My name is Tessa Saunders and I’m a Wellington based designer and maker, originally hailing from Nelson.

A lot of my work takes inspiration from the strange and macabre, with a healthy dose of brightly coloured cartoon creatures for good measure.

I studied at Toi Whakaari towards a Bachelor of Design for Stage and Screen and during that time I got the opportunity to learn many different skills, but grew a particular love for costume, prop and set design and manufacture. Most of my experience lies within moulding and casting, both with plastics and silicone, but I also have cosplayed for many years so things like textile, foam and leatherwork are also in my repertoire.

My day job is as a tour guide at Wētā Workshop, doing retail tasks, taking tours through the museum of film props and educating people about the film industry. I have also spent some time in the workshop itself, working in prosthetic makeup manufacture.

I also sell my creations at conventions and markets around the Wellington region under the Saunders Society name, as well as regularly stocking the Wētā Cave, Wellington.

I am eager to jump into some more cool projects and always keen to pick up new skills and give things a try. I don’t shy away from boring work either, hand me some sandpaper and I’m good to go!