Todd Douglas

Ko Puketohunoa te maunga

Ko Taumarere te awa

Ko Ngapuhi tōku iwi

Ko Ngati Manu tōku hapū

Ko Karetu tōku marae

Ko Todd Douglas tōku ingoa

Karuna Douglas

Ngāti Inia

Todd

Born in 1965 of Ngā Puhi (Ngāti Manu, Te Mahurehure) and Pākehā (Scottish, Welsh) descent Todd grew up in a boat building family with ancestors, both Māori and Pākehā, having strong connections to the ocean.
Without intention, Todd found himself drawn to making traditionally tools associated with water, but with a contemporary flavour. Like so many artists, his work and his journey of self-discovery are interwoven.
A pivotal point in Todd’s practice was the development of his signature ‘pounamu’ microcrystalline glazes by his wife/glaze artist, Karuna. These glazes combined with his powerful hand-formed sculptures has allowed Todd to push the boundaries of what was deemed possible in contemporary ceramic sculpture.
Todd’s work is recognised for utilising a broad range of ceramic techniques and surface treatments. Primarily self-taught, he uses varying types of clays and firings as well as combining materials such as clay, wood, lashing and LED lighting.
Most recently, Todd exhibited in the prestigious 2021/2022 Sculpture in the Gardens at the Auckland Botanic Gardens as a member of the Indigenous Clay Artists Collective with their entry Tāiki e!
“My work stems from a love of uku. When I work with it, everything about it, from its tactile nature to its transformation in the kiln, grounds me. How it feels in the hands. Each stage of the making is a transformation that you nurture and guide.
You can't force uku. You have to allow it to change and become, and through that process, you come to learn and understand more about yourself.
“Just as I transform the clay, it transforms me.”
As a proud member of Ngā Kaihanga Uku (Māori Clay Artists Collective) Todd has participated in a number of international indigenous artist hui and exchanges and his work can be found in key private, iwi/tribal, corporate, and government collections throughout the world.
**Key Collections**
The Methodist Church of New Zealand
(Collaboration with Colleen Urlich and Karuna Douglas, Commissioned)
Welsh Rugby Union, Cardiff, Wales
(Purchased gift: Rugby World Cup 2011)
Luciano Benetton World Art Collection, Italy
http://www.imagomundiart.com/
Southland Museum
(Purchased)
Ngapuhi Asset Holding Company, Kerikeri
(Purchased)
Te Runanga A Iwi O Ngapuhi, Kaikohe
(Purchased)
Ngati Kahungunu, Hawke’s Bay
(Commissioned gift: Treaty Settlement)
Wallace Arts Trust Collection, Pah Homestead, Auckland
(Collaboration with Karuna Douglas, Purchased) – On permanent display

“I grew up not knowing much about my Maori heritage. That knowledge was lost when my grandmother died. It’s true that all it takes is the loss of a single generation to sever ties to the past.In my late twenties, I went to university to study social work and social anthropology. At the same time, I took pottery night classes at a local high school. These two unrelated events changed my life; they’ve led me on a journey to reconnect with my ancestors, and redefine my future.As soon as I touched clay, I was hooked. Bringing together the four elements – fire, earth, air and water, clay is like no other material. It has amazing physical properties but also has many cultural and spiritual significances. As it is at the heart of so many creation stories, it’s a reminder of the interconnectedness between people/s.In recent years, I’ve been privileged to be a ‘muddie’, Nga Kaihanga Uku providing a nurturing and supportive forum to share knowledge and skills, within the framework of Kaupapa Maori.”

— Todd Douglas