Get To Know Our Cover Artist: Christine Rena
Image credit: Christine Rena
Where are you from?
Ko Ngāpuhi tōku Iwi, nō Matauri Bay au in the beautiful Bay of Islands, heoi anō I was raised in Tāmaki Makaurau and continue to live here. I go home to Matauri as often as I can and when the Bay calls me.
Can you describe your artistic style in three words?
Layered. Self-exploratory. Cosmic.
What are your preferred mediums and techniques? How do they communicate the unique style of your mahi toi?
My absolute favourite medium is pencil. There is something almost magical about using wood and graphite to create art out of thin air. Going from a blank page to staring into the eyes of a being that didn’t exist yesterday is a humbling and beautiful experience. I love the raw, gritty, and natural feel of a pencil. You stand back, and it’s a seamless, smooth drawing – you move in close, and suddenly, you see every single stroke, every line, all the layers, all the tiny parts that make up the big picture. That ability to see and touch the hours of work is its own sort of art.
Then, in a complete leap that befits the complexity of being human, my second favourite medium is digital art—a medium far down the other side of the spectrum from pencil. After an initial wariness of digital art, I gave it a go and fell in love. The freedom you can achieve with a digital paintbrush is like nothing I’ve experienced before. As an artist whose pieces take on a life of their own and evolve second by second, it’s allowed me to explore my own mind deeper than I ever have creatively.
How does your artwork embody the theme of this issue, auaha: shape & create?
The images that grace the covers of Awa Wahine tell the story of a wahine and her journey from a metaphysical cocoon to her true self. While in her state of reflection and change, she spent time within herself and in connection with her tūpuna. She reshaped who she was, shedding some parts and accepting others. She was always open to changing form until the tohu aligned. Emerging from that state, from that cocoon, she lived in a way that wherever she went, she weaved herself and those she touched together in a tapestry of mana and mauri, waking up those who slept into a cycle of creation and rebirth.
What was your process for creating the cover art?
With all my pieces, the idea for Te Metamorphosis of Hine and Hinerangiora, The Astral Healer, was inspired by parts of my journey and the meandering of my mind. These thoughts and mental wanderings come out in doodles, sketches and notes—constantly evolving and often taking on a life of their own. Sometimes, the end piece everyone sees has only a vague connection to the first idea that sparked it, making the art pieces symbolic of my journey and the journeys themselves. Questions that answer themselves. I often learn about myself through the process of bringing a piece to life, as I did with these two works. My art is very personal to me, and when others resonate with it, it is a humbling experience that brings me a sense of whanaungatanga. Like the meaning of Hinerangiora—the art weaves us together.
Where can we find more of your work?
You can find my work at www.christinerena.co.nz or on Instagram, where I am most socially active under christinerena.artist. Sometimes, I take a healthy break from posting on social media, but feel free to flick me a message, and I’ll reply!