Allyson Hamblett interviews Sian Thomas

Sasha Iyengar

Art Therapist

MAArtTherapy, GradDipPsych, BArtEd, ATHR (Anzacata)

Sasha is a registered Art Therapist who specialises in child and adolescent mental health, women’s health, palliative care and rehabilitation. Sasha began her professional journey working as a visual arts and design teacher in secondary schools in Australia, before studying psychology and Master of Art Therapy in Sydney and Melbourne. Sasha feels privileged to have facilitated both individual and group art therapy in a variety of contexts including mental health and rehabilitation hospitals, schools and community settings.

Sasha is passionate about the capacity for creativity to contribute to the health and well-being of an individual and strengthen social connection within communities. She maintains a person-centred practice and integrates narrative therapy and mindfulness principles into her sessions. Cultural sensitivity, social justice and empathy lie at the heart of her work. Sasha values her position at Māpura, where she feels at home amongst fellow creatives in such a vibrant and warm community

Dotti Neugebauer

Art Tutor

BA Design - major Spatial design AUT,  PGDip fine arts ELAM.

Dotti Neugebauer is currently studying Creative Arts Therapies at Whitecliffe University. She holds a postgraduate diploma in Fine Arts from the University of Auckland’s Elam School of Fine Arts and a bachelor’s degree in Spatial Design from Auckland University of Technology.

With six years of experience as a professional tattoo artist, Dotti has developed a reputation for creating meaningful and transformative experiences for her clients. She is currently a resident tattoo artist at Bruce Studio and has gained international experience as a guest artist in Berlin, London, and Melbourne. Additionally, Dotti co-founded and managed Blue Rodeo Tattoo Studio in Auckland, where she contributed to shaping the studio’s vision and operations for over two years.

Dotti began her journey at Māpura Art Therapy Centre as a dedicated volunteer. After a year of volunteering, she now works as part of the Māpura team, continuing to support individuals through a person-centered approach to visual arts learning and creative therapies. Combining her artistic background with a personable and welcoming approach, Dotti readily applies creativity to diverse challenges.

Diva Ford

Creative Arts Therapist 

MA Creative Arts Therapy (Clinical) - Whitecliffe, BFA (Hons) - Elam 

Diva is a multi-disciplinary artist and registered creative arts therapist. Drawn to the therapeutic field from lived experience of the healing power of the arts, Diva’s passion for creativity, connection and holistic well-being inspires their work with young people in the community.

Diva’s practice is grounded in a person-centred and strengths-based approach, and incorporates mindfulness, embodiment, playfulness, and imagination through a variety of creative modalities. These include visual art (painting, drawing, sculpture, collage), writing, movement, and drama. Diva believes in the unique language of the arts to explore and express the ever-shifting landscape of life, tell our stories, invite relationships, navigate uncertainty, and imagine new ways of being in the world.

Catherine (Cat) Hugo

Arts Therapist 

MA Creative Arts Therapy

 Cat has a Master of Creative Arts Therapy (Clinical) programme at Whitecliffe College of Art and Design.

She previously worked for more than two decades in graphic design, architecture and interior design, both within New Zealand and abroad. The pandemic saw her shift gears to study arts therapy, motivated by a desire to contribute to wellbeing initiatives more directly and meaningfully within her community.

Her work centres on establishing nurturing therapeutic spaces that empower individuals to tap into their innate creativity, fostering a greater sense of confidence and wellbeing.

Cat deeply believes in the transformative power of the arts in supporting marginalised groups, prioritising mindfulness and play in her work.

She has loved her work at Māpura, appreciating the safe and supportive environment it provides to the broader community.

Diana McPherson

Director

Diana has a business background in management and company director roles working with and leading a diverse range of people. She has specialised in financial and business management and brings a practical business operational perspective to Māpura Studios. Diana has been with Māpura since 2010 and loves the amazing and inspirational people that come to Māpura.

She sees her role here as managing a collaboration of creative and administration staff all of whom are dedicated to changing people’s lives through the medium of the arts. Diana believes Māpura Studios has a unique synergy of art and art therapy delivered by a team of highly skilled and qualified facilitators.

Diana is a singer and leads her own a’cappella group as well as participating in larger groups of singers and quartets.

