Aaron Brunet

Plant-based for four years, Aaron has been on a life-changing journey of discovery after Masterchef. Now he's ready to share his enthusiasm for enjoying food and life in a whole new way. www.aaronbrunet.co.nz

Aisling Cavanagh

Alasdair Scott

After 20 years in the corporate world, Alasdair ditched the suits and ties for an apron and the satisfaction of passing on artistic knowledge.

Alasdair has been running Soft stone sculpting workshops for over 10 years, from his Studio in the Upper Waiwera Valley between Puhoi and Silverdale. More recently he has run several sculpting workshops at Sculptureum Sculpture Park, in Omaha.

Of the soft stone sculpture process, Alasdair says, “A lot of people often have a dim view of their creative abilities. But with the right instruction and a bit of prompting, virtually everyone of my sculpting clients come away with a sculpture they are proud of. Soft stone sculpting is the process of reduction, your sculpture is in the block you start with, you just have to reveal it. I have the tools, the knowledge and the experience to help you reveal your piece of art.”

Being interested in the process of reduction from an early age, Alasdair started his sculpting journey carving figurines from candles, before turning his attention to wood. About 25 years ago he attended his first soft stone sculpting workshop and was immediately taken with the process. He has since sculpted many pieces that now adorn the 10 acre lifestyle block he shares with his wife Fiona and their two Airedale terriers Ruby and Rosie.

Alysn Midgelow-Marsden

I love to share my experimental, improvisational approaches and am an internationally acknowledged artist, curator, tutor and author. I specialise in a range of unusual materials such as metals, paper, wire and paint, and not for nothing is my blog called ‘Alysnsburntofferings’ as my techniques include burning, hammering, patinating and distressing (amongst others). Stitching and embellishing are not forgotten and are used freely and expressively. Designs and inspiration are often drawn from natural patterns and textures in addition to a fascination with the history and context of materials and techniques.

Amber Dixon

Amber has been crocheting for 28 years and is a certified instructor with the Craft Yarn Council and American Crochet Association. Amber teaches the US terminology of crochet, however she will also provide information on the UK terminology, explain the differences and how to interpret patterns accordingly.

Andre Taber

André is a researcher and writer who left behind the world of food journalism (freelance reporting, feature writing and restaurant reviewing for several outlets, two books on New Zealand food) to specialise in food history. He has previously worked as Tour guide at Eat Auckland for more than three years.

Andrea Waterhouse

I have always had a love of art, be it flowering arranging, writing, silk painting or working with resin. I get a tremendous amount of satisfaction helping people express their unique talents and discover that there is an artist in each and every one of us.

Andrew Ockleston

I've worked as a portraitist for five years, as well as exhibiting my own work. After finishing my studies at animation college, I have spent several years tutoring adults and children in art, and have tutored at Selwyn Community Education since 2019.

Angella Gilbert

Angella Gilbert - Organising & Decluttering Expert

Angella believes one of the keys to a joyful life is living in harmony, with our environment, within our working day, and in our home. Angella’s passion for helping others achieve this brings her joy. 

Having lived abroad for 15 years, she quickly found that the necessities of life were few and the pleasures of a simplified life were many. Italy became her second home for over eight years and as she became fluent in the language, she discovered the immense appeal of a country where its people live and love each and every day with an exuberance and passion that is enviable. That’s the passion Angella brings to her business and her life.

Angella has an extensive background in business management in a number of industries including telecommunications, travel, management consulting, real estate and business broking. This experience, gained over many years in Australia, London and Italy, and in her home city of Auckland, has contributed to Angella’s innate talent for creating organised systems and processes that work, both in the home and in business.

She established Gioia in 2005 to provide her services to people living in overwhelmingly cluttered and disorganised homes.  Since that time she has worked alongside hundreds of clients in their homes, helping them to declutter, downsize, solve storage problems, and ultimately creating lovely relaxing and harmonious living environments.

 “I believe we all want our home to be a warm and inviting haven. If the home is organised and cleared of clutter it becomes a welcoming environment where we can truly relax and allow the tensions of the day to disappear.”

Her business clients enjoy the benefit of feeling in control that comes once order is established and simple practices are put in place to have their business running smoothly.

“To have your business day flow with ease is a joy. Once processes and systems are in place, everything becomes simplified and daily activities can be handled quickly and without stress, allowing us to perform at our best.”

Anna-Maria Bribiesca

Anna-Maria Bribiesca is a multidiscipline artist, who has been practicing all of her life. Her parents (Lois Marie Ashton Bribiesca and José Maria Bribiesca) were artists and members of the first Arts and Crafts Market (The Browns Mill) in the 1960s, in Tāmakimakaurau. This had a massive influence on Anna-Maria from a very young age.  She works in mediums including : textile, painting, sculpture, mixed media, jewellery and moving image. Anna-Maria exhibits solo and in group shows annually in the Auckland Festival of Photography and the Franklin Art Award and the Pollok Art Gallery exhibition. She also supplies Pollok Art Gallery, Art Industry Gallery, and Arohart Gallery with her various art forms. Anna-Maria teaches art, as well as exhibits at and curates, the annual Manurewa High School Art Exhibition.

Anne Toth

As a lifelong crafter and artsy person… with a day job, family, and never enough time to cram it all in… Zentangle® Method … helps me do so. Mindful drawing has so many more benefits than the pictures you create. I am more patient, fun, and creative than before I started tangling. Sharing something so simple, but which offers each and every one of us such incredible results, is why I sought certification – so I can show others what has made such a difference in my life. You will be amazed what some simple steps can achieve, and in so many ways!

