Katie Leigh Stewart is a mixed media artist living in Wellington, Aotearoa NZ. 

Katie's paintings explore floral landscapes, portraiture, everyday life and nature. Her bright and bold palette as well as signature brush strokes gives viewers a moment to pause and find joy. 

In this episode Katie talks about her early nursing career and how she finally came to focus on her artist career as a new Mum. We explore her paintings which are mostly inspired by her life, everyday experiences and her love of gardening and nature. Katie talks us through the ways she captures the feeling of the moment she is responding to and the essence of her subject, her painting process and the ways she manages the different media she uses in her work including combining acrylic and oil paints. We talk about why she often likes to underpaint using a fluoro paint and her use of colour, her layering technique, the ways she introduces details, how she paints flesh, light and shadow and the tools and mediums she uses.

Katie shares her approach to sharing her work on social media, diversifying within her practice, experimentation, mark making, commissions and how she manages her days as a homeschooling mumma of 3 young girls.

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Natalie is an emerging multi-disciplinary artist born in Yorkshire, England, with a current focus on figurative oil paintings. Nat moved to New Zealand in 2016 in her early twenties.and is currently based in Auckland.

In this episode Natalie shares how creating likeness in a portrait has become a challenge too tempting not to take on as she's got older, becoming thirsty for something that felt more difficult and less forgiving. As a Mum of 2 boys, her sons have become treasured subjects that she never feels bored of capturing in her work.

Natalie explains what she gains from entering her paintings into NZ art awards and the success she has had, becoming a finalist and runner up in a number of awards such as the Parkin and Adam Portraiture prizes. 

We talk all about synesthesia (a word I stumbled on every time I said it in our chat!), what it is, how it presents for Natalie and the ways it influences her painting approach. Nat shares her techniques for capturing likeness in a face, painting flesh, the paints she likes to use and how she likes to apply them. And so much more. You're going to love this chat.

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Andrew Barns-Graham is an established Auckland-based artist known for his hard-edged contemporary portraits with a pop realist style. 

He renders smooth, gradient-infused figures set against minimal, atmospheric landscapes.

In this episode we talk about the pivotal moment that led to Andrew devoting himself to his art practice after a career in advertising. Andrew tells us about a traumatic near death experience and how that has influenced his art practice, his outlook and the way he lives his life.

We discuss the different phases of portraiture Andrew has explored throughout his practice, and the ideas behind these series of works - from themes communicating nostalgia, identity, social issues, scientific ideas and the past/present/future to climate change and outer space. He talks about the women in his paintings, his titles, the symbols in his work, the eyes and gazes of his subjects and the significance of his landscapes.

Andrew explains how Arthaus Contemporary, a community based contemporary artist run space, came about and how it works, which BTW is a wonderful space for artists to rent for their own exhibitions and a very good rate. 

Andrew's solo exhibition at Arthaus Contemporary opens on November 19th and closes Nov 30th 2025, with an opening event on Thursday 20th Nov. I'll to see you there!

This is a gorgeous chat - thank you to Andrew for letting me take up his precious time while he was preparing for his show and thank you lovely listener for joining us.

See Andrew's work on our blog

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Kyra Alkamil is a 19 year old emerging artist from Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, in her first year studying fine art at Elam School of Fine Art in Auckland.

Kyra paints in oils and is interested in storytelling, the human figure, nostalgia, domestic scenes and surrealism.

In this episode we talk about the ways Kyra discovered and developed her love of art and her skills in visual art as a homeschooled teenager, how life drawing has contributed to her figurative practice, her shift from acrylics to oils and the development of her painting practice over the last few years.

Kyra gives us an insightful look into why she decided to study fine art, her first day at Elam School of Fine Art in Auckland, handling feedback and the connections she has with her lecturers and peers at Uni. We explore the challenges, frustrations and highlights of studying fine art as a 18/19 year old, the courses she has done so far and what she has loved or not loved about them and how her study has affected and influenced her art practice.

See images of Kyra's work on our blog

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Katrina Cosgrove is a painter born in England who immigrated to NZ in 2005. She is now based in Bronte, a small settlement at the top of the South Island of Aotearoa NZ in the Tasman District, near Mapua. 

