Nellie Peoples

Artist statement

I design and make jewellery and small objects that tell stories of beloved people, particular places and special moments.

Bio

My practice is based in contemporary jewellery and small metals. I am based in Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand. At the core of my practice is the exploration of the connections made between objects and people. I am interested in the mark that the owner of an object contributes to a piece. A thread that runs through my body of work is that cherished objects, in particular jewellery, have the potential to act as a souvenir of special events, beloved people, or particular places.

I have a Bachelor of Design Arts with First Class Honours from the Australian National University (ANU), School of Art (2013). Whilst undertaking a graduate residency at the ANU’s Gold and Silversmithing Workshop, I completed a graduate certificate in Visual Anthropology at ANU in 2014. I also have a Bachelor of Architecture and Applied Science from the University of Canberra (2007).

Nellie Peoples‘ images

Nellie Peoples Leica 28-35-50mm. 2021. Stainless Streel. Image Nellie Peoples

Leica 28-35-50mm. 2021. Stainless Steel

Bifocal series January 2003. 2018. Copper, stainless steel. Image Faun Photograph

Bifocal series January 2003 Detail. 2018. Copper, stainless steel. Image Faun Photograph

Window Series, 2020, sterling silver

Seed Collector Capsicum frutescens Chilli, 2021, sterling silver, 14ct yellow gold

Garden Visitors Brassica oleracea Kale, 2021, sterling silver, steel cable, rubber

Flotsam Morten Bay Series, 2020, Sterling silver, enamel paint

Nellie Peoples Seed Ring Series, 2021, sterling silver. Image Nellie Peoples

Black Mountain, Canberra, Australia. 2018. Sterling silver, stainless steel, reclaimed Canberran timber, rubber, epoxy resin

Blog posts:

Pōhutukawa play

by Nellie Peoples | June 14, 2024 | Handshake8, Nellie Peoples | 0 Comments

At the last catch up that I had with my mentor, Neke Moa, she gave me an exercise to help expand my material knowledge. For this exercise I focused on pōhutukawa timber. I had briefly introduced myself to the material with my previous hand carved timber form studies....

Balancing Act

by Nellie Peoples | May 30, 2024 | Handshake8, Nellie Peoples | 0 Comments

Since the beginning of the year I have placed metal aside, for the moment, to explore other materials I have come across in my explorations. On my walks I have been collecting timber, driftwood, stones and shells. I began by focusing on timbers. I have worked with...

All aboard the Mentor-ship

by Nellie Peoples | April 30, 2024 | Handshake8, Nellie Peoples | 0 Comments

Whoever wrote the proverb “never meet your [creative] heroes”, obviously had never met Neke Moa. She is my mentor this year for Handshake8. I will not recite the incredible things that Neke has created, exhibited and taught, but I would redirect, and recommend, you to...

My shoes were wet. The tide was changing. We had run out of time.

by Nellie Peoples | April 10, 2024 | Handshake8, Nellie Peoples | 0 Comments

I found myself amidst the rocks and seaweed and lapping waves of Karaka Bay following a prompt from Andrea Daly in our History and Theory classes for Handshake 8. We were asked to think about the rules that surround the field of Contemporary Jewellery and in so doing...

The colours of tarnish

by Nellie Peoples | March 26, 2024 | Handshake8, Nellie Peoples | 0 Comments

We have had yet another wonderfully thought provoking prompt from Andrea Daly’s Theory and History lecture. We were asked to observe something inanimate over a couple of weeks. We were to pay attention, to see how the inanimate thing changes and evolves, also how it...

Books, books, books

by Nellie Peoples | March 13, 2024 | Handshake8, Nellie Peoples | 0 Comments

In the Handshake 8 journey we have recently begun our Contemporary Jewellery History and Theory classes with the incredible Andrea Daly. It has been wonderful to stretch my brain in the theory space in a much more focused way. One of our first projects for the class...

Northward bound

by Nellie Peoples | February 20, 2024 | Handshake8, Nellie Peoples | 0 Comments

I have had such a spectacular beginning to the year. There have been adventuring through Northland over a 10 day period. It was a time full of exploring, hiking and, when I could, collecting. On the trip I took almost 2000 images of everything and anything that caught...

Reflections of 2023

by Nellie Peoples | December 17, 2023 | Handshake8, Nellie Peoples | 0 Comments

The Proof of Concept exhibition marks the halfway point of my 2 year Handshake 8 journey. It has been such an incredible, yet busy year. I have loved every moment of the last 12 months being a part of the program. Through the Handshake Project I have found an...

The Proof (of Concept) is in the pudding

by Nellie Peoples | December 6, 2023 | Handshake8, Nellie Peoples | 0 Comments

After the Proof of Concept exhibition was installed, as per usual, I wished for more time before the bump in. In a perfect world this extra time would allow for more making (not procrastinating), but also more time and space to think about the artwork installation. I...

The summit

by Nellie Peoples | November 17, 2023 | Handshake8, Nellie Peoples | 0 Comments

One of the first things that struck me when I moved to Tamaki Makaurau Auckland were the over 50 volcanic cores that are sprinkled throughout the city. I have used these volcanic cores as guideposts to help me figure out where I am. If I got lost I could drive towards...