Biography

Shāna was born in 1959 in Redwood City, California, and was a military dependent until 1972, travelling widely in the continental United States with her family both for work and pleasure. She attended high school in San Jose, California, and received a full scholarship in 1977 to study science at the University of California at Santa Barbara. However in 1981 Shāna decided to change her major to art, and moved to far Northern California where she completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine Arts in 1984.

Her love of adventure led her to Alaska between 1979 and 1984 to work to finance her education, and eventually to the South Pacific in 1985 where she met her husband, Mark Riddell, a New Zealand citizen, on an island in the Great Barrier reef. They have one son, Riely, born in 1990, and live on their sheep and beef farm in the central North Island of New Zealand.

Shāna is currently Head of Visual Arts at Rotorua Lakes High School, teaching both practical art and design, and art history. She has participated in numerous group exhibitions, held a number of solo exhibitions, and won many prestigious awards and commissions since immigrating to New Zealand and taking up permanent residency. Her work is also held in private collections in the United States, Hong Kong, and Europe. She is currently represented by madhouse design store and gallery in Rotorua, and ZeaYou Gallery in Taupo.

Qualifications

Whitecliff College of Art and Design, Master's of Fine Arts, 2002- present, submission date July 2004. Major in Painting.
University of Waikato: Hamilton, New Zealand, 1997, Graduate Diploma of Education, Secondary.
Humboldt State University: 1984, Arcata, California. Bachelor of Arts, in Fine Arts.

Highlights from the artist's resume

• Randolph Street Studios, Whitecliff College MFA Exhibition, The Beautiful Now: Negotiating the Narrative, July 2004.
• Magic Netball Team Franchise commission, Auckland City Art Gallery, National Bank Tournament Launch, May 2004
• Overall 2 Dimensional Art Award, Rotorua Artists Biennial Exhibition, Rotorua Museum of Art and History, Juror: Peter Webb. August 2003. Selected for exhibitions in 1995, 1997, 1999, and 2001.
• Creative Director, Rotorua Aquatic Centre Upgrade Project, September 2003.
• Molly Morpeth Art Award, Whakatane Juror: Carole Sepheard. Winner: Best Coastal Related Theme, Feburary 2002.
• Rotorua Museum of Art and History, Solo Exhibition, Through My Immigrant Eyes: Postcards to Myself. October - December 2000.
• Telecom Art Award, winner, Bay of Plenty, 1999. Finalist in 1996, 1997 and 1998.
• Toi Karangi Studio and Gallery, Hinemoa St. Rotorua: co-owner/operator, 1999-2000.
• Hyatt Regency, Auckland. Solo Exhibition, June - November 1996.
• Rotorua Museum of Art and History, Mentor's Exhibition Art Teachers of Rotorua: Invitational Exhibition, 1996.
• Lakeland Progressive Arts Society Coordinator, Rotorua, 1995 - 2003.
• Norsewear Art Award, Juried Exhibition, Waipukarau, 1995.