David Austin
Ko Tarawera te maunga
Ko Tarawera te awa
Ko Te Arawa te iwi
Ko Ngāti Rangitihi te hapū
No Matata ahau
Ko Dave tōku ingoa
Artist Statement
Graduating with a bachelor of media arts I spent 10 years in the film industry. While working on a short film I was asked to make a painting, this was 1996, which resulted in working in oils on canvas to being creative and trying many types of media. I stumbled onto uku, clay about 6 years ago. Like so many before me I was hooked, engineering shapes, vases, jewellery and finally I found raku. The last two years I have been obsessed with making raku sculpture and have perfected shapes and firing techniques which are unique and have universal appeal. I let Te Ao Māori inform my work referencing themes of tāniko, tukutuku, kaitiakitanga, and creation pūrākau.
