Your occupation, job title, artistic discipline (or very brief description of what you do):

Social media marketing manager for Our Place Magazine and Little Big Events. I studied communications, marketing, and public relations at the University of Waikato.

What cities/towns have you lived in (or spent more than a few months in) beginning with the place of your birth?

I was born in Pahiatua, but I don’t have any memories there. My early childhood was spent in Taupō till I was about 8, and then we moved to Kerikeri in the Bay of Islands and I finished my schooling there. I feel very lucky to have grown up in the beautiful Bay of Islands; you can’t beat the sunny weather, and beautiful beaches lined with pōhutukawa trees.

What are the earliest stories you remember hearing? The ones that told you about the world?

Even as a young kid I’ve always wanted to travel, and my dad would tell me his travel stories as a young adult. He spent a lot of time in the U.K. and travelling Europe, and has so many funny stories and experiences, many of them involving a few beers and a great bunch of friends. These stories taught me about how incredible the world is, full of people from different walks of life, and new places full of adventure.

What’s your favourite Bay of Plenty landscape, park, building, location, suburb, or side street? Why?

Pāpāmoa Hills and Shark Alley! Pap Hills is my favourite walk close to home. The view is beautiful and it always helps clear my head when I need it. Shark Alley, for those who don’t know, is the swimming/surfing channel on the right hand-side of Moturiki Island. It’s a popular spot and in the heat of summer the water is so warm and clear –  and it has the best body surfing waves!

What’s an average day in your life at present?

I get up at 5am, have a coffee and head to the gym. I have found this always sets me up for a productive work day! I work from 8am to 4pm, and then I am straight to the beach for a walk and a dip in the ocean if I’m feeling brave. I am a very active person and sometimes find working in a ‘desk job’ industry can be tricky, so I always have a sport or exercise planned every day; it’s a great way to help me unwind and let out all my cooped up energy.

What music was present and still memorable from your youth/adolescence?

Almost every weekend when I was a young kid, my mum would drive us to a horse riding event. We had an old Toyota Hilux Surf which had a busted radio so we only played old CDs. We always listened to The Eagles, Elton John, Rod Stewart, and Coldplay. I used to be able to sing every song off by heart after listening to these CDs on repeat for hours on end. Now when I hear these classics, it reminds me of road trips with my mum and the excitement of the weekend to come. These songs have a special place in my heart – pretty sure I still know all the lyrics, haha!

For you as a creative person, who are three influential artists or thinkers?

I am influenced by my environment and who I surround myself with. My friends and family are all creative in their own right and are always inspiring me. From the get go, my parents have been policemen/women, top real estate agents, and successful business owners and they have shown me many ways a person can show their creativity and entrepreneurship. My sister is a very talented photographer and digital content creator in the fashion industry in New Zealand. A few of my friends are business owners, and we always chat about new business ideas, and help each other out with our business strengths and experiences. Lastly, Rachelle and Chris, who are the founders of Our Place and Little Big Events, are incredibly creative people and are always coming up with bright and fun new ideas. They are heavily influential in my work and life. I am very thankful that I get to work alongside these creative powerhouses!

If you went away from the Bay of Plenty for a long time and then came back, what are the first three things you would do or visit?

Firstly, I would visit all my close friends! We would meet up for a beer at the local (The Island, or as we call it ‘Pap Tav’), have a good yarn about what we have all been up to, and share our adventures and funny stories. Secondly, I would go for a swim in the ocean, definitely in Shark Alley! Thirdly, I would go for a walk up Pap Hills, enjoy the view and the cool breeze, and then run all the way down (it’s the best part, haha).

Looking back at your teen-age self: what one sentence describes that person?

I would say, ‘on a journey of self-discovery’. I think I took a while to become my true self. After school I started studying molecular biology and animal behaviour because I mainly did science at school, and I had heard in the second year of study that you get to train a chicken, so I was super pumped for that, haha. But after I failed a paper, I discovered that this wasn’t the pathway I wanted to follow, so took some time off and then started studying communications and marketing. I finally found something I enjoyed and excelled in, plus I met an amazing group of friends and finally came out of my shell. I can now say that I am truly and whole-heartedly my authentic self.

If you had to eat the same meal every day, what would it be?

Anyone who knows me knows that I have an obsession with couscous! But, a friend of mine introduced me to his homemade chicken and blue cheese burgers. Crispy ciabatta buns, relish, crispy chicken or falafel, mushrooms, jalapeños, spinach, blue cheese, and more. I could honestly eat these everyday for the rest of my life and never complain.

In one sentence, can you define art?

Art is in the eye of the beholder. That’s the saying, right…? Haha. I believe art is all about perspective; everyone has different likes and opinions. Something I might love someone else may find odd, but I think that’s why art is so beautiful.

What is missing or lacking from your Bay of Plenty community or environment?

I would say access to free and quality mental health services. I also think we are lacking in networking events for young creative people in the Bay.

Name a few films that you consider profound, moving or extraordinary?

I love mind-bending movies! One of my absoloute favourites is Shutter Island. The film is open to interpretation and perspective, I love it! I’ve also recently been introduced to Wes Anderson films; they are quirky, very witty, and he has an obsession with symmetry, which makes his films beautiful and eye-catching.

What was your first real job, second, third?

My first real job was working as a waitress in a small family owned Italian restaurant in Kerikeri. I got so much free food during my shift! My second real job after working in hospitality was running my own equestrian schooling and sale-on-behalf business. I finally turned my life long hobby into a business which helped support me through university. Thirdly, my first real job in communications and public relations was running a programme called Girl Code for Sport New Zealand. We created a programme to help young women in school to find sports and hobbies they were interested in pursuing.

Where would you like to live, but have yet to?

Banff. I’ve heard it’s the Wānaka of Canada! Small town, amazing snowboarding, and lots of people from all walks of life. For me, the people always make the place and I’ve heard incredible things about the travellers living in Banff.

What word of advice would you offer an aspiring creative person?

Be bold and make yourself known in the creative community. Funnily enough, when I moved over to the Bay, I didn’t know we had a big creative community here until I started working for Our Place and Little Big Events, where I was introduced to Creative Bay of Plenty! Without this leg up, I wouldn’t be so heavily involved in our amazing creative community. Working in marketing and content creation, I never really labelled myself as being a ‘creative’, but I was so wrong! So, my advice would be to introduce yourself to anyone and everyone, you never know who might want to collaborate with you. Be confident in your ability and what you can bring to the table. Say yes to every opportunity, this gives you a chance to showcase your skills!

What’s the biggest problem about life in New Zealand? How you would solve it?

The classic Tall Poppy Syndrome. We should always celebrate our successes without being labelled as ‘bragging’ or ‘arrogant’. Every time a friend shares a big success, I celebrate wholeheartedly with them, and I expect the same in return. Life is too short to not share your wins.

What is your dream of happiness?

This is a big question, haha! I don’t think I dream of happiness; to me, that means I am forever searching for happiness. Happiness is found in the little things in life, like when the sun breaks through the clouds, when my friend pops around to my house unexpectedly, and when I’m playing my favourite sport. Yes, happiness is found through purpose, loving and being loved in return, and feeling fulfilled, but I think it’s really important to find happiness in the most mundane things in life.

Anything else you’d like to tell us about yourself/your organisation?

If you’re an aspiring creative person in the Bay and not sure where and how to meet people and network, send me a message! I was once in your shoes and I was very lucky to find people to help connect me with other young creatives, and this made the world of difference. I am always looking for people to collaborate with, whether it’s sharing business ideas, or just chatting over a coffee.

---