Daryakarty

Saturday 5th July

I’m an illustrator and graphic designer based in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland), and I’ve been making zines for the past couple of years as a fun way to explore all the odd, funny, and heartfelt ideas that I think of at 3am instead of getting my beauty sleep. I love “what if” scenarios—like imagining alternate endings to books and movies I'm obsessed with, or putting a whimsical spin on everyday life. Zinemaking has become a space where I can be playful, curious, and a little bit chaotic in the best way.

My zines often mix humour with personal storytelling—sometimes about pets, sometimes about my friends, sometimes about extremely niche obsessions that probably didn’t need a zine… but got one anyway. One of my favourites is Pat’s Heart is Hiring, a matchmaking zine I made to help my friend find her dream girlfriend (and yes, I will absolutely be handing it out at Zinefest). I also love digging into things I’m curious about—especially books, tropes, and genre rabbit holes.

I’m really into comics, graphic novels, and indie games with colourful, quirky art styles. For me, zines are the perfect mix of fun, creativity, and whimsically unhinged self-expression.