Wellington-based artist Hikurangi Edwards (Ngāruahine, Ngāti Porou, Te Whānau-Ā-Apanui & Ngāpuhi) has developed a truly special artistic voice through a technique she refers to as mahi whakairo peita, a modern evolution of whakairo (carving). This unique technique sees her hand-carving traditional Māori designs into layers of paint, bringing the traditional art of whakairo into contemporary form.

Hikurangi's work tells deep, ancestral stories drawn from her rich whakapapa. Her Te Heke series narrates ancestral migration paths, while works featuring atua Māori like Tāne-te-waiora and Hinetūparimaunga connect us to histories both remembered and revived.

Continuing to balance her professional role, family life with her husband and two young boys, alongside her creative practice. Hikurangi carves out time, and paint to share her art and stories with the world.