Renee Bevan

A contemporary jewellery artist, Renee was born in Papakura and raised in Manurewa. Having trained at Manukau school of Visual Arts, Renee completed her University of Auckland Bachelor of Visual Arts in 2002. Renee regularly exhibits both nationally and internationally and has also assisted in the organisation and facilitation of several significant workshops, symposiums, events aimed at the contemporary jewellery community. Renee works from her Manurewa studio, as well as part-time at Fingers Gallery and Manukau School of Visual Arts. Her work is for sale
in galleries throughout New Zealand.

Recent achievements include:

• Selected to exhibit in the prestigious annual international contemporary jewellery exhibition and award Schmuck 2008, Munich; Germany and toured to cities Birmingham, UK and Lodz, Poland
• Creative New Zealand, Creative and Professional Development Grant and Manukau School of Visual Arts Professional Development Funding to attend the Schmuck 2008 exhibition and its corresponding events as well as further research jewellery in Pforzheim and Amsterdam.
• Overcast, Guest Curator; Contemporary Jewellery Exhibition, supported by The New Dowse, The National JewelleryShowcase, Wellington

Insight:
With the help of ART source I will continue to advance my contemporary jewellery career by further developing the sustainability of my practice, strengthen my business knowledge and continue to enhance my profile and networks both nationally and internationally within the art and contemporary jewellery communities.

Vinesh Kumaran

Vinesh was born in Ba, Fiji, and at the age of five he immigrated to New Zealand with his family. In 2004 he graduated from the Manukau School of Visual Arts with a University of Auckland Bachelor of Visual Arts and has been freelancing as a photographer’s assistant for the last four years. Vinesh has worked with a number of leading commercial photographers both internationally as well as locally and has gained a name for himself as one of the top assistants in Auckland. Vinesh also shoots for himself contributing to various magazines such as Metro, BMW, Top Gear and AA Directions magazine, as well as working on ongoing personal projects, and building up his portfolio. He aims to be one of if not the top commercial photographer in New Zealand.

Insight
"I see myself as being successful in business and in my creative practice. I believe that with photography I am able to express my passion and thoughts. As a photographer, I like the idea that I can explore contemporary issues and have an influence to others. The ART source programme I feel, can help build on what I have already accomplished and give me foundations to succeeding as a commercial photographer."

Charmaine 'Ilaiu

Charmaine ‘Ilaiu is a Tongan daughter born in Aotearoa and raised in Otara. As a trained architect, avid researcher and developing artist her work contributes to the discourse of Pacific Architecture and art in New Zealand and the Pacific islands. She has presented her research at various international and national art and architectural symposiums including Pacific Arts Association hosted in Musée du quai Branly in Paris, 2007. In 2008 Charmaine was the first Pacific Islander in New Zealand and possibly the world to graduate with a Masters in Architecture with first class honors from the University of Auckland. As an architectural designer, she has worked on residential projects in Tonga and recently designed the concept for Manukau Institute of Technology’s Pasifika Centre. Whilst practicing architecture, Charmaine continues to teach parttime in architectural design at Unitec Institute of Technology and University of Auckland School of Architecture.

Insight:
"As a creative entrepreneur in the ART source programme, I will establish a consultancy for Pacific architecture. I envision this agency fostering more research about Pacific architecture and design research-informed architecture sensitive to the context of our Pacific region. ART source provides the business mentoring and personal development that I need to achieve my goals as an entrepreneur. I am privileged to start my business career with a good foundation."

Billie Paea

Billie Paea (Niuean/Canadian) has been passionate about youth, in helping them pursue their dreams. His background is in sports/music/dance/design. Having been trained at Excel Performing Arts School, he pursued in the area of dance. Now director for Dziah Dance Company he is pioneering the way for future dancers to succed internationally.

Highlights Include

• Dziah 2 Dream (Mentoring and Dance Workshops.)
• Dziah Dance Crew 2nd World Hiphop Champs 2006
• Started Dziah Dance Academy 2008
• Vodafone World of a Difference Winner 2007

Billie’s ART source project, is to establish his dance company as a training institute/agency for Hiphop dancers to develop not only dance skills but character and keeping them focused on what they want to pursue in the dance
arena. www.dziah.com

Insight:
"I want to push the boundaries in everything I do and succeed as a New Zealander proud of what we do best. Inspire and mentor our youth through dance bringing the best out of them and growing future leaders."

Siliga David Setoga

Siliga is a Graphic Artist. He says: “I see myself as a Fine Artist using the medium of Graphic Design to deliver a message, expressing ideas which comments on our social environment. This is me today and how I see my world through the lenses of culture, religion, colonization, globalization, assimilation and finding our place in our environment and where it is we truly belong.”

Siliga is an exhibiting artist using a range of materials like film projection, corrugated iron,wood, banana boxes and T-shirts. He started POPOHARDWEAR as a way to tackle issues and “express myself as well having a product that our people (People Of the Pacific Ocean-POPO) can identify with. Our stall on Saturday mornings at the Otara Fleamarket (inside the hall) ensures that I am always exhibiting, whether we’re selling or someone’s wearing it
or even reading our T’s we’re always on display or on show, it’s an on-going exhibition touring Aotearoa and taking on the World.”

Corinne Te Whata

Being born in to a family where her mother was a dressmaker was the beginning of a love affair with textiles for Corinne, who originally trained as a milliner. As hats went out of fashion she moved into machining and
dressmaking. After raising a family Corinne worked in the health sector for over 10 years, but craved for a more creative job. She entered a garment in Westfield Style Pasifika in 2005 and was the winner of the Parent and Child
Section. Since then she has entered and reached the finals several times in fashion design competitions, including Manukau’s Cult Couture Awards and the Peugeot Hokonui Fashion awards in Gore.

A highlight for Corinne was being approached by Te Papa to purchase a 3 Piece Collection entitled ‘Sunday Best’ for display in the Pacific exhibition for 10 Years at 6 month intervals. Recently she was invited to showcase her
garments at ‘Atamira – Maori in the City’ and the recent 1st World Indigenous Media Conference. Recently Corinne opened a textile business and workshop, ‘Gumdiggers Daughters’ in Howick; a one-stop shop for all manner of textile requests from dressmaking, soft furnishings to small manufacturing runs.

Insight:
"Being able to approach creativity from a business aspect is a new and exciting direction for me. The ART source programme will be invaluable in ensuring that I am able to make the most of the opportunities offered through the program whilst recognizing the creative processes."

Theodore Ah Wong

Theodore Ah Wong is an emerging artist and designer from Manukau City, currently living in Mangere. He studied Art and design at AUT, followed by a degree in visual arts majoring in painting. Currently he is studying automotive refinishing in Otara at Manukau Institute of Technology to fully understand and give him a greater command of the top-end metal and paint finishing that he uses in his work.

Insight:
"My vision is to establish a business selling modern, high-end products that are unique, cutting edge and of the highest standard. By infusing modern style with pacific elements I have created a foundation of products, which include furniture, lamps and art-design pieces. It’s the ancient infused with the contemporary to create sleek hybrids with a Samoan twist. With the help of ART source I’m going to assemble a lethal design range strong enough to stand against the best on the world stage. I want my art and design products to be in the finest resorts, homes and hotels around the world someday."