I trained as a designer at Wellington Polytech and started making jewellery in 1979. At the 'Paua Dreams' 1981 exhibition at Fingers Jewellery in Auckland my first pauashell sunglasses emerged. First solo was 'Face Furniture' at Fingers in 1984. Building eyeglass frames remains a passion.

In my studio I use hand-technology, some ancient jewellery techniques in modern ways, and do brazing like a plumber. I make tools from tool steel or recycled car parts from the panel-beater next door.

I taught jewellery at Manukau Institute of Technology 1991-95, writing many modules for its developing jewellery program. After that I went solo, organising teaching tours for a few years at summer schools and jewelry schools in USA, Canada, Australia and NZ.
I now teach from mt Bush Jewellery Studio. Short- and long-term custom courses to people doing a career change and to art school graduates wanting more technical training,
Workshops are special events, offering more in-depth instruction, a way for me to pass on my experience, my practical approach, off-beat skills and perhaps some curious lateral experimentation.
Hen parties too, wedding ring experiences, and high school classes.
Kids workshops are a special time for me, held here at Bush Jewellery Studio or inserted into high school programmes. It's great to see them blossom, hard at work in the jewellery workshop, making stuff.

Brian
August 2014