It’s hard to resist the pull of your creative instinct. For those lucky enough to live in Hamilton, they need not venture far to fulfil that urge. Brya Rose is an artist and teacher who runs regular workshops at her studio to help people slow down and create their own masterpieces.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your art journey so far. I’m Brya, an artist, mum and teacher who lives in Kirikiriroa Hamilton. Art is a part of who I am and what I do, both for a living and for fun. I run a beautiful studio in an old art-deco warehouse in the industrial area of Frankton, where I sell my own artwork from the gallery space and host creative experiences for people.
The studio
Walk us through the story of your incredible studio. The studio was something I’d always wanted to create. Fresh out of art school, I didn’t have the tools or experience to make it happen, so after teaching art in schools for a decade, I started running workshops from my home.
I’d bike and drive around the industrial area where we live in Hamilton, dreaming about having a studio space of my own. Then we found Haig Street. It had been used as a small mechanic’s garage, so I tracked down the owners and introduced myself. The moment I stepped inside, I was transported straight back to my art school days. Huge ceilings, raw concrete, skylights pouring in light – it had this incredible energy.
Creating the dream space
A couple of months later, they offered me the building. We completely reimagined the space. It was a huge undertaking while I was working full time and we were raising our young family. It came to life between dinner and dishes, late nights and weekends, with my husband right there with me. It was a lot, but I’m so glad we did it. We opened with a group exhibition, and since then the studio has grown into a space for workshops, events, photo shoots, courses and exhibitions. It’s become the creative space I’d dreamed of all those years ago.
What does your creative process look like? It’s really just a part of who I am. I’m always collecting and squirrelling away images, ideas and little bits of inspiration. I work on pieces at home and at the studio; paints and brushes are never packed away. They’re just out and part of how we live. My children are often making and drawing things too, which I love. I think creativity has become part of our everyday life, rather than something I have to make a special time for.
Workshops
What do you love most about teaching? The people. I love meeting people and being able to have a space for them to slow down and switch off. I see kids leave absolutely pumped about what they’ve made, and women who have hugged me and cried because they gave themselves time to create and make something beautiful. Those moments are really special to me.
Do you have any mediums that resonate with you in particular? I’ve always dabbled. I just like anything creative, from painting and ceramics to large-scale murals and window painting for shop fronts. I’d love to do an artist-run workshop in Europe one day.
What do you have on the horizon for your art and studio? I’m working on some new paintings at the moment and looking forward to running more courses and workshops next year, along with a group show and a few other events along the way. I’m not completely sure what next year will look like yet – and I quite like that. There are lots of possibilities and I’m excited to see where it goes.
How can our readers find your work? You can find my work at bryarose.co.nz or follow along on Instagram @brya_rose
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