10.2017
Kiel Johnson // Los Angeles USA // Cardboard Artist, Sculpture, Drawings

Through layered narratives and story telling, my work speaks to my travels and adventures through everyday life. I think of myself as an explorer, setting out each day on an unchartered path of mediation manifested in drawing and sculpture. My work is a springboard for metaphorical investigations of the world I inhabit. Using line to explore places, objects, and spaces that exist in my imagination, I catalog my observations and seal them in time. The idea of work as play is central to my practice: handmade, hard work, and having fun. I believe in a laboratory approach of experimentation to problems without finite solutions. Inspired by odd discoveries, coincidence and chance, I seek to personify inanimate subjects. Drawing acts as a seismograph, witnessing my experiences and recording the vibrations; sculpture advocates my quest for understanding how things are held together. 

My intention is to bring a sense of curiosity and exploration to the viewer, asking them to consider their approach in navigation. An unstoppable force keeps me in the constant act of making without end to the journey. I am captivated by the transformation of material into a visual language. Approaching life with a heightened level of inquisitiveness and a playful mind, I continue to source new forms of communication.

01.2018
Vanessa Powers // Dublin Ireland // Sign Writer & Artist

Dublin based sign painter Vanessa Power is dedicated to the craft of hand-painted signs. With a love for clean, well-executed type Vanessa aims to apply this to all her work.

So differentiate your business or project with that old school quality and craftsmanship that can only be produced by hand. 

Signs of Power specialize in hand painted shop fascias, boards, windows, reverse glass gilding, external walls, custom hand lettering, and much more.

01.2017
Ramona Gastl // Augsburg, Germany // Film-maker, Photographer, Writer

Since 2012 Ramona has studied Photojournalism and Documentary Photography in Hannover, Germany. During this time she has realized films and photo stories in Germany and Russia.

Film: ILLUSIA - 5:19 Minutes Multimedia Story about a puppet maker in Tomsk, Russia.
Book: GRANDHOTEL COSMOPOLIS - Verbindung Vertrauen Vision in Augsburg, Germany.

Latest work: Portrait series NINEmoving about emotions. (Russia, Mongolia, China, Timor Leste, New Zealand, Fiji, Canada, USA, New Foundland)

Artist | Activist | Author
WEBSITE

ARCHITECTURE | DESIGN
Portfolio

Activist | Hacker
TWITTER

Painter | Carver
WEBSITE

Innovation | Changemaker

Artist | Academic | Antician
WEBISTE

Photographers
Instagram

Founder & CEO, Youth Arts New Zealand

Futurist | Scientist

HOME-WORK | Screenprinting | Textile Master

French For Rabbits

With years of experience in production and delivering alternative sound and music experiences around the country with festivals and specialty event groups like the Sensonauts.

“Music and sound to me represents the epitome of artistic capacity for transcendental experience; how something so intangible and invisible can affect us with such remarkable intensity is nothing short of magical. It can move us both individually, and collectively. In any setting, music/sound can profoundly affects us.

As a technician and engineer, my work lies in the relentless pursuit of uncompromising fidelity. I’d like to build and maintain an ethereal bridge between artist and audience, and optimise the efficiency with which a creative spark is communicated; being a conduit for experiences that can shape and mould the trajectory of a persons experience of life, and something that is unquestionably ones of life’s greatest privileges.”

09.2015 - 10.2016
Painter

02.2016 - 08.2017
Lisa Tui Music

Louis Trerise
07.2016 - 10.2016
Photographer

08.2014 - 02.2015
Chirny Coffee

04.2015 - 08.2015
Architectural Graduate

05.2016 - 08.2017
Paul Petch Photography

07.2016 - 09.2016
Anteater

03.2016 - 11.2017
Rekindle

10.2016 - 05.2017
Innocent Packaging.

03.2015 - 04.2015
Video Creative

01.2017 - 05.2017
The Story Collective & The Cube

09.2015 - 10.2015
Artist - Maker Spotlight

03.2015
Film Maker - Low Tech Films

03.2015 - 12.2015
The Busy Finch - Ceramicist

07.2016 - 04.2017
Photographer

04.2015 - 01.2015
Miss Martini Corsets - Fashion Designer

Carbon Journal Photography
08.2016
Photographer - "I will always be a sensitive soul excited by any beauty in its supreme development...honesty about my imperfect and flawed life is important life is as important as portraying beauty. This is me. 90% of my life. Sitting on my bed. Editing on my computer." - Allen

10.2016
Living gem of a human. Poet.

Builder // Upskill guru
08.2017 - 01.2018
Eddie wants to teach people basic carpentry and upskill others in the community. We've talked about everything from repair cafes to tool libraries, so keep an eye on what happens next.

