mini传媒

Rita Angus

Fine Arts 1933

Considered one of the leading figures in twentieth century New Zealand art, Rita Angus was a committed feminist and pacifist with her world view deeply entwined within her work. A pioneer of modern painting and perhaps聽best known for her oil and watercolour portraits and artworks depicting Central Otago, Rita began her artist journey studying at the mini传媒 College School of Art. Before becoming a working artist, she worked as a teacher, and illustrator for The Press. 鈥淎s a woman painter, I work to represent love of humanity and faith in mankind in a world, which is to me, richly viable and infinitely beautiful鈥�.聽

Sir Derek Lardelli KNZM

DipT聽1986, BFA 1986, MFA 2009

Sir Derek聽Lardelli聽(Ng膩ti聽Porou, Rongowhakaata) is regarded as one of Aotearoa New Zealand鈥檚 pre-eminent聽Maori聽Artists. A leader in the revival of聽t膩聽moko, he is also a聽kapahaka聽exponent, composer, designer, keeper of oral and written histories and an exceptional orator. He composed the聽All Blacks聽haka Kapa O Pango. Based in Gisborne, as Professor Ahorangi at聽Toihoukura, School of M膩ori Visual Arts he has championed successful outcomes using M膩ori learning principles.聽 In 2004 he received a NZ Arts Foundation Laureate, and amongst other awards and distinctions, Sir Derek was Knighted in 2020 for services to M膩ori Arts.

Dame Ngaio Marsh DBE

LittD 1962

A writer during the 鈥榞olden age鈥� of detective fiction聽Dame聽Ngaio聽Marsh,聽known聽as one of the 鈥楺ueens of Crime鈥�,聽is聽perhaps best known for her 32 novels about London detective, Inspector Roderick Alleyn.聽Her great passion was theatre, and her modernised production of聽Hamlet,聽performed by聽what is聽now known as聽DramaSoc, was met with acclaim聽鈥撀爈eading聽her to form a travelling聽student theatre company.聽Ngaio was appointed聽a Dame聽in 1966 for services to the arts.聽Her legacy is alive with聽the Ngaio Marsh Award being聽presented聽annually for the聽best New Zealand mystery, crime and thriller fiction,听补苍诲听with聽the theatre in Haere-Roa (UCSA building)聽also聽being聽named聽in her honour.

Gavin Bishop ONZM

DipFA聽1967, Teacher鈥檚 College Diploma (Distinction)聽1968, DipFA (Hons) 1968, DEd聽2016

A children鈥檚聽picture book聽author and artist聽of international and local reputation, Gavin Bishop has successfully published 70 books that have been聽translated into twelve languages, earning him聽numerous awards聽鈥� including the Kingi Ihaka Award in 2018 and the Prime Minister鈥檚 Award in 2019.聽His distinctive ink and watercolour illustrations聽have seen Gavin shortlisted for聽NZ book awards more times than any other author of any kind.聽A guest lecturer at the Rhode Island School of Design in 1996, he is widely travelled and has been a guest author and speaker through UNESCO in Japan, China, Indonesia and the USA.聽In 2013 Gavin was appointed an Officer of the Order of Merit of New Zealand.

Teddy Rhodes

BCom 1990

Quickly establishing an international career on both the opera stage and concert platform, bass-baritone Teddy Tahu Rhodes has always had a love for music and performance. Crediting his years at UC as pivotal in setting him on the path to a career in music, Teddy has since performed in international opera companies across the United States, Europe and the UK. Throughout his career, Teddy has taken home an ARIA Award, two Helpmann Awards, the Limelight Award, a Green Room Award plus a MO Award (Operatic Performer of the Year). When looking at past productions and opportunities, Teddy reveals it is, 鈥淎 humbling experience; to be a small part of the history of a piece of music and theatre.鈥�

Allen Curnow ONZ CBE

尝颈迟迟顿听1975

Recognised as one of the most influential and defining voices of New Zealand literature in the 20th聽century, Allen Curnow鈥檚 reputation as a poet and author stands to this day. Between 1937 and 1988, he published 2250 satirical (and very topical) verses in聽罢丑别听笔谤别蝉蝉听补苍诲听The New Zealand Herald, under the penname 鈥榃him Wham鈥�. Alongside his satire, Allen published 21 volumes of poems, seven of which received New Zealand鈥檚 annual Book Award for Poetry. Awarded the Commonwealth Poetry Prize in 1988, the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry in 1989 and the聽Cholmondley聽Award in 1992, Allen was also appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1986 and to the Order of New Zealand in 1990.

Photo credit: Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections: 34-81 (Clifton Firth)

Doreen Blumhardt ONZ DNZM CBE

Christchurch Training College 1939

A passionate ceramist and arts educator, Dame Doreen Blumhardt was one of the most important figures in聽New Zealand鈥檚 arts and crafts world.聽In 1957 she was one of 15 potters invited to show in New Zealand鈥檚 first national pottery exhibition, before co-founding the聽New Zealand Potter Magazine聽in 1958.聽Widely exhibited and聽in聽a life crowded with achievement, Doreen used her role in the New Zealand arts community聽to聽create聽the聽Blumhardt Foundation聽in 2003,聽supporting听补苍诲听nurturing聽the collection and development of craft/object art in NZ.聽In 2007, Doreen was聽made a member of New Zealand鈥檚 highest honour, the Order of New Zealand.

Dame Louise Henderson DBE

DipFA 1931

Born in France,聽Dame聽Louise聽Henderson聽emigrated and settled in mini传媒 when she was 23 years聽old.聽Relishing the freedom and opportunities afforded to her here,聽Louise was attracted to the natural and urban landscapes she is still known for depicting today.聽By the mid-20th聽century, Louise was聽disrupting聽the arts scene in Aotearoa by utilising a distinctively international and modernist style.聽Well-travelled, Louise painted throughout the world including back in her native France, Lebanon and Iraq. She was an active painter well into her eighties and a聽year before her death in 1994, she was appointed聽a Dame (DBE)聽for聽her services to art.