Annette Balsillie

Annette completed her 200-hour Teacher Training in 2017 with Ashram Yoga, Yin/Yang Yoga Teacher Training with Sarah Powers in 2018 and Contemporary Yoga 200hr YTT 2020. This has given Annette a wide understanding of Yoga from different perspectives. She is a Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance and trained as a Mindfulness-Based Stillness Meditation Teacher with Gawler Cancer Foundation, Australia.

“I love being able to help people cultivate a nourishing and sustainable yoga practice, encompassing body, mind and spirit, that supports you throughout the ups and downs of life, a practice which guides you towards optimal health and wellbeing”.

Her previous 20 years professional experience as a Registered Nurse working with people with life threatening illnesses informs a caring and intuitive approach, her teaching style is thoughtful, informative and inspiring. She has a passion for the power of movement, stillness and mindfulness as a path for self-transformation and healing.

Annette teaches safe, functional and sustainable principles, along with mindfulness and breath awareness tools and techniques. She has completed Mental Health Aware Yoga training and has a special interest in mental health and the practice of Yoga as a pathway to wholeness and healing.

Annette is currently completing Level 3 of Somatic Movement Education in the tradition of Thomas Hanna. Her Yoga classes combine an element of Somatics. 

Somatics is a form of sensory motor awareness, using the brain to recognise the way it senses and organises muscles and movement. Somatics helps us to target muscles that are holding tension when not in use, to teach the nervous system to release tight muscles, and to help us to move with more ease and comfort. This is a gentle, nourishing, balancing, and grounding class, suitable for all levels, including beginners. 

Anya Samarasinghe

I am a PhD candidate at the University of Auckland with an interest in nineteenth-century European art. I worked as a Graduate Teaching Assistant in the Art History Department and have experience working in art galleries and museums.

Aver-Kathleen Watford

Kia Ora my name is Aver-Kathleen Watford.

I am a from Te Arawa (Rotorua) and Te Rarawa (Kaitaia).

I am the proud mother of a young boy. My journey with raranga formally began a year ago, when I started studying at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.

Beatrice Carlson

10 times finalist of World of WearableArt and two awards winning entries from 2010 to 2019.

Since 2020, Carlson work has been translating her WOW concepts to adornment and contemporary jewellery.

Carlson is a visual artist using Perspex as her main medium. 

She is also a printmaker and has a french diploma in fashion design/pattern making. She is now a full time jeweller. 

Ben Seymour

I have been practicing Ashtanga Vinyasa at the Auckland Yoga Academy since 2015, completing 1 year part time teacher training over 2016.

I have over 700 hours of teaching experience and am registered with the Yoga Alliance (YA500). I have also completed a six month part time teacher training in Hatha Yoga.

My yoga practice is the foundation of my lifestyle bringing me health, wellbeing, and growth. I love to share these practices and hopefully the benefits of the practice. My approach to teaching is solid, safe, and accessible. This is based in the firm belief that yoga is available to all.

Bess Fairfax

Bess is a CELTA qualified English Language tutor who uses innovative techniques including drama and vocal training to deliver effective and engaging lessons. With over 15 years teaching experience, Bess has taught a variety of courses including ESOL Entry Level to Level 3, General EFL,  exam preparation including IELTS, FCE, CAE and functional skills classes. Bess has Work Based Learning experience, having taught ESOL to NZ employees at companies such as Cadbury. Bess has enjoyed working with diverse students including adults, children on study abroad programmes, refugees and even foreign inmates in UK prisons. Bess takes the time to get to know her students and fully understand their objectives so that her classes are planned to truly support the individual needs of each student. She is currently teaching ESOL to groups and individuals with English Language Partners NZ as well as volunteering to teach English to a recently welcomed refugee from Afghanistan.

Bruce Thomson

Bruce learned early in his career as an English Foreign Language teacher to take a holistic approach to teaching and learning: we all have valuable things to share when we communicate, and we can get bogged down thinking of speech as something full of flaws which need to be corrected.  He passionately believes that anyone interested in communicating more effectively does learn how to do it! In the last ten years since he has been working as a voice teacher and dialect coach, he has learned many techniques to assist people as they develop their ability to be understood. That is always the key thing for him: “To be able to make ourselves clear and accessible to those we hope to connect with. It is not about having one particular accent or way of sounding." 

Bruno Rubini

Bruno was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He is a qualified Coach and Massage Therapist. Bruno started archery at the age of six, and started meditation, Tai Chi and Chi Kung in 1979 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

He competed in archery in his teens throughout South America. He has been Auckland Coaching Director of Archery New Zealand and trained archers for international competition and teaches archery as a form of meditation. Since 1985 he has been studying the Healing Arts of Naturopathy, Energy Balancing, Reflexology, Nutrition, Chi Kung and Meditation.

He has also been practising Tai Chi Chuan for over 30 years and now teaches Chi Kung, Tai Chi and Meditation in the evenings and weekends.

For more details see 

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tai-Chi-Bruno/119339098141816

Caroline Faigan

Caroline Faigan is a multidisciplinary artist who recently completed a MFA at Elam, University of Auckland. She has also worked in film and fashion as an art director, stylist and writer. She enjoys teaching and learning and spent several years working in fashion education in London. Caroline’s art practice incorporates diverse techniques and materials to represent the body and form.

