Category: Local Artists

When I first met Bernadette (Bernie) Ross while working at Creative Coromandel, I was immediately drawn to her deep passion for the arts, her friendly warmth and her sharp wit! It wasn’t until I visited her in Whangamatā in 2021, where she was exhibiting local artists’ work alongside her own, that I really started to understand the depths of her talent as a kairaranga – weaving artist. Three years later, we’re still connected, and long overdue for a kōrero about her raranga (weaving) journey!

Quilling artist Sarah Alves of Tairua makes fascinating creations out of strips of paper. It’s an ancient craft from the Middle Ages, when nuns would gather excess bits of paper from the monks’ writings and turn them into art. The term ‘quilling’ comes from the feather quill which they used to twirl paper strips around. The result is a kind of filigree. It’s hard to believe Sarah has no art training. In fact, she reckons she’s hopeless at painting (even a small board). But after discovering the art of quilling about eight years ago, she has been hooked on this unique art form and has many lovely works to show for it.