Creative Matters

Welcome to episode 155, the final episode of 2024. Ngā mihi nui Thank you so much for listening and for your support this year. I hope the podcast has cheered you up, motivated you, inspired you, affirmed what you do or educated you in some small way.

As you probably know, the CM podcast is largely self funded. However, I now have a way for you to show your support if you'd like to, by making a small donation of 3, 5, 8, or 10 dollars every month. There is a link in my podcast Instagram profile and in the show notes to sign yourself up to donate each month and you can cancel anytime. Every small contribution is hugely appreciated and actually makes a difference., and will ensure the podcast is sustainable and hopefully will continue for years to come. https://www.buzzsprout.com/1713946/support

Now for episode 155. Alex Wilkinson is a ceramic artist and entrepreneur living in Te Awamutu in the Waikato. She founded Mystery Creek Ceramics out of a love for Nerikomi and functional, beautiful ceramic tableware.

Alex talks about her journey to art school in her twenties via 3 years of studying engineering for 3 years and business for 2 years and how discovering and nurturing her creative side has helped with her well being, mental health and managing depression. Alex credits pottery for helping her out of a severe period of depression and putting her back on the path of valuing herself and her contribution to the world. Alex says "I simply would not be here if it were not for me trying a night class in pottery and my incredible support network."

Alex shares the more conceptual part of her art practice and explains how this sits comfortably alongside her Nerikomi tableware production, allowing her to push her thinking and self expression, and how an art competition led to her losing confidence in her conceptual art practice. We explore Nerikomi, a Japanese pottery term describing the artistic technique where multiple colours of clay are marbled or combined to create various designs,.and what Alex loves about this process.

Passing her passion for ceramics on to others is Alex's favourite part of her practice. Alex talks about the different ways she does this through teaching, supplying, mentoring and building her audience and networks through social media. We have great chats about using Tik Tok and Pinterest, the highs and lows of small business, the commercial and conceptual sides of Alex's art practice, mentors, being the face of the business, branding, suppliers and so much more. This episode is a fascinating insight into business life alongside the life of an artist and a lovely peep into the world of Mystery Creek Ceramics.

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Matthew Browne is an abstract painter living in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. Born in London UK, he relocated to New Zealand in 1991.

Matthew's striking geometric paintings feature sharp lines with bold, experimental colour palettes. His process starts in exploring formal relationships in colour and form and develops greater complexity as the work progresses. He has been making and showing paintings and sculptures for more than 40 years.

After many years of teaching visual arts in both the community and tertiary sectors, Matthew founded his own art school Browne School of Art in 2013.

We have a wonderful chat and I Ioved welcoming Matthew into my studio at Muriwai. Matthew talks about how he wants to make paintings that have an untroubled aspect to them in response to the crazy cacophony of everyday life, and for people to feel a moment of solace when viewing and experiencing his work. He shares how his work and process shifted from more figurative, externally motivated paintings over the years to abstract and more internally driven expressions.

We discuss his yearning for a sense of balance, order and stillness which comes about in his current paintings through the relationships of colour. He uncovers the mysteries behind his painting titles, why he recoils when people describe his work as hard edged, why form and shape is so important to him in his work and why he loves to paint on linen and sometimes leave it exposed as the first point of reaction, the bouncing off point.
And of course we talk about how and why he founded Browne School of Art.
https://gowlangsfordgallery.co.nz/artists/226-matthew-browne/

Support the show

Ngā mihi, thanks for listening!
Follow us on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/creativematterspodcast/
Learn more about Mandy and the podcast
https://www.creativematters.co.nz/podcast

Kate Hursthouse is a New Zealand artist, illustrator, creative entrepreneur and mother of one living in Te Atatū Peninsula, Aotearoa NZ.
https://www.creativematters.co.nz/post/creative-matters-with-kate-hursthouse

She is on a mission to help women find their own place of joy and calm through colour and creativity.

Kate has a background in architecture and design and has been running her creative business since 2014. Her work has taken a number of forms over the years, from contemporary artworks, calligraphy and commercial illustrations to an illustrated children’s book, colourful abstract paintings and large scale hand-painted murals.

Kate is currently working on The Colourful World of Kate, a suite of online art courses brought to you from inside Kate's studio, into the sanctuary she has within her studio walls which is full of colour and play. Kate believes Art and colour is therapeutic and good for the soul and creating has helped her through some of the most challenging years of her life.

