Artwork designed by talented New Zealand artists

Aotearoa is home to some talented, clever and creative souls who are carving out their own space in the world. From traditional Maori art to contemporary street art, New Zealand has a vibrant and dynamic arts scene.

At PieceHouse, we prioritise supporting local artists who create unique works of art. We have carefully curated some talented artists out there doing their thing and representing NZ in their respective artistic fields.

Bonnie Brown

Created Oasis Found

Wellington-based artist and illustrator Bonnie loves using bright colours and bold shapes to communicate joy, nostalgia and fun. Since founding Studio Bon in 2018, Bonnie has worked with a number of global brands on everything from advertising campaigns to magazine covers and limited-edition packaging.

Nikki Astwood

Created Shaken & Stirred

Nikki produces unique and innovative still life product photography. While Nikki's inspiration comes from many places, colour plays a leading role, along with nature, art, fashion and architecture. She loves to keep it playful while creating unique and exciting scenes.

Kelly Spencer

Created Golden Hour

Kelly has a passion for travel and sunshine. Her creative style is characterised by bright fresh colour palettes and curvaceous forms, meticulously handcrafted lettering, and illustrative elements of flora and fauna. Kelly’s work often serves as a platform to promote the conservation of our natural environment while her creative career gives her the freedom to travel and work for clients around the world.

Laura Shallcrass

Created Flourish

Laura creates artwork for publishing, packaging and editorial using gouache, oil graphite and digital media. Creating both words and imagery gives Laura’s work a unique ambience, with each talent complementing the other. Thematically her work spans mental health, environmental preservation and female power.

Finn Gerry Wilson

Created Classic As

Finn has used many materials to create his art, from skate decks to surfboards, recycled car doors, walls and traditional canvas, but what remains consistent is his unique point of view. Drawing inspiration from street and skate culture, Finn throws in his own twist, often giving us the unexpected, which is where the magic happens.

Hope McConnell

Created Ladies Who Lunch

Hope has held a paintbrush in her hand since the age of two and now applies her creativity to the design industry. Hope believes the role of illustration and design is to bring visual goodness to others, and that’s her goal with every piece of work she produces. Renowned and recognisable for her bold colours, Hope is inspired by fashion, food and loved ones.

Allan Wrath

Created Day For It

A masterful mixer of strong conceptual, compositional, typographic and illustrative elements, Allan has drawn, painted and printed his quirky expressions of positivity on every conceivable and legally available surface. Inspired by clean and simple living, people are drawn to his idiosyncratic marriage of coolness and clear communication.

Julia Murray

Created Reclaimed

With her work appearing on book covers to beer cans for clients likeHarper Collins, Huffer and Garage Project, Julia’s passion for typography flourished when she integrated it into her graphic design. Julia’s work uses colour in a playful way and her creations have a sense of endearing femininity.

Maria Francesca Melis

Created Serenity

Bright pop colour palettes, vintage 60s and 70s designs, Victorian botanical prints and medieval iconography are all ingredients in Francesca’s work, as she celebrates vivid memories of her childhood, spent in close contact with nature and animals. The incorporation of Sardinian decorative art honours the rich cultural heritage of her island homeland.

Greg Straight

Created Our Backyard

Renowned for his confident and ‘kiwi cool’ aesthetic, Greg’s nostalgic and retro artworks are recognisable by their bright hues, simple geometric shapes and sense of fun. A keen surfer, Greg’s artwork explores all corners of Aotearoa, capturing quintessential moments in time like summer roadies, riding bikes, hitting the waves and hanging out at the beach.

Marcus Watson

Created Emporium

Marcus holds a reputation as one of New Zealand’s most talented creative individuals, creating works that are funky, fun and space-defining. His wildly creative and bold illustrations explore traditional motifs within a modern setting and can be viewed in some of Auckland’s coolest businesses. Not content to stay within the boundaries of one style, Marcus constantly evolves his visually compelling pieces and range of mediums.