Dr Huhana (Susan) Hickey

Trustee

MNZM, MInstD, PhD (Law) (University of Waikato)

Dr Huhana Hickey (Ngāti Tahinga, Tainui) has a long standing interest in the human rights of people from marginal backgrounds and the consequences of discrimination and social oppression.

She is a scholar of disabilities research and legal theory, and is noted for the breadth of her published cross-disciplinary research.

Dr Hickey currently sits on the New Zealand Human Rights Review Tribunal and in 2018 Huhana was appointed as a director to the Housing NZ board and manages her own consulting company, Pukenga Consultancy.

As the recipient of a main benefit, Dr Hickey brings lived experience of the welfare system.

Ursula Valeli

Community Development Co-ordinator

BFA Fashion Design

Ursula joined Māpura Studios in 2017 as a volunteer and quickly joined staff, assisting Diana with grant writing.

Her role has grown and covers a range of aspects relating to community development. She co-ordinates re-stART, our stroke art therapy programme, and builds our reach to South Auckland.

Ursula is passionate about the work Māpura does. Her background in fashion, the events industry and Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, allows her to thrive in the creative atmosphere of the studio. She has first-hand experience of disability after caring for her eldest son Reuben who sadly passed away in 2012 from Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

Ursula is currently studying towards a postgraduate diploma in Creative Arts Therapies.

John Ferriss

Community Engagement/Communications

John’s background is in broadcasting and advertising. His passion, however, is visual art. In 2017, he devoted his Wednesday mornings to volunteer in the Studio Practice class.

John found he could not spend enough time at Māpura so he started looking after the social media accounts and joined the Board.

In mid-2021, he joined staff and took on the role of Community Engagement and Communications.

He also coordinates the MOA (Māpura Online Artists) programme.

Alex McPherson

Arts Administrator/
Student Liaison

Bachelor Fine Art (Elam)

Alex is a practising artist and has an extensive background running and owning private commercial galleries and in administration support.

Alex has a degree in Fine Art from Elam School of Fine Art and is primarily a painter working with oils, inspired by nature's flora, fauna, and people.

Alex loves the creative environment Māpura Studios provides, and enjoys the opportunity to work with like-minded arty people, both staff and students.

She lives in Northland with her partner and two dogs, Kowhai and Toto, making the commute to Māpura in Auckland every second week, and working from home the other.
Toto often travels with her to the studio and is a well loved character at Māpura.

Kate Hursthouse

Art Tutor

Kate is an artist, illustrator and designer based in Auckland, New Zealand.

With a passion for colour and pattern Kate’s work is influenced by the therapeutic power of art and its ability to transform lives. My creative process is a form of meditation, using colour, pattern, and intuition to explore my inner self. At Māpura Studios, Kate works with artists who have been impacted by stroke, brain injury or cerebral palsy.

Kate has exhibited in New Zealand and internationally and her artworks have been gifted to former Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, and the late Māori King, Kiingi Tūheitia.

Kate  creates in her backyard studio in-between playing with trains and jumping on the tramp with her little side-kick Arlo.

Cath O'Brien

Arts Tutor

Bachelor of Visual Arts
Bachelor of Nursing

Cath is an artist and works as an art tutor at Māpura . “I’m constantly inspired by the artists at Māpura and their ability to communicate their ideas and personal experience visually.”
She enjoys working with artists from marginal groups to explore opportunities for visual communication in creative spaces, in digital media and print, and in public spaces.

Cath also worked creatively with children for 10 years hosting creative spaces at Mairangi Arts Centre and her studio at Lake House Arts.

She has a Bachelor of Visual Arts from AUT and is also a Registered Nurse.

Visit @make_like_a_tree on Instagram to find out more about past projects. You can see examples of her own visual practice on Instagram @damhsaofaeons

Alvie McKree

Arts Therapist/
Kaiārahi

Bachelor Fine Art (Hons), Master Fine Art, Dip Art Therapy, Master of Creative Arts Therapy (Whitecliff)

Poata Alvie McKree (Ngapuhi, Ngati Kahu ki Whangaroa, St Vincent, Barbados) is an interdisciplinary artist, Qoya teacher and arts therapy advocate. She completed both her BFA Hons and MFA at Elam School of Fine Arts and a Postgraduate Diploma and Masters in Arts Therapy through Whitecliffe.

