In 1989 at the age of 14, I discovered the art of silversmithing and it has consumed a large amount of my life since then. I first studied at our local polytechnic in Nelson, New Zealand. We have always had very talented jewellers in Nelson and at that time the region was a main art and craft hub in New Zealand. It was the inspiration I drew from these artisans and this creative atmosphere that gave me the kick to continue. I then carried on to study design in Wellington and London.
Returning home in 1999 after travels abroad with a back pack full of tools and gem stones from India, I set to work on my first jewellery business. It was a small upstairs studio on Hardy Street in Nelson where many of my current designs took shape. I would spend the week designing and manufacturing, then sell the work on Saturday mornings across the road at the well known Nelson Market. At this time Nelson hosted the World of Wearable Art awards which became very important for artists to market their work nationally to visiting enthusiasts visiting yearly. This gave me the opportunity to build a network of stockists around the country, develop designs, collaborate with others and evolve the small studio into a gallery and workshop shared with other contemporary jewellers.
The gallery, called ‘Mint’ finally closed it’s doors in 2010 with focus needed in other areas of life. Now, in 2017, after some years of exploring other interests, upskilling, fine-tuning designs and working on private commissions, I’m excited to be entering a new era in my work with renewed passion. I have come to believe that any art form has it's own life cycle which works in parallel to the artist’s life cycle. I am truly looking forward to the next cycle.
“Our aim is to push the boundaries to create edgy and modern works from ethically sourced materials using both traditional techniques and the latest technologies."
Isaac Ibbotson - Jeweller
