five-year-goal is to create a Tauranga Moana Māori arts exhibition centre as a focal point for its artists.

“Our vision is to lead development, and give leadership, in the Tauranga Moana art space. That traverses some difficult conversations, like traditional versus contemporary, where Māori should be in the economy, who should be represented when it comes to Māori.

“It is really important for our commissioners to understand there is a shortfall in what is being presented as Māori art – we are lauded overseas, but not here.”

The Trust ensures the Māori voice will be heard in the pending Tauranga City Council Art Strategy.

“We have our own Toi (art) strategy because of the Trust, and we are developing a legacy plan.”

Julie firmly believes Aotearoa’s leverage as a nation is its Māori culture (as well as landscape). 

“We hold this as our own. We want to back this up with real development for Māori.”

The Trust includes a youth programme, Toi Ohooho (“be alive through arts”), launched a year ago. Not just for Māori, it helps at-risk youth aged 13 to 24, supporting them through art. They are mentored by established artists and involved in projects that explore their identity within their historic landscape. 

Tauranga City Council arts and culture manager James Wilson is full of praise for the way Te Tuhi Mareikura Trust is working to raise the profile of the many “amazing” tangata whenua artists and applauds efforts being made to connect their work to new audiences.

Julie’s work, he praises as grounded in traditional Ngā Toi Māori practices, yet contemporary and cutting edge, and always focused on carving out a new space in which artists can share their stories. 

“The creative life force of Tauranga is strong, and Te Tuhi Mareikura Trust enables the community to tune into this life force, and to discover why arts and culture is such an important part of who we are as people,” he says.

Art at a click

Tauranga may not yet have a Māori arts exhibition centre, but the opportunity for artists to showcase and sell their work has expanded thanks to a Digital Cluster Initiative Julie is involved in. Going digital enables Tauranga Moana Māori artists to reach far beyond local, and into new markets online.  

“Through digital, we (Te Tuhi Mareikura Trust and the Digital Cluster Initiative) will support collaboration and growth, work to lift productivity, enhance discoverability, and explore new direct-to-consumer markets online. “It is all part of the larger legacy project to cement Māori arts in the region,” an excited Julie tells. 

Awards and accolades

Te Tuhi Mareikura Trust teams up with key locals in the art space (for example, Sonya Korohina and Para Whati) to set aspirations. Honouring artists (with tribal connectivity to the Bay) for their achievement in Māori art is a result of such collaboration, and so the Matariki Awards were born this year. “It was a hit, a beautiful thing,” says Julie who was the event organiser. The awards include Tauranga City Council sponsorship and are here to stay. Inaugural winners included film producer Chelsea Winstanley and musician Stan Walker.

Ancestral stories, meaningful tradition

Julie calls the Toi Kiri Festival her baby. Te Tuhi Mareikura Trust hosted the festival this year for the third time. It’s essentially a world tattoo event involving leading indigenous practitioners who gather to share learnings and art. An underlying theme is the revival of the tattoo tradition. That’s hugely significant to Julie.

“One of the reasons I got involved in Ta Moko was because it’s a language – it tells a personal story and is a connection to our ancestors, to cosmology, to our youth. A lot of that has been lost for a lot of Māori. For every art form that disappears, there goes a way of being, a way of communicating, a whole body of knowledge.”

Upon reflection, Julie concedes much of note has happened as regards her shared aspirations for Māori within the region and within the new civic vision. It’s been timely to talk.

julesartistmoko.com 

Art lovers rejoice

Live music, food, garden-related trade stores, tiny houses, guest speakers and art displays are all part of the fun at Bloom in the Bay.

Words Monique Balvert-O’Connor Photos supplied

Dubbed a little like a festival within a festival, the Craigs Investment Partners’ Bloom in the Bay event has become a vibrant part of the biennial Bay of Plenty Garden and Art Festival. And there will certainly be plenty to enthral this year at the 17-20 November family-friendly event, assures festival director Marc Anderson.

