Trish lives and works in Auckland but was born in Hamilton. Ngati Rangi, Ngati Rangi Rewehi, Ngati Pikaio.

Both her parents were teachers and were involved with country service so she travelled around New Zealand, going to school in Rotorua.

It wasn't until she was older - around 28 - that she helped her cousin print some fabric and it got her interested.

She went to a six-week course at Outreach Community Arts Centrerun by Katie McLean. Apart from this short stint she is self-taught.

A single parent - she set herself up at home and started work on the kitchen table. "Grabbing an idea, putting it on paper and then extending it on fabric".

She felt it gave her an independence and a freedom to express herself creatively with textiles.

She had support from the Maori Women's Welfare League and the Maori Women's Development Fund provided seed funding for her to venture into niche market retailing with her Maori designs.

She sold work at the craft fairs in Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin and she had retail outlets nationwide. She took her work to trade Expos in Perth and Japan.

She pays tribute to Theo Schoon for influencing her development as a designer. He was a very flamboyant character and she felt he helped her develop an eye for detail and made her more observant.

Her designs include elements of the spirals and tiki from traditional Maori art as well as designs working with direct crayon screen techniques crayon combine with hand-painting.

More recently she has moved away from printing herself. She has accepted commissioned work which she has commercially printed, and also enjoys teaching.

To contact Patricia email erueti@hotmail.com