About

Joanna Campbell, Jeweller, creates collections from wearable production pieces to elaborate exhibition works. Joanna’s jewellery is based on a love of design combined with an innovative craft-based practice.
Underpinning her work is a fascination with textiles, and an enthusiasm for making metal more fabric-like in all its iterations: the study of the drape of a grosgrain ribbon; the ability of anodised aluminium to absorb dye like silk; or making strings of sequins out of gold and silver. Joanna has an extensive collection of rare and exquisite antique lace from all over the world — some pieces over 100 years old — which she incorporates directly in her jewellery, or uses to emboss the surface of the metal.
Mainly working with hallmarked sterling silver and 18 carat gold, she explores the colour possibilities of these materials by oxidizing silver and adding high carat gold to a base of sterling silver. Copper and copper alloys — Shakudo and Shibuichi — are also combined with gold and silver plating to create interesting colour combinations. In a further investigation of colour, Joanna is currently experimenting with anodised and dyed aluminium.
Joanna works from her studio in the Waitakeres — Auckland, New Zealand — and welcomes commissions and special orders.
Joanna Campbell is an award-winning jeweller and has been making jewellery since graduating with a Bachelor of Three Dimensional Design (Jewellery Major) in 2001. In 2002 she won the Dowse Thomas Foundation Gold Award — a major award for New Zealand contemporary jewellers.
Her work is held in public and private collections —nationally and internationally — including the collections of The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa Wellington, The Dowse Art Museum Lower Hutt, and The Auckland War Memorial Museum.
Projects include working with Oscar-winning costume designer Ngila Dickson, making the armor, helmets and detailed components for the five leads in The Last Samurai film. Recently she worked for MTV, making jewellery, eartips, masks and helmets for the MTV produced mini series Shannara. Previously she has worked with fashion designers, selling her collections in Zambesi stores throughout New Zealand and Australia.
Joanna tutors master-class workshops and jewellery design and techniques at various institutions throughout the country. She has been invited to participate in specialist workshops and exhibitions in Australia—such as the International Mokume Gane Symposium and Exhibition lead by Dr Ian Ferguson.
Joanna exhibits her work through galleries in New Zealand and Australia, and her jewellery has been featured in Italian Vogue, The Times newspaper and Habitus magazine. Her work has been noted by Paris based fashion blogger Diane Pernet, critic and founder of ASVOFF (International Fashion Film Festival).
Joanna Campbell