A year-round celebration of art in the west

Open Studios Waitākere

Artist: Poppy and Sage

Meet the artists and makers of the Waitākere Ranges

Open Studios Waitākere brings people together with the artists, makers and creative spaces of West Auckland. Our annual event invites visitors to meet artists, see where and how they work, and explore the creativity of the Waitākere Ranges.

The 2026 event took place on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November. Thank you to the artists who opened their studios and to everyone who came along to support them.

The 2026 artist profiles remain here to explore. Discover the people, practices and places that made up this year’s event, and follow Stories from the Studios for creative news and artist features throughout the year.

Meet the 2026 artists | Stories from the Studios

The artists and the makers.

Inspired by the world around them, our artists explore new ideas, experiment with materials and bring their creativity to life in all sorts of wonderful ways.

From painting, ceramics and jewellery to photography, sculpture, textiles and more, explore the artists who took part in Open Studios Waitākere 2026.

These profiles celebrate their work and creative practices. Please contact artists directly to ask about current work, exhibitions or studio visits.

Stories from the Studios

Discover the people, ideas and processes behind West Auckland’s creative community. Stories from the Studios shares artist interviews, studio visits, exhibitions and opportunities throughout the year.

We met up with some of the 2026 artists who have taken part in previous Open Studios. Here’s what they had to tell us about their lives, their creative process and living in West Auckland. You can take a look at all these stories via our journal.

Artist Videos

Champion Knives

We headed to Swanson with filmmaker Conan Fitzpatrick to visit Hayden Scott of Champion Knives and take a look inside his small forge, where raw steel is transformed into beautifully handcrafted culinary knives.

It's hot, messy and fascinating to watch. And it's exactly the sort of creative process we love sharing through Open Studios Waitākere.

Film by Conan Fitzpatrick

Te Tararā Studios

One of the best things about Open Studios Waitākere is discovering the creative spaces tucked away across the west.

We took a look inside Te Tararā Studios with filmmaker Conan Fitzpatrick, getting a glimpse of the people, processes and work that make this creative space what it is.

Film by Conan Fitzpatrick

The Binding Studio

An art form you don't get to see every day.

Step inside The Binding Studio with Louise James, where traditional bookbinding techniques, beautiful materials and more than 20 years of experience come together.

From bespoke books to presentation boxes and keepsakes, Louise's work is all about the details. We visited her studio to capture a little of the process behind this incredible craft.

Film by Conan Fitzpatrick

Mandy Patmore

Mandy Patmore is a multi-media environmental artist who lives in Karekare. Mandy has a passionate relationship with her local environment. Her current work focuses largely on deforestation and habitat loss in New Zealand, and the plight of many endangered native species. 

Film by Conan Fitzpatrick

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