Ōtautahi Studios

In this episode I have an uplifting kōrero with the great people from the white room, an organisation which lies close to my heart. They are a charity and creative studio space for people with learning disabilities and other under-served community members. I speak to the co-leaders Blaire Rosie-Forrester and Simon Gray and to engagement and marketing aficionado Briedi Mc Crostie. They run the white room in collaboration with many art facilitators. I also kōrero with Leanna Brown, Jager Sowman and Kerry Poff, three of the White Room Artists that share their current work in progress and personal insight into the creation of art.
The White Room is located on the Climate Action Campus and provide space, materials and guidance for Art practice and whilst most of the Artist come through the mother organisation Skill Wize the white room has opened up bookings for the wider community to be able to participate and create in the studio.
The White Room has also just opened the doors to 'the shed' which is located in the Richmond Community Garden. This will provide a space for the Artists to exhibit their work, hold work shops and other community oriented events.
Enjoy :)

A bonus Episode where Tim Middleton shares his creative tips and a very cool list of book recommendations.

In this episode I have a long overdue kōrero with Tim Middleton. We speak about the eclectic crowd on high street before gentrification and earthquakes, about hospitality and the importance of the artist meeting spot. Tim talks about his art practice, which entails casting discarded objects, drawing and printing. About surfing which has become his ‘new’ addiction and how being a sober artist is quite the super power. He shares the exciting news that he is new proprietor of Chambers Gallery 2026

In this episode I have a fascinating and inspiring kōrero with New Orleans born Visual Artist Charrette Van Eekelen. Charrette who grew up in a creative household in a big house in uptown New York. She has had a steady path to her creative practice , from early immersion into the world of arts through her parents to art school in Vermont, practicing painting whilst living in different parts of America and then a move to Aotearoa where she completed her MFA at Canterbury University.

The second part of my two episode series with Gina Russell and Seonaid Burnie. I kōrero with Gina about her childhood surrounded by textile craft, how she embarked on her mission of bringing back the growing of textiles to Aotearoa. She speaks of her love for old looms and how she is envisioning a future where we come together and learn and create together in the community and grow the seed of a sustainable textile industry here in Aotearoa. We also get book recommendations and creative tips.