I recently spent a morning with Kāryn Taylor at her and her husband Ian’s home, and Kāryn’s studio, in Bronte, just outside Nelson.
After studying in Wellington and Auckland, and several years working in the United States, Kāryn has settled in Bronte and hopes to stay there permanently. It’s a 30-minute drive from Nelson, and as I turned off the highway, I could instantly see why they have chose this place.
Their recently converted two-bedroom house sits on the Bronte Peninsula overlooking the Waimea Estuary, with orchards and vineyards dotted around, the Richmond Ranges to the south-east and Mount Arthur to the south-west. In winter, Kāryn says the ranges are ridged with snow. At the far end of the garden, under a big silk tree, there are a couple of chairs where they start the day with coffee, watching the tide move in and out.
Inside, their house feels calm and considered. Furniture, plants, ceramics and artworks sit together easily. Kāryn’s works are throughout, alongside pieces by artists they’ve bought and swapped — including Caitlin Devoy, Harry Culy and Denys Watkins.
What I found most interesting was seeing which of Kāryn’s own works they’ve kept. A large, simple white work with a blue line holds court in the kitchen — Semi Certain. It had been with her dealer for a while before she decided to keep it as one of her favourites.
From the house, it’s a short, tree-lined walk down to the studio — a plywood-lined space with views and a wood burner. A large central table sits at the centre, with materials stacked around it: acrylic, pigments, cut forms, flocking, sewing machines, steel rods, industrial felt. Finished works, half-made works, and maquettes for larger sculptural pieces all sit together, making for a fertile playground.
And, like any good studio (or gallery), there’s a bit of overflow. The bathroom is stacked full of stuff with the shower turned into a cupboard. Practical, improvised, and fully in use.
Q&A
Q: How did you come to settle in Bronte?
I’ve lived on and off in Nelson since 1990 and have always been drawn to Māpua and the surrounding areas. When I decided to work as an artist full time, I did a lot of house sitting and eventually had a long-term stay in Māpua. After that I knew I had to live here. Bronte is five minutes away and is so beautiful.
Q: What does a typical day look like here?
My husband and I start the day under the silk trees with a coffee and our cats, looking out over the estuary and ranges.
After breakfast, I work in the studio until about 2pm. The afternoons are slower — lunch in the garden, then admin.
After dinner, we walk down to the estuary — sometimes the cats come too. We remind ourselves how lucky we are to live here, then head home for a bit of Netflix.
Q: How does this environment feed into the work?
This place makes it easier to feel settled and focused. If your mind is scattered, it’s hard to make progress, here it’s easier to get into a calm, productive flow.
Q: Can you talk about the works you’ve kept for yourself?
There are three works I’ve kept that really resonate with me — all quite minimal.
Semi Certain is a milky white panel with a blue arc and line that bleeds like watercolour. It has a strong but calm presence.
Fold, in the bedroom, is a rich yellow panel with two subtle lines that shift with the light. Sometimes one disappears, sometimes the other. I love waking up to it.
The third is a small white-on-white test for a larger work. It changes with the light — a quietly strong piece.
There are also three works Ian chose — a green circular work with a glowing orange square, a very dark blue piece that reveals itself slowly, and an olive-toned work with interweaving imagery. I like the conversations between them.
Q: What are you working on in the studio at the moment?
Having just finished my show at Jhana Millers, I’m back to experimenting — developing new sculptural ideas and testing materials I’ve had waiting in the studio.
I’m also remaking past installation works that combine object, projection and painted line, and documenting them properly so they can have a wider life.
View Karyn's new exhibition, Cosmic Mind, Quantum field in the gallery or online here
