Wendy Naepflin

Wendy is a full time harakeke (NZ flax) weaver and avid forager. She loves to let the harakeke inspire her as part of her art making process. Many of her original pieces reflect her passion for our natural world and she tries to use as many natural resources as possible.

Wendy’s weaving skills were learnt on marae in the north over the last 13 years, and that tikanga grounds her today. She has a traditional slant to her weaving, studying Maori art and design and learning to carve has greatly influenced her work, but she also finds it exciting to explore and create in a contemporary style.

Through being a full time kairaranga (full time weaver) she has found her creativity and is the most happy when she is in her paa harakeke (flax area) caring for her 40+ bushes.

Attending the bi-annual international artist gathering of CollaboratioNZ 2017-2023 and also bringing her skills to a similar Collaboration week in Canada has opened her creativity to other artists and their mediums. There sheI learnt to free herself and look outside her chosen medium.  So she now also creates with pottery, wood and any other natural resources she can lay her hands on.

Wendy’s work can be found in galleries and shops in Northland and at special art events, also in collections in Switzerland, UK, The States and Canada. You can follow her at www.AllFlax.nz,  www.Facebook.com/AllFlax