Cris Pliego

Created Sunday Bunch

Residing in New Zealand, Mexican illustrator Cris expresses her love for texture across watercolour, gouache, acrylic, and digital mediums. Drawing inspiration from her explorations of nature and her global travels, Cris creates vibrant artwork that infuses a sense of enchantment into everyday life, items and surroundings.

Lisa Nicole Moes

Created Greetings From

Artist and graphic designer Lisa specialises in highly polished photorealistic paintings and picturesque colour illustrations reminiscent of 1950s printed travel posters. Her work blends considered composition, technical competence and refined painting skills that embody the authentic connections she makes with the locations represented.

Anna Evans

Created Electric Bloom

Artist Anna creates vivid paintings inspired by nature, brought to life through a colour field of gradients and shapes. An all-round creative, Anna’s passion is painting, her profession is design and illustration, and her exploration is ceramics. Her work focuses on colour, form and her own surreal relationship with the surrounding landscape.

Emma Peers

Created Blossom Lane

Artist Emma is passionate about creating quirky illustrations using colour and botanicals with a strong sense of femininity. Emma enjoys experimenting with different mixed media including acrylic and oils and drawing inspiration from the female form and florals.

Mokshini

Created Poolside

Artist residing in Brooklyn, New York, Mokshini is a creative force known for her vibrant and diverse expressions across various disciplines. Mokshini finds inspiration in urban landscapes and quirky personalities, infusing her artwork with wit and sophistication. One common thread seen throughout is that she loves to create relatable imagery that is joyous and uplifting.

FAQ

What factors do you consider when creating a puzzle design in collaboration with artists?

Our puzzle designs prioritise details, which contribute to a challenging yet enjoyable puzzle experience. We encourage pops of colour and contrast, avoiding blocks of colour or empty space, to captivate our customers. Our goal is to produce puzzles of medium difficulty that strike a balance between challenging and engaging.

What kind of art styles do your artists typically create?

Our artists create a wide range of styles, from traditional to contemporary, abstract to representational, and everything in between. We strive to feature a diverse selection of artwork in our puzzles to cater to different tastes and preferences.

Can you walk us through your collaboration process with New Zealand artists, from concept to completion?

We connect with the artist and provide them with a brief that allows them to fully express their artistry. While we provide some guidance, the artists retain creative freedom to create a puzzle design that is true to their unique style. Once the artwork is completed, we work with the artist to finalise box colours and puzzle names. We celebrate the artist's creations and spread awareness of their work through blog posts and social media features.

Can you provide more information about the artists you work with, such as their backgrounds and inspirations?

We aim to showcase both emerging and established local artists in our puzzles, with varied backgrounds and inspirations. You can find more information about each artist we feature in their profile links above, including their bio, portfolio, and social media links.

Do you only work with artists from New Zealand, or do you collaborate with international artists as well?

While our focus is primarily on featuring New Zealand artists, we are open to collaborating with international artists whose artwork aligns with our brand, values and design aesthetic.

Can I suggest an artist I would like to see featured?

Absolutely! We welcome suggestions from our customers and are always interested in discovering new artists who would make great puzzle designs. Please feel free to contact us with your suggestions.

Do you provide any opportunities for customers to connect with the artists directly?

We don't currently offer direct connections with the artists, however feel free to connect with them on social media, you can follow their links on their product or blog pages through the links in their profiles.

How do you decide which artist's work to feature in your puzzles for each release?

We carefully curate our selection of artists and choose those whose artwork we believe would translate well into puzzle form and appeal to our customers. We also aim to feature a diverse range of artists and styles in each puzzle release to offer a varied selection for our customers.

Can I purchase the artwork of the featured artist separately, outside of the puzzle format?

We don't currently offer the artwork of the featured artist for sale separately, as our collaboration is based on the creation of just the puzzle design. However, we encourage customers to visit the artist's website or social media pages to view their other artwork and consider supporting them in that way.

How can I collaborate as an artist with you?

We warmly welcome new artists and the opportunity to share with you our passion for puzzles and explore how we can collaborate to bring your artistic vision to life.