Ka noho au i runga ki te maunga tapu ō Moehau
Ka āta titiro ki te waka tīpuna, Ko Mātaatua rāua, Ko Nukutaimemeha
E rere ana ki roto i te awa tapu ō Opepe, te awa e mahea nei aku māharara
Ki waenganui ō ōku iwi. Ko Te Whakatōhea me Ngāti Porou ki Hauraki
Ka titiro hoki ki ōku tīpuna, ko Muriwai rātou, ko Paikea - Ariki - Moana, Ko Hohipaea Ngāpuhi, Ko Erehapiti McGregor, Ko Jack KIDSON Wildman
Ko Felicity Abbott ahau
Felicity Abbott | ko wai au
My name is Felicity Abbott. I am a therapeutic art practitioner and film designer. I offer therapeutic art sessions that support creative expression as a powerful tool for self-exploration, cultivating resilience and examining how we relate to others.
From Aotearoa New Zealand, I descend from Māori iwi, (Te Whakatōhea, Ngāti Porou ki Hauraki), the Scottish Clan McGregor, and a long line of sea captains and navigators. I grew up in a culture that honoured creative expression, storytelling and a deep connection to the land. Creativity has been my constant companion. As a child, drawing, making and telling stories was my refuge. It gave me a voice that allowed me to navigate the challenges of life.
Later, I attended the University of Auckland’s Elam School of Fine Art and graduated with a BFA specialising in sculpture. I soon realised that my strength lay in collaborative art forms and working with creative teams. This led me to study for a masters at the Australian Film, Television and Radio School - AFTRS (MA Hons), completing my thesis at La Fémis in Paris.As a film designer and accredited member of the Australian Production Design Guild and the British Film Designers Guild, I have worked extensively across the US, Europe, the Balkans, Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, on a wide range of genre, period, film and television.I had the privilege of collaborating with Blackfella Films on the groundbreaking series, 'Redfern Now' written, directed and produced by First Nations Australians and the critically acclaimed 'Mabo'. My feature film credits include 'Ladies in Black', from director Bruce Beresford, and the celebrated sci-fi 'Upgrade', nominated for Best Production Design at the 2018 Australian Academy Awards. You can read more about my film design process in this interview with Pushing Pixels.In addition to my film and television work, I am passionate about social justice, advocacy and building resilient communities through creative expression. I completed a Post-Graduate diploma in Art Psychotherapy and Community Art from Metàfora School of Art Therapy in Barcelona that combined psychoanalytic, creative, and clinical approaches.In these uncertain times, creativity acts as a powerful antidote to despair by providing agency, emotional release, and an outlet for complex feelings. I love to see others inspired and empowered through the creative process and I have witnessed its ability to transform lives. Discover my film design portfolio at: www.felicityabbott.com