Funnily enough, it all started with an after work trip to the beach… two university students who met working retail over summer and found that they had lots in common.
Many years later, Elisabeth and Ryan still have lots in common… and a few things they like to do differently. For example, Ryan likes to make art inspired by coastal landscapes, while Elisabeth likes to draw birds.
These days trips to the long sandy beaches of Pegasus Bay have been replaced by blustery promenades on the beaches around Te Whanganui-a-Tara, and we now call the hills overlooking Te Awakairangi home. Perfect really, as our garden is full of native manu and we can see the sea from our couch (at least, on a good day we can, when we’re not ensconced in clouds).
About our art
Elisabeth
Illustrator and textile designer
I developed a love of fabric at a young age, and I’ve never quite stopped playing with it. When we bought our house, it came with a workroom, and suddenly my hobby had turned into a business, and I become known as “The Sewphist”.
For the first few years I obsessively acquired fabric to use in my products, but gradually realised that I needed to be using fabrics that no-one else had. So I revived my long abandoned drawing skills, and relaunched my products using my own fabric designs. These days my work is a celebration of the beautiful native and endemic species we have here in Aotearoa, with the occasional foray into florals and whimsy.
I sign my art under my own family name, Elisabeth Witbrock, continuing a tradition started by my mother who was also an artist.
Ryan
Illustrator and photographer
I love getting outdoors and taking photos of the New Zealand landscape. Sometimes a photo will spark an idea for an illustration. My work is available as prints and a select range of giftware through Bird and Beach.
