Gisborne Herald
  • Gisborne Herald Home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport

Locations

  • Gisborne
  • Bay of Plenty
  • Hawke's Bay

Media

  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Gisborne

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Gisborne Herald / Lifestyle

From hobby to side hustle

Gisborne Herald
17 Mar, 2023 12:52 PMQuick Read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

MANDALA DAYS: Artist and barista Jordan Robertson started her art as a hobby but it is quickly taking over the walls at Peel St Cafe. Picture by Rebecca Grunwell

MANDALA DAYS: Artist and barista Jordan Robertson started her art as a hobby but it is quickly taking over the walls at Peel St Cafe. Picture by Rebecca Grunwell

Behind the coffee machine at Peel St Cafe is not just a quality barista but also a talented artist.

By day Jordan Robertson makes coffee to fuel the city but in her downtime she creates the art that decorates the cafe walls.

“I have been painting my whole life as a hobby. In high school I really got into it. I’ve always done it in my spare time for something to do,” Jordan says.

Each piece takes around 12 hours to finish.

“I wasn’t trying to sell them. It’s just an outlet for me.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

“Then I asked the boss if I could put some pieces up and he said, ‘go for it’.

“There’s been a lot of interest which is awesome. I’ve got a few commission pieces to do from customers that have come in.”

Each pattern has no specific focus, Jordan says. Instead, the art shows itself on the canvas.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

“I don’t know what I’m doing until it’s finished.

“When it comes to my art, I never put pressure on myself because I enjoy it so much. If I’m not feeling like I want to do it, I don’t.”

Making art is a form of relaxation for Jordan and it just happens the finished product is something people want to buy.

“I find it therapeutic. It is the only time I’m in my zone and not thinking about anything apart from what is on the canvas.”

Jordan is from Australia and a nod to her homeland can be seen in many of her pieces.

“With the dot work I guess there’s a bit of Aboriginal influence. It’s something I grew up admiring.”

With Jordan’s art disappearing from the walls, her boss says she will need to get busy painting.

Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

Latest from Lifestyle

Gisborne Herald

Here come our hotsteppers: Gisborne's 98 Cents to compete at worlds

26 Jun 04:30 AM
Premium
Letters to the Editor

Letters: isite relocation, $190,000 playground renewal

20 Jun 05:00 PM
Lifestyle

Ice Block winter rave returns to Smash Palace

19 Jun 10:57 PM

Kaibosh gets a clean-energy boost in the fight against food waste

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Lifestyle

Here come our hotsteppers: Gisborne's 98 Cents to compete at worlds

Here come our hotsteppers: Gisborne's 98 Cents to compete at worlds

26 Jun 04:30 AM

Victory at nationals means place in Team NZ for Hip Hope Unite World Champs.

Premium
Letters: isite relocation, $190,000 playground renewal

Letters: isite relocation, $190,000 playground renewal

20 Jun 05:00 PM
Ice Block winter rave returns to Smash Palace

Ice Block winter rave returns to Smash Palace

19 Jun 10:57 PM
Meet the $80,000 record Hereford bull coming to Gisborne

Meet the $80,000 record Hereford bull coming to Gisborne

18 Jun 04:00 AM
Engage and explore one of the most remote places on Earth in comfort and style
sponsored

Engage and explore one of the most remote places on Earth in comfort and style

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Gisborne Herald
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Gisborne Herald
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP