About Deciduus
Deciduus exists as an online gallery shaped by curatorial rhythm. We present exhibitions and object releases that invite art to be encountered quietly, intentionally, and in conversation with the space.
Situated within the studio of Deciduus’ founder, Santie Cronje, it includes a dedicated, elegant exhibition space to host and curate. The gallery has evolved from its retail beginnings to a more artist-led, curated approach. We champion both emerging and established artists, creating thoughtful moments for collectors and art lovers to engage with works that carry story, craft, and care. Through each exhibition and collection, we celebrate the journey of making, collecting, and living with art — honouring the artists and the spaces their works inhabit.
Meet Santie and Shane
Santie Cronje is a New Zealand-based artist and curator with collectors locally and internationally. Born and educated in South Africa, her early life was shaped by travel and transition — including time in Europe and an ocean passage from Cape Town to Gibraltar — before settling in New Zealand in 1999.
Her practice has evolved from narrative explorations of migration and movement to a more grounded, painterly language rooted in abstraction and place. An exhibiting artist since 2008, Santie has curated exhibitions through Deciduus since 2018, shaping its program with a studio-led, artist-focused ethos.
Today, she balances her own painting practice with the curation and direction of Deciduus — creating considered spaces for art to be experienced, collected, and lived with.
“Art is central to my life,” she says. “Both making and curating are extensions of the same impulse — to honour the act of creation and the quiet relationship between artwork and collector.”
Shane Berger, a true New Zealander, grew up surrounded by the natural beauty of the South Waikato. After gaining horticultural experience overseas, Shane returned home, bringing expertise that shapes Deciduus’ gallery environment. He oversees the placement, care, and display of our greenery interiors, ensuring the space complements the artworks on show.
