Nellie Peoples
From 2026
‘Drift Lines’ body of work is an exploration of place — of living, walking, and observing. The series began a few years ago when I moved from Australia to Aotearoa New Zealand. Though close in distance, the two countries felt strikingly different, especially in their unique flora, fauna, and coastlines.
I settled in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, a city cradled by beaches and bays. Each day, I walked — to see, to understand, and to find my sense of belonging in this new landscape.
Along the way, I began collecting objects that felt unfamiliar yet grounding. Scallop shells became a quiet fascination. One particular beach near my home was rich with them — a place where I would often gather these delicate forms just before the tide reclaimed them.
Back in my studio, I began sketching these shells, treating each drawing one like a portrait — a record of a fleeting encounter. These drawings then evolved into three-dimensional wire sculptures, shaped by hand and inspired by the natural curves and lines of the shells themselves.
This series of wire drawings is my offering — a collection that began on the shores of Aotearoa.
Drift Lines Scallop - Fragment Necklace. Stg silver, 230x1200x10mm $1,200
Brooch, Drift Lines Scallop 001. Stg silver, stainless steel, 70x65x10mm $350
Brooch, Drift Lines Scallop 002. Stg silver, stainless steel, 65x60x5mm $350
Brooch, Drift Lines Scallop 003. Stg silver, stainless steel, 55x65x5mm $300
Brooch, Drift Lines Scallop 004. Stg silver, stainless steel, 75x30x10mm $300
Brooch, Drift Lines Scallop 005. Stg silver, stainless steel, 75x35x10mm $250
Brooch, Drift Lines Scallop 006. Stg silver, stainless steel, 80x25x10mm $250
Brooch, Drift Lines Scallop 007. Stg silver, stainless steel, 80x25x10mm $250
Brooch, Drift Lines Scallop 008. Stg silver, stainless steel, 70x25x10mm $250
Brooch, Drift Lines Scallop 009. Stg silver, stainless steel, 65x25x10mm $250
Brooch, Drift Lines Scallop 010. Stg silver, stainless steel, 50x25x10mm $250
Brooch, Drift Lines Scallop 011. Stg silver, stainless steel, 50x30x5mm $250
Brooch, Drift Lines Scallop 012. Stg silver, stainless steel, 55x25x5mm $250
From 2025
Throughout my practice, the line is a constant companion. A single line can be a layer, a border, a boundary, an edge or a limit. It often begins as a sketch, then extends into three dimensions, taking form in wire.
These lines are drawn from the intimate details of shells gathered from my local shore—the quiet lines of their growth, each one a record of time. In their abstraction, these markings expand beyond their origins: from the curve of a shell’s surface to the vast, unending lines of the cosmos.
Brooches - SHELL DETAIL, sterling silver (25x25mm) $275 each
From 2024
Necklace - 50 LINK FOR 50 YEARS, 14ct yellow gold, sterling silver $850
From 2023
Object - Pāua Shell of Ōwhiro Bay, 2023. Sterling silver, 10x13x4cm $1,250
Object - Tipa Scallop of Omaha, 2023. Titanium, 8.5x9x3cm $750
Object - Kōkota Pipi of Rangitoto Island, 2023. Titanium, 9.5x6x1.5cm $400
|