Bloom in the Bay will be held at Tauranga Racecourse, where there’s room aplenty for the array of planned activities and stalls. New to the event this year is, for example, the inclusion of 30 garden-related trade stores offering their wares for sale – this exhibition space will be called Bloom Plaza. Also a first, will be an array of tiny houses and cabins that will form a charming wee art village, Marc explains, as there will be an artist set up in each.

Entry to Bloom in the Bay is free to BOP Garden and Art Festival attendees and to children under 14, and will cost adults without festival tickets only $5. The idea is to drop in whenever it suits on the four festival days and enjoy the many wonders of this colourful event, Marc says. It will run from 9.30am to 6pm on the first three festival days, and from 9.30am until 3pm on the Sunday.

The food options will be many, the bar will be open, and the live music lineup will include Kokomo Blues and Caitriona Fallon, for example, as well as emerging talent. There will be a “Make Art Not Waste” Envirohub catwalk event on the Saturday, and a scintillating mix of environment-focused speakers. Discover more about living predator-free, growing microgreens and making seed bombs, find out what endangered species we have living on our beaches, and hear from an award-winning photographer who has been cuddled by a whale
and attacked by an octopus. 

Check the gardenandartfestival.co.nz website in the lead-up to the festival for the timing of the different Bloom in the Bay events and performances.

Meanwhile, tickets are selling fast for the festival’s Long Lunch, with gardening guru (and former NZ Gardener editor) Lynda Hallinan as guest speaker. A three-course meal, glass of bubbles on arrival, live music and entertainment will all be on offer. 

And art lovers, rejoice: The festival includes more artists than ever and an Art Studio Trail, within the main trail, is being introduced. The festival map is marked with these 22 purpose-built art studios (see photos of
some of the art to be found in these studios). 

Festival tickets are $40 for one day, and $65 for multiple days, and are available at Palmers Bethlehem (the festival’s trail sponsors), Décor Garden World, Pacifica Home & Garden Store, i-SITE Tauranga, Te Puke Florist, Katch Katikati information centre, online at Eventfinda (service fees may apply) and on the festival website.

The Bay of Plenty Garden and Art Festival is sponsored by Bayleys. 

gardenandartfestival.co.nz

For the love of arts

The new artistic director of Tauranga’s flagship Arts Festival
brings passion and experience to the event.

Words Monique Balvert-O’Connor Photos Jeremy Hooper

Gabrielle Vincent thinks she may have shed a tear or two upon hearing she’d got the job of Tauranga Arts Festival artistic director.

“I love programming live performance and really wanted to get into the festival world, so being given this opportunity was just so very exciting,” is how she explains her happy tears.

Renowned as one of the most exciting art producers in the country, Gabrielle has come to the Tauranga Art Festival job after six years leading Auckland’s Basement Theatre where she commissioned and produced some of New Zealand’s boldest and bravest new talents.

The new position she was so thrilled about came her way at the tail end of 2020. But because the COVID-19 pandemic put paid to the planned 2021 Tauranga Art Festival, and caused a pushing out of this year’s Escape festival (from June to October), there’s a sense among Tauranga’s art community that Gabrielle has yet to be properly introduced. The October 12 to 16 Escape – little festival with big ideas – event is about to change that. 

“This will be the first festival I actually get to deliver. We did a lot of work and came up with an exciting programme for the 2021 festival – it was heartbreaking having to call that off. Now it’s really wonderful to be able to deliver something.”

While she has years of experience programming, Escape will offer Gabrielle (34) her first opportunity to programme a writers’ festival. And what an exciting journey it has already been, says this woman with great ideas and vision.

There’s much on offer to thrill, and Gabrielle selects News, News, News as an example – a television news show, made by children for adults, recorded in front of a studio audience and broadcast live from Baycourt. Children from Mount Maunganui primary will be involved, guided by Andy Field and Beckie Darlington – Gabrielle’s enticed both over from the United Kingdom. Andy and Beckie came up with the concept, and have worked with children across the world who have performed it. 

