Taha Hinengaro – Mental Health Matters

Group Exhibtion at The Collaboration, 83 Devon Street East, New Plymouth
June 29th – August 6th 2023

About the exhibition

Artist Laura Feller, born in landlocked Austria, found her passion for surfing in 2016 and it has greatly influenced her life and creative work ever since. She loves following the waves, which has led her to travel and live in distant locations. Currently, she lives in Taranaki with her husband, finding daily inspiration in the awe-inspiring mountain and sea. From a background in architecture, Laura’s style fluctuates between clean black- and white line drawings and free-flowing watercolours. Her motifs are influenced by mindful experiences while travelling, in particular, surfing in Aotearoa and around the world. 


Laura’s art is not just what she puts on paper. For her, it’s an experience of immersing herself in her surroundings while painting. She soaks up the background chatter, the gentle breezes, the ever-changing sun and clouds, the scent of salt in the air, and the taste of fresh coffee. Being fully present with all senses is essential for her to capture special moments, and it also serves as a form of meditation.


At this exhibit, you can view postcards from Indonesia as well as larger paintings from a new series featuring vibrant buildings in New Plymouth. The opening was a wonderful evening organised by the owners of The Collaboration where I had the change to meet many of the other artists.

Dave Borgioli – Jones I Erana James – Ngati Porou I Kris Marlianti I Laura Feller I Leigh Tawharu I Nancy Tschetner I Oriah Rapley I Phil Taylor I Rosemary Petterson I Sam Eva I Tegan Bright I Vanessa Erkes