Airing time: Saturdays, 11am
A community arts radio show that challenges the belief that the arts are exclusive.
Sugar Loafing Arts Cast is supported and sponsored by:
Sugar Loafing Arts Cast showcases the diversity of arts in Taranaki and beyond. Host Mikaela Nyman interviews artists, creative makers, writers and curators, and delves into art ideas and mediums, discussing a wide range of themes, such as decolonisation in New Zealand and Pacific art and literature, how to find inspiration, and the beauty of collaboration with other creative souls across art disciplines.
The fundamental idea of this podcast is to showcase arts and creativity and to inspire. Do you have a creative passion or want to share your ideas? Feel free to contact Mikaela on [email protected]
Podcasts
To download the latest episode: Click on the kiwifruit to go to the Sugar Loafing Arts Cast show page on the accessmedia.nz site:
Click on the title of an episode to listen
Toni Hartill & Viv Davy
Toni Hartill is the resident artist at from out of the blue studio gallery in Opunake, where her first solo exhibition ‘Waymarkers’ is on show until 17 December. Viv Davy tells us about the kaupapa of her gallery and residencies.
Duration: 00:46:21 | Date: 25 November, 2023
Mike Bishop
Michael Bishop is an emerging creative non-fiction writer from Hawai'i, here on a Fulbright Fellowship to write about sacred ground and legal personhood in Taranaki. We talk about rock-climbing, astronomy and a mega telescope that sparked protests in Hawai’i. And Mike reads his ‘Surf lessons’.
Duration: 57:18 | Date: 18 November, 2023
Mere Tari Sovick
Mikaela meets up with Mere Tari Sovick, founder of Melanesian Women Today, at the 7th Melanesian Arts & Culture Festival in Port Vila, Vanuatu. Mere remembers her Taranaki boarding school days and host families in Eltham and Ōpunake. Haus Storian literary fest’s Ketty Napwatt, Rebecca Tobo Olul-Hossen, Elsie Nalyal Molou and Busi Vasconcellos read their poetry and microfiction.
Duration: 00:48:03 | Date: 11 November, 2023
Gallery Pātea Artists
Gallery Pātea artists are taking over our ARTSpace in November! Gabrielle Belz is showing a student exhibition at Gallery Pātea and Johnny de Painter talks about his art, music and animated film. You can check out ‘BOB Interdimensional Wool Courier’ from Don’t Panic Pictures which won the Best Incredibly Strange Award in the 48 Hours film competition online.
Duration: 00:55:41 | Date: 4 November, 2023
Leina Isno - Bislama Language Week
Dunedin-based Leina Isno is a champion of Aotearoa’s first Bislama Pilot Language Week in November. Mikaela caught up with the NZ Red Cross delegate and writer at the 7th Melanesian Arts & Culture Festival in Port Vila, Vanuatu, and enjoyed kava & poetry at Alliance Française with Leina Isno, Anna Naupa and Catherine Malosu-Lessa.
Duration: 00:59:06 | Date: 28 October, 2023
WITT Art Students
The art students at WITT Te Pukenga Art and Design Taranaki are preparing for their End of Year exhibition. Jodie McEwan, Courtney Bisset-Yandle and Becci Phillips talk about their process, inspiration and designs. Music by art teacher Mark Raymer and his band À la Poupée and the Chine-Collés.
Duration: 00:38:34 | Date: 21 October, 2023
Rachel Lambert
Jeweller Rachel Lambert in Ōkato talks about her love of combining precious metals with deer antlers, mother of pearl and gifted materials.
Duration: 00:54:01 | Date: 14 October, 2023
Menz Shed
Skilled woodworkers Phil Taylor, Wayne Brunton and Dave Richards talk about MenzShed’s kaupapa of learning, sharing and supporting members’ wellbeing. Check out MenzShed’s exhibition in the ArtSpace in October!
Duration: 00:56:09 | Date: 7 October, 2023
Nicola Kawana - UPU
Taranaki-born Nicola Kāwana performs in the award-winning show UPU in New Plymouth in October. We talk about acting on TV versus the stage, about gaming voice-overs that went viral, and Nicola reads part of a poem by Brandy Nālani McDougall, Hawai'i’s current Poet Laureate.
Duration: 00:53:32 | Date: 30 September, 2023
Dale Copeland
Mikaela meets up with Dale Copeland at ‘Water under the Bridge’ - a retrospective of 30 years of Dale’s assemblage art at LUMEN gallery - and plays some Gumboot Tango for her.
