Photo essay

Behind Closed Doors

We check out some of the Bay’s man/woman caves and find they comes in all shapes and sizes.

We check out some of the Bay’s man/woman caves and find they comes in all shapes and sizes.

Sammi Strickland is a woman of many talents: makeup artist, Beach Hop beauty pageant winner and amateur mechanic. She’s been doing up cars with her dad since she was little, and now the pair, along with her nine-year-old daughter, are building a car in her garage.

Not your average man cave, but this impressive workshop is indeed in Dave Earles’ backyard. He’s a designer, developer and prototype engineer.

Artist Jess Ellis has set up Waihi Beach’s Ranger Studio in an abandoned garage. She runs art workshops for young and old, all focused around sustainability and the creative journey.

Photography by ilk