Joanna Campbell
Joanna Campbell produces ranges of handmade, wearable objects made from noble metals, copper alloys and solid wood that occasionally incorporate unusual use of industrial techniques.
Her work is distinguished by a fascination for the material properties of textiles and precious metals. The Japanese Shibori and Mokume Gane techniques, a love of pattern, a childhood spent making things, and involvement in the vibrant contemporary New Zealand jewellery scene, have shaped her practice. Her fashion production and craft experience inform an ongoing exploration of structure and surface. Joanna’s work sits easily within fashion, craft and design contexts.
The series of brooches, ‘A Constellation of Lace’, sought to record and bring together her collection of lace: “I am fascinated by the variety and complexity of lace designs and also by the history it has. Because of its intricacy and complexity lace can provoke such strong emotions that people have been willing to risk life and limb to acquire and possess it. Lace has a rich social history and at one time in history was more highly valued than gems and precious metal”.
Joanna Campbell was born in 1972 in Wellington, New Zealand.
She graduated from Unitec, Auckland, in 2001 with a Bachelor of 3D Design, majoring in Jewellery. Since then she has worked full-time as a jeweller, exhibiting in galleries and selling exclusively to fashion stores (such as Zambesi) around New Zealand and in Australia. Joanna has regularly tutored at Workshop 6 and at Unitec.
In 2002 she was the recipient of the prestigious Dowse Art Museum Thomas Foundation Gold Award. Her work is held in the public collection of The Dowse.
Joanna lives and works in Auckland.