Recent tattoo convention and artist waananga in Tauranga

Earlier in March I was grateful to attend a week long waananga for moko artists in Tauranga, followed by the weekend-long Tauranga Tattoo Extravaganza - two awesome events with amazing artists to work alongside. Thanks to everyone that got tattooed by me in Tauranga recently.

I loved making new friends with some new indigenous tattooers that I hadn’t met before, from Canada, Greenland, Tahiti and The States. It was also awesome to collaboratively work on some new paintings with some of these international artists, all cultural art revivalists in their own respective parts of the world.

Big thanks to everyone involved in making these two events, amazing kaupapa to be involved with.

Indigenous Greenland Inuit Inuk artist contributing to one of my collaborative canvases at our waananga.

Getting tattooed by my whanaunga at our artists waananga.

With my new friend, Inuit Inuk Tattoo Revivalist from Greenland.

With First Nation sisters from California region.

With some of our taa moko tatau artist crew.

VIP special evening of Māori Art in Melbourne, Australia!

Special thanks to everyone who came along to the intimate evening of Māori Art that we (myself and fellow moko artists Sian Montgomery-Neutze and Pip Hartley) held in Melbourne, Australia recently. 

It was a fun night and we are grateful to everyone that came along to show their support, learn about the artworks that were available for purchase at the event, and to hear our artists talks. We had hoped to have some special guest VIP aboriginal artists in attendance at the event, but unfortunately they couldn't make it. We hope to work more collaboratively with the indigenous people of Australia at future art events like this in Oz.

We plan to run several more collaborative, intimate and informative special events of this nature in future, at different locations around the world!

Big thanks also to Aaron Stevenson who was our photographer for the night, you can check out more of his photography work here.

More info on the event can be found here.

Original paintings for sale on the night by Sian Montgomery-Neutze.

Sian Montgomery-Neutze giving her artist talk.

Sian Montgomery-Neutze giving her artist talk.

Some of the artwork that was for sale on the night.

Some of the artwork that was for sale on the night by Miriama Grace-Smith (on the left) and Xoe Hall (on the right).

Giving my artist talk.

Viewing prints by celebrated Maori artist, Robyn Kahukiwa.

Viewing some of the collection that was available on the night.

Giving my artist talk at the one off special event.

With Melbourne based photographer, Aaron Stevenson.

Some of the contemporary Māori art collection that was available at the special event.

Some of the contemporary Māori art collection that was available at the special event.

Listening to artist talks.

An original drawing by renowned Māori artist Robyn Kahukiwa (above) and small taaniko, leather and toroa feather taonga by Sian Montgomery-Neutze (below).

Artist Pip Hartley with new friends.

Some great discussions were had.

Explaining my interpretation of original works by internationally renowned Māori artist, Robyn Kahukiwa.

Some of the contemporary Māori art collection that was available at the special event.

An original painting by Sian Montgomery-Neutze.

Pip Hartley of Karanga Ink giving her artist talk.

Some of the contemporary Māori art collection that was available at the special event.

Prints by Xoe Hall.