Aonui

      Born in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, a descendant of Te Āti Awa, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, Keri-Mei Zagrobelna graduated from Whitireia Polytech Aotearoa in 2012, gaining a BaPPa in Applied Art and Design specialising in contemporary jewellery. Keri-Mei is a full-time contemporary Māori jeweller and artist with an array of skills across various creative forms, including murals, sculpture, photography, installations, and research. While often working from her private studio in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, she is also a jewellery tutor and arts mentor. Keri-Mei has lectured extensively throughout Aotearoa and abroad, including events such as JEWELspeak in 2017 and Radiant Pavilion 2019. Her work straddles the boundaries of adornment and visual art, always seeking to be unique, expressive, and beautiful.Kaupapa:Keri-Mei’s background is entwined in museums and art; her grandmother and mother had extensive experience across both realms. Her mother worked in the National Museum store and supported the new generation of jewellery makers from the 1980s. She remembers the smell of bone from her grandfather’s garage, where he carved ornaments. All these early experiences and exposure had a profound impact on Keri-Mei, as a contemporary Māori jeweller, her adornment design stems deeply from her experience and upbringing. She aims to pass on the whakapapa (genealogy) of her creative practice. She is proud to carry the TOI IHO™ Mark for jewellery. Toi Iho is the registered and globally recognised trademark of quality and authenticity by Māori art and creative practitioners. It is acknowledged as an exceptional cultural initiative by and for Indigenous Māori by WIPO, (World Intellectual Property Organisation) to protect Māori art.