Art warming – Art In Motion
by Metropol | October 28, 2026 8:33 am
Timaru creative Penni Naylor wears her heart and art on her sleeve; meet the mind behind some of Art In Motion’s most memorable pieces.
Whether Penni Naylor is painting, sewing, making costumes, volunteering or experimenting with unexpected materials, she is happiest when bringing an idea to life.
In last year’s inaugural Art In Motion wearable art competition, held at Timaru’s Caroline Bay Hall, Penni won first place in the Time Travel section for her piece, Slipstream, and also took first place for her work, The Hidden Garden, in the Single Items Paper-made section. This year, she took home first place in the Aotearoa section with her Forest Guardian – Taniwha, as well as placing runner-up with a set of wings called Dreammaker in the Single Items Fables and Fantasies section.
“Creativity has always been at the heart of who I am,” she says. “I am happiest when I’m creating something.”
Now based in Timaru, Penni grew up in a small Southland village before attending high school in Invercargill. Her love of art began in primary school, while an encouraging high school art teacher helped steer her towards the craft side of creativity.
Inspired by the imaginative work of puppeteer and creator of The Muppets, Jim Henson, she dreamed of working in a world of imagination and making. Her creative foundations were also established at home, where her grandmothers taught her to knit and crochet. After learning basic sewing at school at around 11 or 12, she taught herself new skills and developed a passion for experimenting with materials, techniques and textures.
“I’ve always enjoyed learning by doing, figuring things out as I go, and discovering just how far I can push an idea,” she says.
Life is busy for Penni, who has two grown children and works two jobs, but she still makes time for hockey, biking, running and community involvement. “I love a good physical endurance challenge. I’ve taken part in the Spring Challenge team event several times, completed a few half marathons and the Mackenzie bike ride. I enjoy challenging myself physically just as much as I enjoy challenging myself creatively.”
Wearable art
The Art in Motion wearable arts competition has given Penni the opportunity to challenge herself creatively, experiment with new ideas and share her work with an audience.
“For me, it’s about taking an idea, often inspired by something I’ve seen or imagined, and working out how to turn it into something tangible,” she says.
One of her earlier creations, Slipstream, drew inspiration from science fiction and was developed for the competition’s Time Travel section. The concept took her back to watching the classic 1960s film The Time Machine with her father. Imagining a time traveller moving through a time vortex, she set about finding ways to bring the vision to life.
Alongside Slipstream, she created The Hidden Garden, a paper-made entry inspired by her love of nature and the small treasures hidden within flora and fauna. Penni enjoys exploring the countryside on foot or by bike, noticing details in the landscape and collecting interesting objects that might eventually become part of a design.
“You never quite know when something picked up along the way might become part of a future creation!” she says.
When Art in Motion announced its Aotearoa section for 2026, Penni knew she wanted to create a taniwha. Having wanted to make wings for some time, she saw the opportunity to combine the ideas in a new piece, Forest Guardian – Taniwha.
“To me, a taniwha is more than just a dragon,” she explains. “I wanted to create something connected to the land, watching over the creatures in our forests.”
Adventurous experimentation
With a creative process driven by curiosity, Penni enjoys exploring different materials, mediums and textures, experimenting with techniques such as heating, moulding, sewing and painting. Adapting materials often leads her in directions she never anticipated.
“Sometimes an idea changes considerably along the way, and that’s all part of the adventure,” she says. “I rarely know exactly where a project will take me when I begin.”
After spending hours working on a piece, however, doubts can creep in. Penni admits it can be difficult to judge a finished creation objectively when she knows every detail.
“Have I hit the mark? Is it good enough? Have I managed to bring the idea in my head to life in the way I imagined?” she asks. “Then the model goes up on stage, the music starts, and suddenly it comes to life,” she says. “Seeing the audience react makes all the hours of work, the experimenting and the occasional moments of doubt worthwhile.”
Taking part in the competition has strengthened Penni’s confidence and encouraged her to keep exploring what is possible. She is proud of the work she has produced and the skills she has developed, particularly her ability to combine colour, hands-on making and unexpected materials. She is equally proud that Timaru provides local artists with an opportunity to showcase their work, learn from others and celebrate creativity together.
Art in Motion, she says, is about trying something new, discovering what can be achieved and encouraging others to explore their own creative potential.
“If my own journey encourages someone else to have a go, embrace their creativity or see the possibilities in something unexpected, then that is something worth celebrating,” she says.
Inspired? To find out about entering the 2027 Art in Motion wearable art competition, go to artinmotionsc.com.
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All images photographed by Brad Reeve @bradreevephoto.
Source URL: https://metropol.co.nz/art-warming-art-in-motion/