Meet Our Tutors A-Z

We are always looking for new and exciting classes and workshops to offer our community. If you are interested in running a workshop or course please email us at [email protected]

​Lesley Alexander: Botanical Art Tutor

Lesley Alexander:
BA(Hons) Graphic Design, DipSBA(Dist)
I have been tutoring at Kumeu Arts, running the botanical art classes on a Friday morning for about the last 5+ years.

It is a small class of like-minded people who enjoy getting absorbed in the details of all things botanical – and often edible! I love seeing the joy on people’s faces as they complete a drawing or painting or suddenly grasp a particular watercolour technique. 
​
I hope to share my passion with you and inspire you to see the delicate beauty and glorious detail of plants around us and successfully transfer that beauty to paper.

Come along and see what we do!

https://www.lesleyalexanderart.com

Amber Emm: Realism Painting Tutor

Amber Emm:
​My style of teaching is hands on. Everyone comes with his or her own project and whether they are complete novice or experienced painters get help individually. I work my way around the students one by one, helping them with their individual journey whether it is in watercolour, acrylic or oils.
I can advise or show how to improve on technique, colours, use of brushes, and order of process, layout and design, etc and onto selling.
The classes are friendly and talkative and I have several students who have been coming to me for years for the friends, atmosphere and support they find in my classes.
I have a policy that when you pay for the 10 consecutive classes, and know you will miss some, you can make them up in any of my other classes as long as it is within those 10 weeks.

My background is a tradesman sign writer, having had my own business for 10 years before I began painting full time. I am represented by 3 Auckland galleries and have regular exhibitions. I have been published in “New Zealand’s Favorite Artists” twice and have won numerous awards over the years.
I was talked into teaching in 1998 and have loved it ever since. I have become great friends with many of my students and value their input into my life as I feel I get as much for them as they do from me. I have been teaching at Kumeu Arts since 2012.
https://www.amberemm-art.com

Janet Mazenier: Cold wax painting tutor

Janet Mazenier:
Janet Mazenier leads Cold wax painting workshops; she has a formal training background and is a full-time practicing artist who completed her Master of Fine Art at Elam, University of Auckland and is now in the first year of her PhD in Creative Practice at AUT.
​Janet, like others who use this gorgeous medium, is entranced by its ability to create rich surfaces, texture and luminosity.

Facebook: Janet Mazenier
Instagram: @janetmaz
Website: www.janetmazenier.com

Michelle Reid: Painting Tutor

Michelle Reid: 
Michelle Reid is a visual artist and educator living in Riverhead, Tāmaki Makaurau. She graduated with a Bachelor of Textile Design from Massey in 2001, and in 2019 gained a Postgraduate
Diploma from Elam School of Fine Arts with Distinction.
Reid has received a few painting awards and her artworks are held in contemporary private collections in Auckland.
​Michelle is also a Kumeu Arts Centre committee member, a Creative Matters educator, and completed the Toipoto mentoring programme in 2022.
In her artwork Reid explores atmosphere aesthetics and emotional spaces. Reid is interested in the smudging of space between locatable and lyrical references. Recent exhibitions include ‘In The Wild Ballet’ at Lakehouse Arts and ‘Iteration 14’ at Mothermother.
Michelle tutors Amber Emm painting classes as needed, throughout the year. 

Kathryn Tourell: Adult and Children's pottery tutor

Kathryn Tourell:
Kathryn, a local potter, intertwines her love for crafting functional, beautiful objects with a passion for nurturing young creativity. Sharing the magic of pottery and encouraging young minds to bring their imaginations to life through clay.

Instagram: @foxandfantail.ceramics

Magdalena Urbankova: Life Drawing Tutor

Magdalena Urbankova:

In my art practice I explore the visual stimuli through painting in oil and through illustration using ink, and digital media.

Even though my art practice is mostly exploring nature themes, I constantly return to figure drawing. I am fascinated by human figure, the space it occupies and creates while interacting with its environment.
My medium of preference for that practice is plain old charcoal or water-soluble graphite. I studied with Joel Tidey (figure and portrait drawing) and Julie Gridinsky-Friedman (oil painting). 

Magdalena's Website
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100014996868854 

Louise Wild: Ceramics Tutor

Louise Wild:

Louise Wild is interested in creating textures and patterns on the clay surfaces. She makes hand-built pottery tableware and decorative pieces using stoneware clay.
​Louise spends a lot of time at the beach and in rural New Zealand and loves the simplicity of mother nature; texture, pattern, colour, shade, earth, sea, sky.
She has been a member of Kumeu Arts for over 8 years and tutors the Friday morning Ceramics course. Louise also tutors the Friday afternoon 4-week Teen Pottery course.