About - Charles & Janine Williams

Charles Williams (Ngāti Kahungūnu, Ngāi Tūhoe, Te Whakatōhea, Ngāpuhi)

Master of Professional Creative Practise - Toihoukura

Te Pīnakitanga Ki Te Reo Kairangi, Level 7 - Te Wānanga o Aotearoa

Te Aupikitanga Ki Te Reo Kairangi, Level 6 - Te Wānanga o Aotearoa

Te Reo Maruata, Level 6 - Te Wānanga Ihorangi

Diploma Oral Fluency Māori - Te Wānanga Takiura o ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori

Te Pōkaitahi Reo Kaupae 3,4,5,6 - Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi

Founding member of the world championship winning TMD crew (The Most Dedicated), a creative collective from across the world who continue to push artistic boundaries & who have been global leaders in the urban contemporary art field for the past 25+ years. With a passion for endemic/native birdlife, Charles' work focusses on the connection of culture & the natural world with a strong focus on Māori/indigenous narratives & themes. His global influence within the street art/urban art scene has lead to numerous personal & group achievements & world titles. He is the first & only Māori urban artist to have won graffiti art competitions both as an individual artist & crew member here in Aotearoa & around the world.

Guest International Artists - Redcan Invitational Graffiti Festival - Eagle Butte, South Dakota, U.S 2024
First place winner of the Fasm Creative Battle Mural Competition - Modesto, California 2018
5th Anniversary Edition Mural Festival Guest International Artists - Ono'u Festival, Bora Bora 2018
Guest judge World Graffiti Art Competition - Ono'u Festival, Tahiti 2017
Ironlak Team member of the Guinness Book of Records title for the Worlds Longest Graffiti Scroll - Dubai 2016
World Individual Graffiti Art first place winner - Papeete,Tahiti (Ono'u Festival Tahiti), 2016
Write4Gold World Graffiti Art championship crew (TMD Crew) - Germany 2004 & defending title in Germany 2006
Sponsored Ironlak artist & signature spray paint design/colour - 'Phat1 True Royal Blue'

Janine Williams (Ngāti Pāoa, Ngāti Whātua ki Kaipara, Te Uri o Hau, Ngāti Tamaterā, Ngāti Maru, Ngāti Mahuta)

Executive Master of Business Administration - Massey University

Master of Professional Creative Practise - Toihoukura

Te Pīnakitanga Ki Te Reo Kairangi, Level 7 - Te Wānanga o Aotearoa

Te Aupikitanga Ki Te Reo Kairangi, Level 6 - Te Wānanga o Aotearoa

Diploma Oral Fluency Māori - Te Wānanga Takiura o ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori

Te Pōkaitahi Reo Kaupae 3,4,5,6 - Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi

Diploma in Business - Unitec

One of Aotearoas first wahine Māori urban artists and member of the world acclaimed creative collective 'TMD Crew' since 1998. Lead artist for the recently unveiled Auckland Public Artwork 'Te Kōpua o Hiku', her work has featured in a wide range of exhibitions & shows throughout Aotearoa & the world. Janines' is mandated by her Iwi to work alongside major property developers, A.U.D.O, government agencies & Iwi as both an artist and strategic creative consultant Māori. Her passion lies in creating work that reflects local cultural & historical narrative & stories that have a direct connection to the whenua in which the artwork remains while pushing traditional practices into contemporary & urban settings. Working to ensure mātauranga Māori frameworks define working environments & processes, she is working on a range of projects currently under way at different stages of development with some previous permanent works including:

Te Kōpua o Hiku, Auckland Public Artwork Collection (in collaboration with Shannon Novak)
Whai, Auckland Public Artwork Collection
Tukutuku Building, AUT North Campus - Principle Creative Iwi Lead and Narrative Design, Commissioned artworks
GridAKL building - external glass canopy designs, timber soffit ceiling designs & inlays, lintel & gobo lighting custom designs
132 Halsey Street - sculptural ceiling work 'Taunekeneke' (interaction/relationhip) & bronze cast inlays
10 Madden Street, Wynyard Quarter - external concrete panel design 'Rātā
Freida Barnes Plaza - custom concrete plinth seating designs
BHive building (Smales Farm) meeting pod designs & commission vinyl artwork
Watercare pumpstation commission - Amee Daldy Park, Wynyard Quarter, project management & mural commission with husband Charles

With a large range of smaller community exhibitions & events to date, Charles & Janine have exhibited in galleries, have been involved in numerous art group shows, street art festivals & produced large scale mural commissions around the world.

Countries include:

Australia (Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Mooree, Melbourne, Adelaide, Port Adelaide), China, Dubai, French Polynesia (Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora, Ra'iātea), France (Paris, Lens), United States of America (Eagle Butte - South Dakota, Miami, Los Angeles, New York), Pacific Islands (Samoa, Rarotonga, Tonga), Guāhān (Guam), Hong Kong, Switzerland, Germany & extensively throughout Aotearoa.