By Jodi Bryant
The Northland Arts Centre opens its doors today, making a Whangarei mum's dream a reality.
Julia Tapp returned to Whangarei last year and, with husband Jason, has created a space in central Whangarei offering art, craft and performance classes, as well as grief classes to help with healing.
Julia is an internationally award-winning artist 17 times over, specialising in photo realism via air brushing, particularly custom portraiture. Her canvas' also include vehicles, faces and bodies, shoes and handbags, to name a few and, as well as portraits, her subject range includes wildlife, fantasy and classical.
Julia and her musician husband previously ran a performance school so the centre will also offer lessons in rainbow and black light poi - leading onto fire dancing, music and singing.
Julia plans to hold grief classes once a month and, while she says she is not a trained therapist, she is qualified as both an artist and teacher and has the personal experience to prove that art can help overcome grief.
The couple lost their three-year-old autistic son in a horrific accident several years ago and believe his passing has gifted them the strength to help other families living with grief and special needs.
"My vision is to provide a safe place where people can learn, express and create and deal or help heal from any grief or barrier that they might be facing. We have found so much healing in the arts, we want to share this passion with the community."
Her classes, accommodating ten, cater for school holiday programmes, night classes, teens and youth – 'They can pimp their own sneakers or skateboard decks', students with disabilities and the elderly. Many of the classes are at a reduced rate or free, funded by the custom art classes. A merchandise shop at the front, also helps sustain the art centre, and provides resources used in the classes, many of which are imported.
However, Julia is a fan of upcycling – her shop at 10 John St is adorned with creations she has made from egg cartons and light shades, to name a few – and she encourages donations.
"I get donations of buttons, string, all sorts. There's no specific list we can make art out of."
The Tapps are now at the end of their personal funding and require another $10,000 to finish their dream. They are hoping for back-up funding from organisations and donations and have set up a crowdfunding page to give the centre its final boost (Givealittle: N.Z child loss support & creative arts therapy).
Another exciting plan in the pipeline is to bring the 'Feeling Fab' Auckland pamper days for those suffering loss or abuse, to Whangarei.
"I was one of the ones being pampered and now I'm on the voluntaring crew," says Julia. "I am working with the Auckland team to make this happen as an addition to the arts and grief centre and free to the community.
"It is a big vision but big visions become reality with a little support. I have trained for this (arts centre) for eight years now and it's our moment to shine and show the world that, no matter what happens, you can overcome it and rise above the challenge."