The Creative Mother Podcast

This weeks episode is with Nickie Hursthouse, the founder and creative force behind My Clay Table, a ceramics studio grounded in the belief that the best memories are made around the table. My Clay Table ceramics are made to be used, to hold food, to share drinks and to gather people together. Nickie is a mum, small business owner and worked as a dietitian for 13 years. Nickie’s journey with clay...

This weeks episode is with Naomi Azoulay a Tāmaki Makaurau–based artist whose work explores the emotional landscapes of resilience, transformation, and social change.  Working in portraiture across collage and painting, she portrays women with strength, agency, and defiance, celebrating feminine rage as a catalyst for social change. With a background in visual arts and community engagement, her pr...

This weeks episode is with Dina Jezdic, an art critic, curator, and decolonial scholar with a doctorate focused on decoloniality of museums and contemporary Indigenous practice. She has extensive experience in creative mentoring, delivering tailored programs for groups and individual practitioners across fine art and design. Dina is a frequent contributor to Art News (NZ), Art New Zealand, The Big...

Agate Rubene is the artist and illustrator behind Restless & Infectious. Originally from Latvia, she is now based in Auckland, New Zealand. With a background in fashion and graphic design, Agate began her creative journey through fashion illustration—a foundation that continues to shape her distinctive style. Her work focuses on people and their actions, capturing emotion and celebrating life’...

Abbie McCall (Ngāti Apa) is a mother of three and a proud Māori creative whose life has always been steeped in the arts. Born into a whānau of musicians, visual artists, and makers, creativity has been her constant — a natural rhythm that’s guided her through every chapter. A true jack of all trades, Abbie spent her life joyfully moving between creative worlds — until 2022, when everything stopped...

Welcome back to Season 3 of the Creative Mother Podcast. A huge thanks to Auckland Council Creative Communities Scheme for supporting this season of the podcast. Today host Kate Hursthouse talks about her struggles with chronic illness and the impact that has had on her creativity and sense of identity. She also discusses her journey towards becoming a Creative Arts Therapist. Kate Hursthouse is a...

Today I am talking to Hannah Jensen Fox, a powerhouse of creativity, who is technically a multidisciplinary artist, with a love of drawing, photography, etching, printing and more. However she is more well-known for her intricate hand carved images into layers of acrylic paint; a technique I created in 2003 while at Auckland University of Technology. To achieve her bespoke work Hannah applies anyw...

Today’s episode is with Awhina Murupaenga, a mum of two and founder and director of Whatu Creative. Awhina launched Whatu Creative as a grief response to losing a best friend to cancer. She started with the intention of growing art exhibitions in Te Hiku, the Far North but, as for so many, Covid had other plans for them and she had to pivot her business. She created and launched her Tukutuku kits...

Today’s episode is with Katie Rickson who is a poet, copywriter and editor and mum of one. Katie has had bipolar episodes for most of her adult life, but wasn’t diagnosed until she was eight weeks postpartum, and experiencing insomnia and mania. One thing that got her through this time was the mantra: “something beautiful will come from this.” Katie now writes about her experiences of hospitalisat...

Today’s conversation is with stand-up comedian, writer and social commentator Michele A’Court. Originally trained as a journalist, Michele has been an icon in stand up comedy since it got started in New Zealand. She was the winner of “Female Comedian of the Decade” at the 2010 NZ Comedy Guild Awards, is a frequent voice on RNZ National’s “ Nine to Noon ” and “ The Panel ” and has been a frequent g...

This weeks conversation is with designer Jess Holdaway. Jess originally co-founded Frank Stationery with her husband Jason, where for each item of stationery sold they donate a school book to a child living in poverty. She is now the design director at The Opshop, a brand strategy and creative studio, she is a mother of two boys, lover of the beach, deep conversations and good questions and is the...

Phoebe is an abstract landscape and still life artist from the UK but now living in Gisborne. Phoebe returned to art making 4 years ago after a long break due to having 3 children. Originally trained as a textile designer, Phoebe works in a similar process working  with colour and layers to create her unique artworks. In this episode she talks openly about her experience with post-partum anxiety,...

This week's creative conversation is with Genevieve Chunn, a commercial creative leader, and mother to two kids who are 6 and 9. Gen's background is in advertising and TV creative, she has worked as a creative director, and is currently Head of Creative in a PR agency. She is also the main breadwinner for her family.  Gen has stoked her creative fire in recent years with the publication...

