Olivia Aroha Giles is a Māori writer and contemporary artist, born in 1960s Wainuiomata and now lives in the cultural and creative renaissance hub of Otaki. She is the Creative Director for Dusky Productions, a Porirua based boutique publishing house.
She’s had a wide and varied career spanning working in her parents' neighbourhood Dairy, farm hand, flipping burgers at Waiouru Army Camp, support to two Ministers of Māori Affairs in the Beehive, support to the Lottery Grants Youth Committee, journalist, editor and fact checker, Gallery owner, exhibitor and host at Pataka Gallery, chef, caterer, creator and installer of fairy gardens all whilst being a mum and Wife.
She's travelled extensively and is an alumni of Whitireia New Zealand with a degree in applied visual Arts and Design and an Advanced Graduate Diploma in Creative Writing.
All her creative work is inspired and supported by her amazing large, close extended whānau and the occasional fever dream.