Hand Painted Pacific Island Cultural patterns, motifs and designs in contemporary form.
TUSIATA PASEFIKA ART
Contemporary Modern Pacifica Art
Tusiata Pasefika Art uses a culmination of traditional and cultural patterns, motifs, and designs portraying a more contemporary modern Pacifica presentation of these cultural designs. A variety of mediums are used spanning from hardboard to canvas while using acrylic and enamel based paints to create these paintings.I hope you enjoy viewing the items on my site as much as I have enjoyed creating them.
CONTACT
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MY INSPIRATION
Although I was born in Samoa, I was raised in New Zealand all of my life. My parents migrated to New Zealand in the late 1960’s after I was born.Lived in Wellington up to 12 years old then we moved to Palmerston North at the beginning of 1980. I spent two years in high school then dropped out. Although I was Samoan, I couldn’t understand or speak the language or culture. After working a few months in a contract job, I had the opportunity to become a sign writing apprenticeship, I loved this job and to this day I have continued to keep this skill and passion alive.
I moved my young family back to Samoa in 2004 and after a few months I fell in love with the place. I started to see where, how, and who my parents had become from seeing, experiencing and living the life in Samoa.I opened a sign business in Apia and quickly grew to a success to which I moved on from after two years running it. I found a niche market in the tourism sector that allowed me to venture into painting tourist art for the industry. I exhibited during two Pasefika Events and managed to have commissioned works for local business people while supplying artwork for a local tourist boutique.
I found my love and passion in Samoa for painting pacific island patterns, motifs and designs. I have truly loved and enjoyed this journey but have kept most of my work private since moving back to New Zealand in 2010.
This is my passion and life!!
I tend to paint most of my Pacifica patterns, motifs, and designs in white for this reason.
The ‘white’ represents the purity of Samoan Culture and Traditions. Used in its proper function within the family, village, and community, it has an underlying strength that commands respect, unity, and love. The patterns represent the different villages, people, our history, and most of all who we are.I liken this to how we as a people have lived and survived throughout the years while being ruled over, beaten, killed and taken advantage of.
I paint these ‘White’ patterns, motifs, and designs with a great sense of pride knowing that what our small island nation has achieved throughout the years and the great people who have represented our Samoa on the world stage.
I am truly PROUD to be Samoan!!