Cat Hugo

I am an artist and graphic designer with more than 20 years’ work experience in the commercial architecture, interior design and marketing fields. When the pandemic hit in 2020, I found myself gravitating back to the visual arts to help manage the challenges of that time. This led me to seek training in arts therapy. I am in my third and final year of the Master of Creative Arts Therapy programme at Whitecliffe College. I have a passion for sharing how the arts can bring healing through self-exploration and expression, and a deeper connection with others.

Catherine Huckerby

A diploma in Visual Merchandising and a degree in Spatial Design, lead Catherine to work as a Stylist in prestigious advertising, editorial campaigns and exhibition design.

She has worked with some of UK’s leading magazines and TV shows, including the ‘BBC Home Show’, Sunday Times magazine, Harrods magazine, Liberty of London fabric campaigns, international IKEA store magazine styling and TV set design for the James Bond film promotion.

Naturally, this profile draws clients from around the globe, with styling and interior design commissions undertaken in London, Sweden, Italy, Spain, France, Australia and New Zealand.

Having inherited her mother’s sensitivity, passion and confidence in colour and pattern, Catherine uses these skills alongside her vast international experience and knowledge in both her work as an Interior Designer and Dulux Colour Consultant, and to educate and enrich design students within her role as a lecturer for the Unitec Diploma in Residential and Commercial Design in Auckland.

Catherine now resides in Auckland, New Zealand, where her interior design practice ‘Blanc’ and ‘Colour Courses’ businesses are based.

Cathie Joyce

Cathie gained her qualifications in teaching English as a second language after a background in sales and as a lawyer.  She has lived and worked in the UK, Belgium and Rarotonga and has travelled the world extensively. The production of skilful English, in both speech and academic written forms, has always been one of Cathie’s passions.  She assesses individual student needs and objectives and lessons include personalised additions. Cathie currently teaches groups and individuals; and her ESOL experience covers Beginner to Advanced levels, Conversation, Pronunciation, Preparation for Work in NZ, on-site teaching to businesses, teaching refugees, women-only groups, skilled migrants and workshops on the Treaty of Waitangi.

Cathy Brickhill

I am a textile artist and I specialise in sculptural embroidery. I use my sewing machine as a tool to draw my designs onto soluble fabric to create one of a kind 3-dimensional artworks each with an emphasis on NZ’s fauna & flora. I love to inspire others on the creative journey of learning to use their sewing machines in different ways and inspiring them to create their own unique designs

Cecilia Kim

Cecilia has come to New Zealand from Korea in 2001 with her family.  Previously a secondary school teacher of mathematics and science, Cecilia has a passion for cooking and wants to share her knowledge and enthusiasm for authentic Korean food with the community. Students from her courses have since participated in a Korean cooking competition and two received places.

Celine Lamperin

I am a French national and a mum of three. I am passionate about Sustainability, people and the planet. Climate change is a complex topic. I am convinced that we need more mainstream awareness on climate change if we want people to take action. 

Chloe Lam

Chloe Lam is an artist with Master in Art and Education from Birmingham City University. With more than 10 years’ experience teaching arts, she runs a variety of art projects across Auckland. 

Chris Zwaagdyk

Christina Wylie

I was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, and trained as a secondary teacher but I have taught ESOL to adults here, and also in England, for 35 years. 

I have travelled to many parts of the world, including China, South America, Turkey and Russia, and have learnt several languages. Because of this, I understand how difficult it is to live in a different culture using a new language.

Playing the piano, practising yoga, walking my dog and going boating with my family take up my spare time. Most of all I enjoy learning dances from other countries, especially flamenco from Spain.

I like to find new ways of making learning interesting for students and find it very rewarding watching life become more enjoyable for them as their English language improves.

Claire Lichtwark-McInnes

10+ years’ experience as a senior local govt manager and 10 years’ experience as a consultant and partner at McInnes Associates Ltd.  

Extensive experience in all aspects of recruitment as well as supporting candidates and interns in career guidance/coaching.  

An ATCL in speech and drama.

Claire Linthwaite

Claire Linthwaite is the proprietor of Oscuro Lampshades. Originally from an art and design background in the UK, with a higher diploma in Design and Communications, Claire loves nothing more than rolling up her sleeves and the challenge that each day brings with creating bespoke designs.

Claudia Terzi

Hello! My name is Claudia, and I am originally from Italy. I have been in New Zealand for 11 years. I have completed my pilates qualification with BASI Pilates which is internationally recognised and I am also a Yoga teacher which helps to improve the quality of my pilates sessions.   I have been practicing yoga and pilates for a few years and I love it! I used to like the idea of trying different studios and different styles of yoga and pilates and still today I love practicing and learning. I see a student like a capable and competent learner and teachers and students learn alongside each other. My goal is to facilitate a practice that allows people to move from the inside out, allowing a freedom in movement and the body at ease. I aim to teach a practice that empowers people and it instigates curiosity, exploration and creativity to reach freedom in mind, body and spirit. I aim to teach a practice for a fun, loving, explorative and nourishing experience in an inclusive and welcoming environment. Pilates improved my posture, alignment, flexibility, balance and strength. Pilates also helped me to recover from injuries and prevent more injuries. I offer a practice for all levels with plenty of variations for everyone, using props and creativity in the workouts I offer to my students.  I am looking forward to meeting you all. 

Clive Pereira

I have been a chef for over 10 years and cooked different cuisines over this period. I was trained in European cuisine for two years during my bachelors degree and have since worked in different hotels and catering establishments in New Zealand. I come from coastal region of Western India. I have a huge passion for oriental cuisine and its influences on European food. Thai style of cooking and ingredients resonate with my roots. Over the years I have taught myself in the skills of Thai food and wish to share my experience and my food with you. 