Alvie is passionate about the healing potential that creative practices offer, and loves encouraging students to take themselves out of their creative comfort zones and to surprise themselves with what emerges as a result.

In her personal creative practice, Alvie is committed to telling stories that foster connection to the earth, the ancestors, other peoples, and the divine. This manifests variously through writing for live performance, facilitating therapeutic art and movement workshops, and offering ritual and ceremonial gatherings for women. Her current practice involves using performance and textile-based installations to reimagine the lived experiences of her ancestors as a means of healing the rifts in cultural identity caused by colonisation, migration, and the Trans-Atlantic slave trade.

Joanne Sykes

Art Therapist

Joanne is an Art Psychotherapist who trained and worked in Scotland before moving to New Zealand in 2023. She has specialised in working in schools and community settings providing therapeutic support for children and their families.

Prior to becoming an art therapist, Joanne had many years experience in both creative expression and care work through her work as an intellectual disability nurse and her own creative art practice. She has found these two worlds of care and creativity an intrinsic part to our individual well-being and are often entwined into our sense of belonging and connection with the world around us.

Joanne's own interest in art and creativity is what led her to studying at Edinburgh College of Art. Since then she has gone on to work in community art settings, where creativity and well-being are strongly connected and has combined her interests through her continued studies which have included Nursing and Floristry prior to beginning her art therapy training.

Joanne uses all strands of her knowledge and experience to inform her therapeutic practice and strives to provide holistic, client-led support. She offers clients the opportunity to explore their emotions and express themselves through creativity. She works in a non-judgemental and empathetic way, creating a supportive and trusting environment for the clients to feel open to inner reflections at their own pace.

Since arriving in New Zealand Joanne has begun studying Reflexology and is enjoying finding new ways to connect the body and mind through holistic approaches.

Dave Kane

Music Tutor

Level 4 Cert in Manakitanga/Social Services from Te Wānaga Aotearoa

Dave has either been learning, listening, playing or working in music since he can remember and is now playing and writing music with some of our students.

Being a parent of two young adults on the ASD and ADHD spectrums means Dave brings an understanding of neurodiversity and some of the challenges facing the disabled community.

His interests include: writing, playing and recording music, building robots and space craft from junk, making bread, researching local history and hot yoga.

Daneil (Dan) Cunningham

Art Tutor

Artist, Facilitator, Trainee Arts Therapist, Yoga Teacher.

Dan is a multidisciplinary artist. He trained as a performer in the UK, Estonia and Poland. Dan is a 500Hr Yoga New Zealand registered teacher.

Dan lived in London till 2020, where he presented his solo performances and taught creative movement and body work in four drama schools. In his life, Dan has experienced the transformational power of yoga, mindfulness practices and artmaking. He is passionate about sharing holistic movement and creative work with people.

Dan completed his Post Graduate Diploma in Creative Arts Therapy in 2022 and he is currently a trainee Arts Therapist completing his Masters in Creative Arts Therapy (Clinical) at Whitecliffe. Dan currently works as an Expressive Arts Therapist at The Kindness Institute, Kōwhai Intermediate and Māpura Studios.

Jenny Gordon

Music Therapist

RMTh

Jenny, a registered music therapist, is particularly interested in resourcing people into their own well-being – “living the best life you can, given who you are” – and therefore aging well.

As a musician, Jenny’s main instrument is her voice and she plays guitar, piano, ukulele and sometimes tenor saxophone. Her strengths are facilitating and leading singing groups and she believes that singing, in particular group singing, has both physiological, psychological and social benefits that are helpful in one’s well-being. Jenny works with many people in the aged care sector and also those with age-related neurological conditions.

Music has been an integral part of Jenny’s life.  She has been and is part of many singing and/or band groups, has taught music at an intermediate school for many years, and now enjoys “musicking” (being with people in and through music) in her music therapy practice.

Allyson Hamblett KSM

Disability Advisor

Bachelor Art
Dip Library
Nat. Cert. Computing (Level 2 & 3)
Kings Service Medal - for service to people with disabilities and the transgender communities

Allyson has been involved with Māpura Studios since 2002 as an artist, and joined the team in 2006.

