Ever since I was little I have been busy drawing and creating. I am passionate about the creative process. For me it’s not just about making a piece of jewellery or a print.There is the time spent drawing, reading and researching for a series of work.

After a BA in Art History I was over looking a tiny images in art books so went in search of the real thing! I did the rounds of museums and art galleries throughout Europe and Asia. I was filling up a sketchbook along the way.

When I returned to New Zealand I was accepted into a 3-year Diploma in Craft and Design at Christchurch polytechnic. There I developed my love of drawing and specialised in Intaglio etching with Denise Copland. The process of making a metal plate, the mysterious action of the acid etching the plate, and the beauty and simplicity of a black line on paper had me hooked! Not to mention that you can create several images from one plate while each print remains handmade and unique!

In my final year I received a scholarship in drawing which helped me set up a studio in Golden Bay, so not surprisingly nature and the landscape are referenced in my work.

For the last 20 years I have been exhibiting and selling my work throughout New Zealand. In the last couple of years I have been part of an artist/makers collective called paper-scissors-rock with a shop in Golden Bay.

At the core of my art making is the importance for the piece to well made while incorporating traditional materials and techniques. These labour intensive ways of making pieces by hand are fast disappearing in our rushing hurried world.

Michelle.