By Cloe Willetts
Ava Farrell’s parents have always told the young Waikanae artist she was born in the wrong era. As a primary schooler, she’d spend hours quietly drawing and painting in her bedroom, eventually emerging with striking watercolour portraits of music icons like David Bowie and John Lennon.
When her father Ian began introducing Ava, 15, to musicians such as Queen, one of the teen’s longtime favourites, she began collecting stacks of vinyls and CDs from thrift shops.
While Ava’s peers played modern songs through their phones, she preferred to listen to classics on a vinyl record player her father set up for her.
Today, Ava’s combined passion for music and creativity is her expressive outlet.
“I got really into music a couple of years ago and wanted to paint my favourite musicians. Then, it was kind of my obsession for a while!” says the self-taught artist, whose first music subject was singer David Bowie. “I put on music and start painting and it’s quite therapeutic. A few hours goes by really quickly.”
The teen’s painting process involves finding a photo reference that she sketches, before using watercolour to paint the subject’s skin and hair.
“Then, I use shadows, and go back over with pencils and add more detail,” she explains, “and finish by adding highlights.”
Artists among her collection include Amy Winehouse, Slash, and Kiss frontman, Gene Simmons. She has also painted Edward Scissorhands, a favourite for Ava, as well as contemporary artist, Tyler the Creator.
“I’ve always been a creative person and my parents have always supported me and told me to do what I love,” shares Ava, who started painting portraits at age 11. “My mum Claire has inspired my art too, since she has a unique style that shows through her interior design at home, and Dad has inspired me through his music taste.”
In the future, Ava hopes to find a career that involves self-expression.
“I wouldn’t mind getting into piercing and hairdressing,” she says, “but I definitely want to focus on getting into tattooing as I’d really thrive because of my art.”
To help Ava’s work reach an audience of other art and music lovers, her mother approached Kāpiti Tattoo and Arts Festival founder, Daniel Panter, inquiring about her daughter having a stall at the Paraparaumu event this weekend.
“He was really open to it,” enthuses Ava, who’s also open to commission work. “I’m excited about meeting new people who are interested in the same things as me and maybe, since it’s a tattooing festival, I can be introduced to some contacts for down the track.”
Ava will be selling her prints for $15 each or two for $25 at the festival this Saturday, March 22, 2025, taking place from 10am-6pm at Paraparaumu Memorial Hall.
She’ll be amongst 40 talented tattoo artists, painters, sculptors, and retail and craftspeople from across the region.
“It’s really nice that people like my art enough to be willing to buy it. It means a lot,” says Ava, who’ll be amongst . “Hopefully it’s successful and I can continue selling the work I love doing.”
More from Cloe Willetts, EQ Storytelling
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