“It’s going to be a really fun show. It’s incredibly informative and, of course, very funny and sweet and enlightening.”

Gabrielle is delighted the timing of Escape falls within the school holidays, and as a result the line-up includes many family-friend events and children’s work. 

“I am passionate about art bringing family together and sharing moments that become memorable experiences,” she says.

Gabrielle’s daughter (she and husband Simon have a three-year-old named Edie) will grow up with a plethora of such memories, for sure. Before long she’ll be tagging along with her mother who loves to soak up theatre, dance and music performances. Perhaps, like her mother, Edie will be a “drama geek” at school, too.

Acting, singing – and a seventh form curriculum full of art subjects – filled schoolgirl Gabrielle’s creative soul with joy. As a school leaver, who felt “incredibly passionate” about theatre and live performance, Auckland Unitec beckoned with its opportunity to major in theatre directing. 

During her third year of study, Gabrielle was seconded to Auckland Theatre Company, where opportunities included getting to assistant-direct a show. Then, when a stage manager position came up, Gabrielle – who thoroughly enjoyed being backstage – was the “go to”. Gabrielle spent the next six years as a freelance stage manager, working mainly for Auckland Theatre Company. 

A keenness to get into the producing side of the business coincided with a six-month pilot producers’ programme on offer at Auckland’s Basement Theatre – the home of independent theatre.

“I got that, which was exciting. I saw many emerging artists come through and then head off and thrive
doing phenomenal things.

“I then realised I actually liked programming more than producing and I managed to get a programme director
job there for about five years.”

It’s been a career full of wonderful opportunities and adding the part-time Tauranga Arts Festival director job to the curriculum vitae is another highlight. Preparation for the next festival, in 2023, with its range of art forms are well underway. But first, Escape, with its writers, speakers, live theatre and more.

“Programming a writer’s festival has been a really exciting journey. It occurred to me that what’s different about this compared to other live performances is that none of the conversations are rehearsed. They are conjured up by people, places, ideas and we are seeing something magical unfold at the time. Conversations are unique and cannot be replicated,” she says. 

When UNO chats to Gabrielle she’s not long off preparing to head to Tauranga (Auckland is home base) for a month, in readiness for, and for, Escape. She can’t wait! 

Taurangafestival.co.nz

A village with heart

You'll find old-world appeal in this vintage-inspired shopping and community complex, with its unique cobblestone streets and charming historic buildings.

Words Sue Hoffart    Photos Jess Lowcher + Salina Galvan

Extraordinary moments happen remarkably often beyond the steel gates that separate The Historic Village from ordinary Tauranga life.

Children with disabilities discover their voices on stage at Detour Theatre, while men wielding hand tools address mental health issues inside the Men’s Shed workshop. At the resident chapel, marriages are conducted beside woven tukutuku panels that previously stood in an old Matapihi church. After dark, artistic careers are launched at gallery openings and new musical talent is discovered at lively gigs. 

And every day, people in need receive practical help, counselling, mentoring or even a new job thanks to the myriad of social service organisations that operate from the Village.

Village manager Blair Graham and his team manage the 5.5ha Tauranga City Council-run property, with its sweeping lawns and tracts of native bush, boutique shops and character buildings.

Jewel in the crown

Eight years into the job, Blair’s main focus is looking after the resident community groups and retailers who help to attract more than 200,000 visitors each year.

“This village has heart. It’s a jewel in the crown of the Te Papa peninsula,” he says, describing the way vibrant cultural festivals and corporate events unfold alongside everyday kindnesses. At the recently revitalised Village Cinema, (activated by The Incubator), for example, Sonic Cinema run a relaxed cinema experience for all ages where the cinema is adapted to the audience's sensory requirements and comfort.

The cinema, which can be transformed into a cocktail venue or lecture theatre for corporate groups, is one of five indoor function offerings on site. The Village Hall, which was renovated late last year, is a cathedral-like space with purpose-built lighting and sound systems. 