Daneil Cunningham

I am a queer multi-disciplinary artist. I began exploring yoga, creative movement and voice work while training as an actor in London. With Teatr ZAR (of the Grotowski Institute, Poland), I toured to Madrid, Tbilisi, Paris, Istanbul, Edinburgh and Warsaw. I became founder and lead performer of SoundBoxed (UK) who created and toured unique immersive theatre for three years. In 2016, I began my solo career. I create transformational artworks that explore sensuality, sexuality and spirituality through performances, photography, film and participatory workshops. I have performed my work in London’s queer night clubs, art venues, studio theatres, and at an Irish priests’ school and the foot of an Icelandic volcano. I also taught yoga and creative movement practice at four London drama schools (including Identity and Arts Ed - British pioneers of decolonising actor training) and led projects for adults and young people at the city’s lead arts hubs — Oval House (now Brixton House) and Roundhouse.

I arrived in Aotearoa from London in August 2020 with my boyfriend Mark. My freelance work in Tāmaki Makaurau has included work across the range of my practice. I have also taught voice work for trainee yoga teachers at Auckland Yoga Academy. I have also begun work as a youth mentor for The Kindness Institute.

David Hill

Founder of Auckland Walks, a professional guide in Europe and Australasia for over 30 years, former curator of NZ Historic Places Trust.

David Partis

David began his working career at Television New Zealand as an apprentice Television Engineer. After 6 years there David went overseas to work in a computer company in Australia for 2 years and then returned to New Zealand.

David has worked in New Zealand in the computer industry for Trilogy Business Systems, Southmark Computers, Fujitsu, then joined Compaq in 1996 and worked through a number of mergers over a 11 year period and left what was then Hewlett Packard in 2007.

David started a web design business called Designhand Limited and has since gone on to start a training business called Web Design Training Limited from which he teaches courses through Selwyn's community education programme. One of his favourite courses is "How to be Found on the Internet" which in essence is a basic SEO course for beginners.

In 2014 David went on to form an SEO business called Website Optimisers where he now offers a range of SEO and SEM services. Learn more about David and his experience in the web design and optimisation industry at his website Website Optimisers.

Deb Price

I learnt to knit as a child, and when I started crocheting 5-6 years ago things became three-dimensional. Making and installing yarn tags creates a sense of, surprise, humour and mischievousness for myself and others. Decorating trees brings attention to them and invites people to appreciate them further.

I am a fibre artist/craftsperson, enjoy knitting and crochet, I make baskets and teach  these skills to others.

Periodically, I install yarn graffiti/tree tags in the community I live in.

Dheepa Nedungat

Teaching experience: Massey University Social Policy tutor (Year 1 and 2 Bachelor of Social Work degree programme), Facilitator (in collaboration with ARMS) Finding Your Voice as a Migrant Woman, Project Management Training Bootcamp facilitator - corporate training.

Diana Hubbard

Diana is a tertiary qualified ESOL teacher with over 15 years' experience in teaching, as well as experience at management level.  She has taught different types of ESOL at all levels, including Grammar English, Academic English, English for Life and IELTS.

Dinny Di Nicola

Art Yoga is a holistic and wellbeing project created based on Therapeutic Art and Mindfulness practice. Our main purpose at Art Yoga is to encourage everyone to express and connect with their inner world.
Our artistic and conscious approach has the purpose to provide community integration and well-being.

Don Cooke

Experienced and enthusiastic dance tutor for 7 years.  Demonstration of basic dance moves to easy music rhythm.  Clear, patient review of taught dance moves and selection of key aspects to help each individual student's learning.  Committed to growth as a teacher and to students to get people into dancing for fun.

Donne Van der Westhuizen

I started researching candle making when my grandmother passed away overseas during the first lockdown. I wanted to continue her memory and have this passion into my own candle business. I would love to share my knowledge with others with the hope they would find it as therapeutic as I have.

Dylan Mann

Mr Dylan Tarragon Mann originally grew up in Auckland, moving to Australia in 1995. In 2016 he returned home to NZ.

Dylan has worked as the head of client advice at iPraxis Financial Services Australia, founder of My Independent Financial Adviers, and AMP financial advise for five years. The experience he brings includes stock trading, options, insurance brokers, government payments, property sales and purchase, economic impacts.

Dylan Mann is registered at the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) as a fully accredited AFA Financial Adviser. "I really love and enjoy my role in the community as a financial doctor (or financial GP). My clients share their private information with me so that I can step into their shoes with my financial experience. I take on my clients' financial concerns/worries and problems and recommend a course of action to medicate the issues to achieve their requested outcomes."

Edrick Corban-Banks

Edrick Corban-Banks. Edrick placed 4th Internationally in 2013 and 2015 in the Concurso de Paella Valenciana de Sueca, the oldest and most prestigious paella contest in Spain. This contest ranks in the top 25 food visits to visit. In 2015, he was named Embajador del Concurso Internacional de Paella Valenciana en el Pacifico. That same year he was invited to be a member of the judging panel, evaluating some of the leading paella restaurants in Valencia Spain. Edrick co-ordinated and directed the four international semi finals in Australia in 2011. In 2018 he was awarded by the Concurso Internacional de Paella Valenciana their highest honour, Paella D’Honor for promotion of Valencian Cuisine.

Ekaterina Dimieva

Ekaterina is an abstract artist based in Ōrākei, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. She completed her MFA at Elam in 2020.
www.ekaterinadimieva.com  @ekaterina_dimieva

Elena Astakhova

I am the author of the book, Draw Like a Fashion Designer' that will soon be published in English.

