Sara Moana - Illustrator

Sara Moana is a Welsh/Māori (Ngāti Tamaoho, Tainui) illustrator who is currently working in Tāmaki Makaurau. She was born in Aberystwyth, Wales and she migrated to Aotearoa in 2008 when she was about 11 years old. Throughout her mahi toi, Sara deep dives into identity, whakapapa, queerness, existentialism and feminism. Seeking to make meaningful connections within and between communities, she unapologetically explores themes that align with her own everyday experiences.

Sara Moana’s earliest memory of her artistic journey formed when she was only seven years old. Around this time, she fondly remembers declaring to her parents that she would become an artist whether they liked it or not. With a cheeky sense of conviction, Sara took the reins and never let go.

Following this bold announcement, Sara carried the childlike playfulness in her art-making process all the way to adulthood. At home, time stood still whenever she was given a blank page. When she attended high school, Sara advocated for visual arts as a prefect. Then, she completed a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts - both with First Class Honours - at Elam School of Fine Arts.

In March of this year, Sara made yet another daring decision. She stood at a crossroads that begged her to choose between a predictable path of working in art galleries, or an unconventional career in the world of design. Courageously, Sara pivoted towards the opportunity that she felt much less prepared for. Now, she is a full time illustrator who makes art for organisations such as Amnesty International, and events such as First Thursdays on Karangahape Road.

Sara Moana’s advice for her fellow creatives and rangatahi who aspire to be artists, is to “... be gentle with yourself… use this time to figure out what you love and just keep doing that.”