Julie holds a Masters in Development studies as well as Masters (Honours) in Maori Visual Arts and is currently undertaking research into Ta Moko towards her Doctorate of Philosophy in Fine Arts. She has taught art at Senior School level and held Senior lectureship positions in Universities throughout New Zealand. Julie has consistently, strongly advocated and initiated Maori-driven Arts development, at both individual and community levels, with a view to enhancing the profile of Maori art, nationally and internationally. She has an ongoing interest and expertise in comparative historical and political arts development of Polynesia and the wider Pacific, particularly in relation to emerging artistic identities in Aotearoa.

Julie’s professional art practice takes in contemporary painting, printmaking and digital design and she is highly sought after as one of a few women to practice ta moko (customary tattooing) – all these art disciplines she currently holds the Toi Iho – Maori made mark of authenticity and quality. Julie prefers however, not to be defined by artistic medium engaging actively in curatorial discourse while asserting the “use of whatever tools allow for the expression of modern Maori identity”. Her works on canvas have become readily identifiable nonetheless, by the use of rust “a metaphor for the integration of western systems in contemporary Maori identities, celebrating decay yet re-growth as the richness of iron in nature is transformed into new cityscapes in the modern world”.