True Panels
07.2016
Our passion is it to make an impact on the nz building market. We want to change the nz housing market towards healthy, dry, low energy houses.
True Panels is specialised in constructing prefabricated low energy building shells and wall panels.
The wall panels are designed (see: Products, Workshop drawings) according to consented architectural drawings and engineers calculations.

Photographer
11.2017
Erin Lee is an editorial and documentary photographer available for
projects worldwide. Erin currently resides in the South Island of New Zealand. 

Artist, Photographer, and Creator.
10.2017
"An emerging artist, I aim to develop a voice through my art - creating something beautiful and perhaps question the viewer at the same time."

Bitcoin Consulting Ltd // Founder
02.2018

William started investing in Cryptocurrencies in 2013, helping friends and family do the same along the way.

In 2017, William decided to take his passion for cryptocurrency to the next level, leaving behind a senior position as a civil engineer to start Bitcoin Consulting and spread the word of the technological and financial revolution

He can be your local partner if you have some interest in Bitcoin and is organizing some Free Bitcoin seminars here at the Xchc cafe. 

06.2018
instagram
Project Coordinator | Events Extraordinar | Social Media/Comms, for Ohu

Artist | Mom | Your best friend | Mr Browns adopted mother | Spiritual leader of the room (at all times)

Saskia always speaks from her heart, usually through excessive gesturing and spontaneous dance. She walks the talk of sustainable living… only her life is a catwalk… and she rocks the shit out of it.

“When I don’t have the right shoes for outfits, its not a good day.” - The last thing she said.. so you know she’s legit

Office for Holistic Urbanism
10.2016
Ohu is creating a new way of being where people and communities are at the heart of property development. We work with communities to develop assets which will sustain and strengthen their community. We believe it is possible for people with a common purpose to work together to collectively create and own assets that generate both a social and economic value. Ohu Development is developing the infrastructure needed to support communities to collectively own what they create together, including property, financial, legaland social structures.

LeviShazam
06.2018
Freelancer | Graphic Design | Photo/Video
Instagram

Levi is a jack of all trades.. like all the cool ones. He even asked if he could build us a tool library. Not “hey, you know what this place needs, YOU should start a tool library”.. but, “Hey, can I help by building a tool library?” Boom.

Traveller, acro-yogi, plays fetch when Walter the cat king throws him the ball.

06.2018
Illustrator // Visual Artist

The RAD Collective

Website | Instagram | The Rad Collective

Lucia is the RAD’s resident international artist! From an early age, she started running around the streets of Berlin experimenting with graffiti. From here her passion grew for street art, graffiti and typography. A visual artist, her talent goes far beyond the street and spray cans, taking her love for graffiti into intricate and beautiful typography. Bringing the street to The RAD, Lucia’s work is unlike anyone else’s and we are so lucky to have her!

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Sam from TKS Clothing likes to keep busy running her handmade clothing business specialising in creating unique childrenswear.

She is also a qualified events manager and plans to bring many of her creative event plans to life at the XCHC!

06.2018
Multidisciplinary Artist
Website | Instagram
Poet | Potter | Drawer | Animator | Sculptor | Fashion Designer | Ceramicist (and yes I’m forgetting 1 or 5)

Not just an incredibly beautiful and creative thinker, Suzanne turns everything she touches into a one-of-a-kind treasure. When she’s not playing on a slack-line, rock-climbing, doing acro-yoga, or with her kitten Walter, she’s probably playing somewhere else. Her hugs will change the way you feel about life.

06.2018
Film Producer // Photographer

The RAD Collective

Website | Instagram

Josh is a film producer with a love for visual arts. On the way up, Josh’s core focus is aligning his passion with his revenue – telling popular stories through the camera. Josh is highly involved in the arts, working on Street Prints 2017 and also doing personal photography and videography in his spare time. Our team wouldn’t have that natural appeal without him and we’re stoked to have him on board!

