Goldsmith/Jeweller Sue Leader creates unique, hand-crafted jewels under her "Gold Moon" label.
Sue returned to the Wellington area in mid-July 2012 after the completion of her time as "Artist-in-Residence" at Hillside Hotel (see below). She had a pop-up Studio at a Cafe in Upper Hutt for Christmas 2012, another pop-up studio on Redwood Street, and has been looking since for the right combination of workshop and retail space since. |
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Sue was chosen as the inaugural "Artist in Residence" at Hillside Hotel. Hillside - which closed as an hotel in early 2017 - was a boutique eco-hotel and country retreat - sited in 300 acres of conservation estate on the top of a mountain in the Taupiri Ranges in the Waikato. Sue was particularly pleased to be based in an environment which holds "Enviro Gold" rating.
Gold Moon strives to create Ethical Jewellery by working in an environmentally sensitive manner (for instance, replacing highly toxic chemicals such as Sulphuric Acid with non-toxic ones such as Citric Acid) and working to high ethical standards (for example, choosing not to work with diamonds.) Sue is happy to discuss such choices with inquirers. Prior to the residency at Hillside, Sue's studio was based in the Historic Precinct in Oamaru on the east coast of New Zealand's South Island. While based there, Sue became the official Goldsmith to the Wizard of New Zealand who officiated at the formal opening ceremony. |
Sue at her Jeweller's workbench |
Gold Moon specializes in hand-crafted jewellery in copper, silver, or gold, with or without gems. As Sue has a special interest in the Medieval period, many pieces have the feel of that time, or even earlier, as she draws inspiration from both the form and the processes of ancient hand-crafted jewellery. "Hand-crafting means that each part of the jewel is created individually by hand, rather than using mass-produced, machine-made parts." Sue says. She notes that if a goldsmith/jeweller from 4000 years ago came into her workshop, he or she would recognise the vast majority of her tools. | |
Display cases created on Singer Sewing-machine bases c.1890-1900 |
Gold Moon also carries a range of hand-made necklaces and earrings from "Theadosia's Shed" in Wellington. Theadosia is a specialist in Byzantine and Classical Period creations and has created the Victorian range especially for Gold Moon. Both Sue and Theadosia are happy to do individual commissions in either historic or modern styles. As Sue points out, it's no more expensive to get your personal design made up as everything on display is hand-crafted or hand-made too! |