What led you to pursue a career as a curator?
My dad is an artist and my mum is an art sociologist, and there's that Mitchell-Anyon arts link. I guess it was just how I lived.
It was the most obvious choice to pursue as a career, I guess. I saw a show at the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery when I was around 14 and it blew my mind.
I just thought 'I don't want to make this, but I can definitely make exhibitions like this happen'.
Curating is a bit of a practice like an artist, but it's slightly different in that you make shows as opposed to works of art.
Do you create art yourself?
I did a summer school with an artist called Alexis Hunter, and she said my paintings were a little bit too naive.
That was when I stopped painting, at around the age of 15. Now I've gone through art education - it (naivety) isn't necessarily a bad thing but I didn't know that at the time.
I think it's kind of funny now, and I'm much happier being a curator than an artist.
Do you think Whanganui's art scene is thriving?
We've already had a strong scene, and one that reinvests in its artists to continually keep that going.
That's what people recognise Whanganui for - its strong art scene. We have a major infrastructure to support it too, from the Sarjeant to the art school.
All the art departments at high schools used to get top grades in NCEA as well. All that stuff is encouraged.
How do you think Whanganui has changed since you were young?
I feel like the arts are being used more as our image, and that's a major shift even since I moved away and came back.
Now, heritage, the environment and the arts are Whanganui's three major brands. That's why people come here. Well, the people I know at least.
What are you currently working on?
A show at the New Zealand Portrait Gallery (Wellington) that opens on November 25. It's all about the 80s.
I wasn't alive then, so it's a very funny decade to do a show about.
What are you looking for when you're putting a show together?
When I'm thinking about the 80s show I'm thinking about colours and political references. In general, it's 'what does this work tell me?' or 'what does this represent?'.
I'm looking for what kind of story it tells, and how it conveys it, rather than a pretty photograph or a pretty painting. It's more of an emotive thing.
One of the paintings I've included in the (Portrait Gallery) show is, quite frankly, probably ugly.
It's kind of amazing because of that, and it tells the story of this artist who came to painting when she was over 60 and it was a way of processing a lot of emotions. It's not beautiful, but it's a statement.
What do you think Whanganui's best-kept secret is?
The Quartz Museum. I make everyone go there. I think it's one of the most incredible private museums in the country.
Do you plan on staying in Whanganui long-term?
Definitely. I think it was always part of the plan, but it progressed quickly recently. As a curator, I don't think I could buy a house anywhere else.
You can invite any three people from history, past or present, to dinner. Who would they be and why?
Hedy Lamarr would be the first one. She invented the technology that led to wi-fi and Bluetooth, and was a movie star.
Next up would be the chef, Yotam Ottolenghi. I'd demand that he stand there and guide me through the serious number of instructions that he has.
The last person would probably be Damian Lillard, he's a guard for the Portland Trailblazers in the NBA.
I'm a big basketball fan, and I'm just trying to get my head around paying for an NBA League Pass subscription. It costs around $400 a year. New Zealand is a very expensive place to watch basketball.
