Welcome to my website! I hope you’ll enjoy looking at my jewellery and ceramics. Please look at http://fierygems.felt.co.nz to view my shop.
About Ann O’Rorke
Ann rediscovered her talent for the creative arts after retiring from her role at the Alexander Turnbull Library. During a busy working life in business and information technology, she always enjoyed creative hobbies such as printmaking and fibre arts. Family is a central part of Ann’s life.
Ann is thriving now as a talented jewellery and ceramic artist, pushing the boundaries of the materials she works with and exploring various techniques she has discovered, to create quality dynamic, unique, often quirky pieces of jewellery and ceramic. She has been concentrating on observing the effects of heat, colour and electrical etching on metal, and designing jewellery incorporating those elements. There is a serendipity about the results which can produce fascinating abstract designs. Nature inspires her work especially materials found along the local coast where she resides: glass, stone and shell. Never one to shy away from using non-traditional materials or techniques,she is inspired by two of her favourite jewellery artists American Harold O’Connor and Swiss Kobi Bosshard and, in ceramics, by South African Andile Dyalvane and New Zealander Jim Cooper.
Ann still feels a strong connection with English culture, having arrived in New Zealand as an adult. This seems to increase as time goes by and will no doubt influence her art more in the future. Working from early sketches to the final piece can mean many hours spent to reach the required high quality. Wearers report their enjoyment of a beautiful and unique piece of Ann’s jewellery.
In 2013 Ann commenced study at The Learning Connexion where she has completed study for a Diploma Honours in Art and Creativity focussing on jewellery and ceramics. The studies allowed her to explore art in a way that wasn’t possible other than on a domestic level in her life to date. She says “I have always enjoyed study which previously was directed towards a business life but can now pursue research and experimentation into art, and let my imagination develop my jewellery and ceramic art”.
She was selected for the 2018 and 2019 Muriel Hopper Awards exhibition for ceramic works and for the Wellington Regional Art Awards in 2014 for her woodcut print “Water Gun Boy”.
You can buy her work at http://fierygems.felt.co.nz
