Ms Bedson - Artist in residence experience
ARIST IN RESIDENCE EXPERIENCE, Samoa, 2026. – Ms Bedson (Reyntjes)
In January this year, I was invited to be an Artist in Residence at the Tiapapata Art Centre in Samoa. It was a very special and memorable experience.
The Arts centre is set about 800 metres above sea level in the hills, surrounded by lush tropical forest. When I was there, the weather was hot - usually between 30 and 40 degrees each day. Most days were bright, sunny and HOT, and at other times heavy tropical rain would arrive suddenly, before it went back to being very warm again.
There was a wonderful mix of people staying and working at the art centre. Two artists from Sweden were there creating pottery for the gallery. Volunteers from the Czech Republic helped care for the dogs, work in the greenhouse, and prepare delicious meals using fruit and vegetables grown on the property. Most of the food was vegetarian, with the occasional fresh local fish.
During my first week, the Art centre was mostly closed to the public except for workshops, because it was the January school holidays. In the second week, the café opened, and visitors came for breakfast and lunch. There were guests staying in several unique Airbnb houses on the property, each different and set beside the forest. I stayed in the ‘Tiny House’ for a couple of nights, and there was also a ‘Tree House’ with a trapdoor and ladder that made it feel like a real childhood cubby!
While I was there, I ran several art classes, including children’s classes in sculpture, ceramics/clay and printing. I also ran a ceramics class and geli-printing workshop for adults. The groups included people of different ages and backgrounds, with children from New Zealand, Japan, Samoa, Fiji and America, and local adults including those working with the United Nations and foreign embassies. The French ambassador’s wife Olivia is an artist too. She joined some sessions, as did one of the owner’s sisters, a potter who lives on the coast of Greece. It felt like a truly multicultural and creative environment!
Another highlight was the papermaking studio further down the hill on the Tiapapata property. The man that makes the paper at the studio is from Ghana in Africa. The paper making studio is all about using local natural fibres and recycling. Paper is created from natural fibres such as banana leaves and skins, hibiscus, bamboo and even recycled denim pulp! The papers have beautiful textures and colours and are used for artworks, journals and cards. I was lucky enough to buy a piece of paper artwork to bring home.
The owners of the art centre are artists themselves. As well as exploring their own art practises, they are deeply committed to reclaiming and reviving Samoan art and cultural traditions. With local knowledge holders, they research, practise and share cultural heritage through dance, storytelling and art. Traditional skills that were once common are being relearned and shared with the community. Handcrafted objects such as tools, canoes, fishing lures, hair combs and even nose flutes are being recreated. Traditionally, these items were made using materials gathered from the natural environment such as pearl shells, turtle shell (in the past), bones and teeth from sea creatures, and feathers from birds. Today, more environmentally responsible materials are used, but the knowledge and techniques are being carefully preserved and passed on. The children at school will be learning a little about the nose flutes in our music classes!
The owners’ son represented Samoa in Olympic Judo and runs his own dojo on the property, where local children and adults come to train, learning both physical skills and skills of respect. A guest mixed martial artist was visiting from Thailand, so I was able to watch several different styles being taught at the dojo.
I found the Samoan people very friendly, and I often heard people singing as part of everyday life. As a music teacher and music lover, I especially appreciated that. When a new Airbnb building was being constructed further down the hill, I would hear the workers laughing and singing as I walked past. There was a strong sense of positivity and community.
Outside of teaching, I visited beautiful beaches and went snorkelling on a nearby island with friends from the Arts centre — staff, visitors from New Zealand and local friends. We swam with turtles and saw GIANT colourful clams and beautiful waterfalls. I also spent time in the capital of Apia, about eight kilometres away. It felt small compared to our cities, but I did find a few coffee shops, clothing stores and colourful markets selling bright island fabrics and some interesting and unfamiliar foods. One memory that stands out is seeing a bottle filled with freshly caught sea urchins!
Overall, it was a rich and rewarding experience; creatively inspiring, culturally diverse and warmly welcoming. Living and working in such an intense tropical climate, surrounded by nature and people from many different backgrounds, was both energising and grounding. It also reminded me how much I value my home, family and community.
