Leah Creaven is a textile artist whose bold, rug-tufted artworks bridge the landscapes of her past and present. Based in the coastal town of Whangamata, Leah’s practice is deeply influenced by the natural world around her, as well as the urban and rural environments she once called home in Galway and Dublin, Ireland. A graduate of the National College of Art and Design, she weaves together organic forms, abstracted lines, and unconventional colour palettes - each piece an emotional exploration of place and memory.

New Zealand wool is central to Leah’s work, not only as a material but as a storyteller, grounding her pieces in a tangible connection to the land. Her acclaimed Land Girl exhibition at the Aratoi Wairarapa Museum of Art and History garnered glowing reviews, and her piece Rapa Rising won the Glenda Saunders Colour Award at the 2021 Wairarapa Art Review. Her work has also been featured in publications such as British Vogue and Home & Garden.

Leah’s Whangamata studio is a vibrant, welcoming space - walls lined with colourful wool, creativity buzzing in the air. It serves not only as her personal artistic sanctuary but as a hub where she shares her passion through workshops, inviting others to explore the expressive possibilities of textile art.