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River Jayden

@riverjaydenart

6K

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3030

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🎨 Māori Artist & Designer
🖼️ Art History Nerd
🖌️ Toi Iho Registered Artist
📩 Enquires to [email protected]

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

My art made it to New York! ♥️

Excited to be apart of “The Space Between Worlds”, which is a show that uses a digital truck to display toi Māori throughout SoHo, Broadway and NYC.

The truck drives around on a big loop for 24/7 for the next couple of weeks👌

It’s a unique kaupapa that takes the work to the audience. It’s right up my ally because I love my work being out of the streets and creating conversation rather than sitting in an empty gallery.

Many contemporary ringatoi Māori (artist) are in this show and I’m so excited to share the space with my talented mates.

Can’t wait to see where this show goes from here!

Big thanks to @dombakerart @nft.aotearoa and the curatorial team.

Mauri ora x by @riverjaydenart

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a month ago

Kōwhaiwhai has been part of my practice from the beginning.

They’re a direct line to our tīpuna, and every time I use them I’m continuing something that’s been passed down for generations.

While every Iwi has their own depictions and differences in design, these tohu (symbols) represent the language of Toi Māori (Māori Art).

Swipe to meet three of them. And if there’s a pattern you want to know more about, drop it in the comments 🖤 by @riverjaydenart

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4 months ago

Does social media help your creativity or hurt it?

For me, it was hurting it. Minutes turned into hours.

Comparison turned into self doubt.

And somewhere in all of that, I stopped making art.

So I left for 12 months.

Now I’m back, with a year’s worth of mahi to show you. Let’s go 🖤 by @riverjaydenart

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4 months ago

Which bag is yours?

Tell us your pick in the comments, and tag the person who’s obviously an Ahi Kā in your life ❤️

Mauri ora x by @riverjaydenart

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3 days ago

As our community continues to grow, I thought it’s time to re-introduce myself. So Kia ora, I’m River 🤍

This is a little about who I am, where I come from and why I do what I do. Before River Jayden Art, I spent years in sales and managing a team. Now I bring that business mindset to toi Māori and I do it all myself: the designing, packing, admin and accounts.

It’s not always perfect, but I give it my best, day in and day out. Thank you for backing one wāhine and a kaupapa I’m so proud of.

Swipe through to get to know me!

Mauri ora x by @riverjaydenart

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4 days ago

Did you know that you can vote early? Voting opens October 26th and the incredibly popular @riverjaydenart (Ngāti Tahu - Ngāti Whaoa, Ngāti Apakura, and Ngāti Maniapoto) has made some awesome gears for you to show off! 👕

Get yours at the link in bio 💅

Authorised by ActionStation Aotearoa, PO Box 19069, Wellington 6141 by @riverjaydenart

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4 days ago

A koru (spiral) speaks of new life unfurling. Lines and layers can hold whakapapa (genealogy), place and the stories of a people. Those meanings were handed down by tīpuna (ancestors), and they belong to the people they come from.

When a design gets copied, generated or stripped of its story, it keeps the look and loses the meaning. That’s what cultural appropriation is. It’s also why it hurts when it happens.

I make my work to speak to our pūrākau (traditional stories) and our creation stories. When you wear it, you’re carrying a piece of that story with you. Wearing a design well means knowing what it says.

So here are some things to ask before you buy:

Who made it?

What does it mean?

Where does it come from?

I want you to wear my mahi (work) proudly, and I want you to know why. Every design comes with its story, so you can read it, share it and pass it on.

Do you know the story behind something you own? Tell us in the comments 🤍 by @riverjaydenart

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5 days ago

Stuck on what to get someone? Here’s a few things under $50 they’ll actually use.

A mug for their morning coffee, a travel mug for the drive, polarised sunnies for summer and a big 1L drink bottle for work or the gym.

It’s all available now at riverjaydenart.com by @riverjaydenart

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6 days ago

I was going to do a video to announce our 60k FB followers giveaway but as I started putting together these photos of the taonga that have been donated for you fullas to win, some of which were collected by my cousins for me to raffle for my campaign, I started having a tangi.

Not a sad tangi, a happy one. Because I can feel the aroha that comes from every single one of these amazing people that have given a koha for all of you in these fkn hard times. And it's bloody beautiful. This is the aroha in action I woke up with as the kaupapa o te rā.

1. "Te Toki" - Tētahi toki pounamu nō aku cousins @martythomas @matewaikato. She's the powerhouse that ran around getting a whole bunch of taonga for our campaign fundraising raffle that's on ways after this. My cuzn @martythomas is the carver of my tewhatewha earrings and my big bluey sodalite toki. He tino taonga, go follow him if you wanna win this one.

2. "Tipu bundle bag and glasses" from @riverjaydenart. I ordered a bag from River a little while ago for my baby and she immediately came thru with this beautiful koha for you guys when I put the tono out. I love the utu of aroha going on there, go follow her if you want to win this one.

3. "Ko Hikurangi te maunga" by Vanessa Stanbridge @threedaughters valued at $150. Vanessa is on her haerenga to establish her pakihi from Wharekahika / Hicks Bay and kindly offered this beautiful taonga for you. Go follow @threedaughters if you want to win this one.

4. "Snorkel set and kai bag" from @ruku_aotearoa. The bro said you don't even have to follow him to win this but go follow him anyway cos he utu tērā mō te aroha i koha mai.

5. "$250 kai vouchers" from my beautiful cuzn Bub and her hubby Noel. I've actually already given these ones away to some whānau in need and I'm replacing them for this giveaway so now we have double the aroha going out. You don't have to follow anyone to win these, just say thank you cuzn in your comment below and the aroha and blessings will reach them 🥰🫶

To enter our giveaway easy as:

1. Like the page of the koha you want to win.
2. Comment below with the prize you most would like to win.

Koinā! Live draw next week at Kawerau kai tahi! 💚 by @riverjaydenart

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8 days ago

The day I stopped caring what other people thought was the day my work got good. Funny how that works right?

If you’re holding something back right now, a project, an idea, a version of yourself, this is your reminder that it’s allowed to be seen. You don’t have to have it figured out first. Start messy, start scared, just start.

The people who are meant to love it will find you. They always do.

Mauri ora x by @riverjaydenart

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10 days ago

Want the full matchy set? Grab our bundle!

Our Ahi Kā and Tipu bags both come with their own bundle: the bag, matching sunglasses, a soft neoprene case with a carabiner clip, and a microfibre lens cloth.

We have limited numbers left of our Ponsonby bags and this will be our only drop before Christmas, don’t miss out! x

Shop now at riverjaydenart.com by @riverjaydenart

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11 days ago

The life of an artist 🤍 by @riverjaydenart

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12 days ago