Lissy and Rudi - Wheku Tondo Series - Yellow

Wheku Tondo Series

Hand-drawn directly onto round wooden tondo forms, these vibrant wheku are an extension of our crochet practice — another way of looping our tīpuna into the present. Just as each crochet stitch is a deliberate act of connection, each line in these drawings is laid down with intention, breath, and aroha.

The circular form represents wholeness, unity, and the never-ending thread between past and present. These wheku carry the same energy as our fibre works — bold, joyful, and deeply rooted in whakapapa. They are not static portraits but living expressions of the faces that guide us, protect us, and inspire us to keep creating in colour, in rhythm, and in light.

BIO: Lissy and Rudi Robinson-Cole

Lissy (Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Kahu) and Rudi (Taranaki, Ngāti Pāoa, Waikato-Tainui, Ngāti Tahu-Ngāti Whaoa) Robinson-Cole are a Tāmaki Makaurau-based wife and husband artist duo whose collaborative practice reimagines traditional Māori forms through vivid colour and fibre. Known for their large-scale crochet works, including the internationally touring Wharenui Harikoa, their mahi is grounded in mātauranga Māori, whakapapa, and the transformative power of joy.

Working primarily in crochet and drawing, their kaupapa is to manifest intergenerational healing, connection, and aroha — one loop, one line, and one bold colour at a time. Their art is both contemporary and ancestral: a radiant expression of their shared vision to ignite joy and uplift the spirit.

ORIGINAL Artwork painting 

54cm diameter

PICK UP ONLY FROM MATAKANA OR A SPECIALIST COURIER CAN BE ARRANGED POA.

Lissy's Story: A Tapestry of Art and Resilience
Born into a world where creativity flowed as freely as the waters of the moana. I was destined to embrace the arts. Raised in a large, creative  and vibrant whānau where I am the pōtiki/youngest of eight wāhine. My father Colin Cole, a renowned NZ couturier and my mother Mairehau Tui Cole, a high intellectual, my life has been to navigate these two extremes and forge my own path. Crochet found me at a time when I was exploring and experimenting, trying to find my way. Crochet became my visual language, a way to honour my Tūpuna's memory, and a medium to express my deepest emotions. After a fulfilling journey in communications and fashion, including my 'I Love Lissy Collection', I discovered my true calling in crochet.

Rudi's Path: From Forests to Yarn
I hail from the forestry town of Kaingaroa. Born with a chainsaw in hand, my early years were spent in the embrace of nature and the creative sanctuary of my backyard shed. My transition from the forests to the art of crochet has been a journey of discovery and learning. Meeting Lissy was the turning point where I swapped my chainsaw for a crochet hook, combining my love for making with the intricate art of crochet.