Elke has been living in the Bream Bay since 1999. Her passion for weaving started off with a friend from Lang’s Beach about 10 years ago. Later on Elke joined Pa Te Aroaha weavers from Whirinaki/Hokianga Harbour and with them she visits different places in NZ learning about Maori customs and Tikanga. Elke belongs to Te Roopu Raranga Whatu O Aoteraroa, a national body for flax weaving, with biannual National Huis where about 250 weavers from all over the country meet. 2016 was a busy year with having the exhibition `Woven Together exhibition` at the Quarry Arts Centre in June 2016 with most items sold and commissions following.
In 2017 Elke became a student of the Hetet School of Maori Art studying with Verenoa Hetet.
Elke’s specialty is to combine color with unusual forms. There are endless opportunities to work with flax ranging from ornamental items, food containers, simple Kete, Kete Whaikaro and huge wall hangings. For Elke it is a particular pleasure that her Pa Harakeke in Waipu provides her with her own source of flax. All flax is woven with artificial dye as this ensures a huge color range as well as making it safe to send to any place in the world.
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