RAG: Repair > Alterations > Garments
08.2015
Sylvia is a fashion designer who's passionate about upcycling; re-creating clothing into boutique 1-of-a-kind garments. Let's target the waste from the garment industry, the 2nd biggest cause of waste in the world! She also does custom design for local theatre companies including Free Theatre. Follow her on Instagram and Facebook for updates

HANDMADE PHOTOGRAPHY.
06.2018

Creative - Directrice of the photography business
Loves - adventures.Is curious about - learning new things & meeting new people.
Adores - design, art and beauty.
Passionate about - transformations of places, situations, communities and people.
Favourite word - “Awesome.”

(makes the best chocolate cake you’ll ever taste!)

Harmonic Architecture
03.2016
Architect | Outdoors
Craig Jarvis is an architectural designer with a passion for simplicity and sustainability. His TEDx talk reflects his desire to design real, ecological, regenerative and affordable residential dwellings,
promoting materials, building systems & technics that are truly green.

Felt maker

facebook | instagram | shop

Simone is the maker behind Wild Felt, a constantly growing collection of felted accessories, slippers, jewelery and strange sea creatures... If you can imagine it, she can felt it! She gets excited about all things wool, sustainable crafts and pushing creative boundaries. When she's not felting, Simone also loves making shoes, zines, poems and coleslaw.

06.2018

Chirny Coffee
08.2016
Coffee expert and classically trained musician.
"I built a coffee roaster in 2007, and have been roasting since. I am always looking for more interesting, tasty coffee (All ethically produced) to roast, from discerning sources... Join me in my coffee adventure, with fresh roasted specialty coffee delivered fresh to your door!"

09.2016
Photographer

06.2018
Artist | Smartass | Illustrator (in that order)
Instagram

Tattoo Enthusiast and Cat/Dr. Marten collector from another planet (pretty sure) Mcchesney (Chez) produces illustrations and art with a focus mainly on realism. Besides being a crazy creative witch medusa loving demon spawn of artistic realism/snake charmer 🐍, Mcchesney drinks gin and threatens to paint “something pink” (bet it’ll be a snake) one day. I hope not. Welcome to XCHC

05.2018
Graphic Designer | Illustrator | Sign-Writer
website | Instagram

Starting off with crayons as a kid and some “holiday art classes, painting watercolors with my Nan and a very old SLR camera”, Talya has paved her way to studying a Bachelor of Applied Visual Imaging and pursuing her design work full time.

With a broad background in both fine and visual arts she can tackle almost any creative project you or your business might have.

10.2017

Bitx | Web Design

Yes. We put crypto pro’s in the same room as artists. And its awesome.

The Isla provides high volume and diverse cryptocurrency brokering and consultation to customers in NZ and Australia.

06.2018
website | facebook | instagram
This RAD team is full of designers, musicians, illustrators, journalists, visual artists, film makers, marketers, social media guru’s and more.

Established in the hope to inspire ourselves and each other and create more opportunities for potential collaborations, freelance work and to also capture the heart and soul of Christchurch from the young creatives eye.

Focusing on artistic talent, special places, skate and street culture, the best coffee, sick gigs and well being; a mish mash of collective and radical ideas, we hope you enjoy our content just as much as we did creating it.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Designer | Curator & Conservator | Kirtaneer | Philosopher

Kuva spent most of his adult life as a 1st world refugee in India, observing and studying the traditional arts and philosophies of India's rich cultural heritage. Formally trained as an Art Conservator in Los Angeles, Kuva now curates and conserves the sacred, having revived the traditional art of handblock printed Mantra scarves in India with his brand Nam Walli. Kuva has curated sacred spaces through large scale decor at sacred music festivals and events across Europe and America. You'll find him at XCHC always tinkering, inventing, designing & philosophising.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Illustrator | Dollmaker | Filmmaker

Hilary is a freelance illustrator & filmmaker, and is the designer and maker of Courage Dolls. Her illustrations seek to ignite the inner child, her film work celebrates the simple and natural beauty of life and makers, and her dolls are made to inspire and empower their beholder, to have courage to follow their heart. Hilary also enjoys facilitating self discovery workshops through illustrative journalling and dollmaking for all age groups. 