In Moscow, I founded my own illustration and design school Art Immersion.  I have worked for clients such as Ralph Lauren, Mercury, Infinity, Lalique, Artistry Flora, Lancome, Reserved, Renault.  I also do clothing design.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lena_astah YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_Uf7ni9rLo-P26wywDCBnQ

Elena de Roo

Elena is a children's author who loves writing poems for children. Her poems have been published as picture books and in anthologies and magazines in New Zealand, Australia, USA and the UK. In 2022, she was Children's Writer in Residence at the University of Otago.

Elena Heinrihsone

 

Elena Titkova

Elena is a PhD student at Auckland University of Technology. She completed her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Psychology with a dissertation focused on perception of sexual consent in New Zealand. Elena is passionate about teaching and doing research in social psychology.

Elizabeth Drayton

Elizabeth has taught communications since 1984 – and specialises in public speaking. She has experience of working with people who have a wide range of abilities and diverse backgrounds.

She teaches because she loves to help people to improve their communications – and delights in seeing the results students get that they thought were never possible. She is passionate about how effective communication can be transformative for us as individuals, for our confidence, in our relationships, and in achieving our goals.

Elizabeth looks to create real and lasting value for every one of her students. She understands the importance of “public speaking with ease” and has extensive corporate career experience which she draws on to provide examples and insights. A New Zealander by birth, Elizabeth has lived and worked in the UK, Germany, France, and Australia and has travelled extensively.

Ellen Eskildsen

I am passionate about educating people about the joys of creating a productive, sustainable and beautiful edible garden in a suburban sized backyard. I am an experienced gardener who has completed a Permaculture Design Course. I hold weekly workshops in my garden and love to help people getting started with creating their own food forest.

Ema Frost

Ema Frost has been a part of the Auckland art scene since 2010. Ema's artworks are inspired by her fascination and deep respect for the mystery and magic found in Maori and Japanese folklore. 

Not one to stand still, Ema regularly travels extensively, finding inspiration off the beaten path. Like the characters that are hidden in her work, Ema tests the boundaries of her imagination when she loses herself in the unfamiliar land and cityscapes that are beyond our shores. The tales and trinkets she brings back from her travels are her constant reminders that there is more out there than our everyday existence. Ema also leaves a touch of Frost behind in every country she visits, her work can be found in galleries in Japan, India, Germany and across North America. This allows for Ema to collaborate with artists from around the world.

While Ema enjoys travelling and experiencing other cultures, she’s also extremely passionate about giving back to her own community and supports various charities that are close to her heart. Ronald McDonald House, Breast Cancer Cure, KidsCanNZ are just a handful of charities that she supports through donating her work to auctions and fundraisers.

Evan Woodruffe

Evan Woodruffe is an artist based in Tamaki Makaurau Auckland, and exhibits throughout the Asia-Pacific region, with work in significant collections in Singapore, Australia, China, the USA, and New Zealand. Writer Lucinda Bennett referred to his works as Wet Maps, “living, breathing ecosystems, and visualisations of a new kind of urbanism”.

Evan has MFA (1^st Class) from Elam, is Global Brand Ambassador for Schmincke Artist Colours and da Vinci Artist Brushes, Germany, product specialist for Gordon Harris, a respected educator, and advocate for the visual arts.

Recent exhibitions include 8^th Beijing Biennale and Sydney Contemporary. Evan is represented by Paul Nache Gallery.

Faye Lawand

Faye Lawand is on a mission to change the attitudes of burnout professionals around managing stress.  She is known as NZ's Trusted Internal Conflict Resolution Expert for the Busy Professional. She's an International Speaker, Global Citizen, World-Class Trainer and leading expert in the field of practical solutions for transforming stress.

Before starting her own business, Faye worked for 20 years as an international educator and champion of learning and supporting growth in primary, secondary and tertiary education. She lived and worked in several countries across several continents before making New Zealand her home when she married her Kiwi love. 

Faye is on the mission she’s on as a direct result of her own healing journey dealing with chronic situations that seemingly had no viable solutions. Starting her own business where she can share the programme she has developed for transforming stress, was a dream come true for Faye and the culmination of her own healing journey.

Faye was born into conflict in Lebanon during the Lebanese Civil War of 1975, and although she left the area of conflict early on and felt she had left it behind, she took the patterns of internal conflict with her. 

It wasn’t until she turned 40 that she started to realise that this internal conflict was leading to the stress and burnout in her life. This began her journey of discovery away from unresolved conflicts to true wellness. 

Now, Faye is able to draw on these experiences and the knowledge that came out of this journey to help deliver a programme that transforms stress and its devastating impacts into a source of true wellness. 

Faye has mentored countless professionals across numerous industries to resolve their internal conflicts and transform their experience of stress. Her offerings allow professionals who are tired, stressed and anxious to experience more resilience and calm in their work lives. Through a combination of proprietary techniques and a range of tools, her mentorship provides a unique approach to boost resilience and wellbeing. She has been invited to speak at universities, work places, wellness centers, schools, yoga studios and NGOs in several countries around the world. 

Felicity McCardle

Fiona de Gruchy

Fiona de Gruchy has many years experience as a graphic designer & photographer using the adobe products and has tutored classes for over a decade.

Fiona Flynn

Fiona Read

Fiona has over 30 years ESL Teaching experience including working for the British Council in Tokyo, New Zealand Polytechnics and Private Language Schools. 

