Kahawai 2023

Born in Auckland, New Zealand, Lorna spent 17 formative years in Western Australia. A lifelong artist-at-heart, she has dedicated more than 30 years to honing her unique creative style — a journey she describes as “ongoing and constantly evolving.” Her current work explores the possibilities of digital art alongside painting on paper and canvas, with a strong focus on expressing the strength, beauty, peace, calm, and spirit of contemporary Te Ao Māori. Lorna undertook formal art training in Australia before returning home to Aotearoa to train as a teacher. Today, she draws from both disciplines to deeply understand and bring to life her clients’ tattoo and art visions. She credits much of her creative path to the guidance and support of those closest to her — especially her two children, her whānau (including her parents, brothers, and sisters), and fellow tā moko artist Shane, whose generosity in sharing his knowledge, skill, and technique continues to inspire her.