Artist

Knitwear, textile design, fashion experiments

Instagram | Depop

Hi I am Alex Stuart and I am a freelance videographer/ content creator. I specialise in creating video content for small businesses whether it be events, products, testimonials or even brand videos.

I also provide website design services, I can help you set up a website right from scratch including creating your logo/branding and shooting photos for the website. I work off the Shopify platform which is great for those wanting to sell items online, or the Squarespace platform which is great for showcasing your products or services in a beautiful minimalistic layout.
Instagram | Facebook

Selina wears many hats, she works part time at Ara (Christchurch Polytechnic) as an Employability Advisor as well as run the operations of The Conscious Club, she likes to make sure everyone has food and events runs smoothly. Selina has a passion for diversity including her pasifika heritage, as well as raising awareness on environmental issues in our community.

Alongside Conscious Club & Ara she has a creative business Bee Weave where she creates beautiful woven wall art for your home. She uses a mixture of gorgeous fibres to create texture and depth in her pieces. All weaves are handmade locally on Christchurch with inspiration drawn from our natural surroundings.

shop | iG: Bee Weave | IG: Conscious Club

Queenstown Born, Ira now calls Christchurch home; where she works full time as an artist and tutor. Her work is bright, minimalist, and bold, reflecting her impressions of the stunning landscapes of Aotearoa. Community is also close to her heart, contributing regularly by way of donating time and art to help support local and international causes. Her work has been recognised with NZer of the Year, Local Hero awards and a Civic Award.

Supporting and encouraging her peers and the next generation, Ira is a contributing writer for NZ artist Magazine; speaking about emerging artists. Ira is also a representative of Golden Artist Paints, New York as an Artist Educator. Regularly travelling to residencies, learning and showing her art, Ira has built a life completely bathed in colour, meaning and connections.

website | facebook | instagram

Credentials:
DipVisCom, BFADesign, PostGradDipSectech

Baliza Creative

Graphic Design | Illustration | Website Design | Digital Marketing\

website | instagram

Gill Weavers is the ceramic artist behind Mudbird Ceramics. She is a multidiscipline designer with a passion for creating and making. Gill is a hand builder using a range of clays from porcelain to earthenware. Creating in small batch quantities enables creativity with glaze designs and seasonal ranges. Gill also hosts workshops, sells at craft markets, online and from her XCHC studio.

shop | facebook | instagram

Passionate about videography and photography I bought my first drone back in 2013 and have been hooked ever since. Originally from the south of France, I arrived in Christchurch almost 4 years ago after a 15-month trip from Russia to New Zealand, crossing over places such as Russia, Mongolia, the Great Wall of China and Indonesia.
After travelling to over 20 countries with my drone capturing amazing landscapes, I have now created my own videography business and have the privilege to live in this amazing country full of spectacular landscapes.

website | instagram

We are Cata & Nata, twin sisters who have been working in all different areas as Industrial Designers. We believe is important to keep learning from new disciplines, different points of views and cultures.
It is in New Zealand where we have decided to design for children, as fashion design has consciously been one of the fields of design that we have always been interested to approach.

Twins Connection
website | facebook | instagram

Fashion Design | facebook

Photography & Videography
My journey behind the camera has taken me to so may different places, from filming weddings and events to photographing incredible landscapes. I've created behind-the-scenes content for theatre companies, interviewed creatives, business owners and members of the public, photographed products and shot branding imagery.

Over the past year, I've realised by passion lies in particular with working with creatives and conscious brands, helping them to tell their stories through thoughtful and engaging visuals.

I also have a personal love of capturing nature and the outdoors, which I will be exploring further in the coming year.

website | instagram

Kia ora lovely humans, I’m Samuel your resident stop motion animator, illustrator, crafty bastard and pickle tee-shirt designer. I work at a studio during the day and have been hanging out in the evenings at XCHC. Currently editing animation and attempting to fashion a jacket out of sleeping bags. I’ll be at the gallery opening tonight so hopefully meet y’all then if I haven’t already! ^___^

Painter & Illustrator

This Jack reaches deep inside it's shifting form, a human body. From inside his mind a line is pulled, producing surrealist horror that mixes beauty with the grotesque. Always with mood, they often use irony and a sprinkling of humour. Jack explores gender, mental health, and sexuality, with overarching themes of death and decay. If her work intrigues you, crouch in a dark corner, shut your eyes and whisper Jack three times.