She has a Bachelor of Arts from Auckland University, and a Diploma in Library and Information Studies from Victoria University of Wellington.

Allyson is currently co-chair of the Local Advisory Committee of  CCS Disability Action Auckland and was on the Board of Auckland Rainbow Community Church Te Whare Karakia Āniwaniwa ki Tāmaki Makaurau from 2020 to 2023.

She has written 3 books, including “My Art Journey with Mapura Studios”, a book that showcases 20 years of artwork

Emma Cooper-Williams

Board Trustee

I have lived in Tāmaki Makaurau since 2003, after moving up from Te Whanganui-a-Tara before starting school.

I have had a strong interest in music since I was at primary school and wrote and performed my original music for a number of years.

I live with a physical disability and use a wheelchair some of the time; I am committed to supporting inclusive opportunities and access within arts spaces.

Kalisolaite (Ite) ‘Uhila

Art Tutor

Bachelor of Visual Arts from Auckland University of Technology in 2010, Masters of Performance & Media Arts in 2016.

Tongan born Kalisolaite 'Uhila’s innovative visual art uses metaphor to express ideas and provoke audience introspection.

His experiential performances have involved living rough on the streets of Auckland for three months, and living as a pig in a crate, as well as conducting the waves of the Pacific Ocean from its shore.

Through his work he explores cultural, social and political themes such as urban homelessness, and how the ocean can connect people from distant, disparate nations. He has also examined how traditional Tongan notions of the relationship between people and sacred animals, like pigs, intersect with Western ideas.

He provokes and challenges audiences to confront prejudices in order to understand works that oscillate between Tongan and Western notions of self, space and time.

Emilia Rubio

Dance/Movement Therapist
Expressive Arts Therapist
Professional Dancer and Art Facilitator

DTAA (Prof.DMT) Reg.No.220-05

Emilia is an interdisciplinary artist who studied a post graduate diploma in Dance Movement Therapy (Argentina,2016).  She also received a post graduated diploma in Expressive Arts Therapy (Peru, 2017) and completed the Certificate of Advanced Graduated Studies in Research, Leadership and Training in Expressive Arts Therapy, Education and Consulting from The European Graduate School-Faculty of the division of Arts, Health and Society (Switzerland, 2021)

Emilia is very passionate about the role of arts as a psychotherapeutic form and the idea that creativity enhances the well-being of all people (tangata). She centres her work to encounter the participants own expressions and develop their sense of self and confidence, valuing engagement and interacting individually and in a group setting. She combines different creative arts modalities to encourage curiosity and inspiration, trust the art process journey and to illuminate what emerges.

Emilia leads inclusive community programmes in the studio and satellite classes:  Movement and Art, Expressive Movement Therapy, Kids Creative Therapy, Expressive Arts and Wellness and Creativity.

She also works at Te Whatu Ora at Mason Clinic.

Jane Bawden

Board Trustee

Jane is a parent of an artist and is an experienced lawyer, director and trustee, CEO and advisor in disability.

She is grateful for the opportunity to support Māpura Studios as trustee.

Lea Schlatter

Art Tutor

 BFA (hons) Photography, Film and Video
MPhil Visual Arts
PgDip Creative Arts Therapies

Lea moved to New Zealand at a young age with her family and grew up on a farm in Tauranga. She loves being outdoors and embraces te tai ao/the natural world within her art practice.

Having followed her passion for the arts, Lea completed her Fine Art degree at Whitecliffe College of Arts and Design (2014) and her Master of Philosophy in Visual Arts at Auckland University of Technology (2020). As an immigrant in Aotearoa New Zealand, Lea explores movement through spaces in her creative work. Playfully exploring with different mediums from clay to textiles to dance/movement, Lea believes that art has a special power that brings people together and creates avenues for individual and collective growth.

Through her interests in community arts and art for well-being, Lea discovered Māpura Studios in 2022. She enjoys the vibrant community and the ability to work with a wealth of talented artists.

Lea is a student of art therapy, currently completing her education at Whitecliffe College of Arts and Design in Creative Art Therapies.

