The Insider's Guide to New Zealand
Artist Claire Nicholls
In a little studio, tucked at the back of a garage in Waipu, is Claire Nicholls' quiet space. It's here that she creates beauty in mixed media forms with statues, figures, wall-hangings and more. Some are inspired by the nearby beach, others by her travels. Her elegant monks – slim, hooded figures shaped from raku clay – were inspired by her stay in a Thai Buddhist retreat.
Step outside her studio and distance isn't the only thing separating her Waipu world from that Thai retreat. Never the twain shall meet – life here is full of colour, noise and movement – the good stuff. In typical Kiwi fashion, Claire had to go all the way to London to meet fellow expat Nick. The pair returned to Aotearoa and settled in Waipu, before adding two boys (3 and 5) and a three-legged dog named Ruby to the family. When she's not tucked away in her studio or doing the school run, Claire can be found teaching after-school art classes and co-running the Waipu Sunday Market. Open by appointment. (09) 432 0636, sculpturenz.co.nz