Community has been essential to my journey as a creative. Over the years there have been many wonderful communities that I have been a part of. One of my favourite parts of being a creative, working in the shop and teaching is meeting people who are extremely passionate about their craft and creativity. I even love it more when it is a shared love of clay and we can talk technical clay details and solve material problems together. These communities have nurtured me over the years and when creative blocks occur or for me large periods of being unable to create new things my community has helped me through these.
There are many ways to create, find and develop communities. I feel surrounded by beautiful communities of artists, creative people and supporters of creative people. Part of the way I want to contribute to the world is by initiating projects that connect, develop or create communities locally.
In 2023 Rebecca Dowman-Ngapo (@rebecca.dowman.ngapo_art) and I created The Waipa Creative Conduit. A project that put over $40,000 into pockets of creative people in the Waipa region and kicked off opportunities throughout the area through connection and proven action.
2024 holds The Waipa Creative Trail. This project is my opportunity in 2024 to give generously to the creative community. The main goal of The Waipa Creative trail is to celebrate creativity in the Waipa. It is an arts trail happening on the 16th of March.
There is so much happening in our creative community, so many artists, teachers, creative activities and pretty much anything creative you can think of. Our goal at The Waipa Creative Trail is to share it.
There will be 5 open studios and a range of exhibitions. On the trail we have a black smith and knife maker, and a classical guitar maker as well as an amazing oil painter and an anagama kiln! Many of these studios aren't open to the public, so this is a unique opportunity to meet the creatives and get a behind the scenes look at what they do and how they do it.
The Mystery Creek Ceramic studio in Kihikihi will be open. Alex will be there to chat coloured clay and each stage of our process will be on show. We will have information about our firing service and some free worksheets without top clay tips on them.
Its a free event and we would love you to come along and join us in the studio.
The register head along to https://waipacreativetrail.com/ and follow us on facebook or instagram @thewaipacreativehub
