Art courses that continue to build in the journey...

This semester, I'm taking a new course here at Te Wananga o Aotearoa  which is a Certificate in Maori and Indigenous Art, level 1. In fact, in retrospect, I probably should have taken this course years ago when Dr Richard Cooper was the kaiako/tutor as a gifted and noted sculpture, painter and neat overall Maori artist.

As a picture book illustrator, taking this course has allowed me time to consider my craft and the different skills that can be utilised in order for my pictures to tell the story.

It definitely is a privilege to have this opportunity as in my class there are like-minded artists who are also interested in developing their crafts from a graphic designer, to commissioned Maori street artists, representing many different cultures from a Korean artist who travels from the North Shore, me being a Samoan interested in representing more indigenous Samoan art within my books and in my general art.

The first assignment that I'm currently working on looks at my whakapapa/gafa/genealogy links and connections. I'm also to choose an artist that I respect and that would be my mother who has been my inspiration in a lot of the crafting, sewing, knitting etc. that she brought me up with.

The other noted artist is Fatu Feu'u of whom I've always respected as a gifted artist. I've like his use of Samoan iconology in his art works of the past and I also see that he has a current exhibition that is showing in Auckland of which I'm considering to attend.

All in all, this is another exciting journey for me which is a never-ending journey of living and learning and passing it on...