Creative Connections

Amanda Jakich (Mandy) is a self taught abstract painter and the Founder and CEO of Creative Matters. She is the proud mother of 2 young adults (with a grand baby on the way) and lives with her husband George at Muriwai Beach, North West of Auckland. Mandy's work responds to her surroundings, particularly to the seas, skies, land and nature of her home place Muriwai Beach NZ.  She is drawn to...

Marion Stutz is a painter living in Huapai, Auckland NZ.  In the last 5 years she has gone from being a creative interested in art  with a great appreciation for all things arty and a love of making to a practising artist who already has her first solo show under her belt. Marion's work is all about colour and form, explored through landscapes, portraiture and still life and inspired by artis...

Catrina is an abstract painter from Muriwai Beach, North West of Auckland, with a passion for interpreting the many layers of her natural environment.  Whenever she is outside in Muriwai she can't help but see endless paintings, endless textures, colours, lines, shapes, light and movement, and so much west coast energy. She enjoys translating what she sees through exploring different techniqu...

Marlon Hart is an illustrator/artist with a background in advertising and art direction.  As well as animal wrangling, yoga, karate and acting! Go Marlon! He has lived in Muriwai for 30 years. He spent his childhood growing up in Vancouver, Canada, which instilled in him a great love of nature, and culturally, left a lasting impression. Working in advertising as an art director and illustrator for...

Amanda is a long-term Muriwai Beach resident, a ceramicist and a painter. She specializes in hand-built sculpture, often in the form of jewellery and wall installations.  Amanda prefers natural, found or recycled materials and makes in traditional ways when possible, such as pit firing with combustibles collected from the beach. See her work on our blog: https://www.creativematters.co.nz/blog And...

Liz Smith is an embroidery artist living in Muriwai Beach, Auckland NZ. Her business The Stitchsmith NZ   brings you fresh, new designs for needlepoint cushion/pillow kits, cross stitch and embroidery kits and patterns. Most of Liz's designs are drawn from the wonderful scenery in New Zealand where she lives and she is constantly inspired by the local flora and fauna here. She loves birds and...

Immersive installations that almost "use sound as a new way of seeing," drawing inspiration from nature, sound vibrations and materials. Join us for a wonderfully therapeutic conversation with installation and textile artist Mette Hay. See her work on our blog: https://www.creativematters.co.nz/blog And make sure you catch our other conversations with inspirational NZ new and experienced...

Kylie is a printmaker (lithography) and painter, inspired by the land, sea and skies of New Zealand. Hear her story from a farm in Hukerenui to Elam - a prestigious Art School in Auckland, her printmaking and painting process and her fascinating journey to becoming a full time artist. See her work on our blog: https://www.creativematters.co.nz/blog And make sure you catch our other conversations w...

Tanya is a full time artist and a mother of one, living at Muriwai Beach, North West of Auckland NZ. Tanya shares many insightful thoughts and ideas and I'm quite sure you will find something in her story to inspire and inform your creative journey or your life in general. She discusses her childhood, her private inner world, her travel, her art studies, her sculpture and painting, her proces...