NICE ARTS - writings about creativity

  • BESTSELLERS ON MY STUDIO SHELF

    I've picked a bunch of books up on my travels through personal creative territory over the last 25+ years (I did The Artist's Way in 2004 and I still dip into it). In this collection is a mixture of storytelling and inspiration, instruction and exhortation. Whether you want something gentle and thought-provoking or direct and forthright, one of these will meet you are (or where you want to be). Read on for details! xAB

  • REHU - FROM THE ASHES: a contemporary ceramics exhibition

    REHU: From the Ashes is a contemporary ceramics exhibition exploring the vessels that carry love, life and legacy. Bringing together Indigenous ...
  • The Half - all you need to know

    My view of 100 day projects is that they're essentially therapeutic. They have the capacity to restore us, to enable growth in self-awareness, and I believe they heal damage that was done to us that went on to diminish our levels of confidence, courage, and self-compassion. So there will be a "deep and meaningful" vibe to the way I facilitate. But I'm also funny, occasionally provocative, and am also totally into phoning your daily work in sometimes lol.

    Give yourself some time to read it and digest follows and if you're interested in coming along with us, register

  • The Half - a new daily art challenge from Amanda Billing

    Want to have a crack at a 100 day project but feel like it might be "a lot"? Join me for a half-pie - but not at all average - project instead....
  • First Look at my First Ceramic Collection...

    After this year's 100 Day Project finished, I knew that my ceramic project Household Gods was going to continue. I'd had a ball working with clay e...
  • I'm on The Creative Kind again! Talking about the 100 Day Project 2026.

    This week I made another appearance on The Creative Kind. If you haven’t heard of it, TCK is a podcast about the many and varied aspects of being a...
  • Do the 100 day project TOGETHER.

    100 Day Projects = REAL TALK This year (2026), I'm offering my online and IRL pals the opportunity to go on the 100 day project journey with me, j...
  • 12 Reasons to Come to Drawing Club.

      Well, THIRTEEN actually. Okay so, full disclosure, I didn't write these but I REALLY wish I had. They come from a post (liked by nearly 15,000 p...
  • Exhibit A: doing myself justice.

    These days a lot of my work is taking pictures of people for theirs. And I've realised this drawing here represents a reason I’m a good choice as a...
  • Reinvention: you too?

    I spoke at a careers night at Baradene College on a freezing night in August and the experience made me snap awake at 1am, thinking hard. Everyone...
  • Drawing Club - How it's going

    I held the first Drawing Club on Saturday 6th July with a single workshop. Since then, I've booked them in about every two weeks and every single table of eight has been full.

  • Drawing Club - How it started

    On Saturday 14th June 2025, I held the second art workshop I've ever done and the first in my Grey Lynn studio. It was full. Everyone had a good t...