Cartoon Workshop for adults with Anna Crichton
Ever wanted more of the absurd in your life?
Roll up your sleeves and loosen your imagination for a one-of-a-kind cartoon workshop with acclaimed illustrator and cartoonist Anna Crichton, held in the creative surrounds of Shadbolt House.
Details: Shadbolt House - 35 Arapito Road, Titirangi
Saturday, 30 August 2025 10:00 am - 12:30 pm
$40 per person / $30 concession (student/senior) Only for adults (this time)
Max number 8
Paper and pencils provided
For bookings contact Tracey Sharp at tracey@goingwestfest.co.nz.
About the workshop
Step into the surreal with acclaimed cartoonist Anna Crichton and discover the power of metaphor, absurdity, and visual storytelling.
With her trademark quick-fire whiteboard scenes, live drawing, and collaborative chaos, Anna will guide a small group of adventurous adults into the whimsical world of cartoon creation. Together, you’ll build a collective cartoon strip complete with speech and thought bubbles — and, time permitting, develop your own cartoon narrative, blending image, humour, and the delightfully strange.
Whether you’re a doodler, daydreamer, or seasoned sketcher, this playful, hands-on workshop is a welcome antidote to our information-saturated age.
No drawing experience needed — just bring a curious mind and a sense of the absurd.
About the tutor
Anna Crichton is a renowned cartoonist, illustrator, and artist whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Time, and The New Zealand Herald, where she made history in 2022 as the paper’s first-ever female editorial cartoonist. A five-time winner of the Voyager Media Award for Best Editorial Artist, Anna’s sharp wit and bold style have earned her a place in the NZ Turnbull Library cartoon archive and on bookshelves with her bestselling collection Dear Virus… a cartoonist chronicles love and life in the time of Covid.
Anna also works across ceramics, embroidery, and installation—her creative practice shaped by residencies in India, collaborative projects with craftspeople, and a passion for Outsider Art. Closer to home, she lives on the edge of the Manukau Harbour in Titirangi with her partner, dog, and (sometimes) two children.
About the Venue
This workshop takes place at historic Shadbolt House — the former home and studio of Maurice Shadbolt, now being restored as a writers' residency and creative hub by the Going West Trust. Tucked away in Titirangi, the house offers an intimate, inspiring space for imaginative work, surrounded by native bush and the spirit of literary history.
Please note: Shadbolt House is currently mid-restoration. While fully functional for the workshop, the site is a work-in-progress. Come and be part of its unfolding story!
Spaces are limited - to book yours, or for more information, contact Tracey Sharp at tracey@goingwestfest.co.nz.