Tee Wood is a double award-winning Deaf / disabled artist, author and poet. A self-proclaimed “antisocial butterfly,” they mostly write weird, unsettling fiction and dramatic poetry, while their art mixes elements of the natural world with the supernatural.

A former English teacher and school library manager, Tee’s first published books were nonfiction guides for professional educators. A shortlisted nominee for six consecutive years, they have won two awards for nonfiction including a Sir Julius Vogel (2022) and Australian Shadows award (2021) and was also shortlisted for the inaugural Emeka Walter Dinjos Memorial Award for Disability in Speculative Fiction (2022).

Tee has always used creativity as a way to support their mental and physical wellness. They describe their artistic method as, rawness meets perfection, mixing light and dark to find compromise and balance: a metaphor for healing and reclaiming identity. Their favourite subjects are bugs, birds, bones, and mythological goddesses.

Tee has recently returned to education as a mature student to study Psychology with the Open Polytechnic, and Art & Creativity at The Learning Connection. When Tee is not making art or writing books, they like strong coffee, soft cats, and spending time by the sea.

Working with me

While art and writing are often considered solitary endeavours, I believe it is through collaborating with others we get our best ideas, and I love connecting with fellow creatives. You are very welcome to reach out to me via my website or social media. 

Creative Portfolio

Website: tlwood.co.nz 
Creative portfolio: padlet.com/teelouisewood

Examples of writing

• Rabbit (short story)
• Reflections (collection)