Aronui Triangle Dangles (Kōwhai Seed, Sterling Silver)

Aronui. Like waharua kōpito, aronui (or aonui) are triangular patterns. The design refers to the pursuit of knowledge about the natural world

Artist Statement

“I use jewellery as my language and speak through my hands. My eyes hear my thoughts and translate.”

My iwi affiliations are Te Ati Awa and Whanau-a-Apanui, and I recently discovered I also have Greek/Italian whakapapa and genealogy.

I come from a background entwined in museums and art, worlds in which both my grandmother and mother worked. My work aesthetic represents the connectedness to my immediate environment and upbringing. It speaks of cultural communication and interpersonal relationships through the language of jeweller. Jewellery making is a medium by which I can communicate my heritage to both local and global audiences. I seek to nurture and encourage others through my work, by way of my actions and choices as an artist.

I enjoy not only creating pieces that can be worn on a daily basis as a treasure or passed down through families as a taonga, but also learning to engage in exploration of other creative forms such as sculpture, installation, research and photography.

“Nau te rourou, Naku te rourou

Ka ora i te iwi”