Paul has dabbled in music, theatre, stilt walking, street theatre, creative writing and for many years was event manager for the Dunedin Fringe Festival and Dunedin Midwinter Carnival. He calls himself a Tuesday poet because of his involvement in the Creative Writers Group at Artsenta over many years. He loves the practice of having a regular time and the diversity of writing the group does together. He’s passionate about providing opportunities for people facing challenges in their life to explore, learn, connect and make mistakes in a safe and supportive environment.

Fun fact: Paul is the mayor of Waverley Green (otherwise known as his pocket-sized lawn).

Deirdre is from an Irish family but grew up in England, arriving in New Zealand over 25 years ago.
She attended Art School in the UK and worked making props for television, the film industry and theme parks. Her passion is glass work but she has enjoyed discovering many other art forms at Artsenta. Felting and eco printing have become favourites and she believes in art making for the sake of it without commodification. Deirdre loves the people at Artsenta and seeing them discover the depths of their own creativity.

Fun fact: outside of Artsenta, Deirdre learned to play bass guitar and has joined a band!

Moewai has a passion for fashion and is obsessed with Hina, the Goddess of the sky – The Moon. She loves using the maramataka to track her energy and observations of the environment. You'll probably see her wearing lots of colour which reflects her creative interests too – always finding the beauty and joy in the little things. She is passionate about hauora, te ao Māori, community and creativity and believes they are rongoa for our wellbeing. Moewai carries a journal everywhere she goes, to paint, to draw, write poems and to reflect and dream with the phases of the moon.0

Fun fact: she’s on a mission to bring back snail mail because letters are “like a little parcel of your heart in the mail”.

Ko Hereweka te mauka, Ko Rees te Awa, Ko Kotimana te iwi, Ko Airihi te hapu, Ko Perniskie rātau, ko Gray, ko Barlett, ko Munro oku whānau, No Ōtepoti ahau.
Lisa’s creative practice is centred on ceramics and printmaking and she loves all things craft. Her art gives voice to interpersonal relationships, whānau, the wonders of nature, use of found objects, science fiction and imagined worlds. Lisa values working alongside Artsenta’s dynamic and diverse team, who all have a vast range of different skills, creative practices and lived experiences. She loves the sense of community artists experience being creative alongside others and being encouraging of everyone’s creativity.

Fun fact: Lisa is growing a food forest and has dance parties in her kitchen!

Claire comes from a textiles background and worked in the fashion industry – including in her own shop selling clothes she made as well as other designers. She loves embroidery, knitting and sewing as well as casting resin and wax, visible mending and making patches instead of throwing things out. Her art is quirky and inspired by vintage imagery and collectables. She loves her interactions with tangata whaiora at Artsenta and seeing their creativity evolve.

Fun fact: Claire is a vintage collector, especially sewing accessories and old books.

Ko Rongowhakaata
Ko Ngati Oneone raua ko Te aitanga o Mahaki
Ko Titarangi te maunga
Ko Turanganui te awa
No Ōtepoti ahau

A self-taught artist, Savannah loves experimenting with lots of different mediums. Painting, drawing and sculpting are her favourites but she’s always changing, evolving and going with the flow.

Working at Artsenta, being creative with creative people, exploring different artforms, expanding her creative knowledge and discovering new techniques is like a dream come true. She is obsessed with op-shopping, maramataka and astrology.

Fun fact: She has a habit of dipping her paint brush in her coffee cup!

Chrissy has been an artist all her life, starting when very young and just never stopped! Originally from Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland, she has travelled widely but calls Wānaka home. She teaches art to children and adults and facilitates a range of community projects such as murals and outdoor art making. She particularly enjoys painting, but is up for trying any form of artistic expression. Chrissy loves her work with the Wānaka Creative Wellbeing group and the safe and supportive environment they create together.

Fun fact: Swimming in freezing cold rivers is her idea of a good time!

