Brenda has lived and farmed in Waipukurau, Central Hawke’s Bay all her life until very recently moving to Havelock North.

She was involved in the CHB arts for a very large part of that time and is still a working artist when time allows

She served on the local CHB Community Arts Council and was instrumental in helping set up Waipukurau Combined Arts and the start  of WETA (We Encourage The Arts) 

Following on from that initiative, the development of the very successful  national award  – the Norsewear Art Award was formed, and she acted as coordinator for the 21 years that it ran. 15 years of that time was based in Waipukurau and the last 6 years in Hastings at the Hastings City Art Gallery. 

Since moving to Havelock North she is now  involved with the Keirunga Creative Arts Venue, Havelock North,  as a  Board member and member of the Keirunga Artists Committee