Peter McKay

Recent Work 

Peter McKay is one of New Zealand's foremost jewellery artists. He exhibits nationally and his intricate work has influenced many young artists working in this field today.

Many of his pieces, such as his Heart series, are like small wall sculptures, telling stories in an intricate manner. These range in price from $1200. He explores some of these narratives, of The Land of the Watchdogs more fully in a series of drawings which he has made available as limited edition prints.

His animal series offer delightful, playful brooches in sterling silver, each one worked with individual decoration or detail. It includes small fish, birds, a winking cat, a dog, dragon hound, and very smug crocodiles with entertaining detail when you look closely. These range from $100-180, and in size from about 30mm to 80mm long.
 

Other heavier brooches include houses inspired by the gothic buildings of Canterbury (these were made in 2009, before the quake), and small pieces inspired by earlier artists - a Gordon Walters Koru, a Brancusi brooch. Typically they catch the light and create unexpected shifts of perspective.

More About the Artist 

Peter McKay lives and works in Akaroa on Banks Peninsula near Christchurch. He has exhibited nationally for more than 20 years, and has been prominent in major exhibitions of art jewellery. For many of his works, such as his fantails and sublimely delicate feathers, he uses the rare technique of chasing, to create detail in the sterling silver. All his works are handcrafted, although occasionally the base outline of complex shapes is cast in silver before being chased and handworked in other ways to catch the light and create chiascuro (light and shade) effects. Often his work has art historical references, along with a romantic storytelling.

He first exhibited at The Diversion Gallery at Grove Mill in 2006, alongside his friend and peer, prominent NZ printmaker Barry Cleavin.

 

Please contact us to confirm current prices: most prices are posted at the time of exhibition, and may be revised as the artists’ values increase.