2022 also saw Kate dive into the whole new world of podcasting. The Creative Mother Podcast features interviews with creative women from a range of professions, who are also mothers. Artists, designers, musicians, film makers, fashion designers and other creative Mums talk to Kate about the impact of motherhood on their creativity and business. I'm really enjoying this podcast and I think you will too! https://www.katehursthouse.com/blogs/the-creative-mother-podcast

Kate talks about the development of her small creative business and all the things she's learnt as a business owner; her development from architecture to design and illustration through to her current abstract painting practice; how she got to be the host of her very own podcast and her philosophies on how changes in circumstances are there to feed change to your perspective and to keep you learning.
https://www.katehursthouse.com/
About your host:
Mandy Jakich is the Founder and CEO of Creative Matters, an award winning business providing creative, educational opportunities to enrich the lives of our children, educators, artists and community. https://www.creativematters.co.nz/
She is a practising artist www.amandajakich.co.nz and a teacher, with more than 30 years in various capacities at primary and intermediate schools across Auckland NZ.
​Mandy founded Creative Matters in response to an increasing need and demand for creative visual arts opportunities for children - both in and out of school - with a genuine belief in the value of a rich creative process and developing creative experiences and connections through art.
Creative Matters facilitate Professional Development visual arts courses for primary teachers:
https://www.creativematters.co.nz/professional-development
Visual art creative workshops and experiences for children:
https://www.creativematters.co.nz/for-children
Public art projects and creative opportunities in the community

Support the show

Ngā mihi, thanks for listening!
Follow us on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/creativematterspodcast/
Learn more about Mandy and the podcast
https://www.creativematters.co.nz/podcast

EPISODE 39: Photographic artist Annemarie Hope-Cross was born in Wellington NZ, grew up in Auckland and has lived in Alexandra, Central Otago, since 2008.

Annemarie uses three historic processes that date back 180 years to early pioneering photography techniques, some of which are referred to as camera-less photography.

Her mousetrap camera is set up outside in her back garden. It takes six to eight hours to create the images and a lot of hoping the weather does not change in the meantime.
"It can be fraught with peril but it’s the part I enjoy." says Annemarie. "It’s serendipitous but nothing is guaranteed in life."

Annemarie works intuitively; aware, but not restrained by those who have gone before. She makes images to comment, to appreciate our world and to satisfy her heart and mind. She shares her work hoping that the images she makes will speak to others.
Her work makes up the world's second-largest collection of photogenic drawings.

In August 2017 Annemarie was diagnosed with a rare triple negative, aggressive form of breast cancer at the age of 49. She wants to tell people ''the positive stories of breast cancer', of ploughing through, taking on challenge and accepting the changes cancer can bring."

As Annemarie and her husband Eric Schusser are both photographers they are in the unique position of being able to work together and put on paper the journey many go through as sufferers and carers dealing with cancer.
It was a privilege to speak with Annemarie today. Her story of her unique photographic practice and creative process and how it is connected to her journey with breast cancer is inspirational and heartwarming.https://www.instagram.com/annemariemakesphotographs/ https://annemariehopecross.com About your host:
Mandy Jakich is the Founder and CEO of Creative Matters, an award winning business providing creative, educational opportunities to enrich the lives of our children, educators, artists and community. https://www.creativematters.co.nz/
She is a practising artist www.amandajakich.co.nz and a teacher, with more than 30 years in various capacities at primary and intermediate schools across Auckland NZ.
​Mandy founded Creative Matters in response to an increasing need and demand for creative visual arts opportunities for children - both in and out of school - with a genuine belief in the value of a rich creative process and developing creative experiences and connections through art.
Creative Matters facilitate Professional Development visual arts courses for primary teachers:
https://www.creativematters.co.nz/professional-development
Visual art creative workshops and experiences for children:
https://www.creativematters.co.nz/for-children
Public art projects and creative opportunities in the community
https://www.creativematters.co.nz/for-communities

Support the show

Ngā mihi, thanks for listening!
Follow us on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/creativematterspodcast/
Learn more about Mandy and the podcast
https://www.creativematters.co.nz/podcast

Valerie Auersperg, also known as Valerism and I Am Valerism , is an Austrian artist living in New Zealand. She creates acrylic paintings and digital drawings depicting pop-surreal scenes in a colourful, dream-like manner. Her work brings a smile and sense of wonder to the viewer.

Valerie explores the world inside and around herself, pairing the expected with the unusual. She focuses on themes such as memory (real and perceived), pop culture and mental health. Her work is a whimsical commentary on how our inner journeys, moods and situations are something that connects us.

Valerie is a self-taught artist who has worked in fashion, animation and advertising. Art has always been her passion and side hustle and finally she took the leap to become a full-time artist in 2020.

We have a really fun insightful chat about how Valerie processes her pregnancy through her work, the potentials of NFTs, the reasons why some of her characters are masked and how she uses symbolism and narratives to express herself. Like her work, this episode will make you smile I'm sure. Enjoy!
https://www.valerism.com/
About your host: https://www.instagram.com/creative_matters/
Mandy Jakich is the Founder and CEO of Creative Matters, an award winning business providing creative, educational opportunities to enrich the lives of our children, educators, artists and community. https://www.creativematters.co.nz/
Mandy is a practising artist www.amandajakich.co.nz and a teacher, with more than 30 years experience teaching in various capacities at primary and intermediate schools across Auckland NZ and as an art educator at Auckland Art Gallery.
As well as this podcast, Creative Matters facilitate Professional Development visual arts courses for primary teachers, visual art creative workshops and experiences for children and
public art projects and creative opportunities in the community.

Support the show

Ngā mihi, thanks for listening!
Follow us on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/creativematterspodcast/
Learn more about Mandy and the podcast
https://www.creativematters.co.nz/podcast