Rangatahi profile: Jade Smith
Jade Smith (Ngāti Kuia, Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō, Rangitāne o Wairau, Ngāti Koata, Ngāi Tahu) lives in Whakatū and is an avid artist, creative writer and gamer. For the past few months, Jade, 14, has been part of the Ngāti Rangatahi o Te Tauihu crew who have been out and about supporting rangatahi to make their own decisions about the Covid-19 vaccine. Check out this cool video she made for the campaign.
We took a few minutes to learn more about Jade and what inspires her.
When did you become interested in art?
I've been drawing since I could hold a pen and when I was around 8-years-old (2014) I started doing digital art using just my finger, an app and the family tablet! Since then I've done art on computers, with my phone and now I do my art and animations on my personal tablet. I think my first animation was made back in 2017 or 2016 so I've been animating, or trying to, for a while.
What is it about this medium that makes you excited?
I enjoy expressing myself through art and I'm hoping to do more animations to some of my favourite songs! I'm working on one currently but it's taking a while.
Are there good opportunities out there for rangatahi to learn about the digital arts?
I think the best way to learn about the digital arts is online. There are tutorials out there for everything! Although I learned most of what I know about it through trial and error. My advice is just get in and give it a go.
And for people of all skill and experience with digital art I recommend IbisPaintX as a free mobile art app (phones, tablets and iPads) And for Apple devices you can use Procreate although I think it has a purchase price. And if you're using a computer Paint-Tool SAI is a great place to start.
What do you want to do in the future?
In the future I'd love to be an art teacher (as my more realistic dream) but at the end of the day I know my biggest (and very far-fetched) dream is to be a content creator on platforms like YouTube and Twitch, although that has a huge element of luck so I might just go with trying to change the school art curriculum for the better.
Have you enjoyed being part of Ngāti Rangatahi o Te Tauihu and do you think there should be more opportunities like this for rangatahi Māori to have their say?
I have enjoyed working with the Ngāti Rangatahi group and I do hope there will be more opportunities like this in the future!
What are your holiday plans?
My plans for the holidays are to build my PC and get working on some more animations. I'm also hoping to meet up with my friends, especially my friend who lives down south, they're hopefully coming up to visit for a while.
And finally, what’s your favourite Christmas food?
That would definitely be pavlova! I once ate an entire pavlova in a day by myself although I doubt, I could stomach that much anymore.
Jade Smith with an artwork she did live during the recent Ngāti Rangatahi clinic at Greenmeadows in Stoke on December 20, 2021.