Toni Hartill Art

Wednesday, 22 July 2026

UNBOUND artist's books - it's very nearly enrolment time!

Artist's books by Toni Hartill

It's almost time!!

After a busy few months of teaching, traveling and creating, plus a stint as guest juror for the artist's book exhibition BOUNDLESS, my love and curiosity for artist's books as a form of artistic expression has only deepened and, dare I say, intensified!

And so, I'm very excited that

ENROLMENTS OPEN on 7th August

for this year's release of my online signature course

UNBOUND

with Take Two Art Courses!

To find out more and to JOIN the WAITLIST,
CLICK HERE

You can REGISTER your interest to join the waitlist which basically means you will begin receiving emails that introduce you to my course and what it entails. Best of all you'll also receive some short videos including a FREE TUTORIAL that will give you a wee taster of the course.

There is no pressure or obligation to purchase the course and you can unsubscribe anytime.

UNBOUND

is an online course that invites artists to step beyond

their usual practice and explore personal stories

though artist's books and three-dimensional structures.

Artist's books by Toni Hartill

Explore ways of expressing your own personal stories through your art,

whatever your background, discipline or skill level.

In this course you will develop key skills such as:

Finding your story and concept,

How to document your process through the use of a workbook,

How to embrace mistakes as vital leaning moments.

The course focuses on:

Breaking free from conventions and "rules",

Playful experimentation (rather than rigid methods),

Mark making and layering to develop rich, textured surfaces,

How to work in series to build depth and

continuity towards a body of work.

Artist's books by Toni Hartill

Online Community

Join a worldwide community of students who come together

in a private online forum to share their work,

experiences and insights.

Ask questions, bounce ideas around, share knowledge

and benefit from this course being a resource

that you can return to again and again, for a lifetime!

During my time tutoring the course last year, I found this to be one of the most valuable and inspiring aspects of the course. The community is so supportive and nurturing and students were grateful for the personal feedback and encouragement they received.

Especially meaningful experiences within the group were when a student felt "stuck" in their work and I was able to suggest artist models they could refer to and bounce around ideas and problem solving solutions. The students were also so supportive of each other and able to bring their own knowledge and experiences to the discussion.

Toni Hartill and Take Two team member Katie Lardner

Join us for TWO LIVE Q+As

Once my tutoring is underway there are two opportunities to join me in a question and answer session. Students are invited to submit their questions to be answered in the session. I receive these questions ahead of the online event so that I can prepare any exemplars or demonstrations that may be required. This is especially beneficial to students who are not in the online group or if you have any question that others might find helpful, which is often the case.

If the timing of the events don't suit you, the Q+A sessions are recorded and added to your online course portal so you can access and view them anytime.

Exhibition & Book

CLICK HERE to view the 2025 exhibition

Toward the end of my tutor interaction, students are invited to submit photographs of their work to be included in an online exhibition celebrating their achievements. This is also available as a beautiful printed book that can be ordered online.

Toni Hartill

"I won’t be teaching you how to bind books in a traditional sense.

Instead I’ll encourage you to defy conventions,

and spark new directions

through play and experimentation."

- Toni Hartill

UNBOUND Testimonials, 2025

Toni Hartill invited us to think in new ways; I loved being encouraged to see the possibilities of things found or the potential of a simple fold seen in a new light. The course opened up a whole new way of thinking about artist's books and how I might use everyday or collected objects.

Lou Oakes

I found this course truly inspirational. Toni is a wonderful teacher who demonstrates and explains each step in simple terms for the beginner as well as leading more experienced artists/bookmakers to new creative heights.

Hellen Bakhoff

My art practice needed a container. Just before joining this class, I rented a studio space to organize my collection of found objects and materials and allow myself a clear space to work. Then, with Toni's class, I was given the form of the book as a way to both contain and let my ideas fly! It was a breakthrough to be able to question what defined a "book," and this opened up a whole world for me. Though I learned so many fantastic structures, I did not feel constrained, and was given the freedom to play and go wild!

Cindy Parker

Unbound is an inspiring course for artists who wish to expand their practice beyond traditional formats and explore the expressive potential of the artist book. It suits students who are curious, open to experimentation, and eager to connect material process with conceptual thinking. The guidance and encouragement of our tutor Toni Hartill were invaluable—combining deep technical knowledge with sensitivity to each artist’s voice. Their insightful feedback fostered both confidence and creative risk-taking, making Unbound a truly transformative and rewarding learning experience.

Christiane Dreyer

Find out MORE and REGISTER your interest HERE

Friday, 5 June 2026

Workshop Announcement - during BOUNDLESS - Juried artist's books exhibition

I am excited to offer three 2 1/2hr workshops during the

BOUNDLESS artist's book exhibition

which opens to the public on

Thursday 2nd July til 10th August, 2026.

OPENING EVENT:

SUNDAY 5TH JULY

2PM

Announcement of prize winners

Vote for the People's Choice Award

ALL WELCOME!!

Artist’s books can be a form of artistic expression that can be inspired by the FORM and/or FUNCTION of a book. Therefore, an artist’s book may or may not look like a book in the traditional sense.

These workshops are designed to introduce participants to some simple conventional book structures and, in contrast, to a selection of unconventional structures that may be interpreted as “books.”

