Toby Lark has been attending Māpura Studios for about 10 years.
Toby Lark, My Painting, 2018
Toby likes to draw in pencil and ink, and likes creating art works about himself, and about things that interest him. Toby has been creative since school with a friend named Skyro.
Allyson Hamblett profiles fellow artist Matthew Tucker
Matthew Tucker has always loved numbers and patterns and he’s been able to develop this passion by creating geometric paintings at Mapura Studios for 13 years. His paintings are abstact, but very structured and detailed.
Matthew Tucker
He first started art at Mt Roskill Grammar School. “I started when I was at secondary school. I did 5 years of that. At school, I had an hour a week, whereas here, because I’m here twice a week I have 4 and a half hours per week.”
Matthew attends Studio Practice on Wednesday morning and Open Studio One on Tuesday morning.
Studio Practice is aimed at our more experienced, long-term artists. They work in a self directed manner, identifying and developing ideas of their own choosing; they are encouraged to gather resources and undertake simple research towards their work. Many of the artists become very enthused about this – and are dedicated in their research, exploring new ideas and ways of working not only in the studio but at home
Matthew Tucker, Floating Dots, 2018
Open Studio One offers a supportive, empathetic learning environment for artists to develop a sense of creative community and be involved in meaningful creative industry. Art tutors / therapists encourage artists to be self-directed, to explore content of personal interest and significance, and to develop their own, unique style.
Recently, Matthew has started doing art at home using a sketchbook and pencil.
Matthew Tucker, Fiesta, 2018
Matthew loves seeing his art exhibited through the Mapura Studios Exhibition Programme. “It feels fabulous. I feel as if I’m wanted in the art world”, says Matthew.
"I’d tell them that ultimately I have great fun completing art. I’d also tell them I enjoy the company. I’d also tell them that I exhibit a lot and I’m famous (laughs). I have no idea how they would react. "
I love art because I can express myself.
Brenda Whittam, Colours, 2017
I get to choose all my colours and medium. I am different about my colours.
I have very slight movement with my hands so it can take me a long time on one piece.
The enjoyment is seeing the finished painting
Andre Pascual, Beat Boxing on a Rocky Road 2, 2018
Andre is originally from Australia,
“I like to come to Mapura.
I like art.
I like my art tutor Tim.
I like painting.
Andre Pascual, Untitled, 2017
I like painting UFOs and abstract.”
Ulualau Ama, Sasia, 2018
Ululau Ama was born in Samoa.
Ululau is Samoan and Tuvaluan by race.
Ululau Ama, Bowling and Billards, 2018
Educated in Samoa and in Auckland, he has epilepsy and some Intellectual disability.
Ululau loves art and music.
“The man cries because he loves his plants. The bloom of his plants are ruined by Natural Disaster – No rain just a lot of Sun. Plants die because there is no water.”
Allyson working in the Office
Allyson has been working at Māpura Studios as Media Assistant since 2008, and has also been a Māpura artist since 2002.
The Media Assistant role involves cataloguing digital copies of the student’s artwork, cataloguing photo’s from the classes and profiling Māpura artists for the website. “I’m in a unique position at Māpura. I work in the office on Wednesdays and attend my art class on Thursdays”. She loves the creative energy at Māpura; that comes from the other students and the tutors.
Allyson Hamblett, Waimamaku Café, 2018
Allyson is currently working on a landscape, “Boatshed Café in Rawene”. “I had lunch a few times there with my parents a number of years ago, so I wondered whether I could capture the Boatshed Café on canvas. I think I have”. The Boatshed Café painting is part of a series of landscapes in Northland, particularly Hokianga where her parents lived for over 20 years. It’s a special place for her family, but everyone I’ve shown the artwork to has recognised where it is.
Allyson paints with acrylics, and draws her image with charcoal. She tends to pick difficult scenes that involve perspective because she is fascinated by how a 2 dimensional piece of canvas can be transformed into a 3 dimensional scene. “I love being able to create an art work that has a sense of depth and perspective”
Allyson Hamblett, Mum, 2015
Allyson Hamblett, Let's see who's in the Square today, 2017
Allyson also loves painting portraits. She painted her father in 2015, and painted her mother in the same year. “I took mum up to Studio One to see her portrait exhibited and I think she was very pleased”. Portraits are amazing to create because you see the character of the person gradually emerge on the canvas, and it’s sometimes not until the final highlights are added to the portrait that the character finally emerges. Noses and eyes are the trickiest part of the face to paint.
Allyson is the chair of the Local Advisory Committee of Auckland CCS Disability Action and is also on the board of Outline NZ.
“I like abstract images. I doodle at home and I get inspiration from the abstract”
Lorraine Richardson, End of the Day, 2017
“I have a family connection to Fullham pottery and that inspires some of my work. Dalton was an apprentice at Fullham. I feel spiritually receptive. That is an element in my making work.”
“I’ve always knitted and sewn. I am finding Lorraine again. Before I was a mum and a wife and you didn’t have time for myself”
Lorraine Richardson, The Swallow, 2017
“I doodle at home and I still knit”
Tushaye Manuel, Untitled, 2017
Tushaye Manuel has been attending Māpura Studios since 2015. Tushaye likes creating art works that involve drawing patterns. “being creative makes me happy, and have been creative since I was 12, creating works outside of Māpura as well”.
Allyson Hamblett profiles fellow artist Ela Tukuhaukaua
Ela Tongan Dancing at Mapura Studios
Ela Tukuhaukaua has been at Māpura Studios for about 2 years, but did a music course for about 4 years, which was run by Māpura Tutor Stefan Neville.
Ela is a creative soul who’s positivity radiates out to all those around her. Ela enjoys everything that is creative. Her creativity has become a way of life for Ela Tukuhaukaua. The artist enjoys painting and ink work and creative writing. She finds creativity a good way to deal with stress, anger and anxiety and Ela really enjoys throwing paint onto paper.
Ela attends Studio Practice on Wednesday morning at Māpura Studios and is considering joining the Creative Music course run by Māpura Studios. Studio Practice is aimed at our more experienced, long-term artists. They work in a self-directed manner, identifying and developing ideas of their own choosing; they are encouraged to gather resources and undertake simple research towards their work. Many of the artists become very enthused about this – and are dedicated in their research, exploring new ideas and ways of working not only in the studio but at home.
Ela Tukuhaukaua, Tiki and Paua, 2017
She enjoys colouring in books, and designing / imagining wedding dresses, the type that Cinderella would wear.
Ela was born in New Zealand, but travelled to Australia and Tonga. Her life in Tonga has helped shape and develops Ela Tukuhaukaua’s creativity and art practice. She likes playing music and dancing in the Tongan way. Ela demonstrated this at one of Mapura Studio’s end of year Christmas parties in a Hula dress that Ela made.
Ela enjoyed studying Maori culture at school, and made kites.
Ela Tukuhaukaua, Untitled pencil drawing, 2017
Ela was as a teacher aide at Mt Richmond School in Otahuhu and other schools in South Auckland. This also involved supporting art classes, helping children to draw.
Ela enjoys learning and developing new skills. She has studied a number of courses at Manukau Institute of Technology, which has focussed on life skills and keeping well. The course have included Art course, Life skills, Gardening, and Sexual harassment.
Ela really likes showing her work through Māpura Exhibition Programme and selling her works. She loves coming to Māpura, meeting other people and seeing their art work.
