My background
Born in Germany, I immigrated to New Zealand with my husband Bernie and my son Henry in 1999. Now I live and work in Red Beach on the beautiful Hibiscus Coast, North of Auckland.
After graduating in Business Management in Germany and studying Interior Decoration in New Zealand, I wanted to combine the right and left sides of my brain in my daily work. Since then I mainly worked self-employed as an artist and designer, shared a large art studio in Dairy Flat, I collaborated with other artists, and I showed my work in solo and group exhibitions in Germany, New Zealand, Italy, and the US. I have painted many works in different media, I made collages, digital Photo art, Art cards, drawings and objects. www.beateminderjahn.co.nz
Out of the Blue
In May 2016, totally out of the blue after a routine blood test my super fit husband Bernie got diagnosed with Leukaemia. The same day he was admitted to Auckland Hospital, and two days later he started his first Chemo. He insisted that his glass was half full. In the following week we learned, that his treatment will minimum take a year. We were absolutely not prepared, we had no plan B and nothing was organised for such a sudden total change of life. I found myself dealing with shock, fear, finances, and I had no choice other than closing my husband’s bathroom renovation business. Then I went to the hospital every single day. With the help of my seventeen year old son Henry I tried to keep up with everything else, one day at a time. After 5 Chemotherapies and a successful stem cell transplant, Bernie came home after Christmas and the outlook for the new year was really good. He had made it through every treatment and he survived all infections. Bernie took it all with a smile and he never ever gave up. The 100 critical days after transplant went by without any problems. In April 2017 he even went back on the soccer field. Unfortunately the happiness was short lived, as four weeks later we learned that his cancer had come back and he closed his eyes forever in August 2017. My husband supported me for 29 years in every artistic endeavour I went on. He called our life ‘a great adventure with no regrets’ and during his fight with cancer I saw his true soul shining through. He will always be my hero.
On a new path
After Bernie passed away I needed some time out for grieving, soul searching and re-organising my life. I went on a path of Mindfulness, Meditation and Yoga and it still helps me through my days. But my creative passions have never left me. That’s why I decided to still follow my dreams and work as and artist and designer.
When I started Yoga lessons I wanted to buy a Yoga bolster and other supporting probs to practice at home. But I couldn’t really find what I liked, so I designed my own. Motivated by family and friends I created my own range of hand-crafted Yoga and Meditation cushions. I wanted the products to be washable, practical and beautiful plus filled with natural materials, like NZ wool, organic cotton, coco fibre or shredded latex. My new business ALLSENSES was launched at the International Yoga Festival in Albany in February 2018.
Beate Minderjahn
September 2018
Born in Germany, I immigrated to New Zealand with my husband Bernie and my son Henry in 1999. Now I live and work in Red Beach on the beautiful Hibiscus Coast, North of Auckland.
After graduating in Business Management in Germany and studying Interior Decoration in New Zealand, I wanted to combine the right and left sides of my brain in my daily work. Since then I mainly worked self-employed as an artist and designer, shared a large art studio in Dairy Flat, I collaborated with other artists, and I showed my work in solo and group exhibitions in Germany, New Zealand, Italy, and the US. I have painted many works in different media, I made collages, digital Photo art, Art cards, drawings and objects. www.beateminderjahn.co.nz
Out of the Blue
In May 2016, totally out of the blue after a routine blood test my super fit husband Bernie got diagnosed with Leukaemia. The same day he was admitted to Auckland Hospital, and two days later he started his first Chemo. He insisted that his glass was half full. In the following week we learned, that his treatment will minimum take a year. We were absolutely not prepared, we had no plan B and nothing was organised for such a sudden total change of life. I found myself dealing with shock, fear, finances, and I had no choice other than closing my husband’s bathroom renovation business. Then I went to the hospital every single day. With the help of my seventeen year old son Henry I tried to keep up with everything else, one day at a time. After 5 Chemotherapies and a successful stem cell transplant, Bernie came home after Christmas and the outlook for the new year was really good. He had made it through every treatment and he survived all infections. Bernie took it all with a smile and he never ever gave up. The 100 critical days after transplant went by without any problems. In April 2017 he even went back on the soccer field. Unfortunately the happiness was short lived, as four weeks later we learned that his cancer had come back and he closed his eyes forever in August 2017. My husband supported me for 29 years in every artistic endeavour I went on. He called our life ‘a great adventure with no regrets’ and during his fight with cancer I saw his true soul shining through. He will always be my hero.
On a new path
After Bernie passed away I needed some time out for grieving, soul searching and re-organising my life. I went on a path of Mindfulness, Meditation and Yoga and it still helps me through my days. But my creative passions have never left me. That’s why I decided to still follow my dreams and work as and artist and designer.
When I started Yoga lessons I wanted to buy a Yoga bolster and other supporting probs to practice at home. But I couldn’t really find what I liked, so I designed my own. Motivated by family and friends I created my own range of hand-crafted Yoga and Meditation cushions. I wanted the products to be washable, practical and beautiful plus filled with natural materials, like NZ wool, organic cotton, coco fibre or shredded latex. My new business ALLSENSES was launched at the International Yoga Festival in Albany in February 2018.
Beate Minderjahn
September 2018
