We are excited to host our first Artist Exhibition - Desiree approached us following our Facebook request for artists and we are very excited to be hosting her work March/April. Pop into the Centre to view, we look forward to seeing you.
Desiree's creative journey stated when she was a young girl when she'd spend hours drawing the world around her. Through child's eyes she found it easy to replicate her surroundings using paint, pencil and clay.
During her teens her creative juices veered to needle point and crochet, submitting her first work at the age of 15 to be displayed with the Embroiders Guild in Christchurch.
In 2008, after working in a corporate administration role for eight years, Desiree made the decisioin to follow her true passion - art. At that stage she was already being commissioned to supply portraits to her workmates so it felt like the next natural step. She became a full-time extramural student studying with the Learning Connexion for 4 years.
During Desiree's second year of study she created the Oranga Community Art Group at the Oranga Community Centre, which she coordinated for 4 years, where people of all abilities were able to take part in a structured class or work on their own projects in a supportive environment. A year later she became one of the two resident artists at the Onehunga Community Centre, facilitating community projects, creatiing art works for the Centre and teaching art classes. Desiree was a contractor to the Auckland City Council for 10 years.
In 2014 Desiree took the plunge to leave the rat-race of Auckland to become a full-time Artist. She now resides in Wellsford where she can create art full time.
Desiree's art work reflects the multi-cultural layers of her own heritage. She often creates Maori designs painted on a lace background or on woeven fibres that cover the canvas. She also enjoys creating Kiwiana works using lino printing techniques.
Deisree prides herself in exhibiting her work throughout Auckland and Rodney Districts, submitting her work annual into a diverse range of exhibitions including the Royal Easter Show, The Franklin Art Festival, The Rodney Art Awards, the (Sir) Edmund Hilary Art Showcase and the Orakei School Art Exhibition. She also had her first solo exhibition at the Mangawhai Gallery in 2019. Her work is permanently on display at the Wellsford OWL Gallery.