DRAWN THAT WAY
Evan Heasman | Photo credit: Michelle Holt
From holding a pen the wrong way to contributing to an Ed Sheeran music video – Evan Heasman has built a career where storytelling, nature, and creativity come together.
For as long as he can remember, Waipū-based artist Evan Heasman – also known as Soju Shots – has been drawing. As a child, he developed his own unconventional way of holding a pen, a habit that often attracted attention from teachers who encouraged him to draw differently. He never did. That same quiet commitment led him to complete a Degree in Visual Arts, majoring in Illustration, at Northland Polytechnic – and eventually to a creative career that has taken his work well beyond the studio.
Evan's practice sits at the intersection of classic Brothers Grimm fairy tales, old-school cartoons, and New Zealand's natural environment. His distinctive style combines traditional and digital techniques – small elements first painted in watercolour and ink, then scanned and digitally collaged in Photoshop – creating imaginative works that translate beautifully into prints, books, and animation.
His reach has been genuinely international. As an Image Curator for HITRECORD, an international online production company, Evan collaborated with artists from around the world. The highlight came when he was selected as one of only twelve creatives worldwide to contribute to an Ed Sheeran music video – twelve songs, twelve creatives, twelve countries. Evan worked on the song Punchline in collaboration with Wellington animator Chris Callus, showcasing his artwork to a global audience.
Closer to home, Evan has collaborated with theatre company Company of Giants on productions inspired by his artwork. Their latest production, Ocean Ocean, showing in Whangārei in August, continues this unique collaboration between visual art and performance. Through an ongoing partnership with children's author Danni Ray, he has also illustrated a series of books featuring adventurous animal characters, capturing their stories vividly for young readers.
After moving from Whangārei to Waipū just before lockdown, Evan found fresh inspiration in the area's coastal landscapes – a shift that led directly to his exhibition After the Sea Took Over. Today he works from Black Shed ArtSpace in Waipū, creating alongside fellow artists in a collaborative environment that continues to connect his work with locals and visitors alike.