TITLE: He Pātaka o Ngā Taonga Tuku Iho
MATERIAL: Clay, Smoke Fired, Mixed Media
SIZE: 110mm (W) x 160mm (H) x 50mm (D)

Rhonda Halliday
Te Uri Taniwha, Ngāti Hineira and Ngāpuhi

During an invitational art exchange in 2015 to Astoria NW USA I was inspired by the Chinook NW Native American First Nations peoples along the Columbia River mouth which runs between Astoria and Washington State. Their hats reminded me of our maunga and the pātaka elevated on wooden poles signifies the importance of knowledge held by each hapū.

Rhonda was born 1970 and resides in Waipapa just north of Kerikeri with her husband Geordie. She gained her Bachelor of Applied Arts Visual Arts from Northtec Whangarei in 2000 where she met and appreciated the mentorship given by Colleen Waata Urlich and Manos Nathan before both their passing in September 2015.
Rhonda is owner/operator of Uku Toi Gallery and Studio at her home in Waipapa and a member of Te Taitokerau Māori Artists Collective and Ngā Kaihanga Uku, a contemporary Māori clay artists collective. She has exhibited nationally and internationally, been invited to attend several indigenous art cultural exchanges as well as project lead several art projects/events including Ngāpuhi Festival exhibitions.
Over the years her art style is most recognisable by the highly burnished and smoke fired patina pieces representing rebirth and emergence. However, more recently, her work has begun to shift and move into new forms and techniques. One area of exploration is combining clay with mixed media to enhance her stories and personal views on various topics hoping to encourage conversations and awareness.