“The thing about hiring a Village venue is that it ticks the corporate social responsibility box because it helps fund all the innovation and collaboration and good things that happen here.

“We host a lot of weddings here, too, partly because our 60-seat chapel has all the charm of a small country church. In fact, my brother was married there 22 years ago and I was best man.”

Sometimes, bridal parties choose to wed in the adjacent amphitheatre, amid tranquil native bush, perhaps with a Whipped Baker cake made onsite and old-fashioned lawn games afterwards.

Festive spirit

Other visitors come seeking entertainment and international cuisine at the city’s annual multicultural festival or the Diwali festival, with its lanterns and incense, swirling saris and spicy food. 

During the day, people attend appointments or hui, conduct business or browse the boutique shops that sell everything from vinyl records to vintage or designer-made clothing, gemstones, lead lighting and art. In the evenings, dance lessons and upholstery classes kick off. The weekend crowd is different again as families, cyclists and joggers step off the neighbouring Kopurererua Valley walkway for coffee and treats.

“Early on, we discovered Pokémon geocache players were coming here at night to play the online game.”

Blair’s domain is also part of the city’s wellbeing precinct, with Tauranga Hospital, St John and the TECT Rescue Helicopter service all housed a few minutes’ walk away. Time and again, the centre manager has seen families of people dealing with serious health issues find their way from the hospital to the Village for scones and tea and solace.

“There’s a slower pace of life here. The sun streams into the cobbled streets and it’s a little bit like stepping back in time. It calms people

Baked with love

Baby Albert Cooper was six months old when his mother Fran almost died of meningitis. 

The mother of five and Whipped Baker proprietor – Fran co-owns The Historic Village bakery with husband and fellow baker Aaron – has never forgotten the people who saved her life. That’s why any café leftovers go straight to nearby hospital emergency department staff or ambulance officers across the road. 

However, leftovers can be tough to find at the incredibly popular eatery, which specialises in “really luscious, sumptuous food that people can’t help but dive into.”

On the day the café launched in 2015, the husband and wife team employed a single barista. That first morning, the customer queue stretched out the door and down the street. Now, the seven-day-a-week business employs 18 extra staff, offers catering services and still struggles to meet demand. Aaron and Fran still frequently start work between 2.30am and 3.30am and all their children help in the business. 

“We’ve always been known for our doughnuts and custard slice. We’re very old-school bakers, not people who like fancy food and stuff you can’t pronounce. It’s just good, wholesome, fresh-baked food. Everything is made 100 percent from scratch.”

Fran and most of her family are lactose-intolerant, which means they cannot consume much of the food they produce.

“I can’t eat it myself, but I just like feeding other people. I bake to make people happy.

“And being part of the Village is like being part of one big family. I feel like we’re the village kitchen. I love the atmosphere, love the people. It’s like going home every day.” 

historicvillage.co.nz

Next big thing

The up-and-coming star of Muru got into acting almost
by accident – but his onscreen talent is certainly no fluke.
Words  Dan Collins

Rising star Poroaki Merritt-McDonald opens UNO’s interview with a surprising confession.

“I wasn’t too big on the idea of being an actor,” he admits, before explaining how his mum helped him turn tragedy into triumph, while also keeping him from wandering down the wrong path – despite his protestations at the time. The 18-year-old local is being hotly tipped as the next big Kiwi actor to take flight, having starred in notable New Zealand films like Muru and Savage, as well as the theatre play Little Black Bitch.

“It wasn’t until I went through losing my brother and kind of went off the rails that my mum thought to chuck me into acting, to help me cope with what I was dealing with at the time,” he continues. “I’ve always been an out-of-the-box type of person, a bit of a character, all my life. So she thought she’d just chuck me into that.”

It was a prudent move and one that proves the old saying ‘mother knows best’. Even if initially she had to drag him along to drama classes.

