meet the maker

Ōtautahi rising: the Christchurch designer celebrating her city

Christchurch-based graphic designer Donna Robertson is devoted to creating illustrations that grab people’s attention and hearts. She finds inspiration in her beloved city of Ōtautahi Christchurch, creating illustrations that celebrate city’s revitalisation. Her work has recently been recognised by the Christchurch City Council, who value her designs as as gifts for visiting dignitaries, and her beautiful designs also feature in this year’s Felt Christmas Gift Guide.

Naturally nourishing: the Te Awamutu home of small-batch organic skincare

For Liz Neale, it all began with a desire to create something truly special for her sensitive skin – something that not only brought results, but also nourished and nurtured the skin with the goodness of nature. Seeing skincare products with extravagant claims and sometimes questionable ingredients sparked a fire within her to do better, to offer something natural, genuine, and effective. The result? Bodytreats

Work infused with meaning: the ‘slow’ stationery of a lifelong learner

Umi is a lifelong learner of all things ‘makery’, especially if they involve watercolours, paper, inks or yarns. Working out of her small shed in rural north Auckland, she makes and packages ‘slow’ stationery and art. Umi’s background in science and education fuels her desire for slowing down and really noticing the world around her – be that the path of a busy beetle or the settling of granules in a watercolour stroke.