Hi I’m Priyal. I’m a painter, medical student, big smiler and adventurer. I come from South Africa, growing up between New Zealand, South Africa and Botswana. From the travelling through my teens I feel lucky to have had the chance to learn and experience so many different cultures. Along the way I’m finding out more about myself, how I fit in the western and eastern world, how I fit in the science and art world, creating my own cultural identity and expressing this through painting. XCHC is giving me the confidence to experiment, make mistakes and purely enjoy the process of creating. I can’t wait to share some of my creations.

Sparrow Song
facebook | instagram

02.2016
Fashion designer. Great smile!

Photographer
website
instagram
facebook

story:
Creative entrepreneur currently travelling the world. Prior to packing his life into a 40L backpack in 2016, he was the CEO of Alodyne, and energy company he cofounded seven years prior.

His career has spanned many industries, from being involved with starting a tech company which was later sold to Google, consulting and investing in real estate development projects in both California and Maine, Executive Producing an independent feature film set in Los Angeles and New York, and now having been a professional photographer for the last several years, with highlights including being part of an intimate photo team for Michelle and President Barack Obama in Singapore, and Simon Sinek in San Francisco and Santa Santa Cruz.

Software Developer

Working primarily in frontend web development, during their stay at XCHC they'll be working on freelance web projects, to artist portfolios, to dabbling in writing generative digital art.

08.2014 - 02.2015
Body Festival

07.2015 - 05.2016
Geozone

01.2015 - 02.2015
Visual Artist

05.2015-07.2015
Web Designer

11.2015 - 08.2016
Website designer

12.2016 - 10.2017
 Bunch Floral

08.2015
Printmaker and Textile Artist
Maker Spotlight

09.2016 - 02.2017
Jewelry Maker

06.2015-08.2015
Freerange Press & Te Pūtahi

07.2016 - 09.2016
Anteater

04.2017-05.2017
Become a Creative Giant

08.2014 - 02.2015
Fab Lab

04.2015 - 12.2015
Charles Hannah Art & Design

08.2014
Sculpture and Installation Artist

11.2015 - 01.2017
Writer and Quilt maker

08.2014 - 10.2014
Festival of Transitional Architecture

07.2015 -01.2016
Aotearoa Digital Arts

03.2016 - 5.2016
Painter

09.2014 - 05.2015  
Studio Christchurch

11.2014
Artist - The Social

10.2016 - 04.2017
Takahe Marketing & Design

02.2015 - 05.2015
Artist

03.2015 - 04.2015
Painter

12.2017 - 06.2017
Photographer

09.2016
Jewelry Maker

08.2014
Greening the Rubble

Julian Vares
08.2014
Director and Cinematographer

11.2015 - 05.2016
Leadbetter Carr Architects

07.2017
Painter & Tattoo Artist

09.2016
Dancer & Choreographer
ZeroGravity&Co

Lifestyle Photographer based in Lyttelton

Instagram | website | facebook

I do paintings and am currently working on a portfolio of tattoo designs for a tattoo studio in Christchurch to secure my apprenticeship.

A lot of my Paintings and Tattoo designs are primarily Black and Grey, and I draw my inspiration from many different topics Including Greek, Roman and Norse Mythology, Oriental Culture such as Japanese and Chinese culture, Anime, Manga and surrealism as well realistic images. I can also work in colour and am quite flexible with different styles of art.

Instagram

06.2018
Graphic Designer // Illustrator
website | @kophie | @future_nz

“I love getting my hands dirty in any creative outlet.

I have worked on many projects usually with an environmental or political motivation.

Currently I am working on a sustainable street wear brand Future Apparel that uses waste and by products of fast fashion to create new commodities. Aside from art and design I love to explore Aotearoa, practice yoga and drink coffee ;-)” - Kophie

Hi artists of Xchc! I’m Lou (she/her), currently working as an Art teacher at Hagley College. I grew up in Chch, then moved back 3 years ago and I’m so excited to have joined [this] creative community! I mostly paint, walls and canvas or anything I can find, often swinging toward the surreal/visionary style but forever changing :)

I really love to sew, to create and add and alter. I'm still learning techniques and tidy sewing skills but I love to play with fabric and textures. Especially velvet!

