A Growing Archive
A Growing Archive
Embedded Files
Every mission starts with a few foundational moments: the things, the places, or the people that change how you see the world. For me, the Life of Tai project isn't just about the art or conservation; it's about connecting the history, the environment, and the people part of my journey. This Archive is where I keep research, maps, and personal moments that helped and inspired me along the way. It’s the behind-the-scenes look at the data inspired my art and my conservation efforts. I'm starting with a couple of sections here
Collective Sparkle: A sustainability day through work, learning about tourism positive actions, and collective responsibility.
Bridge to Art: An assignment that showed me how throughout the years urbanization impacted the peninsula where I live.
Collective Spark
Collective Spark
While New Zealand prepared to welcome tourists back post-COVID, I attended a workplace Sustainability Day that truly resonated with me. With over 20 years of experience in the travel industry, I have lived across four continents, and my travels have taken me to nearly 50 countries across six continents. I was even fortunate enough to see a small portion of the vast white expanse of Antarctica during an overflight (QF63 for the win!). Seeing the world from so many perspectives has led me to realize the connection between everything and everyone, as well as the significant impact humans have on the planet.
These journeys provided clarity to the impact we have on the world. I’ve always tried to 'become the local' wherever I go, a practice rooted in Regenerative Tourism. To me, travel isn't just about seeing a place, it's about ensuring our presence leaves the community and the environment better than we found them.
That perspective fundamentally changed on this specific day. I was introduced to the Māori concept of Kaitiakitanga (guardianship), which profoundly emphasized our deep responsibility to the natural world. That was the paradigm shift, I realised I could be doing so much more right here at home by becoming a regenerative citizen. I already had all the ingredients: a hobby of painting, a passion for native animal, fauna and flora, my regular beach walks and visits to Auckland Regional parks, and the knowledge & awareness I could be making a positive difference. I made some small, decisive tweaks: I became a volunteer at my local park to protect the native environment, and I decided to use the ocean pollution I found as part of my art medium to help raise awareness of the impact humans are making. This commitment to collective action and local guardianship became the spark that ignited both the Toxic Tide Transformative Art Project and the Seize the Tide Conservation Movement.
My hope is simple: that sharing this journey helps just one person to pause, rethink pollution, or be inspired to create their own ripple effect.
Bridge to Art
Part of the archives, this student research project became the Prequel for Toxic Tide and Seize the Tide, my conservation movements. I’ve always felt that if you want to solve a problem, you first have to understand how it got broken. That means knowing the history and the proportion. A few years back during my studies for a land surveying project, I used Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to map the historical growth of the Whangaparāoa area. My goal was simple: to visually demonstrate how rapid urban development literally changed the ground we stand on. Seeing the land transform over the years was an eye-opener.
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