Prior to her ESL teaching she taught Travel and Tourism courses at Auckland University of Technology.  She has significant experience in
preparing students for a wide variety of English exams including IELTS, NZCEL and Cambridge Examinations.  In addition, Fiona can develop academic writing and reading skills to students by drawing on her experience from teaching academic courses. 

During her teaching career she has focussed on understanding students’ needs and goals.  Fiona enjoys teaching classes at all levels and especially seeing students achieving their ambitions.

Fiorella Tomasi

Fiorella is an experienced Italian language teacher and looks forward to supporting you on your Italian language journey.

Gaurang Ambani

I am an Artificial Intelligence Engineer who works in the exciting field of Computer Vision. I am also a Python programmer and a keen Embedded Systems and Edge Computing enthusiast. In addition to the above, I am also furthering my knowledge of the cloud by attending some advanced courses in Software Development.

Gautam Narayan

Food is my Happy Place - every mouthful, a burst of flavour to please the senses and enrich the soul. I express myself through food – be it creativity, love, sharing or healing. Over the past three decades I have had the good fortune of working as a professional chef in contemporary and traditional kitchens around the world, learning about global food, spices, flavours and recipes.

Inspired by Dr Ed Bauman, I trained and qualified as a Holistic Nutritionist from Bauman College, adding an exciting new dimension to my food philosophy – Eating for Health.  I have set up Nourish Holistic Nutrition, through which, my mission is to provide people with a map for healthful eating, teaching them to harness nutritional capabilities of food.

I help people understand current, non-biased research, translating this into everyday meals to take ownership for the quality and duration of their lives. Even better, I customise this to every person’s unique needs, health challenges, preferences, ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

My dream is to create a delicious path to health and vitality through the goodness of food, one family at a time.

Student feedback from Gautam's courses:

"The tutor and his wife were fantastic. They had a wealth of knowledge, involved the whole class and even brought in a special guest on one occasion."

"The passion and enthusiasm of Gautam and Rama was infectious."

"The tutors were experts. Very useful info delivered very clearly."

Geoffrey LeNeve-Arnold

I have a life-long interest in ornithology and I'm a career teacher of visual arts. I have painted and exhibited widely.

Georgie Hill

Georgie Hill is an artist based in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. She holds a BFA from the Elam school of Fine Arts. Georgie enjoys sharing her knowledge of watercolour painting gained through working with and exhibiting in the medium for the past 18 years.BFA Elam School of Fine Arts

Greg Harrington

It started out as a hobby, joining a beekeeping club then I became the president after a few years. I opened my own beekeeping equipment store with beekeeping training. 500 plus students have completed my introduction beekeeping course. A percentage of these have progressed and have become commercial beekeepers. I taught NZQA level 3 full time for 3 years and was also the Regional Administration Manager – this involved student registration, L & N testing and NZTA resulting plus other administration duties.

I have known about the decline in world bees and by teaching and passing on my knowledge I hope this will increase the world population of bees. Its not all about the honey. Bees are a major part of our eco-system and without them we will lose a large percent of our food supply.

Greg Smith

Greg Smith has been a tutor for the last five years and spent ten years volunteering for Auckland Coastguard as a crew person and skipper. He has operated a commercial fishing charter vessel out of Sandspit. Greg tutors our How to Teach Adults course and also teaches at Selwyn College.

Hansa Rama

Hansa is a registered pharmacist running her own business with her pharmacist husband.  Over the years Hansa has developed a keen interest in natural health and now also practises Ayurveda from her pharmacy.  Her main focus now lies with nutrition and health and is currently tutoring nutrition and cooking at a naturopathic college.  Hansa has a keen interest in imparting this knowledge to the community.

Hayley Leibowitz

As an award-winning editor, author and scriptwriter, along with publishing novels, Hayley has written for daily soap opera and television drama. As a hybrid author writing under a pen name, her romance novels have been traditionally and self-published - five novellas and three full-length contemporary romances so far. As an accomplished journalist and editor, and long-time writing tutor, her experience stands her in good stead to pass on both the practical knowledge and creative writing skills necessary to write a romance novel.

Hazel Grace

Ko Hazel Grace taku Ingoa

I am Raranga Kaiako (weaving teacher) for Te Wananga O Aotearoa in Mangere.

I have been teaching Raranga for the past 35 years.

At the moment I deliver the Diploma level in Mangere and I also deliver the level 4 course.

Throughout my time here at Te Wananga O Aotearoa I have been able to help my past tauira (students) gain employment here at Te Wananga O Aotearoa as Kaiako too.

My husband also is a Kaiako and teaches Whakairo (carving) and also has been teaching for the same amount of time.

We have four adult children that are also all teachers: one teaches carpentry, one is a mainstream teacher, one teaches Kura kaupapa, and one teaches and leads the Maori devision National Correspondence School.

My whanau has a passion to teach and we get so much joy doing what we do.

Nga Mihi

Hazel Grace

Heather Chambers

Heather spent many years working in the technology field, which was lucrative but ultimately unfulfilling. She then pivoted into the education sector which she's found much more meaningful.  Heather has a Certificate in Adult and Tertiary Teaching, a Postgrad Certificate in Digital and Collaborative Learning, and is an accredited Mindfulness Mediation Facilitator.  

Helen Carroll

Himeka Ishikawa

Hello! Nice to meet you. I'm Himeka Ishikawa, the Japanese teacher.