Margaret Feeney

Art Tutor

 BA (Art History) from Victoria University, Wellington
MFA from RMIT, Melbourne

Margaret is an artist and works from her studio at Port Waikato.

Margaret sees Māpura, and its satellite studios, as spaces where the important business of connecting to ideas and other people can happen. She is in awe of the artists’ mahi, and of the high concept/low tech ethos of the studios which maintains the kaupapa of courage and invention.

Margaret’s main project is A Black Comedy in Pastels which plays with the human shift of mind and environment from culture/nature to culture/culture, as if we were the product of culture alone, and are not part of nature. A focus is Wild Animal Glyphs: the idea that animals are complex and communicate with each other, we just don’t hear them.

Paula Green

Board Trustee

Kia ora koutou.
​Ko Horouta te Waka
Ko Hikurangi te Maunga
Ko Waiapu te Awa
Ko Ngāti Porou te Iwi
Ko Paula ahau
Ngā mihi.

I am Paula, a proud descendant of Māori heritage and the heart of Pohū Arts.
A creative force with a heart for culture and community.​

My story began in the humble town of Manurewa in South Auckland, where as a child, my fascination with art was evident. From 'painting' on my bedroom walls to sketching with a pen in the crib, creativity was my constant companion, much to the exasperation of my mother.

In my youth, the allure of architectural design and the creation of spaces captured my imagination. I embarked on the path of a traditional draftsperson, dreaming that one day I might become an architect. However, my journey took a different turn, leading me to discover a love for creating events that celebrate the unique stories, people, and culture that make Aotearoa special. This passion became the cornerstone of my career, where I delved into VIP handling, travel organisation, and the orchestration of events, both small and large, spanning local and international stages.​

As life unfolded, I found myself coming full circle, rediscovering my initial love for art and spaces. This renaissance was deeply influenced by the exploration of my Māori heritage, language, and the Te Ao Māori worldview concepts that resonate within me.​

Today, alongside my husband Steve who is the strategic mind guiding our waka, I am the heart of our organisation that breathes life into our endeavours. We are blessed with three beautiful tamariki and continue to call my childhood home in Manurewa our haven.​

Our journey is a reflection of the melding of tradition and innovation, artistry and events, and the enduring connection to the land and stories that define us.​

Thank you for joining us on this journey of creativity, culture, and community.

Rachael Burke

Art Tutor

Bachelor Fine Art (hons)

Rachael joined Māpura Studios in February 2022. She completed a Fine Art degree with (Honors) at Whitecliffe in 2021.

Rachael has always had a deep fascination for the human condition. Her creative practice, right from the outset, has been an ongoing exploration relating to perceptions of identity and selfhood. Working primarily in collage, her studio practice aims to investigate the multifaceted contemporary identity relating to concepts of the self.  

Rachael’s practice traverses the liminal state between light and dark, death and rebirth and that's not literal, it has a lot to do with trying to find spiritual connection and psychological growth. The fact that Identity is created through hidden processes, that we become individuals through metamorphosis, living in a constant state of flux, are key concepts crucial to her practice.

Rachael believes that art holds a deeper meaning for both the individual and the collective, where one can connect to self-understanding, personal growth and transformation. For Rachael, creative expression serves as a way for us to make sense and clarify inner experiences that often words alone cannot.

Sam Knegt

Arts Therapist

Bachelor Design, Master of Creative Arts Therapy (Whitecliff)

Sam is an artist, illustrator and trainee creative arts therapist. She completed a BDes at Massey in 2018 and has just completed her Masters in Creative Arts Therapy (Clinical) at Whitecliffe.

She joined Māpura in 2020 and has worked alongside artists in a variety of programmes such as kids art club, young adults on the spectrum, creatives in schools, the stroke programme and open studios. She is passionate about community well-being and the healing role that artmaking has in these spaces.

Curiosity, playfulness, compassion and connection are core values Sam has in her work and life.

Currently, Sam's own art practice is scattered across several modalities with a focus on creating imaginary worlds and ridiculous characters through comics and soft sculpture.

Sarah Rankin

Art Tutor

Bachelor Fine Art
Masters Teaching

Sarah joined Māpura in 2012 and worked in a variety of programmes and modalities before pursuing further study. She is delighted to return to Māpura and to participate in the transformative work taking place there.

