An interview with the artist...

How did Fibreactive begin?

I made some tuatara as Christmas presents one year, and people started asking me to make more. Eventually I had enough for a stall at the Nelson market and we sold everything on the first day. It was a bit of a shock actually, because I realised it was about to change from a hobby to something more serious.

Several galleries around the country sell your work now don't they?

A few gallery owners approached us at the market, and the rest has been word of mouth. We exhibit at shows sometimes.

Which creature is your biggest seller?

The kiwi sells best but we have been very interested to find that every gallery has a different preference, so the sales are fairly evenly spread. New Zealanders tend to buy the weta - everyone has had a weta experience it seems, and we hear some funny stories!

The kiwi is very cute - I bet it is popular.

Well, a kiwi made from harakeke is about as "kiwi" as it gets really isn't it! A lot of them have gone overseas, purchased by travellers who want an authentic reminder of their holiday in NZ. Several get sent to New Zealanders overseas as a reminder of home, particularly at Christmas time.

Is there any problem with taking them into other countries?

No, no problem at all - they are in 22 countries that we know of. We have contacted as many embassies as we can think of, and they all accept them. Only Australia requires them to be declared as "treated fibre". They are very light for posting too.

Why flax?

We were travelling around the South Island and had become stranded by a slip on the West Coast. We wanted to make a gift for some locals who had helped us out. My partner Kaye showed me how to make harakeke flowers and we made a big bunch for them - the minute I started working with flax I knew it was the next medium I wanted to explore.

What other materials have you worked with?

I've just started working with copper, which I am enjoying. I have done a lot of painting, stone sculpture, and I've worked with wood in lots of different ways. I see art in anything natural. I'm also a keen gardener and I get lots of inspiration from plants and the trees and the creatures that live amongst them.

Is that where the idea came from for your flax creatures?

Absolutely. I constantly want to re-create what I see in the bush and in our garden. I enjoy the challenge of making them look as realistic as possible, with plenty of artistic license of course!

Do you have another question for the artist?