I'm really interested in resource recovery, upcycling, how to create something functional and beautiful from what would otherwise be thrown away.

One of my favourite forms of creative expression is movement and I really love fire spinning.

I also hold connection as a really valuable creative tool in my life. Learning to openly connect with trust and compassion in every moment. Not sure where I found this quote but I like it, "creativity; is about the life we navigate. One courageous choice at a time."

So many creative outlets that I want to explore, but for now I'm really grateful to have settled in a supportive space. Giving myself time to creatively nourish my bones and also do the important thing of figuring out how to financially support myself in a way that is sustainable and gives me joy.

Photographer
website
instagram
facebook

Joss is an innovator in his approach to developing his music career and brand VOID SOUND. He’s progressed from mixing to organizing some of Ōtautahi’s best nightlife events that feature emerging artists in music, visuals, and installation-based work.

He has performed and sound engineered at festivals around Aotearoa and produced a number of new multi-genre events such as Slow Motion (downtempo), Matters of the Heart (organica), Sustain Release (techno & breaks), and has worked directly with some of the top electronic music producers in NZ such as Paige Julia and Sanoi.

He is a core member of the Mary Hush collective producing intentional and immersive nightlife events and band-member of BEACON BLOOM

MIXCLOUD | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK

Sophie Angelica is a multidisciplinary artist from Ōtautahi, specialising in sculpture and illustration. With meticulous attention to detail and intricate pen work, Angelica draws from patterns of movement and form observed in the natural world. Her vast and elaborate inkscapes consider the temporality of all life, weaving together visual sanctuaries for the mind.

Angelica’s practice identifies storytelling as one of the most crucial tools available at our fingertips; not only does it provide us with an intrinsic understanding of our pasts but also with intuitive solutions on how to move forward. The rites of passage witnessed and thresholds transversed within the liminal architecture constructed by our stories enables a holistic understanding of not only what it is to be human, but also what it is to be a small but inextricable link in the cyclical ways of the natural world.

WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | EMAIL

Edward is a digital artist and developer from Ōtautahi. His primary creative output is reactive visual systems for music events - virtual worlds that react to music and can be controlled during a performance. He is also an experienced technology developer with a degree and experience with app/web design & development along with a range of other technologies.

After working for a year at TASKA then taking time off, he has moved back home and into the exchange to focus on turning his wide array of skills into sustainable & gratifying self-employment.

INSTAGRAM | WEBSITE

Ōtautahi based Tattoo Artist with 12 years of experience practicing in Australia and owning Tattoo shops in Perth, Phillip Island & Bali.

“I recently moved back to NZ to be closer to whanau and on a mission to bring my brand of super bright colour work and love for all things Nerdy to the NZ Tattoo scene and possibly help bring a bit more light and legitimacy to this amazing industry that has given me so much freedom.

I also have a real passion for helping talented artists (not just Tattoo Artists) find a way to get out of the rat race and start making a healthy living off something that they love to do. Ive coached several artists who have now gone on to be successful full-time practitioners; a few now own their own Tattoo Shops.”

Robbi Carvalho is a visual storyteller who celebrates the feminine.

Her career as an architect and jewelry designer has refined her look and technique, but it is in painting that she feels free.

Robbi is Brazilian, lived in Portugal, Angola and chose Aotearoa as her home. The women she portrays tell us that there is something intimate and silent that unites them, no matter where they come from or where they go.

Her art invites you to a meditative dive. An encounter with your intuition and more subtle energies, where nature cares and heals.

SHOP | INSTAGRAM | WEBSITE | FACEBOOK

With a background in ecosystem service valuation (provision of great quality and quantity of water, soil, air) through spatial analysis (satellite data). T.R. comes from Colorado in the United States to Christchurch for a PhD in Environmental Economics.

Having developed various decentralized organizations (DAOs) and been alongside cryptocurrency people like Charged Particles, Giveth and NFTP presenting thoughts and ideas, they are very open to new ideas. In their youth they created found-object statues and did art shows with artists that helped to co create the central statues of burning man some years.

Brand new to the New Zealand scene, they are here to learn and collaborate with artists and other open-minded people in envisioning new economic realities that truly embody what we believe in (environmental and social justice).