C.V.
Showing Work (Exhibitions & collaborative projects)
2025
Kaipara Coast Sculpture Garden Exhibition 2025: - opened Dec 2024.
'Old Media House - Te Whare Ao Pāpāho', by Sen McGlinn, Ursula Christel, Cle Tukuitonga, Sonja van Kerkhoff
2024
Creative Convergence 2024 - a RICI inclusive arts initiative, 2 - 6 Dec, Warkworth, NZ
On Display Global, 3rd Dec (for International Day of Persons with Disabilities) - human sculpture installation performed at Warkworth wharf, NZ
Kaipara Coast Sculpture Garden Exhibition 2025: - opened Dec 2024.
'Old Media House - Te Whare Ao Pāpāho', by Sen McGlinn, Ursula Christel, Cle Tukuitonga, Sonja van Kerkhoff
When I was young - Kua hua te marama, [time as a thing of the past or as cycles of completions]
at Quest Art Space, 27 Sept -2 Nov; 58 Bank Street, Whangārei, Aotearoa | New Zealand. Curated by Sonja van Kerkhoff
Spotlight on Sculpture 2024: 03 July - 28 July. Invited exhibitors. Estuary Arts Centre, 214b HBC Highway, Orewa/Auckland
Mā Te Kākano | Potential : 7 - 27 April Quest Art Space, 58 Bank Street, Whangārei, Aotearoa | New Zealand. Curated by Sonja van Kerkhoff
'Old to New' - coordinator for Warkworth Museum displays & demos, 3 - 11 Feb, Mahurangi Artist Studio Trail 2024
Why does this matter - Procter Library foyer, 8 - 22 Jan; Kerikeri, Aotearoa | New Zealand, curated by Sonja van Kerkhoff
2023
ísos, New Zealand Portrait Gallery Te Pūkenga Whakaata (entry foyer), Wellington. Mahurangi Artists Network blog/Serendipity
The unshackled image / Te whakaahua whakawātea, Quest Art Space, Whangārei. 13 Nov - 17 Dec
Artworks on detachment, stepping back, taking a break, taking another direction, in which the image or metaphor is the main message on the themes of alternative ways of seeing. Curated by Sonja van Kerkhoff
Historical Cement Works 3D Model, at Wilson Cement Works Exhibition, Warkworth & District Museum, Nov 1st >
2022
Take Care / Tiakina: 15 Jan - 5 March. Papakura Art Gallery. Curated by Sonja van Kerkhoff. See Catalogue
Right Ascension: June 23 - August 7. Represented by Mokopōpaki, Auckland; for Matariki at The Arts House Trust, Pah Homestead
Predator Free New Zealand 2050 (PFNZ2050): 05 Sep - 02 Oct at Estuary Arts Centre, Orewa. Curated by Valerie Cuthbert
Predator Free New Zealand 2050 (PFNZ2050): 22 Oct - 14 Nov at Auckland Botanic Gardens, Manurewa. Curated by Valerie Cuthbert
Roman Mitch: Red Teddy, Curated by Mokopōpaki. Roman Mitch (with Marcel Tautahi, Ngaroma Natalia, Mokopōpaki, Penelope Sue, Rangitauninihi, Ursula Christel, and Yllwbro), 25 Sep - 13 Nov, at Te Tuhi Centre For The Arts, Auckland
2021
Take Care / E Tiaki - an International cross-cultural Project and Exhibition. Curated by Sonja van Kerkhoff. See Projects.
Exhibition at artHAUS, 228 Ōrākei Rd, Auckland | Tāmaki-makau-rau, Aotearoa | New Zealand
Where the Seabirds Go (the Overwintering Project) - curated group show, Estuary Arts Centre, Orewa. See Projects
2020
Chess - Ursula Christel & Roman Mitch. Collaborative exhibition at Mokopōpaki, Ground Floor, 454 Karangahape Road, Auckland. Catalogue link
Manners of Speaking | Te Pūkoro o Tāne; Geoff Wilson Gallery, Whangarei. Over 50 works in diverse media on themes of Proverbs and Sayings, by artists based in Aotearoa and beyond, curated by Sonja van Kerkhoff with 3rd year NorthTec year students.
Video footage of the show, here. Review: Connecting Art in a time of Crisis: New Zealand –The Netherlands. Online Catalogue, here
Ko rātou, ko tātou | On Otherness and Us-ness; NorthArt Gallery, Auckland. Curated by Salama Moata McNamara and Sonja van Kerkhoff. Paying homage to the Aotearoa | New Zealand Muslim community after the horror of the Christchurch Massacre on March 15, 2019.
