McCahon House patrons, trustees, and Zena’s invited guests gathered at Parehuia for a relaxed lunch before visiting the studio, where Zena opened up her process and current explorations. The studio held works in progress alongside three sculptural works and two large scale paintings, offering a glimpse into the breadth of her practice.
 
Speaking about her time in residence, Zena reflected on the rare gift of working without the pressure to complete. Instead, the residency allowed her to be fully present in the act of making, experimenting with materials, ideas, and forms as they unfolded.
 
After years focused on completing her PhD, the residency has given her the space to think of herself confidently as a full time artist, a shift that has opened up new energy for the work.
Zena also spoke about the sonic dimension of her practice and how sound shapes her approach to carving and material. For her, the material carries wairua, and listening closely becomes part of the process of making. Working across sculpture, painting, and sound, her practice occupies what she describes as a space between, moving fluidly across artforms.