It's been sixty years since a comprehensive book about hei tiki was last written, and so much has been learned about these most precious of Maori adornments during that time. Dougal Austin from Te Papa took on the challenge to write about what he describes as an enduring treasure, and being at the museum gave him access to the largest collection of them in the country. Te Hei Tiki ranges from the earliest known examples of the carved stylized human figures to modern interpretations of them in non-traditional materials. Dougal tells Lynn Freeman that finding lost or discarded hei tiki in archaeological sites is very rare. Te Hei Tiki by Dougal Austin is published by Te Papa Press.

Art crimes are headline-grabbing news but how often do you hear about the exploits of women art thieves, vandals or forgers? Is the reason for the answer "never" or "hardly ever" because they're just so good they get away with their crimes? That dismissive suggestion by a male art writer so incensed Penelope Jackson that she went in search of women art criminals. Art crime is familiar territory for Penelope who's written about New Zealand art crimes previously. Her latest book's called Females in the Frame. She tells Lynn Freeman why she thinks it's taken so long for their stories to be told. Penelope Jackson who'll be speaking about her new book Females in the Frame at the upcoming ArtCrime 2019 symposium in Wellington in October.

Auckland book reviewer and judge, school librarian and long time champion of children's literature Crissi Blair is the 2019 Storylines Betty Gilderdale Award winner. Crissi is an authority on children's books, writing for several publications including the School Journal and the Australian review magazine Magpies, for which she's now the New Zealand coordinator For almost ten years she published the New Zealand Children's Books in Print and has been judge and convener for the Children and Young Adults Book Awards. All this while holding down her day job as a librarian at Rangeview Intermediate School in Auckland. Lynn Freeman first asked Crissi how she sees the role of book reviewer:

She can capture detailed photographs of native birds in a split second, but Wellington illustrator Melissa Boardman then spends hours drawing and painting the birds on canvas, using those images as reference. Melissa's got two exhibitions coming up celebrating the capital's birds - one at Parliament as part of a group show and the other at the Zealandia sanctuary.

In her third novel The ash, the well and the bluebell, Canterbury writer Sandra Arnold tells a story that spans three centuries.

The oral histories of Dalmation settlers in West Auckland were the starting point for the new play by Renee Liang. The award winning playwright's husband is from Croatia and she's spent a lot of time at the local Dalmatian club, listening to peoples' stories.

If you're renovating your home, and it pre-dates 1980, keep an eye out for the original wallpaper - if it hasn't been stripped off or painted over. Heritage New Zealand is preserving heritage wallpapers used in homes here, and there are a few gaps in the collection.

It's an indication of the affection with which the Sarjeant Art Gallery is held in Whanganui that the city is celebrating its centenary with a great big party to which everyone's invited.

After big changes at the Arts Foundation and an absence of new Arts Laureates for more than a year, ten were announced last night.

On the Eve of New Zealand Fashion Week, the Zambesi label is preparing to show its latest collection, and celebrating its 40th year in a notoriously volatile industry.