Tania Akehurst
Murupara, BOP
šØ NZ artist | Community arts advocate | Nature-inspired abstracts | Based in Galatea | Founder of Tulip Rose Gallery šæ
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Tania Akehurst ā Artist Bio
Tania Akehurst is a visual artist and community arts advocate based in Galatea, Aotearoa New Zealand. Born in Gloucestershire, England in 1967, she moved to New Zealand as a child and was raised in a creative family. Surrounded by makersāher father a master carver, her mother a fibre artist, and her brother a sculptorāTania has always felt a deep connection to art and the land.
Since 2016, Tania has pursued her art practice professionally, establishing Tulip Rose Gallery at her home in 2018. Alongside her studio work, she is passionate about community engagement and collaboration. She led The Collaborative WhakatÄne Project, bringing together 15 artists to co-create a large-scale painting of her hometown, with support from Creative Communities WhakatÄne. In 2022, she co-produced Art That Moves You, an innovative exhibition combining her paintings with augmented reality animations.
Taniaās work has been exhibited regionally and nationally, and she is a regular contributor to Light Up WhakatÄne. She continues to balance life as an artist and farm business manager, drawing inspiration from the land, rivers, and native bush that surround her.
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About the Artist ā Tania Akehurst
Iām an acrylic painter, collage artist, and installation artist living in Galatea, NZ, where the natural beauty of farmland and native bush inspires much of my work. With a background in farming and a degree in applied science, Iāve always been drawn to the patterns, structures, and rhythms found in nature.
I paint what I see ā not just the landscape itself, but the energy and movement within it. Trees, rivers, flowers, and the Ika Whenua mountain range often appear in my work, transformed through colour, shape, and intuitive pattern. I love using techniques that explore texture and create the unexpected.
My work is influenced by artists such as Yayoi Kusama, Kandinsky, Klimt, Hundertwasser, and David Hockney. Like them, Iām fascinated by the power of mark-making, colour relationships, and the ability of pattern to express emotion and place.
I also create large-scale installations, particularly for light-based events, which challenge me to bring ideas into physical space. Art is where I feel in my happy place ā itās how I connect with the world, and how I keep learning. My goal is to continue developing my practice, sharing my vision with wider audiences, and exploring the many ideas still waiting to be brought to life.