Nau mai.
Rachel Kiddie McClure is a New Zealand-based artist whose work embraces autobiographical themes of identity, feminism, domestic worlds, nostalgia and storytelling. She has a diverse interest in art and craft, working in multiple disciplines such as drawing, illustration, painting, sculpture, quilt-making, cross-stitch, embroidery and crochet.
Her work sits comfortably within a kitsch aesthetic, utilising pattern, bold colour, glitter, craft, textiles, decorative embellishments and the ready-made. Combinations of colour, pattern, text and symbolism are used to explore humour in everyday life.
Humour is an important and underlying theme in her work, with the quote “it’s feminism with a frown turned upside-down” (Harford, 2013) a guiding sentiment in Kiddie McClures’ practice. Fragments of sadness, rage and frustration also linger in the background which help to bring about contemporary critique and a sense of familiarity to the audience.
Exhibitions - Awards - Publications - Workshops
2025
Presenter - Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Art Educator National Conference @ Wintec, Hamilton NZ
2024
Nine Voices, Group Exhibition @ The Arts House Trust, Morrinsville Gallery NZ
Go Small @ The Framing Workshop, Hamilton NZ
TEN, Group Exhibition @ The Mandarine Tree, Gordonton NZ
Tauranga ZineFest @ Tauranga Public Art Gallery, Bay of Plenty NZ
Contributor - Nell Anne Quilt @ McCahon House, Auckland NZ
2023
Go Small @ The Framing Workshop, Hamilton NZ
Mentor - Whiria te Tāngata @ Creative Waikato, Hamilton NZ
2022
For Our Sisters: The Art of Rugby - Womans Rugby World Cup Mural @ SouthMall Manurewa
Tauranga ZineFest @ Tauranga Public Art Gallery, Bay of Plenty NZ
Winner Baby Mural @ Lighthouse Studios, Hamilton NZ
Cross Stitch Workshop @ Auaha Makers Space, Hamilton NZ
Waka Ama Hoe (paddle) Art Work - Collaboration with Manaaki Made for Sanctuary Mountain Art Auction @ Maungatautari, NZ
Mt Albert Grammar Fine Art Exhibition @ Mt Albert Grammar School, Auckland NZ
HAVEN Magazine Feature – April 2022
Whose Story Is It? Group Exhibition @ Spilt Milk Gallery, Edinburgh Scotland
It’s A Stitch Up! Group Exhibition @ RAMP Gallery, Hamilton NZ
2021
Rauhī, Group Exhibition @ RAMP Gallery, Hamilton NZ
Kōtahitanga Through Creativity, Group Exhibition @ Calder & Lawson Gallery, The University of Waikato, Hamilton NZ
Finalist - Changing Threads Contemporary Textile Fibre Arts Awards @ Refinery Artspace, Nelson NZ
What Happened To Me Yesterday? Solo Exhibition @ Studio One Toi Tū, Auckland NZ
BOON Street Art Festival Mural @ Liverpool St, Hamilton NZ
2020
What Happened To Me Yesterday? Solo Exhibition @ The Nancy Caiger Gallery, Hamilton NZ
This Is A Jar For Your Fucks - Online International Collaborative Art Project
BOON Street Art, Group Exhibition @ The Nancy Caiger Gallery, Hamilton NZ
Tauranga ZineFest @ Tauranga Public Art Gallery, Bay of Plenty NZ
Go Small, Group Exhibition @ The Framing House, Hamilton NZ
FLIP, Group Exhibition @ Grant Jack Studio, Cambridge NZ
2019
BOON Street Art, Group Exhibition @ Pop-up Exhibition Space, Hamilton NZ
2018
Hamilton ZineFest @ The Meteor, Hamilton NZ
2017
BOON Street Art Festival Mural and Group Exhibition @ Barton St + Pop-up Exhibition Space, Hamilton NZ
Hamilton ZineFest @ Creative Waikato, Hamilton NZ
2016
Te Manaakitanga Wharenui Interior Mural @ Melville High School, Hamilton NZ
2014
A Matter of Taste, Group Exhibition @ Draw Inc Gallery, Hamilton NZ
Recent Work, Solo Exhibition @ Moss Flower Boutique, Hamilton NZ
Small Works, Group Exhibition @ Zeus Gallery, Tauranga NZ
Hamilton Gardens Art Festival, Group Exhibition @ Hamilton Gardens, Hamilton NZ
RiffRaff Magazine 09 Edition, August 2014
2013
Dolls Hearts’ and Wooden Shoes, Solo Exhibition @ ArtsPost, Hamilton NZ
The Affordable Art Showcase, Group Exhibition @ Draw Inc Gallery, Hamilton NZ
Education
2010
Master of Information Studies with Merit - Victoria University of Wellington NZ
Certificate in Indigenous Research Methodology - Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, Hamilton NZ
2009
National Certificate in Maori (Level 2), Mauri Ora Program - Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, Hamilton NZ
2004
Graduate Diploma in Secondary School Teaching (Visual Arts) - University of Waikato, Hamilton NZ
2003
Bachelor of Media Arts (Visual Arts) - Waikato Institute of Technology, Hamilton NZ