“A lot of the time I was annoyed at my mother for making me do it,” he laughs. “But I look at it now and I’m like, ‘Ah, okay. Thank you, Mum!’”

The very first audition he got was for the lead role in a short film called My Brother Mitchell, which screened at the New Zealand International Film Festival back in 2018.

“That was based on the director losing his older brother, so I had that connection straight away with the director,” he says. “Acting just went on from there. I feel like it was fate.”

Poroaki’s a friendly and engaging guy and was used to the limelight, thanks to his time performing in a Kapa Haka group, which he credits for giving him skills that he was able to transfer to acting.

Even still, the natural performer says that he found his first audition extremely nerve-wracking. “Walking into the audition room I was definitely nervous and didn’t know how to come across or what to expect,” he says. “But once I got into a flow I started seeing all the benefits and started to really enjoy it. After the first short film I thought to myself, ‘I wouldn’t mind doing this.’”

His performance in My Brother Mitchell got him noticed, and more auditions started coming in. One was for a role in the critically acclaimed feature film Savage in 2020, a movie no less than The Guardian described as “a moving New Zealand street-gang saga” and a “touching character study.” But even with these successes behind him, the Bay of Plenty local still wasn’t sure if acting was for him.

“It wasn’t until Muru, really, when I thought I could do something with acting. For a lot of it I really thought I was tin-assing my way through. That it was just luck,” he reflects. “I thought I only got My Brother Mitchell because of that connection with the director and I really thought I only got Savage because I had a really rugged haircut!"

“After Muru, people started giving me props and nice feedback, and I thought maybe I could do it. Leading up to Muru, I still didn’t have too much of a care about acting. It was taking me away from school and rugby tournaments and all of that stuff. Every time I missed out on a school trip I’d be moaning, ‘I just want to hang out with my mates’. My parents would be like, ‘Do you want to hang out with your mates at the marae or do you want to be in America at a five-star hotel?’ So, it wasn’t until Muru when I realised that if I tried and really applied myself I could get somewhere with this.”

As well as being a game changer for his career, Muru has also been a true game-changer for his outlook. Previously, he’d begrudgingly go to auditions telling his mum he didn’t want to do them or that he “couldn’t be bothered”. That all changed when he heard about Muru. He says something clicked in his head and he knew that he really wanted to be a part of it.

“I thought I was actually going for an audition for Vegas,” he says, referencing TVNZ’s action-thriller series. “I had this mullet at the time and the casting crew asked if I knew how to ride a horse. I’ll be honest with you, I wasn’t the best horse rider.” He lets out a hearty laugh and then grins, “But I said yes anyway. You gotta fake it to make it, man!”

Having had his equestrian skills verbally confirmed, they proceeded to tell him what he was actually there auditioning for.

“When they gave me the rundown of what Muru was about, straightaway I was like, ‘I need to do this.’ This is one of the most pinnacle stories and historical moments that has happened in New Zealand, and for Māori, in the 20th century,” he says. “I was beyond relieved about getting this part, eh. It was a big uplifting moment, a real proud moment I felt for myself, to be able to tell this story. I feel for all my cousins from just down the road. When I was looking into all the stories from locals and people that were a part of it or heard of it, it was quite emotional.”

Muru tells the story of 2007’s real-life event that saw the Government’s elite Special Tactics group raid a remote Māori township in Ruatoki, in the Eastern Bay, under the auspices of the Terrorism Suppression Act.

“Although this movie is a recreation, it’s more of a response. It shines a light on a dark story that has been hidden away from us,” Poroaki says of the film. “The first few scenes I did I was with all the Kaumatua, the elderly, and on the van trips with them I’d be yarning to them, asking, ‘What was it like? How did it feel? What actually went down?’

“You don’t learn about this type of history in school. I felt really embarrassed for myself being a Māori and growing up in the Māori world, that I didn’t know much about in the first place. I was like, ‘Yeah, not only would this be a great story to finally let out to New Zealand and the world, but it would also be a grea learning moment for me to see what happened to my cousins from Whakatāne.”

