@tekawariart
Ngāti Ranginui, Hamoa
As a talented Junior Artist at the studio, Te Kawari brings a vibrant enthusiastic energy and a profound respect for heritage to his practice as a Tā Moko and Tatau practitioner.
Proudly of Māori and Samoan descent and raised in the Bay of Plenty, with his whānau based in Te Puna, Te Kawari is deeply grounded in Te Ao Māori and firmly connected to his wider Polynesian roots. Drawing was his very first passion, and he views creativity as his greatest purpose in life—a devotion that shines through in his striking, culturally blended designs.
Te Kawari’s ultimate mission is to grow not just as an artist, but as a master storyteller, intentionally creating custom pieces that hold deep meaning, individual identity, and mana for everyone who wears them. Learning alongside our senior masters, he offers a culturally rich, welcoming space for clients ready to wear their cultural stories on their skin.
"My goal is to grow not just as an artist, but as a storyteller — creating pieces that hold meaning, identity, and mana for those who wear them."