Katrina's nature inspired artworks delve into the themes of self discovery, transformation, freedom, and the profound connection between nature and the human spirit.

With a background marked by resilience and a powerful personal journey, Katrina’s art reflects her transition from the corporate world, where she battled chronic pain caused by Fibromyalgia and stress, to a life of transformation and creative fulfilment.

I loved meeting Katrina, she has a gorgeous spirit. In this episode we talk about:

• how she sees the world after an upbringing surrounded by the arts and creativity
• her love of people and her career in recruitment and the ways it has influenced her art practice
• her long term dream to be a full time artist, which finally came to fruition after an actual dream which became an overnight catalyst to this career move
• finding her voice and her personal style as an artist
• the development of and plans for her new open working studio and gallery space in Bronte

Katrina shares her personal story experiencing a nervous breakdown in 2021, waking one day in extraordinary pain followed by an emergency trip to the hospital, which led to 3 1/2 years in chronic pain. Katrina believes art and nature saved her and led to her beating this condition. 

Her deeply personal work now reflects her journey and also encourages others to connect to their own journeys, uplifting people's lives through her floral and waterfall series.

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Shelley Ryde is a well known, highly respected Aotearoa art educator and artist living in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland NZ. 

Shelley has led the visual art department and taught art at Diocesan School for Girls in Auckland, finishing this position in 2024 after 42 years of devotion, hard work, commitment and a lot of love. 

Many young art students and NZ practising artists have been taught and inspired by Shelley, including a number of guests on this podcast who speak so highly of her and her influence.

This is the first part of a 2 part series. In this episode we talk about Shelley's life as an artist and the connections with her important teaching career. She shares her childhood memories, her creative journey and her 50+ years as an artist. Part 2 will be released in the near future and is all about her experiences, reflections and philosophies as an art educator in Aotearoa.

Shelley is a beautiful storyteller. We talk about her childhood on the west coast of the south Island and her family and how those things have influenced her as an artist and a writer. She shares her experience studying at Ilam School of Art in Christchurch in the late sixties, her relationship with her lecturer Rudi Gopas, and her peers at Ilam including Phil Clairmont, Philippa Blair, Chris Booth and Sally Burton. We discuss what Shelley gained from this course and how her work evolved and her early teaching days teaching visual art with Fred Graham. Shelley shares a pivotal opportunity when she won a scholarship to a workshop in New York in 1990 which started her love of printmaking and how that influenced her own practice and her art teaching. 

It is fascinating to hear about her era studying art in the sixties, her experiences, her reflections and the evolution of her work. I know you'll really enjoy this episode as much as I enjoyed speaking to Shelley. Be sure to tune in to the second chapter of this 2 part series, coming sometime soon.

The link to Shelley's 146 slide presentation which we mention in our chat is available on her blogpost which is on our blog at creativeconnections.nz Here you can see examples of her work and her poems. Seeing this will enrich and really add to the conversation you're about to hear. I've included her retirement poem on there as well. 

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Kirsty Nixon is a contemporary New Zealand artist living in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. Her vibrant, light-filled paintings celebrate the untamed beauty of Aotearoa New Zealand — from the windswept beaches of the North Island to the soaring mountain ranges of the South.

Drawing inspiration from the land, sea, and native birdlife that surround her, Kirsty’s work invites a quiet moment of reflection — a breath of peace amidst the noise of modern life. With an instinctive eye for colour and composition, she transforms everyday encounters with nature into uplifting works of art that feel both familiar and extraordinary.

Kirsty has been a practising artist since 1997 after a career in graphic design and advertising. In this episode Kirsty talks about how working in advertising led her to having a nervous breakdown of sorts which turned out to be the catalyst for taking a break and finally choosing to become a full time artist.

We talk about:

• how art initially provided an 'out' for her socially and continues to nourish her mental health and well being
• Kirsty's positive connection with NZ artist Tim Wilson and what she gained from his influence
• How her work has evolved over the years and even gone full circle in some ways
• Her strategies for dealing with imposter syndrome and a lack of confidence at times and getting through periods where she has felt discouraged or unmotivated.