Born in Tauranga, Poroaki grew up in Arataki (“the hood,” he laughs) before moving out to the more rural setting of Matapihi. With Muru under his belt, he’s now signed with a big UK talent agency and has already had a couple of overseas auditions, although he’s under strict instructions not to reveal any of the details about what these may be just yet. He’s also starring in a new TV show, which he says will be out around November, and is currently working on a new theatre production with his mates and some well-known directors that will be staged in Tauranga early next year.

UNO notes that this sounds like a busy schedule and he agrees, saying, “There’s not a lot of breaks but I’m enjoying it.”

Poroaki found that one of the unexpected pleasures of his success is how it motivated and inspired his friends to also get involved in the arts, with many finding their own successes in doing so and forming a bustling creative community here in the Bay.

“As Māori men in New Zealand, we’re mostly perceived as tough fellas who only make it in rugby. That’s all we’re really good at,” he says.
“So opening this door to my mates, that nah, it’s not just sports, it’s not just rugby. I always looked at my mates and thought, ‘Some of you are a lot better than me at this, you could actually do this’.
It has opened up a real big doorway for mates who were into Shakespeare and all the performing arts. It’s been a proud moment being able to see all my mates up on stage. They just blow me away. One of my mates is actually now over in London and about to perform at the Globe!”

He smiles and says, “That’s where a bit of perseverance and sitting down and learning lines can take you.” 

Into the Incubator

This creative hub has built a colourful reputation over nine amazing years

Words Sue Hoffart Photos supplied

Pilots love the rainbow-hued roadway that loudly, proudly adorns the entrance to The Incubator’s headquarters inside Tauranga’s Historic Village.

From the air, the artwork has become a well-known and cheery navigation beacon for passing planes. On the ground, it is yet another practical example of the “edgy, alternative, multi-genre art space” that Incubator director Simone Anderson envisaged a decade ago.

When the Tauranga artist set out to establish a creative hub for budding fellow practitioners, she and her
small team inhabited a converted barn divided into six studios. These days, the barn – dubbed the mother ship – is headquarters to an arts organisation that boasts 24 resident artists who now inhabit 15 buildings within The Village. Countless initiatives, events and artists have flourished along the way.

Every year, thousands of people visit to celebrate eccentricity at the Fringe Festival or attend Incubator-led workshops, to hear live music or buy the ceramics and clothing, jewellery and other items created by artists working on site.

“We’re expanding and growing beyond our wildest expectations and we’re changing the perception of
what our city is,” Simone says. “Tauranga has had a reputation as a cultural wasteland. We knew that wasn’t the case but now all these alternative, quirky high-functioning artists are really visible, in one place,
in The Village.

“And we have this whole ecosystem of working artists who now have community support, sharing resources and marketing and retail space.”

The Incubator is living up to its name in a multitude of ways. As well as incubating talent and ideas, it is inspiring visitors to appreciate new or different art forms.

“We want people to say yay, I went to that exhibition or event and I didn’t even don’t know I was interested till I saw it. Far out, that was cool.

“And we want everyone to realise art is a real, professional trade, like an electrician or a plumber.”

The organisation is also propagating creativity beyond The Village gates.

Tauranga Art Gallery has featured work by many artists who found their feet through the Incubator, while the city centre and local area are more vibrant thanks to murals by Incubator graduate Sam Allen. The young painter found confidence and connections in The Village.

City women are wearing clothing by fashion designer Kerry Funnell, who launched her Nape label and boutique after sharing a satellite studio in The Village.

“Kerry’s work is stunning, and people can walk in and see her with her sewing machine and bolts of fabric, on the main street here.

“The Village has always been an open, inclusive asset for the city and that’s exactly what we aim to be. Everything we do is really grassroots, accessible, the cost barrier is low. It’s not elite or pretentious.”

