Tracey Huxford
"I feel honoured to have attained these skills and feel obliged to pass this knowledge on to those willing to learn. Weaving is an artform that expresses my heritage, culture and all that is special to me."
Tribal Affiliation: Te Atiawa, Ngati Tama hapu
Tracey began weaving eighteen years ago, under the watchful eye of her mentor Hereke Jenkins, a member of the Kapiti Weavers, based in Paraparaumu in the North Island of New Zealand.
As a young teenager, Tracey felt compelled to learn how to weave as no one from her family had followed in their Great Nanny Ngawati Morehu's weaving footsteps. "I feel honoured to have attained these skills and feel obliged to pass this knowledge on to those willing to learn. Weaving is an artform that expresses my heritage, culture and all that is special to me."
Since 1995, Tracey has devoted her time to teaching and developing recognised qualification standards for weaving at Te Kokiri Development Consultancy Incorporated, based in Levin.
Tracey's designs are based on traditional weaving techniques and patterns, which she has developed into a contemporary form and style. The materials she uses in her art works include: harakeke (flax), muka (prepared flax fibre), kiekie (a climbing plant), pingao (sedge grass), feathers, non-traditional twines, cords, jute, metallic sheeting, recycled wood, traditional and non-traditional dyes, and paua (abalone) shell.
Tracey continues to explore her artistic ability, by creating artworks using colour and experimenting with different weaving media, patterns, techniques and Maori artforms. Recently she has worked on collaborative works incorporating Maori wood carving and pottery with her weaving.
Tracey Huxford is a licensed user of toi iho™, a registered trade mark used to promote and sell authentic, quality Maori arts and crafts.
Links
Tracey Huxford artist profile on the toi iho™ website.