Above: Bonnie Selak has just returned from enjoying a plein air painting session in the hills of Tuscany, Italy There is no single way to become an artist. For some, creativity begins in childhood and never really leaves. For others, it is something rediscovered later in life. Some artists begin with a carefully considered idea; others put their hands to the material and see what happens. Some are drawn to colour, pattern and abstraction, while others find inspiration in the history held...

Above: Alysn in her Tawharanui studio using one of her many 'tools of the trade', her gas element to tarnish and manipulate the metallic fabric used in her creations. There is something quietly fascinating about peering into an artist's studio. We expect to see paint brushes standing in jars, palettes layered with colour and shelves lined with canvases. But look beyond the obvious and you'll often discover the real story isn't about the artwork at all – it's about the unexpected tools that...

Above: Glenda Hopkins new work explores the technique of an Amamograph which is a type of kinetic optical artwork that displays two or three distinct images depending on the angle from which it is viewed. The above images shows how she is endeavouring to create three images into one work by carefully folding the canvas before painting each image. One of the great myths about art is that artists begin with a clear vision and simply work towards a finished result. In reality, most artworks...