The art deco Village Cinema has recently joined The Incubator stable, with its Hollywood-themed designs and "for the people, by the people" mantra. The cinema aims to cater to everyone from independent filmmakers to people living with dementia or a disability while embracing guests who are neurodiverse, new immigrants, on a low income, or from the LGBTQIA+ community. Audiences can expect to find vintage, arthouse or Pasifika film events as well as children’s holiday or private screenings and Bollywood film nights.

At the eastern end of The Village, a creative community campus is the newest addition. This development, in a repurposed Montessori school, encompasses a textile and sewing hub, a ceramic and pottery hub, large outdoor teaching spaces and a roomy classroom ideal for workshops and seminars.

“It’s one of our most exciting projects. It’s second in size to the city’s art gallery and it’s a game-changer for the city in terms of arts infrastructure.”

theincubator.co.nz

After Dark

Creative BOP’s urban festival is bringing light to dark times.

Words Luke Schroder - images supplied

It’s easy to walk around Tauranga’s city streets without paying any close attention to the big blank walls of surrounding buildings. Concrete slabs and featureless facades line the streets, designed to be forgettable, non-intrusive enclosures for the businesses contained behind them. But for some clever minds these walls represent a far more exciting opportunity. These walls will soon become canvases for creativity as artists light up public spaces with an eclectic mix of colourful shapes, short films, abstract imagery, and innovative lighting technologies that will show the city in a new light.

This exciting initiative is being brought to Tauranga by Creative Bay of Plenty, with funding support from Creative New Zealand. Trustpower has come on board as the major corporate sponsor, alongside partners Downtown Tauranga, Tauranga City Council, Priority One, Veros, Te Tuhi Mareikura Trust and Toi Ohomai. 

After Dark Urban Light Festival is an all-new art experience that will see a range of artworks transform Tauranga’s CBD into a gleaming playground full of exciting, illuminated installations. For 10 days in May a selection of luminous artworks will form a unique art trail across the central city through a mixture of video projection, freestanding sculptures, glowing alleyways, short films, and creative uses of vacant spaces. The festival is designed to be a self-guided journey spread across multiple sites within Tauranga’s CBD that encourages people to walk around the city discovering the various installations and the magic within.

It may not seem like a logical time to be running a new festival given the recent wave of event cancellations, postponements, and ongoing uncertainty, however with some clever thinking and careful planning After Dark is designed to be able to proceed regardless of traffic light settings or gathering restrictions. Because the festival isn’t fixed to a particular day, time, or single location, all those attending can be spread out from each other and stay socially distant whilst still enjoying all the festival has to offer.  

“We’ve intentionally designed a covid-friendly format that allows people to participate from a distance and at their own leisure”, says Project Manager Luke Schroder. “People can view any artwork at any time on any evening during the 10 days of the festival and still have the same great experience.”

After Dark will be an opportunity for families, friends, and individuals of all ages to share in an exciting and fresh artistic experience described as a ‘tapestry of illuminated creativity’. After Dark explores themes of connectedness in our society, specifically connections to people, culture, and nature. These connections make up the themed ‘threads’ of After Dark and serve as inspiration for new works created for the festival.

Emily Woolerton is one local artist creating a new artwork specifically for After Dark. As the creative mind behind Mount Maunganui design studio ‘Calico’ and clothing label ‘The Know’, Emily is no stranger to creating fun designs and out-of-the-box visual ideas. For the launch of her first clothing line, Emily used video projection to transform Papamoa photography studio Suburbia into an exciting visual feast of giant slurping noodles, animated playing cards, floor-to-ceiling curtains made of poetry, and a brand-new fashion collection on display.

“Normal moments became jarring by placing them in the centre of attention. Someone eating noodles is an average, everyday occurrence – until that person is five metres wide and you can see every detail. It became an immersive experience, where people were both transfixed and horrified by the ordinary.”

