Creative entrepreneur Miranda Brown on her art and the healing power of nature

Miranda Brown: Harnessing Nature’s Healing Power Through Art

Miranda Brown, a creative entrepreneur, combines her love for the environment and artistic talent to bring the healing power of nature into our built environments. Based in the heart of Canterbury, her business is rapidly expanding beyond a cottage industry.

During a Zoom call, one can see the steam rising from Miranda’s mid-morning tea. The easterly sunlight streaming through the windows of her Cooper’s Creek cottage, shared with her partner Bruce, isn’t quite enough to ward off the morning chill. If we were together in her wood-paneled studio, we might smell the rosemary, nettle, and kawakawa she grows for her tea, and fully appreciate the inspiration drawn from living an hour north of Christchurch in the foothills of the Southern Alps.

Connecting with Nature and Community

Here, Miranda has tapped into a vibrant network of local artists, becoming a trustee at the Arts in Oxford gallery, where renowned painter Philip Trusttum is the patron and leading contemporary jeweler Areta Wilkinson is chairwoman. More significantly, being surrounded by the mountains and river valleys of Te Waipounamu (the South Island), where she grew up, has helped refine and develop Miranda’s mission to connect people with nature.

Once a textile artist on some of New Zealand’s biggest film and television productions, Miranda now fulfills this goal by creating sustainable art and designs inspired by the natural world. She is the first New Zealand artist to have her designs licensed by Materialised, an Australian textile and interiors company specializing in sustainable textiles for various businesses.

Overcoming Challenges and Finding Strength

Miranda’s journey hasn’t been without challenges. Two years ago, she developed acanthamoeba keratitis, a rare and painful eye infection that can lead to vision loss. Hospitalized for two weeks and then forced to live in the dark for another six weeks, Miranda faced a sudden and life-changing period. During this time, her mother Dwyllis experienced a seizure and needed to transition to nursing home care.

These events prompted Miranda to leave Auckland after 23 years and move to Cooper’s Creek. Reflecting on that time, Miranda describes it as her darkest hour. However, she is now finding a new dawn through her work, which continues to go from strength to strength.

Artistic Process and Philosophy

Miranda works with a small team located around New Zealand to turn her hand-drawn illustrations and designs into wallpapers, limited edition prints, artworks, and textiles. New technology allows her to work in different mediums like wood and copper. Her designs have been printed on various surfaces, including canvases, wallpapers, interior and exterior walls, and textiles like cushions, curtains, light shades, and clothing.

Being in nature is a vital component of Miranda’s work and life philosophy. Born in the South Island town of Fairlie, Miranda’s upbringing was filled with the joys of growing, harvesting, and hunting for food, as well as crafting. This background has deeply influenced her artistic journey and her belief in the interconnectedness of nature, humanity, and culture.

Miranda’s story is a testament to the power of nature and art in healing and connecting people. Her work not only enhances wellbeing but also serves as a reminder of the importance of nurturing our souls and the environment around us.