Connections – The Circle of Life 2026

Connections – The Circle of Life 2026

Acrylic on MDF 50cm X 60cm x 5mm (Flat panles)

RaeRae Hemara | Creative Tutu

Part of my Connections series, created before travelling to Canada in September 2026 to attend the Indigenous Women in Industry Summit.

This piece represents the circle of life, the connections we make, and the ripple effects that can come from one simple spark.

The concept of the circle of life was first introduced to me back in 2020, during a Zoom session with the amazing Jenn Harper!

At the time, I had no idea how much that conversation would stay with me, or how the connections made along the way would eventually come full circle.

2026 - there I was in Canada, actually meeting Jenn Harper in person!! Talk about a fangirl moment! 😂❤️

But that moment was also something much bigger.

It reinforced everything I had been learning about the circle of life and the power of connections!

Sometimes all it takes is one conversation, one person, one small spark to create a ripple effect that can last a lifetime.

We don't always see the impact of the connections we make. Some may seem small or insignificant at the time, but they can lead us to people, places and opportunities we never imagined possible.

Much like the circles and patterns in this artwork, our journeys are layered, interconnected and constantly evolving. Some connections cross paths, some come full circle, and others continue to ripple outward, creating new connections along the way.

a reminder that you never really know where one simple connection might take you.

And sometimes, six years later, life brings you right back to where that spark first began. ❤️

Connections. Ripples. Full circle. ✨

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The Artist:

RaeRae Hemara | Creative Tutu

Samoan, Ngāpuhi-nui-tonu, Ngāti Wharara, Ngāti Kaharau,Te Uri Taniwha and Ngāti Hineira.Bay of Islands, New Zealand

I don't Consider myself as an Artist but more of a "Creative tutu!" I dabble in all things artistic, crafty and creative. - Painting, pastel, charcoal, arts, Cake making, resin - if its Crafty I have probably had a tutu.

Born into an artistic and creative whānau, My Nana was my greatest influence, nurturing my creativity, identity and love for all things great or small from an early age. I was inspired by Aunty Rhonda Halliday, an uku artist, and influenced by my late mother, Moana-Maree Hemara, a Māori weaver whose mahi helped shape my passion for Māori art.

Working primarily with acrylic paints, I explore customary Māori design elements through monochromatic tones.

Drawing on pūrākau, pakiwaitara, relationality, and the Indigenous whakaaro that everything is connected, my work creates visual narratives that carry our histories and stories into the present.

I am drawn to intricate cut-outs and shaped forms, exploring the relationships between individual elements - how they fit, overlap, connect and interact within a composition. Through this process, my work considers whakapapa and interconnectedness, bringing together layers of form, story and identity.

Now, as a māmā of three young babies I believe in involving my tamariki in all that I do, and this has naturally become part of my artistic practice.

The majority of my works involve my babies in some part of the creative process, allowing their minds, ideas and presence to become part of the finished mahi.

Because I involve my three tamariki as much as I can in all of my artwork, please expect a few flaws, crooked lines and little imperfections along the way! These are the parts I treasure most.

They add that extra special touch and remind my babies that even in our imperfections, we can create something beautiful. What we may see as flaws, others may see as beauty!! And that's what makes each piece so special!

Fo this is also about whakapapa — passing creativity, mātauranga, how different things connect, influence, belong to and exist alongside one another and a love for toi from one generation to the next.

my newer works proudly carry the words:

“Made with love by Te Awa, Rereātea, Kataraina & RaeRae Hemara"