Dorian Everard

Bio and Values

(He/Him), Pakeha.

 

Dorian is a neurodivergent, transgender artist creating from Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai (Lower Hutt), a small city bordering on Aotearoa's capital, Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington). He primarily works out of a community art studio known as Kererū House, which he shares with other local artists and creatives in Naenae, known as the 'Kererū Artist's Collective'. Because of this he considers himself both self and community taught, having not studied art at a tertiary level but having built his skills through learning from other artists online and in shared studio environments.

 

Art and storytelling has always been an outlet for him, but since being diagnosed with long covid in early 2022 (on top of other chronic health issues) he decided to finally pursue his true passion of fine art and illustration in 2023, as he was unable to return to his prior occupation due to disability.

 

Dorian's art appeals to his nature of wanting to elevate causes that matter to him and his community. Art is a wonderful way to connect with others, and after a history of mental and physical illness, the relationship between body and self is high on the list of subject matters he touches on through his art.

 

We live in a period of rapid change and impending climate catastrophe, which gives us all a sense of helplessness and fear for the future. His work celebrates the incredible diversity we still have and mourns what we have already lost. Botanical themes are an ever present feature of his work, often in tandem with other subject matters.

 

As a transgender person and member of the rainbow community, Dorian dismantles the gender binary and celebrates this community's wonderful diversity through his illustrations. He believes that intersectionality is the key to liberating ourselves from modern western society's imposed ideals of beauty, success, and self worth. A large part of this is addressing the huge part colonisation has had in creating the modern perspective, the harm it is causing to indigenous communities, and other scapegoated groups such as the rainbow and disabled community.

 

In time, through series such as 'Celebrations of Aotearoa', he hopes to partner with other activists and not-for-profit organisations to further assist in breaking down these unnecessary, biased perspectives and address inequities in society. Dorian sees art and performance as a way to celebrate our communities, make space for people to tell their stories, and see things from new perspectives. 

 

Dorian primarily creates using watercolour, pencil, and pen but also sings for fun, is part of the Poneke based rainbow choir Glamaphones, and plays classical violin. He occasionally dabbles in poetry and spoken word and many other forms of storytelling.