TESSA CHRISP
For Tessa connecting with the feeling of others is reflective in her values of truth and healing. It’s that quiet calm reminiscent in her work. Her inclusive nature, appreciating the richness of human experiences, through different cultures, lifestyle, or perspectives, she embraces diversity with curiosity, respect and admiration. An innate understanding in the interconnectedness of all things and a deep sense of empathy and compassion, she approaches her work with genuine care and believes in the value of every person’s story to create positive impactful change.
Hailing from an isolated hill country station on the East Coast of Aotearoa, Tessa formative years were spent on horseback, “between the ages of 8-12 I would ride my horse for few hours just to meet friends, and ride back, sometimes at night”. The rugged landscape imbued her with nature, she became the magical realist with the wonder of imagination. It led her to Design School Photography at Wellington Polytechnic (now Massey University). Three decades of photographing Lifestyle, Travel, People and Architecture around the globe, she’s photographed in some far-flung places, sometimes on horseback, sometimes helicopter, sometimes from dugout canoes.
With a plethora of Awards including Cathay Pacific Travel Photographer of the Year and IPA International Photography Awards, a member of the AIPA and ASP Auckland Studio Potters, Tessa is unwavering in her creative endeavours. When she’s not juggling travel, you will find Tessa dabbling in Ceramics, refurbishing a 100-yr old railway cottage, or simply enjoying the wild west coast relishing in nature, and immersing in the sea and rivers, even in winters chill