Agnes Ishak is an Assyrian artist,
based in Auckland, New Zealand,
Agnes is married and has two daughters.

Agnes works with oil, acrylic, mixed media, and chalk pastel. She arrived in New Zealand in 1992, bringing with her a strong artistic foundation developed through her early work in Baghdad. At young age Agnes exhibited for several years at an art gallery in Baghdad, where her work gained recognition both locally and internationally.

Since settling in New Zealand, she has held 11 exhibitions, many solo shows and group exhibitions. Notably, she presented a solo exhibition at the Academy of Fine Arts in Wellington in 2005, alongside participation in various local gallery exhibitions. Her work has been featured regularly in events such as the Easter Show and the Franklin Arts Festival, where she has received second and third prize awards.

Over the past seven years, Agnes has continued to earn recognition, including first, second, and third prizes, as well as several honourable mentions from Assyrian Cultural Foundation in the USA, which has collected her work. Her art has been acquired by Auckland University following an exhibition there, and she has also exhibited at Papakura Art Gallery and Franklin Arts Centre since 2002.

In 2006, Agnes co-founded a women’s artist group alongside four other artist mothers. The group met regularly to paint together in a supportive, family-friendly environment and exhibited annually at The Art Depot for six consecutive years around Mother’s Day. She later joined The Art Collective, established in 2020, and has been actively involved in collaborative exhibitions. Agnes also began teaching palette knife techniques, sharing her skills and passion with other artists. In 2019, she participated in a group of 4 artist exhibitions at LaValla Estate in Tuakau. In January 2020, she cerated and held “Inanna’s Echo” at Nathan homestead, an exhibition showcasing large-scale Assyrian and mythological artworks aimed at conveying peace, humanity, and the richness of ancient knowledge and symbolism. Agnes served as chair of the Shiloh Creative Life Centre for six months after contributing as a committee member. She continues to teach palette knife techniques and has recently developed a strong interest in floral compositions, inspired by her involvement in Auckland Art Battle events. Since 2024, Agnes has been an active member of the “Meet the Artist” group, participating in numerous exhibitions and events. Her most recent exhibition was held at Silo 6 in March 2026 as part of this group during an Auckland arts event.