Tā moko, whakairo rākau and toi Māori indigenous practitioner. Paintings, prints, jewellery, clothing, taonga puoro, pottery, Māori graphic design and fine art commissions available. Professional and clean private studio surrounded by tranquil, native rainforest. Located in Te Uru, West Auckland. We'd love to hear from you. Nau mai!

Tristan Marler (Manawa Tapu) is of Te Rarawa/Te Aupōuri Māori and European descent, from the Hokianga in Te Tai Tokerau (the Far North) of Aotearoa New Zealand. Currently living in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Tristan works from a private Tā Moko studio, nestled amongst beautiful native rainforest. A multi-disciplinary artist with a career spanning 15 years, Tristan trained under master carvers Clive Fugill and James Rickard at the New Zealand Māori Arts & Crafts Institute in Rotorua, studying the ancient craft of Whakairo Rākau (traditional Māori wood carving). He then spent 7 years under the mentorship of his close friend Thomas McMillan aka Tomtom tattoo, where he completed his tattoo apprenticeship. Tristan now specialises in Tā Moko (traditional Māori Tattooing), whakairo, toi Māori and graphic design; the culmination of these skills and mātauranga establishing him as one of the best tā moko artists in the country.

Tristan’s carving, painting and printmaking practice blend his knowledge and experience to create bold, visually striking works, drawing on his whakapapa Māori, seeking to honour the past and explore the future of Toi Māori; to preserve and perpetuate traditional Māori arts and crafts. Tristan has exhibited works at home and abroad, being commissioned by the NZIA to carve a whata-ā-rangi (raised storehouse) for the inaugural New Zealand podium at the Venice Architecture Biennale in 2014. He has taken on many private painting and carving commissions and more recently has had the honour to return home to Mitimiti, in the Hokianga, working alongside his Hapū to lead a carving project for his Marae.

Over the past few years, Tristan has expanded his practice to include jewellery making, clothing design and commercial design; working alongside a digital agency to create campaigns for NZ companies such as Kiwibank. He has also collaborated with international clothing brands such as Roark and Desmond & Dempsey to create textile patterns as well as launching his own range of locally made merino jerseys and recycled swim shorts using traditional Māori kōwhaiwhai designs.

Toi Māori are visual languages and Tristan is passionate about learning, interpreting and sharing pūrākau, history, stories and experiences of the people he spends time with.

For artwork commission enquiries, design collaborations or moko bookings, please see the booking section and fill out the contact form.