It's a long way from New York to Wanganui, but artist Lorene Taurerewa is enjoying the contrast.
Originally from Wanganui, Ms Taurerewa has made New York her home for the past eight years. Now she's back in Wanganui for family reasons and is doing a short stint at the Quay School of the Arts as its artist in residence.
She has received numerous grants and a number of awards including, in 1997, winning the Martin Hughes Contemporary Pacific Art Award.
She graduated in 1996 from the Quay School of the Arts, and worked at Victoria University as a lecturer in drawing for several years.
For the past eight years she's been living in New York and working as an independent artist. She's exhibited in the United States, Hong Kong, Belgium, New Zealand and Australia.