Kyla Cresswell

Artist CV

Based in Ōtepoti Dunedin, Kyla Cresswell is a printmaker whose practice is grounded in a deep connection to the land. Her work explores nature’s quiet resilience—its fragility, tenacity, and ability to endure. Favouring traditional printmaking techniques, Kyla relishes the fine line of drypoint, the subtle emboss of paper, the crisp delicacy of silverpoint, and the velvety depth of mezzotint. Her imagery often draws attention to overlooked or transitional landscapes—those quiet, in-between places that speak softly but powerfully.

Kyla holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Printmaking from the Dunedin School of Art (1996) and has continued to develop her technical expertise through ongoing study. Alongside her studio practice, she shares her passion through Little Prints, a series of workshops in printmaking. Her background also includes gallery direction, curation, and arts education. In 2022, she was awarded the William Hodges Fellowship, exhibiting the resulting work in Tracing the Land (2023). In 2024, she undertook a residency at the Dunedin School of Art. Kyla has exhibited nationally and internationally, with works held in both private and public collections, including the Department of Conservation Collection, the Hocken Collections, the Southland Museum and Art Gallery, and the Eastern Southland Gallery.