Quoil | Anna Balasoglou

Anna Balasoglou

I love to work with New Zealand icons in fresh and unexpected ways. Doing this with paua shell (which has been done to death) or with the silhouettes of birds like the fantail and the tui – is a kind of ‘tuning-in’ to get a clear signal.

This ‘tuning’ is not really conscious, it is deep within me and it has been a constant mystery to me. I am grateful to this drive because it grounds me. I believe that creativity lifts you up and at the same time grounds you – and so it stretches you..

One thing I know for sure is that I don’t want throw-away designs. I want my work to last and at the same time always remain fresh. This is a challenge that has driven me since I first started jewellery design over 20 years ago.