Ko Maungatautari tōku maunga
Ko Waikato tōku awa
Ko Tainui tōku waka
Ko Ngāti Hauā tōku iwi
Ko Ngāti Werewere tōku hapū
Ko Kai-a-te-mata tōku marae
Nō Murihiku ahau

Nicky was born and bred in the deep south and lives in Wānaka with her whānau. She loves “creating a vibe” through music but works to bring creativity into all aspects of her life, from how she dresses each day to problem solving and the words she chooses. She loves building connections and the opportunity to support others to pause, be present, connect and leave the Wānaka Creative Wellbeing sessions a little lighter. When she’s not working she’s going on adventures with her whānau, lifting weights or second hand shopping.

Although she was born in Central Otago, Natalie loves living by the sea, being inspired by it in her art making, getting into it or just walking alongside it. Natalie studied painting at the Dunedin School of Art, has dabbled in pottery, but in recent years her passion has been captured by printmaking. She enjoys creating with linocuts, monotypes, even using tetra pak printing techniques. Making time for art is an important part of her wellbeing and she loves sharing her skills and helping support their creative journey.

Fun fact: Natalie enjoys Sashiko stitching and thinks you will too!

Originally from the UK, Moniza spent many years as a producer at Granada TV and the BBC before moving to Aotearoa and re-engaging with art making. She was always interested in art at school and completed a degree in Communication Art & Design in Manchester. She now lives in Alexandra and has led a range of art and film projects in the area, including at the Central Stories Museum, at local libraries, schools and colleges. She’s a big advocate for lifelong learning and loves working at Central Otago Creative Wellbeing, sharing her passion for art and helping others reach their creative goals.

Fun fact: She’s a drama queen. Or more accurately directs local theatre productions!

From Dunedin to Gore to Toko Mouth, Janene lives life to the full. She spent over 20 years as a hairdresser in Gore before trading her scissors for a paint brush. She is a keen painter but loves “anything arty”, describing art as her “happy place”. She is such a passionate person and loves being part of the team delivering fortnight sessions in Balclutha.

David hails from Alexandra and is a partner at accountancy firm Polson Higgs. He brings commercial and financial skills that help the Trust make sound business decisions and ensures there are good practices around administering the Trusts funds. He has been on the Trust for over ten years and loves to see the positive impacts Artsenta has in people’s lives and the connections artists make with each other and the community. David’s art practice of choice is creating spreadsheets and financial models – that’s an artform!

Michael is very active in the community and brings extensive management and governance experience to the Board. He loves the collegiality he sees at Artsenta, the professionalism of the staff, and the part everyone plays in supporting learning and wellbeing. He has been especially pleased to see Artsenta’s community connections grow substantially over the years. Michael enjoys music, art, reading, nature, working collaboratively, socialising, innovation, all with a dash of philosophy, and a sprinkling of politics.

Penelope’s family originates from County Antrum in Ireland but she was born in Hyde in the Maniototo. Penelope is a kaiwhakaora ngangahau | occupational therapist, working at Otago Polytechnic as the Head of School for Te Kura Whakaora Ngangahau | The School of Occupational Therapy. This work gives her a great understanding of the importance of engaging in the activities that are important to us and have a positive impact on our health and wellbeing. Penelope values Artsenta as a place where people can come and be artists, however that may look for that person. Gardening is her creative outlet, with as much colour as possible.

Charlotte was born and raised in Dunedin and is a descendant of Ngāti Porou. Charlotte has been a member of the Creative Arts Trust since 2015 and enjoys working with trustees and staff to provide a safe and supportive space for artists to explore their interests and develop their work. Charlotte is a lawyer and principal at Dunedin law firm Reid Cooper Gray, having also studied design and art history here in Dunedin.

Joanne originally comes from Ramsbottom, a small village in Lancashire, England, nestled alongside the River Irwell. She now calls Dunedin home and works as a Clinical Educator at Enable New Zealand, supporting assessors and clinicians throughout Aotearoa in the assistive technology and disability services sector. Joanne’s background spans occupational therapy, art therapy and education, giving her a strong understanding of the connection between creativity, wellbeing and therapeutic practice. She values Artsenta’s recognition that creativity is an important part of wellbeing, and that creative expression, connection and community can be transformative. Joanne believes in the importance of doing something creative every day to feel balanced. She loves making things with her hands and enjoys the combination of practical problem-solving and creative expression that comes with making. At the moment, she is building a plate rack from scratch, and she also enjoys drawing as another creative outlet.