Neil Adcock is a man of few words but his designs do the talking for him.
Bold, contemporary jewellery and sculptural pieces featuring pretty much whatever materials Neil can get his hands on are his hallmark. Pounamu, titanium and rare New Zealand Amber are on high rotation in Neil's collections. We caught up with the artist who lives in Mangonui, Northland to ask what makes his creative juices flow.
WHAT DO YOU MAKE / HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR ART PRACTICE?
I work with all sorts of materials putting them together for people to enjoy.
HOW DID IT ALL BEGIN - WHERE DOES YOUR PASSION FOR THE ARTS COME FROM?
From my mother and her mother.
HOW DID YOU LEARN YOUR CRAFT?
Taught myself.
WHERE DO YOU FIND INSPIRATION AS AN ARTIST?
Everywhere
WHAT ARE THE THEMES/IDEAS/INSPIRATIONS BEHIND YOUR ARTWORKS?
Generally the themes develop through working with the materials.
WHAT DOES A NORMAL DAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?
Get up, wake up slowly while enjoying the outdoors, start work around 11am and work through until late afternoon, early evening.
WHAT IS YOUR STUDIO/CREATIVE SPACE LIKE?
A place I enjoy being set in the bush surrounded by beautiful trees and bird song.
Neil's favoured mediums are Pounamu, in contemporary shapes and slices, gems such as amethyst, ruby and garnet and he is the sole maker using New Zealand Amber.
WHAT'S YOUR COFFEE ORDER?
Expresso
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT WORKING & LIVING IN AOTEAROA (NEW ZEALAND)?
It's a beautiful country in which I am so privileged to live in.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR LASTING IMPRESSION OR LEGACY TO BE AS AN ARTIST?
Hopefully making heirlooms to be passed down.
WHAT DREW YOU TO WORKING WITH THE POI ROOM?
Diversity in representing artists of New Zealand and of course the fantastic staff.
The metals Neil works with include the usual suspects of silver and gold, but he also utilises stainless steel and frequently, Titanium. Cage themes run strongly through his work and Neil often includes scorch marks and soldering as part of the charm. Gems are often featured in their raw and natural state, such as the untreated rubies in the rings below.
The New Zealand Amber exclusive to Neil's work was only recently discovered. When in 2014 at a depth of 150 metres a coal miner's machinery faltered and he awaited repairs, the miner spotted a minuscule gleam in the coal face. Upon further investigation he unearthed a small quantity of this unique Amber, not touched by the outside air since its formation in the Cretaceous and Tertiary Period, 30 to 70 million years ago.
The amber was certified in 2016 at the Gemological Institute of America. Neil Adcock is honoured to be the only jeweller in the world working with this unique gem.
When we met with Neil recently, we asked whether he plans his pieces. His answer was simply, "No". On further probing, Neil says the design usually comes about on-the-fly when he is working with a piece of stone or a gem. Occasionally he'll make a few pieces in similar styles but as you can see by the images, the material and Neil's sharp imagination tend to determine the overall design of each piece.
Thanks so much for the chat, Neil!
