Work In Progress Shane's Struggle To Success

Work In Progress Shane's Struggle To Success

- Amy Prebble

Kiwi artist Shane Hansen sometimes looks around and can’t quite believe where he’s ended up. For the last few years, he’s been living the dream as a graphic, fashion and furniture designer, as well as creating distinctive, colourful artwork – and now he can add the role of TV presenter to his list of talents as host of TVNZ 1 show Design Junkies.

But his career as a professional artist nearly didn’t happen at all – and it took a breakdown for him to realise his potential.

“I look back at that time and think I wouldn’t be where I am today if that hadn’t happened,” he tells the Weekly. “When I go and talk about my art, I always tell my story and the amount of engagement it creates with guys is really great.”

Shane (45) started in design early. His mum Puea and dad Pat encouraged him and his three siblings to be creative. Shane says his father is also a talented artist. “Every birthday, he’d give us a card he’d painted. That would be the most exciting part of birthdays – to see what you were going to get. For my birthday, I would always get art supplies.”