Hiu Fai (Dodo) To

Ian Eng

Isabel Zarco

Bonjour! My name is Isabel and I'm the new French tutor at Selwyn Community Education. I come from the Spanish side of the Basque Country and have been brought up in Spanish, French and Basque. I have been teaching French and Spanish for over 20 years and my first experience teaching in Auckland was actually at Selwyn Community Education! After many happy years tutoring evening classes, I had to take a break to look after my two sons and go back to university, I kept however teaching day time courses at several Community Centres. I am passionate about Community Education teaching. I feel truly inspired by the enthusiasm of my students which I find contagious. Learning a second language is an exciting and challenging experience and I would encourage everybody to give it a go. À bientôt j'espère...

Isabella Brown

After working with coffee in Auckland for over eight years, training many baristas, specialising in Latte Art and competing in various coffee competitions around New Zealand, I'm excited to share my passion and help provide you with the knowledge and tools you need to make a beautiful cup of coffee.

Jackie Yan

Jacqueline Ziegler

Jacqueline, having worked in IT for many years, decided to follow her passion for crafts, in particular soap-making. She has been making soaps and body products for more than 20 years.

Jacqueline loves teaching and regularly gets positive feedback on her courses. She has been teaching  soap-making through private classes community classes for nearly 10 years.

James Lawrence

James is well known in Auckland and overseas as an accomplished painter and printmaker. His works are widely exhibited and he has won awards from his drawing, printmaking and painting. He enjoys energy, movement and colour when painting so they become a rhythmic combination of feelings and thought combined with formal considerations.

James has extensive teaching experience. 

Personal statement from James Lawrence about this work:

Like all artists, I am concerned with light. I study its movements across water. The shadows cast on weather cliffs and how buildings and human habitations are transformed as light travels across these surfaces, including marks made by hand(s).

I have synthesised this keen interest with the re-investigation of the origins and though of some of the various movements within Twentieth Century Abstract Art. I paint intuitively, "The Flow" is through me creating a rick complex of textures ans shapes that is equally controlled and random, filled with accidents, abrasions and then re-establishment or partial re-establishment of hidden shapes or movements, which allows light and the viewer's position, be it close or far, or off to the side, to offer constantly changing sensations with corresponding fluidity in the perception of form(s).

The Pentimenti created by overpainting, that is, allowing the underpainting its "voice" creates a depth, much like looking into a bottomless pool of water, complete with sky reflection. Paintings may give the impression of completeness, but at the same time represent a provisional statement, as I may be just around the corner with a large brush. As to the concept of "Finish" I continuously work on several paintings at any given time. Sometimes I cease working on one or more of these canvases while continuing to work on others. Thus the painting becomes finished when I no longer paint on it. I often discover something I like on one painting, and use it on others while over-painting it on the original.

I enjoy energy, movement and colours. For me, painting is "letting go!". The works thus created represents a distillation of person expression, with gestures (marks) and discoveries. For me a successful painting is flat and spatial at the same time with a balance of structure and expresssiveness and with a spontaneous, complex and sensual surface, creating layers, that one may "enter". I hope my art speaks to something in us all that transcends the realm of words.

I believe that painting non-objectively allows the intuitive nature of the painter its voice. It also affords the widest possible range of interpretation, including contradiction. I like the idea of the meaning being felt, rather intuitively by the view, rather than a meaning being expressed, as once this occurs it tend to preclude other meaning. It's difficult to answer questions about how I felt or what I was thinking other that to say it felt good, because when it doesn't, I paint it out. On the good days, the painting speaks to me and a most enjoyable dialogue ensues. I can't think of anything I'd rather be doing.

Janet Locke

Janice O'Connor

Janice has been teaching ESOL classes at Selwyn College since 2003. Her background is in Primary and Intermediate classroom teaching, with a degree majoring in English.

She is also a qualified piano teacher but no longer practising!

She is a NZ-born Chinese, married to a Kiwi. She and her family are typically Kiwi in their passion for sports.

A spontaneous testimonial March 2021: 

Jason Tan

Jaspreet Kaur

I have been teaching for the School of Architecture at Unitec for 2 years in the position of a Teaching assistant and have been invited to prepare and deliver lectures on Ancient architecture of Indian and Meso-American civilizations for first year Bachelor of Architecture students. I am currently in this role and will be taking on the role of Teaching assistant for Critical Studies 2 in 2021, which covers Architecture history of the 19th and 20th centuries.

I have also worked with YMCA Auckland as a childcare and holiday program leader where my main role was that of a guardian/supervisor who was responsible for the children in our care. However, I was responsible for preparing arts and crafts lessons/activities for the children in my care. 

Jayshree Somnath

Jayshree is a baking lecturer at MIT and has been working as a baker for 12 years.  Prior to this she was a primary school teacher before embarking on a 12 year career in baking and cake decorating. 

Jean Christophe Varnier

My name is Jean Christophe Varnier. I am a French Chef by qualification with over 30 years experience. I am passionate about everything that involves food. For the past nine years, I have been a cookery, bakery and pastry tutor in one of the leading PTEs in NZ. Before that, for 18 months, I was Head Chef at Orbit 360 Dinning Restaurant at Sky City (150 seats, managing 17 chefs and doing 400+ covers daily). Before that, I owned my own restaurant being the founder, executive Chef and manager at St Tropez Restaurant in Parnell Auckland, for 12 years. I am also a passionate photographer.

Jessica Hall

English tutor.

Jiehua Ma

Jiehua Ma has a teaching degree. She is passionate about arts and crafts and she loves reading. She is addicted to Book Art and spends many evenings folding books. She loves sharing her hobby and knowledge with people.

