Creative ID: 235
Auckland
My arts or creative practice (including details about my specific focus within that art form/practice and my strengths)
My Art is already used in many schools because children respond to it and find it liberating because I paint on newspaper. This medium removes normal barriers and gives everyone a new freedom. I am invited to schools all the time to see their newspaper paintings. I believe originality is paramount but to get there people often imitate to find their inner confidence to be more true to themselves.
My track record of experience and success - or the track record of experience and success of the creative or artist that I will partner with
I have had 25 years as a full-time international artist. My art is avidly collected and is in national collections such as Te Papa, The Wallace Trust and many others. I have a big track record of exhibitions. I have a MPhil, in Art with first class honours.
Describe the experience you have had working with children or young people, teaching or facilitating creative processes
I have taken children who have been expelled from school for tagging in projects to help uplift them and give them confidence to take their creativity to the next level. I created a teachers art aide that showed teachers how to teach my creative process for children. It’s popular.
Why I want to be part of the Creatives in Schools programme and how my involvement will link to my creative practice
It’s important to me that children are not made to conform and are given the chance to be fully original and creative. I have a successful career as an artist but I failed School C Art. This tells me schools often don’t pick up how truly creative children are. I would love to provide a model for helping all children be confident in their own unique expression.