BOUNDED – Booky Books!

Saturday 4th July

9.30am – 12pm

$70

In this workshop we will each aim to make 4 – 5 small book-like books that can be used for zines, notebooks, sketchbooks or artist's books using more traditional, recognizable formats e.g. concertina, pamphlet stitch, pocket accordion & stab binding. You’ll go away with a collection of completed books having gained a number of skills and techniques that will set you up for making your own bespoke books.

Suitable for all levels of ability.

UNBOUNDED – UNbooky books!

Saturday 4th July

1.30pm – 4pm

$70

Sunday 5th July

9.30am – 12pm

$70

Note: Opening event and announcement of winners from 2pm

Note: this is the same workshop offered on Saturday afternoon and again on Sunday morning.

We'll each aim to make 4–5 folded structures to inspire ideas for content for artist's books in a less traditional format. These structures are inspired by the FUNCTION of a book but do not necessarily perform or look like a conventional book. You’ll learn a range of skills and techniques that are designed to open your mind and imagination to new, unbounded ideas.

Suitable for all levels of ability.

Ts & Cs:

$70 per 2 ½ hour workshop.
Workshops are strictly limited numbers.
Book and pay to secure your spot.
No refunds for cancellation after 27th June unless you can fill your place, or there is a waitlist.
A minimum of 4 participants is required for a workshop to proceed.
If not enough participants and the workshop is cancelled your money will be refunded in full.
Both workshops are suitable for all levels. The degree of difficulty of structures can be tailored to support whatever level you are comfortable working at.
Materials and tools are provided although you are invited to bring your own papers and tools as you wish. A list of possible supplies will be sent when you book your place.
If you attend both Saturday workshops, bring your own lunch.
Tea & coffee provided.

To book: please email tonihartillart@outlook.co.nz

I'm so looking forward to returning to

from out of the blue studio gallery

where I spent an incredible and life-changing 6 weeks

doing an artist's residency and solo exhibition in 2023.

I'd love to see you there!

Friday, 8 May 2026

Sponge City Collaboration by Hard-Pressed Collective

Sponge City, (details), Hard-Pressed Collective

While recently reviewing my blog I realized that I hadn't completed documenting this large scale installation project that I was a part of. It was instigated and curated by Celia Walker and created by members of Hard-Pressed Collective in 2024.

In light of recent storms across Aotearoa, New Zealand, and an item in recent news that sums up that we have endured 46 storms in the past 12 months, averaging a storm every 8 days (!!), the intent of this exhibition is more relevant than ever.

Sponge City Collaboration, by Hard-Pressed Collective, Depot Artspace, August 2024

A CRUEL TWIST or a GREAT MARKETING OPPORTUNITY

Also, as if we had summoned the weather to actively participate in the exhibition, a major weather event hit Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland during the exhibition and the gallery was inundated with flooding causing damage to the building. Fortunately and unbelievably, there was only minimal damage to a few of the artworks, and the exhibition was able to continue for a short time after the storm. The event did however provide us with the remarkable opportunity of being able to talk about the effects of storm events in real terms which helped to draw in more visitors and interest to the show and to the concerns we were highlighting.

Sponge City

A large scale collaborative print project

17 Augiust - 28 september, 2024

Depot Artspace,

28 Clarence Street, Devonport,

Auckland, NZ.

Sponge City flyer & catalogue cover

Sponge City was a group exhibition addressing urban resilience against the adverse weather effects of climate change. Through the artform of printmaking, this collaborative exhibition - delivered in partnership with Restoring Takarunga Hauraki (RTH) - addressed the recent extreme flooding that Tāmaki Makaurau had experienced in recent times and how this natural disaster impacted our communities.

"The collective is captivated by the idea of an absorbent environment, where plants replace concrete and wetlands revitalise waterways, slowing the flow of water and enhancing the urban environment.

In Sponge City they have created artwork in reflecting this environmental utopia by responding to these keywords: inundate, saturate, seep, absorb, detain, filter, purify and release. These terms articulate the process of creating a sponge city, which begins with an inundation of rain and ends with the release of clean water."

(Excerpt from the exhibition catalogue.)

Ina Arraoui, Celia Walker, Jude Gordon, Kheang Ov,
Di Smallfield, Bridget Burnett, Esther Hansen, Toni Hartill,
Nicola Ov and Toni Mosley (absent from photo).

About Hard-Pressed Collective

Hard-Pressed Collective is a group of printmakers from Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland, New Zealand, with an interest in collaborative projects and ecology-driven installations. There is a shared aspect to printmaking unique to the medium, and this collective ethos, along with the ability to produce multiples, has enabled the group to extend their practice into large-scale assemblages. All have exhibited widely and many have been finalists in major national awards and selected exhibitions.

All of the artworks created for this exhibition were created by members of Hard-Pressed Collective, either individually or in collaboration with others in the group. We met together on several occasions to work on our pieces, to share our progress, and to interact and collaborate on pieces.

SCROLL DOWN to see some behind-the-scenes shots.

Current members

of Hard-Pressed Collective include:

Celia Walker, Toni Hartill, Toni Mosley, Ina Arraoui,

Kheang Ov, Nicola Ov, Di Smallfield, Jude Gordon,

Esther Hansen and Bridget Burnett.