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Steph Lusted - Jewellery Artist /Goldsmith
Steph’s work sits between the realms of high Handcraft, Jewellery, miniature Sculpture and Art.
Her choice and treatment of materials, combined with a unique portrayal of themes, allows her work to possess a strong point of difference. Her work is held in multiple collections including the National Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa, The Dowse Art Museum, Lower Hutt, and in prestigious private collections worldwide.
" I aim to create high quality, unique pieces of adornment and small scale sculpture in the hope that these works are cherished and may become heirlooms and one day antiques of the future."
At the Bench
Following 11 years in the Central Wellington Public Showroom and joint Workshop on Whitmore Street, Steph is now creating her work in a more dedicated and focused environment. The new private Workshop, based in the Wellington Region, is now the creative hub where ideas are incubated and developed into collections for the future.
Without the day-to-day running of the physical retail front, Steph is dedicating more time to focus on her craft.
Background
Steph was born and raised in New Zealand where creating jewellery and 3d art objects became an obsession for her at an early age. After 4 years of study in the Visual Arts, she graduated with distinction in 1998 where she majored in Jewellery Design and Manufacturing at 19 years old. Combining traditional and contemporary materials with unusual subject matter forged the foundation of her unique style.
From exhibiting her work through numerous galleries throughout N.Z and Australia, Steph was driven by a strong desire to learn more traditional handcraft techniques, so she set her goal to study at the oldest Goldsmithing School in Europe. After learning the German language she undertook two years of study at the prestigious Goldschmiedeschule mit Uhrmacherschule (Goldsmithing School) in Pforzheim, Germany. Graduating with a German Master's Certificate in Goldsmithing and Design, in 2006.
Moving back to New Zealand, dedicated studio work, commissions, gallery exposure and exhibitions as well as a two year stint in the film industry making props for The Hobbit trilogy culminated in the opening of her public Showroom/Gallery in Central Wellington in 2015. From May 2015 - 30th June 2026, Steph Lusted Jewellery & Objets d’ Art, on Whitmore Street, was a Gallery space where she displayed predominantly her own work, showcasing annual Exhibitions of her new collections as well as curating occasional group shows where Steph invited guest artists to create work under a specific theme.
As of 1st July 2026, Steph continues to create her own unique work, but now in a new private workshop, allowing her more time to focus on her craft.
“Designing as well as hand crafting my ideas from start to finish is such a joy. Bringing something into the world that wasn't there before, is a pleasure and a privilege. There is so much to explore. I hope to be able to continue this path of learning as well as developing my craft for the rest of my life.” S. Lusted
Wellington Showroom
The Steph Lusted Jewellery & Objets d'Art Showroom + Workshop ran from May 2015 - June 2026 and was located on Whitmore Street, Central Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. This space was dedicated primarily to the display of Steph's own work as well as hosting annual special Exhibitions as well as the work of other artists in curated group shows.
The Showroom was also a second home to the infamous Beowulf (Wolfy to friends) the sphynx cat, who could often be spotted sitting amongst the objects in the display window, peering at customers from above, or of course snoozing the day away…
Family History
My family has had a long tradition of operating boutique emporiums in the Wellington region, showcasing antiques and/or handmade items. Nash’s Leather Arcade on Cuba Street, was opened by my great grandfather in the early 1900’s. Following on from that tradition, my grandparents opened Pleasant Place Antiques on Tinakori Road in the 1960’s.
My Favourite Piece: Japanese Anemone Brooch
The Japanese Anemone Brooch is a recent work of mine and it is hard not to feel emotionally connected to it. It is actually the largest brooch I have ever made.
I am passionate about jewellery that makes a strong visual impact and this piece certainly does that due to its size, materials and execution. Like many of my Collector Sets, this piece comes together with a custom display cabinet. The idea is that this brooch can be displayed and appreciated visually as a work of art, also allowing the piece to be taken out and worn when desired.
Over the 20+ years of being a jeweller and object maker I find great satisfaction in combining a range of specialised techniques that I have developed over years of dedication to my craft. The Japanese Anemone Brooch combines my passion of carving organic materials and combining them with age old goldsmithing techniques as well as new techniques which I have developed myself through experimentation and thought.
Mother of Pearl Shell is an incredible material which is difficult to work with due to the toxic dust created when carving it, however I am always satisfied with the end result when working with this unique material. A humble bi-product from the pearl industry, the shell itself I feel has so much to give. I enjoy taking a relatively humble material and making it precious through thought and handcraft.
This piece has a special feature of 18ct Yellow Gold set into the crevices of an area of the shell which may have been eaten away or is a natural flaw in the growth of the shell. Inspired by the Japanese art of repairing broken ceramics with gold, Kintsugi – ‘the beauty of imperfections’, I have chosen to highlight this flaw by filling it with gold.
This piece combines my passion of carving organic materials, then combining that carving seamlessly with traditional Goldsmithing techniques and materials to create a wearable and displayable piece of Objet d’art.
Contact
Steph Lusted is a Wellington Jeweller and Artisan Goldsmith who creates unique, handmade jewellery and small-scale sculpture.
Hand made in New Zealand