Kirsty talks us through her painting style and the different series of works she makes, from the well known NZ native flora and native bird landscape works and her 'roadie' series, to more graphic works incorporating different colour palettes and pattern. 

https://www.creativeconnections.nz/post/kirsty-nixon-contemporary-artist

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Sarah Ritchie is a New Zealand fibre artist living in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland.

Sarah specialises in creating framed works in natural fibres such as New Zealand wool, bamboo and cotton, showcasing her passion for texture, colour, and non-toxic creativity - drawing inspiration from the breathtaking beauty of Aotearoa New Zealand.

In this episode Sarah unpacks her fibre art process for us: from her preferred fibres to use and the tools she uses to her technique , use of colour and the ideas behind her work.

Sarah is an absolute power house, or as she says, a “purpose-driven multi-passionate”! 

As well as being a practising artist Sarah teaches needle felting workshops; she has created a range of needle felted painting kits; she has curated a collection of merchandise and a range of prints featuring her original needle-felted fibre paintings; she has written 4 non friction books, she is a business mentor, a member of an art collective, a photographer and a facilitator; all while working full time in graphic design and advertising.

With a background in business, graphic design, advertising, and human resources Sarah has a sound understanding of what it takes for artists to run a successful, sustainable business and imparts much of her knowledge and experience in this episode. We talk about identifying your why, identifying and reaching your audience, aligning to your purpose, different ways of monetising art, creating a business plan, strategic thinking and dealing with 'failure'.

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Ceara Lile is a fibre-based mixed media artist who grew up in West Auckland. She creates abstract textile collages layered with meaning, memory, and emotion as well as eco inkless hand printed fabrics. She now lives in Keri Keri in the Far North of Aotearoa NZ with her partner Mario.

From an early age, Ceara has been captivated by textiles, drawn to their textures and versatility. Her work takes the form of abstract, collage-based fibre sketches, where these materials serve as both her medium and her tool. Caera creates layered backdrops, using these elements to build a rich foundation, then draw over them—playing with color and form to evoke places, emotions, and relationships.

 At the heart of her work is a deep fascination with the human experience, particularly the ways in which we seek connection and belonging, both in physical spaces and within society. 

I loved meeting and talking to Ceara. She shares how she got back to creating after a break away travelling after completing a fashion degree. We discuss how her love of maths and her fashion degree has informed her work, the process of abstract art and how abstract works often have a 'teenage stage' before reaching a satisfying completion and the mathematical problem solving that is often part of the abstract process. 

Ceara goes into fascinating detail about her inkless printing process, from collecting rusty iron and bark and creating pigments to how she chooses the leaves and how each leaf responds to the dying process. We also talk about her 2 other series of works, changing Landscapes and The Venn Of Us, which are fabric collages using repeated shapes and hand stitched lines.

Ceara explains the ideas and the meanings of the codes that appear on her fabric collage works, we go to the craft versus art conundrum and her shifting attitude of "it's just clothes" to seeing her work as art and herself as an artist.

https://www.creativeconnections.nz/post/ceara-lile-textile-artist

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Jane Shriffer is an abstract painter living and working in Wānaka in the south island of Aotearoa NZ. Jane paints intuitively, layering colour and texture, making her marks with a palette knife.

In this episode we have a fantastic chat about Jane's experience studying painting at Dunedin School of Art as an enthusiastic 18 year old only to leave university with her degree and not return to painting for 10 years. She shares how she got back into painting through immersing herself in lthe local art scene, the things she did to grow confidence in herself as an artist and how she managed that dreaded imposter syndrome.

We discuss how Jane's unique and highly recognisable abstract painting style came about and how her work has evolved over the years. Jane talks about her influences, her organic approach to colour and the joy colour brings, making that first mark, how she knows when a painting is finished, and a pivotal moment in her career that got her thinking more seriously about her work. 

We touch on the time she overheard someone saying "my 5 year old could paint that", how she feels about people trying to recreate her work, the different ways people respond to the colour pink, the joys of abstract making, how she comes up with the quirky titles of her paintings and what they express to her.

https://www.creativeconnections.nz/post/jane-shriffer-abstract-painter

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