"Some works are aesthetic responses to the Christchurch mosque massacre, while others are recontexualisations in relation to the Qur'an and the diverse cultures and histories of Islamic worlds. The curation positions work by contemporary artists and craftmakers in multi-layered dialogues with an Islamic space." Catalogue link
2019
HĀTEPE; organised by Roman Mitch. Group exhibition at Mokopōpaki, Auckland. (Hātepe. v.i. Proceed in an orderly manner, follow in regular sequence. Algorithm). Event announcement here. Catalogue here.
War and Peace; Metropolis Museum, 116 Symonds Street, Grafton. Exhibition combining contemporary visual arts, sculpture, photography and poetry by NZ and international artists, to commemorate 100 years since the year after conclusion of World War I.
The Overwintering Project; Estuary Arts Centre, Orewa. International art project to bring visibility to migratory shorebirds and their diminishing habitats - our most endangered group of birds. See Projects
2018
Mother Love: He Oha nā Te Whaea ; Solo exhibition at Mokopōpaki, Ground Floor, 454 Karangahape Road, Auckland
Exhibition catalogue / Press release here.
artsdiary.co.nz SEPTEMBER 2018 Compact Coverage Part Two
2017
The Tomorrow People: re-imagining the future differently; curated by Christina Barton, Stephen Cleland, Simon Gennard - Adam Art Gallery, Wellington. Participated in ‘Flowers of the Field III’ - a collaborative installation by Yllwbro
Korekore Whakapiri ; group exhibition at Mokopōpaki, Auckland.
Other Perspectives; selected group show in the Brown Room, Mokopōpaki, Auckland. Catalogue here.
2016
New Perspectives; Artspace, Auckland; curated by Artspace NZ and Simon Denny. Represented Yllwbro (anonymous sibling duo) and participated in ‘Flowers of the Field I’ - a collaborative wall installation. More here.
Sharing Knowledge (speaker / discussion panels)
2024
The 'ART' of Inclusion: Creative Convergence Speakers event, a Rodney Inclusive Communities Inc.(RICI) inclusive arts initiative - at Warkworth Library
2018
Culture Matters Symposium: Women in the Arts; Art History Society, University of Auckland, Engineering Building, Neon Foyer.
Culture Matters: Accessing the Arts seeks to celebrate diversity and inclusivity in our GLAM sector (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, Museums) and raise questions of development and accessibility in public and participatory spaces.
Electric Night, Artweek Auckland 2018, at Mokopōpaki - speaking to Mother Love: He Oha nā Te Whaea
2017
Improbable Futures forum at the Pyramid Club, Wellington - part of The Adam Art Gallery public programme for The Tomorrow People. To share perspectives on Yllwbro and Mokopopaki on the theme of Post-institutional Practices: New Collaborations.
Creativity - Discussion panel : AGM Estuary Art Centre Trust, Orewa
2016
Represented Yllwbro at the New Perspectives exhibition at Artspace, Auckland. Participated in floor talks, educational activities and public panel discussions for Artweek Auckland 2016
Shaping Spaces (curatorial projects & events)
2024
CREATIVE CONVERGENCE 2024; 2 - 6 Dec. A RICI inclusive arts initiative
2015
Transformation; curated the interactive, multi-media, doco-exhibition on the history of the Estuary Arts Centre, Tui Room, Estuary Arts Centre, Orewa.
2008
Soul Expressions, curated and exhibited in group show in Main Gallery, Estuary Art Centre, Orewa, Auckland
Sense-ational Art PLEASE TOUCH, curated and participated in the interactive, sensory art exhibition, in Kowhai Room, Estuary Art Centre, Orewa
Rock & Roll; curated the group exhibition and facilitated an interactive piano-painting ‘improvisation’; Estuary Art Centre, Orewa
2005
Rodney Rocks! Curated and participated in a group show of artists from the Rodney District, at PumpHouse Gallery, Takapuna
2004
"11", curated Hungry Creek Art and Craft School Graduates Exhibition; at The Edge, Aotea Centre, Auckland
Publications
2022: Right ascension / Ursula Christel.
2021: Mix & Stir: New Outlooks on Contemporary Art from Global Perspectives. Essay by Sonja van Kerkhoff - 'Mutability'. Ursula Christel referenced, pg 261
2020: Chess / Ursula Christel and Roman Mitch.
2018: Mother love = He Oha nā Te Whaea / Ursula Christel.
2015: Photographer & artist assistant at Sculpture by the Sea, Denmark.
2013: Abstract Figure: Gill Gatfield, Editor & essay author, photography where credited, published by Kikorangi Press, 2013.
Book launch event at Spark HQ, 167 Victoria Street West, Auckland - for the International Sculpture Symposium 2013
2006-2011: Senior Researcher/Editor, Management Team for Celebrate Art educational resources (for Australia and New Zealand).
