I’m excited to team up with The Upstairs Gallery to mark World Collage Day on 10 May 2025 with something special: free collage kits!
These kits are packed with vibrant, upcycled materials—perfect for sparking creativity at any age or experience level.
Limited kits available—swing by and grab yours while they last!
from 10 am, Sat 10 May at the Upstairs Gallery, Lopdell House, Titirangi.
Celebrate creativity, sustainability, and community—one collage at a time!
I’m excited to announce that my portrait exhibition Where Are You From? will be on display at Manurewa Library from 30 April to 31 May.
This will be the 7th installation of the collection — a series of large-scale portraits celebrating the diverse cultural identities that make up Tāmaki Makaurau.
The exhibition invites viewers to reflect on the complexity of identity in Aotearoa and to celebrate the stories of individuals from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds who call this place home.
If you’re in the area, I’d love for you to visit — and if you work in community engagement, education, or the arts and are interested in hosting this exhibition in the future, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
A Celebration of Cultural Diversity in Aotearoa at the Upstairs Gallery, Lopdell House from Saturday 29 March 10AM to Sunday 30 March 4PM as part of the World of Cultures Festival.
I’m excited to share my exhibition Where Are You From?, at the Upstairs Gallery, Lopdell House. This series of large-scale oil portraits celebrates Aucklanders from a rich tapestry of ethnic backgrounds, reflecting the diversity of people who call this place home.
Through bold colours and layered textures, these works challenge narrow ideas of what it means to be a New Zealander and invite us to see Tamaki Makaurau through a lens of identity, inclusivity, and shared humanity.
The exhibition will also include a collage workshop where participants can create their own contributions to the conversation.
A family-friendly workshop, open to all ages and skill levels, hands-on session, on Sat 29 March from 12 to 2pm.
No booking is needed and all materials are provided.
What an incredible December it’s been! For the third year running, my Collage Your Xmas Cards pop-up series brought together over 300 participants across seven vibrant events in Auckland. Together, we created over 500 of the most heartfelt, unique, and artistic Christmas cards you’ll ever see!
The energy was palpable as tables filled with families, groups of friends, and creatives chatting, sharing ideas, and inspiring one another. The events were a beautiful reminder of the magic that happens when diverse cultures, ages, and faiths come together in a shared space.
A grandmother returned for her third year, this time with three generations of her family crafting cards for neighbours, friends, and family.
From kids picking up scissors for the first time to grandparents collaging alongside their grandchildren, the events truly celebrated all generations.
These events wouldn’t have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors: Creative Communities Scheme Auckland, Orakei Local Board and the Lopdell House Trust.
Thank you to our hosts: Studio One Toi Tu, Leys Institute Little Library, Lopdell House, Grey Lynn Library, The Community of St.Luke, St Heliers Community Centre and the Remuera Library.
And thank you to everyone who joined us and ended up with sticky fingers!
Here is a short video showcasing the highlights of the series—the smiles, the stories, and the beautiful cards created.
Join us for a series of creative workshops turning upcycled materials into unique, personal greeting cards. These sessions are free, family-friendly, and open to all ages. Drop in anytime during the scheduled times and let your creativity flow.
What’s Happening?
Dates and Locations:
The Community of St Luke
130 Remuera Rd
Saturday 30 November, 10 am – 1 pm
St Heliers Community Centre
100 Saint Heliers Bay Rd
Tuesday 3 December, 2 – 5 pm
Lopdell Twilight Market
418 Titirangi Road, Titirangi
Friday 6 December, 5 – 9 pm
Studio One — Toi Tū Makers Market
1 Ponsonby Rd
Saturday 7 December, 10 am – 2 pm
Leys Institute Library
14 Jervois Rd
Wednesday 11 December, 2 – 5 pm
Remuera Library (temporarily at Somervell Church, 497 Remuera Rd)
Friday 13 December, 10 am – 1 pm
Grey Lynn Library Centennial Celebrations
474 Great North Road
Saturday 14 December, 10 am – 1 pm
Celebrate the holiday season with handmade, sustainable crafts that bring creativity and joy to your gift-giving.
This series is proudly supported by Creative Communities Scheme Auckland, Orakei Local Board, and Lopdell House Trust.
Thank you to Fringe for featuring my painting Yaffa and sharing its story of hope, unity, and resilience! This piece celebrates the powerful bond between Nawal Arafat and Rachel Hagigi—two justice activists, one Palestinian and one Israeli, showing us that shared humanity can shine through even the deepest divides.
I’m so grateful for the amazing support I continue to receive from my local community. Your encouragement keeps me inspired to create work that challenges divisive narratives, sparks important conversations and brings us closer together.
This Thursday, as part of Art Late !! Expressive Collage Pop-Up – FREE EVENT
Enjoy a playful journey into self-expression, following your intuition and choosing images, colours, and textures that reflect your unique vibe.
With techniques like tearing, layering, and arranging, this workshop celebrates creative surprises and happy accidents.
Open to all ages, this pop-up workshop is about unleashing creativity and having fun. No art experience is needed; just bring your curiosity and a sense of adventure!
Drop into Cocos Cantina anytime between 5 and 8pm.
I am excited to announce that Creative Communities Auckland has approved my grant application for the Collage Your Xmas Cards event series! This will be the third year running this series in Auckland, offering a creative space for the community to come together and explore the art of collage.
A big thank you to Studio One Toi Tū and Auckland Libraries for their ongoing support. I look forward to sharing more details soon—stay tuned!
EXHIBITION
Where Are You From?
Portraits of New Zealanders by Naomi Azoulay
From Monday, 15 July to Saturday 10 August 2024
Exhibition opening: Mon 15 July 2024, 5:30-7:00 pm
Location: Gallery 3, Refinery ArtSpace. 114, Hardy Street, Nelson.
When people of ethnic backgrounds are asked, “Where are you from?” not only does this question imply a lack of belonging, but it is also laden with assumptions. One of these assumptions is that there is a simple answer to the question, that they are from one specific place or background.
In reality, people’s backgrounds are complex and layered. Within this collection, each portrait offers a nuanced depiction, showcasing individuality while celebrating agency, strength, and beauty.
Immerse yourself in a vibrant and captivating collection of representational portraits featuring individuals from diverse ethnic backgrounds in Aotearoa at the Refinery ArtSpace, 114 Hardy Street, Nelson, from Monday, July 15, for a month.
I’m thrilled to be part of COLLAGE CONNECT 24- an exciting international online programme celebrating collage art.
Join us this World Collage Day, 11 May 2024, for Collage Connect, an online event celebrating the art of collage in all its forms.
It will feature practical lessons and conversations with collage artists.
The event is hosted at jackravi.com and is underwritten by The Kanyer Art Collection.
Learn and be inspired by some of the finest collage artists today.
Included in CC24:
12 Videos
8+ Hours of content
7 Video lessons
5 Video interviews
Lifetime access
Get your tickets at https://www.jackravi.com/collage-connect-24-event
Collage Connect 2024 Lineup:
Elyse’ Jokinen
Freya Gowrley
Hope Amico
Jack Ravi
Jennifer Penick
Laurie Kanyer
Lisa Goddard
Marcus Dawson
Naomi Azoulay
Nancey B. Price
Sarah Z Short
Teresa Currea
.