She completed a BFA(Hons) at Elam in 2010 and a M(Teach) at Auckland University in 2016. Her work within secondary, tertiary and community-based education informs the contextual responsiveness she brings to her work at Māpura.

In her own art practice, Sarah is interested in linguistic inflections and limitations, oral storytelling and the mercurial nature of memory.

Shiraz Sadikeen

Art tutor

BA (International Relations) Victoria University Wellington
Bachelor Fine Arts (Elam School of Fine Arts)
Master Fine Art (Elam School of Fine Arts)

Shiraz Sadikeen is a practising artist and has been working at Māpura Studios since 2017, after volunteering for a period in the teens group. He is also engaged part time as a support worker.

He loves the atmosphere and social energy of the studio and the variety of artistic expression that comes out of it. Shiraz has mostly been tutoring in the Cartooning group where the unique modes of drawing and narrative construction constantly amuse and surprise.

He sees his role as supporting the work of others and making space for their personalities and artistic expression to flourish.

Stefan Neville

Arts/Music Facilitator

Stefan grew up in Northland, Bay of Plenty and the Waikato. He is a Pākehā of Scottish descent.

Stefan is an experienced musician, artist, and disability support worker. His roles at Māpura Studios combine all three of those worlds perfectly.

As a self-taught musician on a wide range of instruments, Stefan has been creating, performing, recording, and releasing records for over 30 years. In bands, collaborations and as a solo artist, he has toured extensively throughout New Zealand, Australia, USA, Europe and Japan. He is a qualified audio engineer able to produce live sound for events as well as recording and producing for record releases. He hosts and produces the monthly Māpura Studios radio shows which are broadcast via AFM.

Stefan's visual art practice has long complemented his music making, providing images for album covers, posters and T-shirts. He has self-published comics/art books and has had work included in international comics anthologies. His work exhibited in NZ and Australia includes drawings, printmaking, paintings, sound works and multimedia installations.

He is a qualified level 3 Community Support Worker having worked for Idea Services providing creative programmes, activities, and personal care for a West Auckland day service for 4 years. He also worked providing community home support for Healthcare NZ for 12 years.

He loves dogs, vinyl records & rugby league.

Tim Danko

Art Tutor

BFA in printmaking ( VCA)
Grad Dip in Electronic Design and Interactive Media (RMIT, Melbourne)
Masters in Visual Art (AUT)

Tim has been producing comics for 35 years in Melbourne and Auckland and has had his work published and exhibited in both countries, as well as in France, Canada, Latvia and Croatia.

His comics have been acquired in the print collection of the Australian National Gallery in Canberra. He has been a tutor in digital animation and design at Natcoll as well as running comic workshops for all ages in Australia and New Zealand. Tim’s short film work has screened at the Auckland international Film Festival and Melbourne Super-8 Film Festival.

The Māpura cartooning group’s comics have been awarded multiple best of zinefest awards in Wellington, Hamilton and Auckland zinefests over the last four years, and comic publications from the group have been preserved in the Silent Army Archive (Melbourne) and The New Zealand Cartoon and Comics Archive, National Library of New Zealand.

Xu Ping

Arts Therapist

Bachelor Arts Graphic Design (AUT), Master Arts (AUT), Master of Creative Arts Therapy (Whitecliff)

Xu Ping has just completed a Master of Creative Arts Therapy at Whitecliffe College.

Art has been a central aspect of Xu Ping’s life since childhood. She began practising calligraphy at the age of four, laying the foundation for her artistic journey. She received formal training as an art teacher in China, completing a comprehensive three-year programme that encompassed Western and Eastern art history, life sketching, acrylic painting, Chinese calligraphy, and Chinese ink painting. Subsequently, she embarked on a career as an art teacher and later evolved into a professional graphic designer.

After relocating to New Zealand, she pursued her academic aspirations by obtaining a Bachelor Degree of Graphic Design and establishing herself as a professional commercial photographer. This was followed by the attainment of a Master of Arts degree at AUT.

Xu Ping has obtained recognition throughout the years, including being a Finalist in the Wallace Art Award 2014, Silver and Bronze awards in the Iris Annual Photography Awards 2008, and Bronze in the Epson Photography Awards 2003. Her artwork “Between Likeness and Unlikeness” is part of the Arts House Trust collection, having been acquired in 2013.

