Meet Amber, the Creative Mind Behind Art Sparks
A few Fridays ago, I popped into one of Amber’s classes at Active Arts. The kids were working with oil pastels, and the room had that lovely chatter you only get when a group of kids are busy with their hands. It was interesting watching the different confidence levels around the table. Each of them showed a little of their personality on the page, and I loved watching them give things a try and put their own style on their pictures. Amber and her helper, Holly, helped everyone get started and feel inspired, and then the kids were off, exploring and experimenting in their own way.
Encouraging kids to try, and then giving them the freedom to find their own way, is what Art Sparks is all about.
What is Art Sparks?
When I asked Amber how she’d describe Art Sparks to someone who’s never heard of it, she said it’s about building confidence through experimentation. The kids get a project and some boundaries to work within, but they don’t all end up with the same thing. She also brings in good quality materials most families don’t have at home, like oil pastels and proper paper. She thinks of art as a spark that lights something up in a child, and she wants them bursting with colour rather than boxed in.
For Amber, art is about much more than making a picture. It helps kids problem-solve, experiment, build new skills and develop neural pathways. She believes creativity is just as important for a child’s developing brain as mindfulness is for their wellbeing.
Classes run on Friday afternoons for an hour, straight after school, at the Active Arts studio. At the moment there are about 15 kids, mostly aged around seven to ten, all sitting together at one big table.
There’s more structure than you might expect. Kids do a rough plan first, which only they need to understand, then they get one good sheet of paper. Amber says planning helps them work through their wobbles and see that, with a bit of forethought, things become much more manageable. She also tells them there’s no such thing as perfect.
“Lots of kids tell themselves they can’t before they’ve even put pencil to page, so Amber has a cheerful little rule: you’re allowed to say “I can’t” four times, and then it’s time to swap it for “I can” and give it a go, even if you’re not sure how yet.”
No typical kid
I asked who tends to come along, and Amber said there really isn’t a type. She has sporty kids, really quiet kids, and neurodiverse kids too. They all approach projects in different ways. She’s also known to break into a little song or use a funny accent to encourage the worriers, often getting the other kids to join in with her ‘you can do it’ chorus. Although this particular song is usually reserved for studio time, when there are no other grown-ups around!
She feels strongly that kids who aren’t top of the class or the stars of the sports field need somewhere to shine too. Sometimes they just need a little encouragement and someone to point them in the right direction. In her words: “Nobody’s looking at their feet when they’re reaching for the stars.”
How Art Sparks began
Amber is a former footwear designer who apprenticed at Alexander McQueen in London and went on to work with several global brands, finishing up at Kate Spade New York. She and her family made their way to New Zealand, and while they were staying with her sister in Wellington, her husband heard about a job in Taupō. They moved just as the world was shutting down, and they’ve been here ever since.
Art Sparks really started at Amber’s kitchen table. Kids would come over to play with her daughter, Fauve, and Amber would get out the art supplies. Sometimes they really did just want to go off and play Barbies, but she realised there was a gap she could fill, and she’s loved every minute of it since.
Her first workshop was at Waipahihi School: life size portraits, with the kids tracing around each other and adding hair made from pipe cleaners. Then she reached out to Active Arts, a community art charity run by volunteers, and they’ve been really supportive of having Art Sparks at the studio ever since.
When things don’t quite go to plan
Amber’s toughest workshop so far was a Christmas advent calendar: a Santa with a long beard marked with dates, so you cut off a date each day and his smile slowly appears. She had measured every piece meticulously. The kids came in and chopped everything up. She got through it with spare sample pieces, but said that one definitely won’t be making a comeback.
Her advice for anyone starting out
Years ago in London, someone told Amber they didn’t think she realised the opportunity she was giving up when she left. It stuck with her, but not the way they meant it. Her takeaway is that you make your own opportunities. Take a step, see where you land, and when you’re ready, look around and take another one.
She’s also honest that she’s still working it out. Balancing seven-year-olds with her regular older kids is a learning curve, and she’s still figuring out pricing and the right age groups. What did help was a local mum writing a lovely recommendation on social media. That one post brought in new families, and she had ten kids booked before this term even started.
The dream
With unlimited resources, Amber would love her own studio with a little café and big tables where kids and adults could sit and create over a cup of tea.
She’d also love to use her design experience to help older kids develop their portfolios and explore where their creativity could take them, especially those thinking about art or design school.
When I asked what this has taught her that she didn’t expect, she said: “What I didn’t expect was just how excited and invested I’d become in supporting each child’s progress and seeing their confidence grow. Every class brings surprises, and it’s so rewarding watching a child discover they can do something they weren’t sure they could.”
How you can support Art Sparks
Amber is planning a few different workshops on Friday afternoons this term, each one bookable on its own. Term classes run in blocks of about five weeks, so you don’t need to commit to a whole term. She’s also keen to hear what people would like to see: classes for 11 to 14-year-olds, portfolio help for teens, an outdoor sketch group, or adult workshops.
You can find Art Sparks on Facebook and Instagram, or email Amber directly. She replies quickly. And if your kid has done one of her classes, a share or a quick recommendation goes a long way.
As Amber puts it, there’s no such thing as perfect. Art is about having a go, experimenting, and discovering what you can do.
