Community vision for WITT artist and radio host

The lifestyle of an artist is typically seen as solitary and self-absorbed. Not for WITT art student Bobi Harvey. She thrives on a collective approach - from group craft nights with friends to zine festivals with local creatives.

Juggling art and design study with morning gigs as host on the Primo Breakfast Show at The MOST FM - Taranaki’s independent community radio station - she enrolled in the Level 5 Arts and Design programme this year having reconnected with her love of art as a teen. These worlds collide when she interviews a staff member on a regular Wednesday morning slot to chat about WITT events and updates. A love of communicating and playing music mean she’s in her element doing radio.

“The MOST FM Kaupapa aligns with my own - supporting local culture,” says Bobi, who boasts a 95 per cent New Zealand music playlist.

“We have a live lounge, and an awesome community. Supporting artists and local events has been a real treat. My music taste has a broad range. I like my music like how I like my art; fun, original and sincere. Since being at the MOST FM, my music collection has grown enormously! “

Fresh out of school in 2018, she headed to the New Zealand School of Radio (closed in 2022) in Tauranga to gain a diploma. She was inspired to do broadcasting by the captivating content and communication skills of her environmental idols David Attenborough and Steve Irwin. She was also mindful of successful shock jocks spouting racism and misogyny. “I thought the bar was low and that it’s so easy not to be like that.”

After a stint at Victoria University Wellington | Te Herenga Waka where she enrolled in environmental science and politics, she returned to Taranaki in 2019 having decided the world of academic anonymity in vast lecture halls wasn’t for her.

Back home she found a job organising events for Experience Purangi (East Taranaki Environmental Trust) – which manages a local sanctuary for kiwi. Then COVID struck – the job ended and she found the time to return to her first love - making art, and confirming her desire to focus fully on this. She befriended local artists and thrived on the shared activities, from sketching to attending gallery openings and exhibitions.

“Hanging out with my friends was about art – we didn’t just meet up for a beer – we’d be drawing, or with friends who were musicians.”

A friend who had graduated from WITT talked about the enriching experiences and the diverse skills she’d learnt. This inspired Bobi to enrol so she could learn more of the technical aspects of making art. This year she’s discovered a love of printmaking and painting. Being surrounded by artists, she is in her happy place. She has initiated collective activities with fellow students, from craft nights to making zines (a self-published, hand-made booklet or magazine focussed on self-expression).

Zine zone – tangible art in real time

As part of WITT’s mid-year student art show in July, Bobi ran a popular zine workshop open to the public in the lead up to a Zine Fest Taranaki, which she organised.

Enthusiasts and newcomers to the format gathered around large tables in the WITT art and design space using pens, scissors, paper, glue and magazine cut-outs to create bespoke mini magazines about a personal project or passion.

“What I really like about zines is that it’s a way to connect with people. It’s budget medium based on sharing and trading. You make copies and swap or trade them - it’s a big part of the zine culture,” Bobi explains.

Bobi has attended big zine fests in the main centres where hundreds of artists display and trade creations. “You get profound topics – like prison abolishment, as well as ‘how to make a gourd’, or lasagne gardening.”

Zines have wide appeal, and she is a firm believer that everyone has creative potential – the chef or baker making food, the mum decorating a home at Xmas or arranging a beautiful food platter. “Zines are approachable because you put all that in a zine.”

Interestingly, zine making represents a push-back on the default use of AI and social media.

“People do want a community. They do want to connect with like-minded others, and here’s a physical thing, a zine, instead of saying ‘follow me on Instagram”.”

Bobi says some people don’t want to be on social media because they’ve been cyber bullied, or they’re anxious. Zine fests and the zine world is a safe and inclusive space, she adds.

Collective art space dream…

Bobi’s longer-term goal is to emulate the buzzy creative energy she enjoys at WITT in a public space. “A permanent space such as big shed where local artists can meet and create together.”

An art collective could fund and organise group shows and exhibitions, and after school tutoring and holiday art classes too. Make frames for artwork and have the tools and materials to do that.

She’s lived outside the region for study and work, had offers to work at TVNZ in Auckland. But for Bobi, the Taranaki art scene is fertile with talent and opportunities.

Recently, she’s been involved with the Taranaki Arts Trail. WITT’s art and design studios have been open to the public.

“It’s been an awesome opportunity to engage with the public and talk about, and even sell some art,” says Bobi. “We have also had opportunities to display at exhibitions, such as the Taranaki National Art Awards in Opunake.”

“I really love it here. All my friends and family are here, the connections I’ve built. I’ve got cats!”