Today’s conversation is with iconic New Zealand artist and mum of two boys FLOX. Having built her brand over many years, FLOX is one of New Zealand’s most recognised contemporary artists, redefining what it is to be a practicing artist in the 21st century. An aerosol and stencil artist with a fine art degree, FLOX first made her mark on the inner cityscape of Auckland in 2003. Her trademark native...

This week on The Creative Mother Podcast, host Kate Hursthouse talks to Napier based print maker and contemporary artist Rachael Stone. Through her artwork and zines, she loves expressing messages of self-worth (especially to young girls). Rachael's prints predominately depict her daughter overcoming challenges and believing in her capabilities. Her most recent work has been large-scale, bold...

Today Kate Hursthouse talks about some of the key themes and takeaways from season one of The Creative Mother Podcast. In particular she talks about building a strong support system, connecting with other creative women, investing in business mentoring, never having all your eggs in one basket and prioritising yourself, your health and your creativity. Kate Hursthouse is an artist, creative busine...

Links from todays episode: https://adriennewhitewood.com/ https://www.facebook.com/AdrienneWhitewood/ https://www.facebook.com/AdrienneWhitewood/ TikTok: @adriennewhitewood https://ahuboutique.com/ https://www.facebook.com/ahuboutique.co.nz/ https://www.instagram.com/ahuboutique/ Stores: ahu Boutique Rotorua 1178 Eruera Street, Rotorua, New Zealand  ahu Boutique Wellington 115 Victoria Street, Te...

This week on The Creative Mother Podcast host Kate Hursthouse talks to artist and painter of joy, Jen Sievers. Jen's mission is to bring joy into your home. She does this with her distinctive colours, and by injecting all of her strongest positive, magical energy into every single piece. Jen paints joy. She uses acrylic paints with fresh colours, sweeping lines and a contemporary edge. She ha...

This week on The Creative Mother Podcast host Kate Hursthouse talks to the founder of Paper Theory Patterns, Tara Viggo. Tara was born in the Cook Islands and grew up in New Zealand, however Tara has been living and working in London as a professional pattern cutter for the last 16 years. During this time Tara has worked right across the Fashion industry, from Top Shop and All Saints to luxury cat...

This week on The Creative Mother Podcast host Kate Hursthouse talks to Jade Tang - Taylor who is a purpose-driven, design-led, creative social entrepreneur. Over the past 10-15+ years her career has been more of a squiggly line than a straight one, something I can really relate to. Jade has worked on a myriad of game-changing projects with change-making organisations, moving in & out of being...

This week on The Creative Mother Podcast host Kate Hursthouse talks to Wellington based street artist Mica Still. Mica has represented herself throughout her career, showing in over 100 exhibitions. She has been an art mentor, curated shows, a fundraiser and has caught the eye of many NZ and Australian collectors. In the last decade she has moved her practice to the streets gaining recognition qui...

This week on The Creative Mother Podcast host Kate Hursthouse talks to Australian graphic designer, lettering artist and mum of four boys, Delphie Dib-Milston. With over 20 years in the design industry and 11 and a half years as a parent, Delphie has come to define what she does as "PLAY-inspired, EMOTIVE lettering and design, CONNECTING people, brands and community." She does this throu...

This week on The Creative Mother Podcast host Kate Hursthouse talks to screenwriter, actor, film maker and mum of two Sophie Henderson. Sophie has worked extensively for Silo Theatre as an actor and was named Metro’s Best Actress in both 2009 and 2014, for her work with the company in THE SCENE and BELLEVILLE. She has been in a number of film and television productions including HUMAN TRACES, THE...

This week on The Creative Mother Podcast host Kate Hursthouse talks to creative mum of two Aroha Tamihana. Aroha is a Māori creative passionate about promoting the Māori language and culture through unique designs, products and resources. Her creative business, Maimoa Creative is a design studio based in Tauranga. Aroha’s aim is to help normalise the use of te reo Māori throughout Aotearoa using h...

This week on The Creative Mother Podcast host Kate Hursthouse talks to Jasmine Kroeze an artist and all round mess maker from Pāpāmoa Beach in New Zealand. In this open and honest conversation Jasmine talks about her challenges with motherhood, the healing nature of art and how she rediscovered a new balance in her art and motherhood. Jasmine paints original artwork and large scale murals. From he...