Ngāti Kahungunu, Rangitāne

Sheree Willman was born in Dannevirke and grew up disconnected from her Māori heritage. After studying contemporary Māori design at Wellington Polytech, she devoted years to raising her children, returning to full-time painting in 2017.

Sheree’s paintings document her quest to reconnect with te ao Māori and strengthen her bloodlines. Inspired by her weaver tīpuna (ancestors), Sheree engages with the visual language of raranga (weaving), tukutuku (ornamental lattice) and tāniko (twining), which convey the essence of Māori culture through generations. In 2020, Sheree presented her first solo exhibition, ‘Raranga’ at Pataka Art + Museum, Porirua, and was a finalist in the National Contemporary Art Awards in 2021.

Sheree resides in Te Whanganui a Tara, Wellington. 

www.shereewillman.com

@sheree.willman