I have a huge passion for all art
and love, the euphoric energy
that comes from creating art that brings joy to someone.
Kia ora , my name is Jason Tahatika.
My wife and I and our three children visited
Te Whitianga a Kupe in early 2020 from
Christchurch. We were so captivated by the beauty
that surrounds the Coromandel Peninsula, we
never left. The native bird life is so amazing that
the birds have become a frequent art subject of
my more recent pieces.
My grandfather was my first art influence; I’d watch as Ernie would paint a new giant tin butterfly, put together a new woodchopper wind gauge, or work on another folding picnic table (just big enough for a bottle of home brew, 8 oz
glass and a card game of Patience). As a self-taught artist – painting, tattooing, street and realism I’d describe my art as a fusion of mediums, combined in sporadic colour explosion, done in an unorthodox fashion!
I use different mediums, each of them is like a tool with its unique properties: watercolours for complex projects, oil paint for intensity, ink for its unique flow, lino carving for a primitive intuitive approach, and I also occasionally use graphite and gouache. I rarely combine different mediums into one creation.
After suffering a traumatic brain injury from a work accident, I now use art as part of my recovery, understanding and accepting my limits.
A big supporter of Reduce-Reuse-Recycle Repurpose, you’ll find I’m a regular visitor to the op shops, hunting out the next unique imaginative art piece to work with. I have a huge passion for all art and love, the euphoric energy that comes from creating art that brings joy to someone.
I currently have carved surfboards for sale hanging in the courtyard of Hula Cafe. Also, find my works around the Whitianga Bike Park. Here’s my Instagram if you wish to follow my growth through this art journey @jttahatika.
