Wild Sands Weaving Story

Year 2000. Rotorua, New Zealand. Working conventional employment in the retail apparel trade, I was meanwhile harbouring a dream of creative self employment and pursuing my artistic bent.

          

A serendipitous opportunity to immerse in two years of learning the indigenous art of raranga harakeke / NZ flax weaving, at Waiariki Polytechnic and  Te Puia Māori Arts & Crafts Institute, opened the door to that dream becoming a reality, and proved to be a turning point in my life.

              

A later move to Golden Bay, South Island of New Zealand, enabled the opening of my own studio. Here I could offer my handwoven artworks, and creative workshop experiences, to the many tourists who flock to Golden Bay every summer for the wild and beautiful beaches and artisan vibe.

              

20 plus years later I'm still exploring the art of natural fibre handweaving. A trip to Vietnam in late 2023 created opportunities to discover the historic Craft Villages and connect with local artisans who weave bamboo, rattan, seagrass and other natural fibres.

                

2024 has brought a change of focus, with an opportunity to pursue academic study in a different area of interest. So weaving production is on "pause" for now, while I turn my attention to study. Throughout the year I'll reassess my capacity for perhaps restarting weaving production, and decide when/if that might happen as the year unfolds.

                

Feeling grateful for new opportunities and ongoing adventures!