People

Staff
  • Vanessa Mei Crofskey
    Director

    Vanessa Mei Crofskey joined Enjoy as director in November 2020. Vanessa is an artist, producer and writer of Chinese and Pākehā descent. Since graduating from Auckland University of Technology with a Bachelor of Visual Arts in 2017, Vanessa has worked as producer in residence at Basement Theatre, as a curator for Window Gallery, University of Auckland, and most recently as a staff writer and communications manager for arts and culture journal The Pantograph Punch.

    In her work as an interdisciplinary arts practitioner Vanessa has worked extensively with festivals, public programmes and galleries to create exciting public events and installations, most recently with Satellites and Artspace Aotearoa. Vanessa is also a published poet and has a collection out with Auckland University Press (AUP New Poet’s Six).

  • Simon Gennard
    Assistant Curator

    Simon Gennard joined Enjoy as assistant curator in September 2018. Prior to his appointment Simon was the 2017 Blumhardt Foundation/Creative New Zealand curatorial intern at The Dowse Art Museum, Te Awakairangi Lower Hutt and worked as curatorial assistant at the Adam Art Gallery Te Pātaka Toi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington. In 2018, he was a facilitator of artist-run initiative MEANWHILE. Simon holds an MA from Victoria University of Wellington and his writing has appeared in Overland, The Pantograph Punch and Reading Room.

  • Nina Dyer
    Gallery Administrator

    Nina Dyer joined Enjoy as gallery administrator in May of 2020. Nina co-curated A Way Through in 2019, exhibited at Te Uru Waitakere Contemporary Art Gallery and the Adam Art Gallery Te Pātaka Toi, where she also developed public programmes for On the Last Afternoon: Disrupted Ecologies and the Work of Joyce Campbell and Te Taniwha: The Manuscript of Ārikirangi as their 2019 intern. Her writing has been published by a range of outlets and galleries, and she continues to develop self-initiated curatorial projects. Her most recent project is Free of Charge (freeofcharge.space), a digital exhibition incuding artists Xi Li and George Turner, faciliated by MEANWHILE gallery in 2020. 

  • Past Staff

    —Sophie Davis
    Director, 2016–2020
    —Hōhua Thompson
    Toi Māori Education and Audience Intern, 2019
    —Louise Rutledge
    Communications and publications manager, 2015–18
    —Emma Ng
    Gallery manager and curator, 2014–16
    —Meredith Crowe
    Communications and publications manager, 2013–15
    —Julia Lomas
    Communications and publications manager, 2012–13
    —Claudia Arozqueta
    Gallery manager and curator, 2011–13
    —Bopha Chhay
    Communications and publications manager, 2010–12
    —Erica van Zon
    Gallery manager and curator, 2010–11
    —Jeremy Booth
    Communications and publications manager, 2009–10
    —Siv B. Fjærestad
    Gallery manager and curator, 2007–10
    —Paula Booker
    Publications manager, 2006–09
    —Marnie Slater
    Gallery manager and curator, 2007
    —Melanie Oliver
    Gallery manager and curator, 2004–07
    —Melanie Hogg
    Gallery manager and curator, 2004–06
    —Jessica Reid
    Writer and publicist, 2004–06
    —Louise Menzies
    Writer and publicist, 2003–04
    —Louise Tulett
    Writer and publicist, 2003–05
    —Kate Kelly
    Gallery manager, 2002–03
    —Charlotte Huddleston,
    Trustee and gallery manager, 2000–04

Trust
  • Kerry Ann Lee
    Tia Tuarua | Co-Chair

    Kerry Ann Lee is an artist, designer and writer from Te Whanganui-a-tara. She is a Senior Lecturer at Toi Rauwhārangi, Massey University College of Creative Arts. Through an interdisciplinary, cross-cultural and collaborative practice, Kerry Ann creates installations, print and image-based works that engage with communities and their histories in public spaces. She is the founder of the Red Letter Distro, co-founder of Up The Punks with John Lake and was the Creative Director for the Asian Aotearoa Arts Hui 2018. Kerry Ann regularly exhibits both nationally and internationally. She has undertaken international artist residencies in China, Taiwan, US, Mexico and Australia and is well known for her work in independent publishing and fanzines over the past two decades.

  • Natalie Jones
    Tia Tuarua | Co-Chair

    Natalie Jones (Ngāti Kahungunu, Rangitāne, Ngāi Tahu) is a Pōneke-based arts practitioner. She has worked in public galleries and museums, a national Māori arts organisation, membership-based gallery models, community based, social services and dealer gallery contexts. Most recently, Natalie has established The Price of Change Ltd which is an artist-centric organisation that aims to provide advocacy services for Māori craft and object practitioners.

  • Kate Ricketts
    Treasurer

    Kate Ricketts is a fundraiser and arts administrator. She is a former Trustee for Arcade New Zealand Live Arts Trust and has work across Boosted.org.nz, The Arts Foundation Toi Māori Aotearoa, and Māori Art Market. Through roles in Japan, London and America she has engaged with the promotion of New Zealand art and culture internationally.