Board Trustee

Chloe Mao

Gabrielle Stoddard

Arts Therapist

Laura Tremaine

Art Tutor

Bachelor Drama, Grad Dip in Science in Psychology

Laura is a clown, musician, comedian, and psychotherapist-in-training.

She graduated as a drama teacher in Córdoba, Argentina. She moved to New Zealand in 2019 and has been working in organisations that support disabilities and mental health, mostly leading juggling and puppet groups. Laura studied psychology at the Catholic University of Cordoba and at Victoria University, Wellington.

She is currently studying to qualify as a psychotherapist at AUT.

Sonny Tuiletufuga

Art Tutor

Cert Contemporary Music (Te Wananga o Aotearoa)

Monari Falepeau

Art Tutor

Certificate of Design & Visual Arts and Bachelor of Visual Arts, Unitec
Certificate of Deaf Studies, Victoria University

Monari moved to Auckland from Niue with her family. She was raised in Auckland and went to Kelston Deaf Education Centre (Ko Taku Reo – Deaf Education).

Monari is profoundly Deaf and uses NZSL to communicate as her first language. She usually has a sign language interpreter around the studio while working.

Monari joined Māpura as a volunteer in 2019 during her studies at Unitec and worked with Rachel Coppage (former Deaf Art Therapy at Māpura Studios).

Monari is passionate about family, the Deaf community, art and food. She is truly grateful to work at Māpura Studios especially with the Deaf artists. They have inspired her while sharing their valuable skills and passion in the arts.

Monari loves making various art works such as painting, drawing, sculpture, pottery and printmaking. She likes catching up with friends over lunch or dinner and regularly goes for walks.

Merrin Fagan

Studio Coordinator

Leticia Durant

Art Therapist

Bachelor Visual Arts(Hons), MA Creative Arts Therapy (Clinical), Cert. Dance Movement Therapy

Dawn Hutchesson

Studio Co-ordinator

Dawn is an experienced General Manager and Sector Specialist in the not-for-profit sector.

During her career she has held a variety of roles across a range of not-for-profit and community organisations including General Manager of the Aotearoa Food Rescue Alliance, CoLab Manager for an innovation creative technology centre at AUT, General Manager of Circability Trust, Project Lead for two regional arts and cultural strategies, and Sector Specialist (consultant) for ATEED and SAE Auckland.

Dawn loves to give support to change-making organisations and supporting the development of programmes that achieve optimum social impact such as Māpura Studios.

Maununu (Nunu) Sa’anga Ama

Pacific Cultural Connector       

Nunu and her three children came to Aotearoa New Zealand from Samoa in 2013 to join her husband. Her son, Ululau, started attending classes at Māpura Studios two years later and Nunu accompanied him as his supporter from 2016 as he was having seizures.

As she had to spend a lot of time in the studio, Nunu was invited to join the class as an artist, and she discovered she could paint and draw. Ululau and Nunu would inspire each other, and they have grown together as artists. They regularly feature in Māpura exhibitions, and their work graces the walls of many homes.

As Pacific Cultural Connector, Nunu supports Pacific art awareness in the studio and in the community, particularly to Pacific people living with disability.

Nunu expresses her spiritual beliefs through her creativity.

Sacha Kronfeld

Art Tutor

BFA, Grad. Dip. Tchg (Secondary)

Sacha Kronfeld graduated from Elam School of Fine Arts in 1995, majoring in printmaking. After finishing a Post-graduate Diploma in teaching she taught art to secondary school students, working as a sole charge teacher at St Marys College and later at Waitakere High teaching Art History and painting to senior students.

During these years she continued to develop her work as an artist exhibiting at Oedipus Rex and in various group shows. Sacha has long been interested in personal development and involved herself in numerous related activities including  completing  a preliminary year to a Masters in Psychotherapy at AUT, participation in major creativity development programmes with Wings, and extensive training in yoga.

In more recent times her creative life has been consumed by the birth of her two children Manawa and Malia. Sacha is excited to be a part of the  team and is drawn to teaching Art in an environment where creativity is about  community, is inclusive and is therapeutic in approach.