Artist Bio

Leah Creaven is a textile artist who creates rug tufted artwork in her studio in Whangamata, New Zealand.

Leah’s work is influenced by the land that surrounds her in New Zealand as well as the urban and rural landscapes she inhabited while growing up in Galway and Dublin (where she received her Bachelor of Design degree) in Ireland.

Through the tactile warmth of wool, Leah weaves stories that blur the line between memory and place. Her work draws from personal and collective experiences, transforming soft fibres into vivid landscapes and quiet moments suspended in time. Each stitch becomes a thread in a larger narrative—one that honours the textures of the land and the emotional weight of remembrance. By using wool as both medium and message, she invites viewers to not just see, but to feel the stories embedded in every piece

The use of New Zealand wool is a conscious choice and plays a big part in contributing to this constant theme, helping to illustrate her connections and experiences with the land.

Leah’s ‘Land Girl’ exhibition at the Aratoi Wairarapa Museum of Art and History received excellent reviews and her ‘Rapa Rising’ piece won the Glenda Saunders Colour Award in the Wairarapa Art Review of 2021. Her work has featured in publications such as British Vogue and Home & Garden magazine.

Leah's studio in Whangamata is a relaxed and colourful space adorned with vibrant wool from floor to ceiling and offers a creative hub to not only herself but also to her workshop participants.