    As well as owning BR Flooring she assists several not-for-profit groups with their fundraising strategies.

  • Chevron Hassett
    Youth Trustee

    Chevron Hassett, born 1994, in Lower Hutt, Aotearoa is an emerging artist of Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Rongamaiwahine and Pākehā (Irish) heritage who currently lives and practices out of Wellington.

    He graduated with a Bachelor of Design with Honours from Massey University, Wellington in 2016. His practice expands into many media from lens-based projects, kowhaiwhao murals, art installation and sculpture. His work has been exhibited in public and gallery spaces in Aotearoa and Australia.

    At the heart of his practice is community orientated and stems from a Māori foundation of whanaungatanga. Inspiring his creative direction to make work about the surroundings of his childhood, his ancestry, cultural and social identity, and the urban Māori experience.

    Chevron is currently working on a residency at Taita College with the Ministry of Education and creating new works for solo-exhibitions at Enjoy Wellington, Papa Atea Gallery Auckland, Govett-Brewster New Plymouth and Artspace Sydney.

  • Herbee Bartley

    Herbee Bartley joined Enjoy’s board in September 2018. He is currently Senior Pasifika Advisor for the College of Creative Arts at Massey University, Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington. Prior to this role, he worked in various roles at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa for 7 years.

  • Miriama Grace-Smith
    Mana Whenua Trustee

    Miriama Grace-Smith (Ngāti Hau, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Toarangatira and Ngāti Porou) is a Māori artist based in Pōneke Wellington. She holds a Bachelor in fine arts and dabbles in a few different areas within the creative arts. As a curator, muralist, illustrator, fashion designer, film costume, and art director. 

    She is also a member of Māori women’s art collective Hine Pae Kura and designs in collaboration with New Zealand brand Moana Road.

  • Sascha Perfect
    Secretary

    Sascha is an Arts Producer based in Pōneke Wellington, working across visual arts, theatre, dance, film and event management. She is currently the Public Programmer for the Toi Pōneke Arts Centre. Her previous roles include Producer and Associate Director of The Performance Arcade, Event Coordinator for the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, Marketing Coordinator for Toi Whakaari NZ Drama School, Production Coordinator for Cuba Creative, Random Films and Propeller Studios. Before this, she was the Ensemble Manager for STROMA New Music Trust.

    Internationally, Sascha directed the Balkan Irish Arts Forum and was the Artistic Director of the Have U Met Nosti? Arts Festival in Ireland.

    Sascha holds a Masters in Visual Arts from IADT Ireland, a Post Graduate Diploma in Performance Studies from the University of Novi Sad, Serbia and a Bachelor of Visual Arts form AUT, Auckland, New Zealand.

  • Past

    2018–20: Bridget Reweti (Tia Tuarua Co-Chair)
    2018–20: Melanie Oliver (Tia Tuarua Co-chair)
    2016–20: Sonya Lacey
    2018–19: Bruce E. Phillips
    2008–18: Ann Shelton (Chair)
    2015–18: Jordana Bragg
    2013–18: Jessica Hubbard
    2017–18: Shannon Te Ao
    2013–16: Gary Peters
    2013–16: Bryna O'Brien–Kiddey
    2012–16: Alice Tappenden
    2012–15: Sarah Caylor
    2011–15: Kate Adolph
    2012–14: Alice Baxter
    2011–13: Megan Dunn
    2012–13: Ben Buchanan
    2009–12: Molly Samsell
    2012: Jhana Millers
    2011–12: Frances Speer
    2011–12: Andrew Beck
    2008–11: Bronwyn Holloway–Smith 
    2010–11: Mark Bolland
    2006–11: Amit Charan
    2009–10: Kate Woods 
    2006–09: Rachel O'Neill 
    2006–08: Jenny Gillam
    2007–08: Anton Berndt 
    2006–07: Marnie Slater  
    2004–07: Jayne Joyce
    2003–07: Louise Menzies 
    2005–06: Sandy Gibbs 
    2004–06: Kim Paton 
    2003–05: Ross Kettle
    2003–05: Louise Tulett
    2003: Daniel du Bern
    2002–04: Clem Devine 
    2002–03: Bek Coogan  
    2002–03: Stuart Shepherd      
    2000–04: Tao Wells 
    2000–02: Ros Cameron
    2000–02: Ciaran Begley
    2000–02: Rachel Smithies

Interns
  • Connie Brown
    Library and Archive Intern

    Connie Brown is a third-year student at Victoria University of Wellington in Art History and Sociology. She has a strong interest in the role of art in communities, and in art as an interpersonal practice. Connie is currently working with Enjoy’s library and archive to help develop these resources for contemporary artists and art researchers based in Wellington / Te Whanganui-a-Tara.