Published by Integrated Education Ltd. Author, photographer and assistant layout designer for:
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Exploring Drawing: Looking at Contemporary Drawing, 2011 (University of Canterbury Library)
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Animals in Contemporary Art, 2010
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Vehicles in Contemporary Art, 2010
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Text in Contemporary Art, 2009
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Landforms in Contemporary Art; 2008 (University of Otago Library)
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Working with Clay, 2008
2009: 'Art in Education: Creative Programmes to motivate students’- published in SchoolNews educators' magazine.
Education / Courses
2024 - French Knitting sculpture workshop; Jeff Thomson & Bev Goodwin
Fused Glass workshop; Julie Beaumont
Earthbuiding workshop; Guenther Andraschko
2023 (May - Nov) Permaculture Design Course, Matakana, Rodney - with Trish Allen and Guenther Andraschko
1985: University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa, B.Arch. I, Merit Certificate awarded for History of Architecture and Related Arts
1982: University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa, Post-graduate Higher Education Diploma; Majors in Art/English
1979 - 81: University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, B.A. Majors in Fine Art & Art History
Private Collections
Rodney District Council: Life Forms, 2005
The Arts House Trust: Contains No Preservatives: Study After Bacon’s Study After Velázquez’s Portrait of Pope Innocent X (1953), 2018
The Arts House Trust: Adjust to the Driving, 2018
em45: isos, 2017
Awards | Grants
2014 - Nomination: Best Set Design for a Musical (Singin' in the Rain) at Showdown Awards, Auckland.
2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009 – awarded Creative NZ grants for a range of community exhibitions/projects in the Auckland/Rodney District
2005 - Rodney District Art Award; Premium Winner
1985 - Merit Certificate: History of Architecture and Related Arts, University of Natal, Durban, South Africa
1984 & 85 - University of Natal Bursary
1979 & 80 - University of Natal Bursary
1976 & 78 - Academic Honours (Sec. school)
Teaching: 1983 - current
2024 - Studio Art Classes resume
2022 - Art Teacher / Horizon School / College, Snells Beach, Rodney
2017 - 20, private Art classes at StudioChristel, Intellectually disabled artist reaches finals of art award
2018 - Art Intensive classes, Horizon School, Snells Beach, Rodney
2006-17, Consultant/specialist tutor for Performance Technology/Set Design/Publicity Design at Drama Department, Kingsway School, Orewa
2004 - Art History Tutor yr12/13 (Part-time), Kingsway School, Orewa
2001-03, Art History Tutor; Established 1st year Art History Foundation Course; Hungry Creek Art and Craft School, Puhoi
2000 - Art teacher, Intermediate school yr7/8 Art; Kingsway School, Orewa
1998 - Textile Painting Course - Community Education, Orewa College, Auckland.
1993-95, Head of Art Department - Thomas More College, Hillcrest, Natal, South Africa, and Natal Matriculation Examination marker: Art History
1988-91, Head of Art Department - Westville Girls High School, Westville, Natal, South Africa
1986-88, Head of Art Department - Durban Girls High School, Durban, Natal, South Africa
1983-84, Art Teacher - Lyttelton Manor High School, Transvaal, South Africa
Disability & Inclusion Advocacy | Media Interviews
2024 - RNZ Rare disorders aren’t unusual enough to ignore
2023 - RNZ Ursula Christel on Angelman Syndrome
Library event raises rare disorders profile
2022: Disability hub ‘desperately needed’
2021: The Importance of Beginning Early
2018: Support group for Mahurangi disabled
2016: League star Sam Perrett wears the name of Angelman syndrome sufferer
Families Upset by changes at Wilson Home
2013: Push for Angelman's research
Volunteer | Community
2009 - current; Founder/Chairperson, Website/social media manager - The Angelman Network, a registered Charitable Trust in New Zealand
2012 - 2024; Co-founder/Kaitiaki of International Angelman Day. Website/Campaign manager/Social media manager for the IAD Global Collective
2020 - current; Founder/Secretary - Rodney Inclusive Communities Inc. (RICI), Rodney District/Auckland, a registered Charity in New Zealand
2021 - current; Member of Mahurangi Artists Network (MAN)
2023 - 24; Trustee, Cement Works Warkworth Conservation Trust, a registered Charitable Trust in New Zealand
2022 - 24; Member, The Kauri and Native Bushmen’s Association Warkworth
2021 - 24; volunteer at Warkworth Museum, Warkworth
2020/21 - Committee member/Website manager - AIM (Adults in Motion), Warkworth, a registered Charity in New Zealand
2017 - 19, Founding member, Wilson Home Family Action Group Inc., Takapuna/Auckland
2014 -16, Trustee, Estuary Arts Centre Trust (EACT), Orewa/Auckland