Toi te Rito Maihi

Toi Te Rito Maihi
Ngati Kahungunu,
Ngapuhi,
Bland Family

That everything I do has a Maori kaupapa was never a conscious decision - it just happened.

People are curious too about the diversity of my activites, but I’ve always been an anti-barrier person - and it seems ridiculous to me that the observations and ideas should be explored and portrayed in only one way.

I feel it’s natural to draw, or paint, or carve, or weave, or construct, or write, with a  great deal of thinking and talking in between.

It was only in my forties that I realised that it’s not the tangible results that are most important to me. What I’ve learnt- the insights I’ve gained, the increased perception, the inter-relationships/ connections between people, objects, situations- are of far greater interest to me.

Whatever is created is merely an indication of an enormously complex, multi-level, three dimensional ‘jig-saw’ puzzle in my mind. And the incredibly joyous excitement is that the ‘jig-saw’ stretches from here to infinity!

As long as I live (and perhaps beyond) I can be part of this wonderful adventure of discovery!

Every waking hour is an opportunity to explore further. I find it absolutely intriguing too, that so often I fall asleep with ideas unresolved, but wake with solutions.

I have an irresistable urge to share this excitement with others, and do have difficulty refusing requests to speak, or write, demonstrate or participate with others in a tremendous variety of situations.

The difficulty in saying ‘No’, to new opportunities or challenges is reflected in my work.