Artists talking about how they live, how they work, and how they keep going. Mostly in Aotearoa.
Friday, April 10, 2026
I spend very little time writing, but an inordinate amount of time in my imagination, playing with characters, ideas, and gags.
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These are conversations with artists at different stages of their lives and careers, talking plainly about what it means to make work and keep going.
There’s no single path here. Some are making a living from their art, others are balancing it alongside jobs, family, or uncertainty. What connects them is the need to create, and the persistence to keep showing up despite doubt, rejection, or the practical realities of the work.
This isn’t about success stories. It’s about process, survival, and the often unseen reality of a creative life.
I went to get a master’s in environmental science and found out I needed to be a poet. Long story, but good ending.
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I want people to enjoy the space, but I also planted it for the animals. It’s about finding that balance.
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I don’t think people should sell their work too early. You need to know what you’re doing first.
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Stories keep culture alive. They’re not just myths, they’re living threads that hold us together.
ReadInsights from our artist community
You can listen to podcasts, you can watch videos, but you only learn this by doing it. You have to get your hands dirty.
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Someone I respected called my work violent. It shocked me. Later I realised, it wasn’t violent. It was male.
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Stories of people living differently have far more impact than facts about climate or biodiversity.
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Being creative means being sensitive. That’s a gift, but it comes with fragility.
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I was a bit of a lonely child. Photography gave me a way to exist in my own space and make sense of the world.
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I see everything in film. I hear it, feel it, smell it. When I can taste it, I know I’ve got it.
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I saw a child’s painting and thought, I’m going to take that freedom and make it my own.
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Three days after a call, I was in the studio. No easing in, just get into it.
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