Meet the Maker
Hello! I am Kirsteen, a creative problem-solver, mother of two and I’m opening up a decade of my off-grid life experience to help you navigate your own first scribbles toward a self-sufficient life.
From Blank Canvas to Living Masterpiece.
Twelve years ago, my husband and I stepped onto a blank canvas of untamed native bush in the Marlborough Sounds with a vision of self-reliance, a toddler in tow, and a caravan as our only shelter. Since 2014, we have poured our lives into this land, hand-building our permanent family home and establishing a thriving market garden business. What was once a wild hillside is now a masterpiece of productivity and joy. My journey has been defined by raising our children among the native trees; now a mother of two, our family is thriving in the heart of it all.
Design Thinking Meets Rugged Living
For me, creativity comes in many forms. My background as an Industrial Designer taught me that design is about more than aesthetics; it’s about solving the unique problems of life – and being creative about it! That creativity now manifests in everything we do. My professional background in studio and workshop management, combined with experience in marketing and sales, has provided the essential skills needed to build our home, teach our kids and run our family business from a remote location.
Lessons from the Trenches
I am not a weekend hobbyist or a lifestyle influencer sharing filtered highlights. I am a mother who has spent over a decade in the trenches of modern homesteading. I’ve navigated the steep learning curves of off-grid solar and water systems, raised children whose primary classroom is the forest floor, and built a business from the soil up.
Your Blueprint for a Simpler Life
I started The Off Grid Canvas as a storehouse of my learnings for those who feel the ‘tug’ toward a simpler life. Whether you are dreaming from a city apartment or have just broken ground, I’m here to offer the encouragement and the honest truth about the intersection of off-grid living, homeschooling, and running a business from the bush.
I have more than just advice; I am sharing the practical life planning resources I’ve discovered or created along the way. You don’t need a perfect plan to start; you just need the courage to begin. Your life can be your own blank canvas—let’s start that masterpiece!
The Resourceful Duo: Engineering a Dream.
My husband, Ryan—a skilled welder and engineer—and I are the ‘resourceful duo.’ Together, we have combined our technical mastery and design thinking to build and create many of the off-grid systems we rely on. We’ve learned that building a self-sufficient life is the ultimate creative project, requiring a constant blend of engineering and imagination.