URL: www.gayasdesigns.co.nz

After working for more then 30 years as a qualified nurse in The Netherlands and New Zealand, Gaya is now a full-time artist, making jewellery. Her love for making jewellery started in the Netherlands, where she studied evening courses for several years, working with precious metals. Following an injury Gaya found a new direction, and completed a Mixed Media course in Golden Bay, where she gained new jewellery skills. She was apprenticed to Jane Cassie, artist jeweller, and now works from her own studio overlooking the Parapara estuary in Golden Bay. Gaya gains much of her inspiration from artefacts from her surroundings—the beach, the native trees, flowers and animals. Working in gold, silver, pearls and other materials at hand, she designs unique jewellery with a mixed Dutch-New Zealand flavour especially for you. Possibly the most exciting part of the process for Gaya, besides the joy of making jewellery, is knowing that her creations will be part of someone’s life. Catching glimpses of the pieces being worn gives her an extra buzz.