Joanne Luker

Jo has always collected lost old shards of china and recycled broken pottery and old glass into mosaic art.  This a very therapeutic and fun way to recharge and escape from reality.  Jo is inspired by the stories each little piece of broken plate or cup could tell, and where they have come from - making meaningful mosaics. 

Jo is an award winning mosaic artist and was also recently awarded Frist Place in the 2D (wall-hanging mosaic) section at the NZ National Mosaic Exhibition 2022 in Whanganui.   

For more details about her work see the website : nzmosaicart.co.nz

Joanne West

John Botica

John was born in Belgrade, Serbia in 1953 and most of his life he was involved in tennis, being a tennis professional. He has lived in the US and Germany and has settled in New Zealand since 1997. In 2004 he was able to discover his true passion, namely pebble mosaic art. He established a completety different and innovative approach to this ancient art through bold usage of Maori and Polynesian motifs so common in his adopted country. John caught the pebble mosaic bug when his uncle gave him a book on this ancient art. John was already an accomplished mosaicist, using bright ceramic tiles, and he was instantly intrigued by the textures and patterns that could be created using only natural pebbles. John has been involved in many private and public commissions. He has created what is considered, in the specialist publication Mosaic Art Now, one of the world's top 100 mosaic works. Botica's Tree of Life was commissioned by the North Shore City Council and installed at a children's playground in Greenhithe. His latest public project at Bastion Point in Auckland.

In 2013, the St Frajou Painting Museum, Haute Garonne, France, presented the preparatory drawings for the mosaics by John Botica. In 2013, he also participated in the National Mosaik Art Exhibition: Magic of Mosaic: Mosaic Symposium 2013 in the Helen Smith Meeting Room, Pataka + Museum, Auckland. John is also a member of the Mosaic Association of Australia and New Zealand and a founding member of the Art Resilience movement created by Ksenia Milicevic in 2014 in Paris, France.

His work has been included in a recent Australian House and Garden article. https://www.homestolove.com.au/a-wellness-garden-with-a-japanese-influence-7168

Jonathan Crook

I have over 20 years’ experience in ESOL teaching and have also taught in the UK, Spain and Argentina.  With an MA in Intercultural Communication, I'm very interested in the cultural aspect of language learning and adapting to life in a new country.  I really enjoy teaching at Selwyn because of the friendly atmosphere and motivated students.,and I teach all levels from elementary to advanced as well as preparation for the IELTS exam.  I also run workshops covering intercultural awareness and competence.

Jose Entrican

I began as an arts student with a teaching background and was employed originally by Apple in the early days to help communicate the wonders of computing. So began a long enthusiasm for and enjoyment of the power of software to make our lives easier. Now self employed, I have focused on Microsoft Office as an everyday productivity tool – with Excel a speciality. Who knew that spreadsheets could be so fascinating!

Julia West

I have a Bachelor in Social Sciences and have studied effective ways of communicating over the last ten years. I enjoy facilitating conversations where each participant is listened to and understood. I use a variety of skills including those of Compassionate Communication (also known as Non-Violent Communication). I am also an NLP Master Practitioner.

I also have a post graduate diploma in Arts Therapy.

I have previously tutored at Wellington Polytech and the National College of Design and Technology.

Julie Poirier

Julie is an instructor with Kia Haumaru, a nationwide network of trained and accredited teachers of Empowerment Self Defence. Formerly known as the Women’s Self Defence Network – Wāhine Toa has been providing personal safety education to women, girls and members of the LGBTQIA+ community in Aotearoa for over 30 years. Their work is informed by mana wāhine and feminist understandings of both the causes and solutions to the problem of violence in Aotearoa.

June Renwick

June loves teaching and sharing her vast repertoire of recipes, skills, cooking styles and secrets.  Initially trained as a Home Economics teacher, June has taught many night classes and has run a home cookery and other food establishments with her husband Don.  Her inspiration was her mother who ran a successful catering business and was a great cook.

Have a look at one of June's favourite recipes on our blog:  June's Dutch Fish Cakes

Karen Balmer

Karim Lakhani

Qualified in both medicine and philosophy, Karim enjoys exploring the intersection of these realms. His writing often interrogates fraught moments in the lived experiences of perennial strangers -- the immigrant, the exile, the stricken. Karim has taught ethics and creative writing to medical students in the midst of their initial exposure to illness and mortality. Most recently, his creative nonfiction has appeared in Fire words Magazine, Hippocampus Magazine, and Gone Lawn.

Kate Thompson

Kate loves helping her students gain the English language skills and confidence they need to get ahead in their daily lives and careers. She gained her CELTA teaching qualification from AUT University and has taught in New Zealand (community education) and Morocco (a refugee programme). In her life beyond teaching, Kate is Head of Communications for a sustainability firm. She has learned languages herself and understands the challenges! 

Kathy Skellern

June 2021: "Kathy is truly an amazing, dedicated and enthusiastic teacher."

Kay Garvan

My journey into this field of natural health began 38 years ago. While pregnant with my first child, I went to a Holistic Healer to support a healthy baby and pregnancy. Her advice allowed me to treat my children successfully and naturally for any ailments they had. This experience of providing the body with what it needed in order to be well led to me studying several different modalities. I started a natural remedies support group for young Mums and Dads by providing speakers from all over the country on how we can treat our children naturally. 

When I started my own clinic, my passion was to empower people to help themselves. This class is to share a powerful art to restore harmony to mind, body and spirit so we can shift to a new positive way of living and being.

Keely Wickins

Financial Adviser (Mortgage and Investment Qualified)