about

J.E. is an artist and writer based in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Her art is driven by a deep love of narrative, often exploring moments where the ordinary and the fantastical overlap. Her writing works in harmony with this, embracing magic, wonder, adventure (and probably more swords than necessary).

J.E. grew up with her head in a book and a pencil in hand, riding horses, playing with swords, and lurking in theatres —- habits that have followed her into adulthood. Along the way, she has studied archaeology, written plays and stories (and even entire books), and, on two separate occasions, run away with the circus.

Her current world-in-progress, Under Winter Waters, is an illustrated narrative project set on the edge of an alpine lake, where themes of grief, connection, magic, and memory unfold through the relationship between a man, a ghost, and a witch. In 2025, J.E. was awarded an artist’s residency to expand this project, culminating in her exhibition, The Story So Far—a gallery of illustrations, paintings, sketchbook pages, and interactive works that explored the developing world of Under Winter Waters and invited viewers into the creative process beneath the story’s surface (Zappekin Gallery 2025).

A mixed-media artist, J.E. works across traditional media—paint, graphite, clay, and the written word—creating images and stories that invite viewers to step beyond the everyday. Her practice is guided by a desire to create work that lingers, resonates, and invites viewers/readers to embrace their imagination!