Meet our Tutors

Andrew James is a self-taught sketchbook artists who has filled many books over the past decade- "recording daily life and see what nonsense pops out the end of a pen." He has been obsessively recording his daily life in little books for close to a decade. He wants to share the kind of magic that this can bring into your life. Andrew has also run workshops for Watercolour NZ and Wellington Art Club.

To learn more about Andrew James, please visit his website.

photo credit: Sarah Booher

Julie is passionate about art and really enjoys sharing some of the fun techniques she has discovered with others. Julie has taught children's art classes at KACC for 11 years as well as a number of printmaking classes for adults at KACC, particularly linocut and monoprinting. Her passion for art led to many years of adult further education in watercolour painting, ceramics, portrait and figure painting, life drawing and printmaking. She now brings the tips and techniques she has learnt along the way as well as her own creative flair to the classes.

Kreisheia studied Fashion Design at Massey University. She has also taken part in watercolour painting classes at Inverlochy Art School. Her creative drive comes from sustainable/ethical practices and drapery. She is passionate about self-expression, being bold in style but not conforming to other’s expectations of us, as represented in her final year collection, ‘conform to non-conformity’.

Rosie Fresen, your tutor, is an accountant by trade and wears her handmade wardrobe everyday. With experience of teaching adults and children to sew, Rosie is excited to sew her love of sewing with new students.

When I’d come home from school I’d grab a snack to eat and then settle in to draw. Now my favourite job is to welcome kids in the door and start doing the same thing.
With a background in theatre and film I am now an art teacher of primary school-aged kids, adults and the retired. I studied design and fine art at Inverlochy Art School, Massey and Victoria before graduating with a Bachelor of Design, majoring in illustration. I teach classes at Inverlochy Art School, Malvina Major Retirement Village and privately.

With many years as a graphic designer in the newspaper and advertising industry, Sharyn Young has come to know drawing as a form of thinking. It is a form of viewing the world recreationally, therapeutically and commercially. Anyone can learn to draw and everyone has a need to express themselves. Drawing can be a conduit for self expression, learning, and building confidence.

Shar has over 15 years experience teaching adults of all skill levels visual arts.

After gaining an MA in Art History, I worked for a few years at Historic Places Trust (now called Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga), researching and writing reports on heritage buildings in the greater Wellington region. From 2016 to 2021, I was a visitor host and tour guide at Te Papa Tongarewa National Museum of NZ. I have taught adult education classes at Wellington High School and Karori Arts and Crafts Centre and give presentations on art history topics to the Wellington city U3A art group.

Yvonne is an artist working in her community of Otaki on the Kapiti Coast, New Zealand. She works in a number of different media, including painting, printmaking, Installation art, fabric and other sculpture. Yvonne is also an experienced event organiser and workshop facilitator, she has trained in various art therapies, has a Certificate in The Art of Health - Taruna College, and a Bachelor of Applied Art - Whitireia NZ, Wellington.

Her recent work explores; Love – nature vs. nurture, the vagaries of human nature and its influence on the innocence of youth. The Irresistible force of war. The invisibility of the aged in western culture.

Yvonne is passionate about building community and works with schools, corporations, health institutions, community groups and art groups, - making kites and running art workshops with adults and children. Yvonne has organised many kite days and festivals and has made kites for dignitaries, corporations, musicians and politicians including former Prime Minister David Lange.

Yvonne was the instigator of the - now annual – Otaki Kite Festival and was a key organiser of the inaugural event in March 2013. This event brings together local businesses, school children and members of the local and wider community. It introduces international kite flyers, who share their knowledge and culture by interacting with the Otaki and wider community.