With a mind for design and an eye for detail, Emily is looking forward to creating a new piece to be exhibited at After Dark later this year.  Her artwork titled ‘Critical’ is a creative look at our need for human connection and examines how we are wired to thrive through relationships with one another instead of getting lost in our own insular worlds.

Emily is excited to see creativity fostered in the Bay of Plenty through projects such as After Dark and is looking forward to seeing the vibrancy it will bring to the city.  “One of the beautiful things about art is how it brings people together, and it’s really exciting to see events like this build the culture and atmosphere in Tauranga.”

After Dark Urban Light Festival runs from Friday May 13 to Sunday May 22, 2022 in Tauranga CBD and is a free-entry event suitable for all ages.

Creative character: writer and poet Stuart Greenhill and the Fenton Arts Collective

PHOTOS Andy Jackson and Jane Dove Juneau

UNO: What a beautiful building you are housed in. How did you find it and what was the journey to restoration?

Stuart Greenhill: My partner Jo Stallard was looking for a heritage building to save. In 2016, she offered a ridiculously low amount for the Egmont Chambers building in Stratford, which was earthquake-rated 17%. It was accepted. The building was not listed on Stratford’s District Plan, so no funding was available. Other than that, it was a fantastic journey. We had enough experience from previous projects to ensure the outcome was what we wanted. The renovation won an Architecture Award in 2019 for Renovations and Additions. The building fascinates people, and many come just to see it.

What is the Fenton Arts Collective?

It is a collective of our passions and interests: Art, history, gin and espresso. We are 310 metres up a mountain, so our aspirations are just as high for each of them. The Collective offers people something unique, something intimate, something historical and modern; it offers a genuine experience.

Your partner Jo Stallard is the curator and artist-in-residence. What is Jo's artistic background, and what does she paint?

Jo comes from an art history background and is a portrait artist. She works in the traditional painting technique of “grisaille” or “dead painting” to traverse the landscapes of the human face and body. Looking, seeing and perceiving are the semantics of what a face has to give, share or provoke, and those are the landscapes she loves. So people come to the Collective, grab a coffee or gin from downstairs, and visit Jo’s working studio upstairs -- and maybe even chat about a commission.

Refreshment plays a strong role in your building; we hear gin and espresso coffee flow freely! Tell us more.

To survive in the provinces, businesses require diversity. Coffee, retail, and an art gallery were great, but we needed something more. Making gin is like writing. Botanicals are characters; each brings a different personality, so it was simply a matter of creating fantastic stories. People hear those when they book a gin tasting with me. Our espresso bar uses Proof & Stock coffee, made by our daughter, Adrianna, and offers high-quality healthy options including gluten-free and keto. And Tauranga celebrity Chef Ken Greenhill creates a monthly five-course degustation for us. They are so popular we have a waiting list.

What's your connection to Tauranga?

My brother’s been here since 1997, and Jo and I set up Deckchair on Marine Parade with him in 2007. We sold in 2010, travelled for a bit, and were approached in 2013 to establish Quantum Vis Eatery on Cameron Road. We still have a connection to the Bay, having formed many friendships over those years, and are thrilled that our gin is now carried by Mount Wine Barrel, Maunganui Rd and Fife Lane Restaurant.

And on top of all that, you're a published author! What have you written?

Dante Fog was published by Austin Macauley Publishers in London last year. It is autobiographical fiction (yes, that is a genre). The mother in the novel tells her son, “There are no better observers of life than artists.” I totally agree. Artistic license takes life and makes it art. That’s why I write poetry and prose and make gin and Jo paints. There is a beautiful complexity in discovering and understanding the layers in the mirror looking back at us. Our art attempts to express it so does the character Dante Fog.

What does the future hold for the Fenton Arts Collective?

There’s pressure to grow, but the distillery will remain boutique and so will the Arts Collective. Our gallery is booked for 2021, I am contracted to Austin Macauley Publishers for my next book, and Jo has two exhibitions this year. The future will be busy.

FENTONARTSCOLLECTIVE.CO.NZ