Duration: 00:54:37 | Date: 23 September, 2023
John McLean and Chris McLean - Hit the Trail 2022
Taranaki and Aotearoa lost one of its giants with the passing of artist and former art teacher John McLean. This week’s show is a tribute to John and Chris McLean’s artistic legacy, to lives well lived and ongoing creative exploration. The interviews first aired on Access Radio Taranaki on ‘Hit the Trail’ in September 2022.
Duration: 00:49:50 | Date: 16 September, 2023
KareNZ Kitz
Weaver and educator Karen Clark in Waitara is taking her weaving into more artistic directions. As the owner of KareNZ Kitz, she also shares some valuable business tips. Check out Karen’s gorgeous weaving in the ARTSpace in the Top Town mall throughout September!
Duration: 00:57:10 | Date: 9 September, 2023
RYALTS, Michael Kingpotiki & Holly the Library Dog
September is Basic Education and Literacy Month. Lillian Haskins from The Rural Youth & Adult Literacy Trust and former farmer Michael Kingpotiki, who learned to read for his grandkids and wrote a book about it, talk about the power of literacy. We also meet Holly, Stratford’s certified canine pet therapy and library dog, and her owner Jane Roguski.
Duration: 00:45:23 | Date: 2 September, 2023
Suzette Goldsmith
Mikaela caught up with Suzette Goldsmith at WOMAD’s World of Words earlier this year. We talk about gardens, natural heritage and Suzette’s book of essays, Tree Sense: Ways of Thinking About Trees (2021), which emerged out of her PhD studies. Suzette reads an excerpt from the book.
Duration: 00:37:19 | Date: 26 August, 2023
Embroiderers Guild
Barbara Mullins, Eileen Fitzpatrick and Leslie Ault from the Embroiderers’ Guild talk about the ins and outs of embroidery and the strong interest among young people for sewing skills. Check out the Guild’s fabulous exhibition in the ARTSpace until the end of August!
Duration: 00:53:54 | Date: 19 August, 2023
State of Nature - S Lee Good, C Dolan & M Stoneman
This week features four of Taranaki’s contemporary women artists in the State of Nature – Picturing the Silent Forest exhibition at Puke Ariki. Sarah Lee Good, Michaela Stoneman, Coral Dolan and Tabatha Forbes have responded to the botanical paintings of artist Fanny Bertha Good (1860-1950)
Duration: 00:53:54 | Date: 12 August, 2023
Jan Huijbers and Andrew Doehring
Andrew Doehring’s exhibition ‘Wednesdays with Andrew’ opens at the Gover St Gallery on 5 August. Jan Huijbers has been mentoring Andrew over the past year, just like Andrew’s grandfather, George Boys, once mentored Jan. Mikaela and Jan talk about the things being passed down through generations, and the uniqueness of these talented artists.
Duration: 00:52:24 | Date: 5 August, 2023
Talei Mangioni
Talei Mangioni, a Youngsolwara activist and researcher, shares her insights into the history of the Pacific grassroots movements for a Nuclear Free and Independent Pacific and its relevance today, mentioning Japan’s intention to dump millions of tonnes of treated nuclear wastewater.
Duration: 00:46:16 | Date: 29 July, 2023
Te Waka Puka Puka_The Mobile Library_Schools_Part2
Mikaela hitches a ride with Te Waka Puka Puka /the Mobile Library bus with Walter Crawshaw. In this episode we visit Waitoriki, Norfolk, Ratapiko and Kaimata rural schools. Later, we head up the coast to Mimi, Uruti and Ahititi schools and meet a hardcore book club at Tongaporutu. (Part 2 of 2).
Duration: 00:58:19 | Date: 22 July, 2023
Coco Solid
Mikaela and Zeal Taranaki rangatahi get into zines with Coco Solid. Of Ngāpuhi, Sāmoan and German descent, Coco Solid (a.k.a. Jessica Hansell) is an inspiring multimedia artist, producer, film-maker, rapper, musician and writer. Her novel How to Loiter in a Turf War (2022) is a lucid, genre-bending work of autobiographical fiction.
Duration: 00:49:35 | Date: 15 July, 2023
Sobranie Ngarin
Sobranie Ngarin is the ARTSpace artist for July. She shares her love for harakeke and positive mindset. We also talk about the Waitara Artists Cooperative and the upcoming Puanga exhibition.
Duration: 00:56:33 | Date: 8 July, 2023