Artist Statement - Nicole van der Wolf Contemporary Art Jewellery Dublin

Nicole van der Wolf is a Dublin-based contemporary jewellery artist and gemmologist creating sculptural jewellery inspired by the movement, texture, and power of water. Her work explores the many ways humans interact with water — from the motion of ocean travel and frozen winter landscapes to the simple pleasure of swimming, walking, and gathering by the sea. Through these themes she investigates how jewellery can translate natural forces and human experiences into objects that move with and respond to the body. Using precious metals and gemstones, she creates jewellery that translates these ideas into wearable forms.

Inspiration

Jewellery has fascinated me for as long as I can remember. Growing up in diplomatic circles across South America and the Caribbean, I was often surrounded by people dressed for elegant evenings — tuxedos, cocktail dresses, and the beautiful jewellery that completed the picture. Those early impressions stayed with me and sparked a lifelong curiosity about the role jewellery plays in how we present ourselves to the world.

Today I work as a contemporary jewellery artist and goldsmith in Dublin, creating sculptural pieces inspired by water and the many ways humans experience it. The sea has always been part of my life — as a place of travel, adventure, and restoration — and it continues to shape how I think about movement, form, and emotional connection.

Water is both powerful and playful. It carries ships across oceans, freezes into intricate crystalline landscapes, and draws people to its edge for swimming, walking, and quiet moments of reflection. My work translates these qualities into jewellery, exploring rolling waves, frozen surfaces, and the structures that allow us to navigate the sea. Pieces often echo the gentle motion of water or the quiet tension between fluid movement and solid form.

Artistic practice

Movement and interaction are central to my practice. Some works incorporate kinetic or rolling elements that invite touch and encourage the wearer to engage physically with the piece. I am interested in jewellery that creates a small moment of dialogue between object and wearer — jewellery that can be explored, handled, and experienced rather than simply observed.

My background as both a gemmologist and a goldsmith also shapes my approach. I am particularly drawn to unusual or fantasy-cut gemstones, whose distinctive forms often become the starting point for a design. The character of the stone guides the structure that surrounds it, allowing the final piece to grow organically from the material itself.

Each piece is handcrafted in my Dublin studio using traditional techniques such as hand fabrication, lost-wax casting, and riveting. Working directly with precious metals and stones allows me to develop a tactile understanding of the materials and maintain a close relationship with every stage of the making process.

For me, jewellery exists in the space between art and adornment. A piece should intrigue and capture attention, but it should also feel natural to wear. I aim to create jewellery that becomes part of everyday life — expressive objects that accompany the wearer, quietly reflecting their individuality while carrying echoes of the natural forces that inspired them.

Collections

Individual collections explore different facets of my relationship with water. Some pieces respond to the movement and engineering of ships and ocean travel, while others investigate frozen landscapes and crystalline structures. More recently, I have been exploring the pleasure people find in being in, on, and around water — splashing in the surf, swimming in open water, or sharing a drink with friends as the sun sets over the sea. Together, these bodies of work form an ongoing exploration of how the forces and experiences of water can be translated into sculptural jewellery that moves with the wearer. These ideas take form across several bodies of work, including my collections ShipShape, Midnight Snow, and Summer Strand.

Get in touch with Nicole to discuss your interest in her sculptural jewellery.

From the Journal

Read more about the ideas and processes behind the jewellery:

Jewellery Inspired by Water →
How Kinetic Jewellery Works →
Designing Jewellery Around Unusual Gemstones→

Explore more

Explore my collections inspired by water →

View recent exhibitions →