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I make a use of a bright palette and drawing from Cook Islands/Pacific totems and iconography. I often explore the ironies of repatriation of artifacts and the ambiguities created with the use anthropological and sociological phrases inserted into the artwork"

Education

Rotorua Boys High School
Hamilton Teachers College
Massey University
Elam School of Art, University of Auckland

Qualifications

Teaching Diploma
Trained Teachers Certificate
Higher Diploma of Teaching
Post Graduate Diploma of Fine Arts
Master of Fine Arts

Selected Symposiums

1987 Maori Art Teachers, Te Waka Toi, Rauponga
1993 Voyages, International Pacific Artists, SPAC, Auckland
1994 Wananga of Indigenous Art, Toi Maori, Rotorua
1996 Tautai Sculpture, Tautai Trust, Maritime Museum, Auckland
1998 Sculpture, Hyenhen Culture Centre, Hyenhen, New Caledonia
2000 Island Crossing, GAL, Ipswich, Queens land, Australia
2002 Symposium de la Sculpture de Poindimie, New Caledonia
2007 Manuland International Sculpture Symposium, Manukau

Selected Exhibitions

1988 Rotorua Artists Rotorua Bath House Museum, Rotorua
1989 One Day Paradise Inn, Rarotonga
1993 Voyages SPAC, ASA Gallery, Auckland
1995 Pacific Graffiti, Uxbridge Gallery, Auckland
1995 Te Atinga, Rotorua City Council, Rotorua
1996 Pacific Dragons, Uxbridge Gallery
1997 Pacific Graphics, Salamander Gallery, Christchurch
1997 Redress, Pacific Hall, Auckland Museum, Auckland
1998 Paringa Ou, Cook Islands Museum, Rarotonga
1999 Ring of Fire Aotea Centre, Auckland
2000 Te Paroe, Whangarei Art Museum, Whangarei
2000 Romantic Notions, Pataka Museum of Arts and Culture, Porirua, Wellington
2002 Friends, Arte Bello Gallery, Noumea, New Caledonia
2003 Cruising the Pacific, Dowling St Gallery, Dunedin
2003 Te Ata Ou, Gallery O, Christchurch
2004-7 ongoing shows at The Art Studio Gallery, Rarotonga

Illustrations for Books

Te Rau Maire, Poems of the South Pacific
Tipani, Poetry of the Cook Islands
Manakomanako/Reflections, Poetry by Kauraka Kauraka

Book Cover Designs

Learning Rarotongan Maori, M Tongia
Cook Islands Maori Dictionary, B Biggs & R Moeka'a (Eds)
Tipani, M.Tongia & K. Kauraka (Eds)
Manakomanako/Reflections, Kauraka Kauraka

Publications

Caughey, E.M. (2002) Art NZ Today Saint Publishing Ltd., Auckland
Chappell, D. (2003) Kia orana, Rarotonga. Art News New Zealand (Autumn) p.48-51
Cochrane, S. (2001). Beretara: Contemporary Pacific Art. New South Wales: Halstead Press
Salato-Farrel, R. (2002) Beehive Salutes Pacific Presence. Pacific Islands Business (May) p.8-9
Tangaroa, M. (2003). Rapa: Visual Arts at Home and Abroad.
In R. Crocombe & M. Crocombe (Eds.), Cook Islands Culture: Akono'anga Maori (pp. 45-50). Institute of Pacific Studies
Russell, R. (2006) Island Muse. New Zealand House and Garden (August) p.68-73
Dr. Halapua, S. (2007) Talanoa-from the Heart Soka Gakkai International Quarterly Magazine (January)p3

Teaching Background

Rotoiti Primary School, Lake Rotoiti,
Selwyn Primary School, Rotorua
Lynmore Primary School, Rotorua
Kaingaroa Primary School,
Ngakuru School
Atiamuri School
Horohoro School Rotorua
The above schools were a majority of Maori (NZ), forestry schools to the other end of the spectrum predominately European diary farming schools. While teaching all the subjects I was also specialist in physical education and art.

Western Heights High School, Rotorua
At Western Heights I was HOD Art, and taught in the other curriculum areas, History and English. I also coached the 1st XI Boys Hockey. I was part of the Maori (NZ) Club as I specialized in Contemporary Maori (NZ) Art. The school was a mixture of Maori/European with a small Pacific Islands student roll.

Sir Edmund Hillary College, Otara, Auckland
At Hillary I was HOD Art, and taught in the other curriculum areas, English, Social Science and Physical Education. The school was a mixture of Samoan/Maori (NZ), Cook Islands/Tongan/Niue/others.

Tereora College, Rarotonga
At Tereora I was HOD Art when I reestablished the Art Department and taught in the other curriculum areas, English, Social Science and Physical Education.

Curriculum Advisory Unit/Cook Islands Teachers Training College, Rarotonga

I have written the first Visual Arts Curriculum (from year 1 to 10) for the Cook Islands and have trialed it in the schools. I have worked closely with University of the South Pacific in the writing and the facilitating of its arts paper, Ed 282, for the BEd for Primary Teachers. I am also part of the group establishing the USP Pacific Studies Centre.