Tō Mātou Haerenga 

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I would really like to take a moment to acknowledge those who have supported me on this journey - my whānau, my wife, our tamariki, and every person who has offered encouragement, tautoko, or simply taken the time to appreciate my mahi. Your support means everything.

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We’re a small whānau business - just the two of us and our kids - with a simple goal: to create quality clothing and art for everyone. Both my wife and I were born and raised in Flaxmere. Our roots run deep in Heretaunga. Our parents were hardworking freezing workers and dedicated mums, who taught us the values of resilience, hard work, and whānau.

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My wife always felt a strong calling to become a teacher. Today, she’s a deputy principal in Flaxmere, giving back to the community that raised us.

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As for me, I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember. I grew up on a steady diet of 80s and 90s cartoons, Street Fighter, anime, Dragon Ball Z, Pokémon, graffiti, and video games - all of which shaped my unique artistic style. Hearing my nan and my whānau speak te reo Māori sparked my lifelong love for te ao Māori, and I continue to strengthen my reo through classes today.

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I’m passionate about speaking with my whānau to uncover the pūrākau behind traditional Māori designs, ensuring my mahi is grounded in authenticity and whakapapa. I also love blending elements of te ao Māori into modern or pop culture-inspired pieces - adding a Māori touch to characters and icons that many of us grew up with. One of the things that fuels me the most is hearing tamariki say, “Look - Māori Hulk!” or “Māori Black Panther!” It means they see themselves and their culture in the art. If this encourages the next generation to become artists, I feel so happy and fulfilled. I love engaging with our tamariki - sharing with them my process of creating mahi toi, showing them how our stories can live through art, and hopefully sparking a passion within them to create, express, and be proud of who they are.

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People have often told me I'm a talented artist, but like many creatives, I’ve always been my own toughest critic. It wasn’t until my wife created a safe, encouraging space for me - and truly believed in my mahi - that I found the courage to share my art publicly. We posted my work on Facebook and took a leap of faith by attending our first market. To our surprise and delight, the feedback was incredibly positive. That response lit a fire in my wife. Despite having no experience, she spent countless nights teaching herself how to build a website from scratch - just so we could share my art with more people. After a few markets, my wife encouraged me to take a risk -  to leave carpentry and fully pursue my love of art.

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And that’s how our journey began: a passion for art, a belief in each other, and a deep love for our culture and community. We’re still learning, still growing, and still creating - together.

If you want it broken into shorter paragraphs or further refined, just let me know!