christchurch

Shiny things: the intricate creations of Magpie Castle

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Austrian born Jinx from Magpie Castle decided to move halfway across the world to New Zealand after finishing school. She’d never been on a plane before, but being adventurous and a bit naïve at the time she thought it’d be a good idea. Her mum’s reaction was: “New Zealand? Do they even have roads there?” But mum always told her to “Live your dreams” as well so that’s exactly what she did, and it all turned out fine on the other side of the world.

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“Beauty in the midst of the unravelling.” The natural rhythms and patterns of Luxi Home

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Gina Reid of Luxi Home NZ makes macramé art and accessories that have grown out of her exploration of fibre arts and her life experiences. Her pieces are shaped by Aotearoa’s changing natural and built landscapes, Māori designs, and the natural fibres and found materials she incorporates into her pieces, including cotton, New Zealand merino wool and driftwood collected from our beautiful beaches.

Respecting our resources: the Christchurch team working to save timber from landfill

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A small but dedicated salvage team based in Christchurch, The Silvan started out life as an art gallery and café. When their building was lost in the 2011 earthquakes, the team came back fighting, shifting their focus to saving and repurposing beautiful timbers, hand salvaged from damaged buildings. Founders Debra and GT believe in minimising waste and reusing everything they can to make pieces that are practical, beautiful, and full of soul.

This crazy creative journey: the Christchurch artist following her love of illustration

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Christchurch illustrator/designer/artist Sarah Greig got her Fine Arts degree back in the day and has since worked in a variety of jobs including shoe and bag designer, graphic designer, and ski patroller! After living in in Antwerpen, Belgium for a decade she moved back to Christchurch in 2014 to start a new adventure. Working primarily in watercolour and dip-pen, she loves to create quirky artworks inspired by nature.

Socks and scarves with the wellbeing woven in: Pip Currie’s passion for fibre

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Christchurch yarn-crafter extraordinaire Pip Currie rediscovered the joy of knitting while at university, and is now completely obsessed with all things knitting, crochet and fibre related. She loves the joy of making and creating with her own two hands, the wonder of natural fibres, and the amazing feeling of wearing something handmade. Wanting to be able to share this passion with others led to Littlest Pip Knits.

Art with (re)purpose – the Christchurch maker giving used timber new meaning

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Glen and Linda Turner are the creative minds behind Studio Three Two Four, a Christchurch-based small business specialising in striking wooden mosaic wall art and home decor pieces – all created from locally sourced materials. Glen has been making one off items for many years using the resources available to him. Whether it’s a piece of furniture, custom wood art or a home decor item, he has always enjoyed what he does and the sense of satisfaction that comes with it.

Aotearoa in silver: the maker of jewellery that takes you on a journey

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Christchurch jeweller Lara Hopwood of Geo Jewellery makes exquisite silver jewellery that is not just inspired by our dramatic landscape but also has a very personal connection to our local environment. A mum of two and wife of one supportive husband, Lara trained in molecular biology and conducted research on viruses that cause cancer – and alongside this she has been creating in silver for over 20 years.

A fresh approach: mixing science and philosophy into quality skincare

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Since graduating with her Bachelor of Science, Jo-anne Day of McGinns Madefresh has had a few careers, but none have been as all-encompassing as being a busy mum and running a cottage industry from the kitchen of her home in Opawa, Christchurch. Her philosophy is to make batch-fresh, local, natural skincare – good honest products that your skin will love, tested only on willing human participants!