toi stories
celebrating the artists and collectors.
From Studio to Collection – Where Art, Story and Inspiration Meet
Discover the people behind Aotearoa’s art scene — the makers, the collectors, and the stories that connect them. Toi Stories brings you closer to the creative process, the passion, and the purpose behind each piece.
Hikurangi Edwards – Story. Whakapapa. Whanaungatanga
Carving identity into every stroke, and inviting all of us to get lost in the lines. “Every carved line is a story — a connection to my tīpuna, to this land, to who we are and who we are becoming.” Hikurangi Edwards, returns to the NZ Art Show 2026 with new works inspired by whakapapa, […]
Fifth show. Fresh vision. Endless curiosity — Mel Waite brings art, heart, and humour to the 2026 NZ Art Show.
“I think of the NZ Art Show as my artistic New Year’s Day — it’s the moment each year when I reset, create something new, and dive back into what I love most.” For Mel, each NZ Art Show provides both a goal and a spark — a reason to create new work and a […]
Wilkie Proudfoot: Rising star. Distinctive vision. One to watch at the 2026 NZ Art Show.
“Winning the 2024 Hyundai Emerging Artist Award was such an incredible moment. It gave me the confidence to take my practice seriously — to keep experimenting, keep growing, and keep creating.” Meet Wilkie Proudfoot, a Wellington-based artist and emerging creative force in New Zealand’s visual arts scene. Currently studying Screen Arts, majoring in animation at […]
Carla Russell: Executive Director & 23 years at the heart of it all
“When I look at my collection, I see twenty-three years of me.” Back in 2004, when Carla Russell helped launch what would become the NZ Art Show, she had no idea it would transform not only the arts in Aotearoa — but her own life too. Two decades later, Carla stands at the heart of […]
A friend, a fan, and a storyteller — Katy Sweetman embodies the heart of the NZ Art Show.
“I don’t really do skiing, so the NZ Art Show weekend has become my annual winter escape — and I don’t even have to go anywhere.” Meet Katy Sweetman — art collector, storyteller, and self-confessed NZ Art Show superfan. A long-time supporter of the arts, Katy has been part of the show’s world since 2017, […]
Graeme Smallfield – Full Circle with a Paintbrush
“I’ve come full circle — from retouching with brushes and dyes to painting with brushes and oils. It feels like I’ve found my way home.” After years in the fast-paced world of advertising and commercial photography, Graeme Smallfield swapped digital deadlines for the rhythm of studio life — where creativity, not campaigns, sets the pace. […]
Jane Hart: Art lover, Collector and creator of beautiful spaces
“Every time I walk into my home, it feels like stepping into a great big hug.” Meet Jane Hart — NZ Art Show Director, design enthusiast, and long-time champion of New Zealand artists. For more than 15 years, she has been deeply woven into the heart of the show — shaping its vision, supporting artists, […]
Hollie O’Neill – turns sunlight into art
Every sunrise feels like a fresh canvas Meet Hollie O’Neill, an Auckland-based artist whose work captures the magic of light itself. Using pigment and epoxy polymer on mirrored glass and aluminium, she creates bold, luminous paintings that shimmer and shift with every angle — a dance of colour and reflection that celebrates nature’s radiant spirit. […]
A Love Letter to Midge
By Carla Russell, Executive Director – NZ Art Show For nearly two decades, there’s been one constant at the heart of the NZ Art Show — a steady, smiling, unstoppable presence who somehow manages to juggle artists, chaos, laughter, and logistics all at once.Her name is Midge Murray, and this is my love letter to […]
Behind the scenes with Jane Blackmore
Jane Blackmore is a Wellington-based artist with over 30 years’ experience and 16 years exhibiting with the NZ Art Show. She owns Jane Blackmore Gallery and Studio in Lyall Bay, Wellington. She invites us into her studio for a chat and a glimpse of what she is working on as she prepares for this year’s […]