Maria Podskrebko - Jewellery Designer, time to tell her story..

Maria Podskrebko is the artist behind Awaroa Rd Jewellery, based in Laingholm, West Auckland, she creates distinctive jewellery using reactive metals such as niobium and titanium, pairing them with natural stones and vintage gemstone beads from pre-loved jewellery she sources from vintage and second-hand stores.

Her journey began in 2013, during a period of significant health and life challenges. Seeking a creative outlet to help her cope with all the challenges life presented her at that time, Maria discovered jewellery classes at Bush Jewellery Studio in Titirangi, where her experience as a newcomer to New Zealand became intertwined with the skills, tradition and creative language of art jewellery in New Zealand.

Chrysoprase beads, freshwater pearls, titanium $245

Recently, Maria has expanded her practice into lapidary, the art of cutting and shaping stone. Many of the stones featured in her jewellery are now individually hand cut in her studio using lapidary equipment designed and built by her husband. This allows her to work with each stone from its raw form, responding to its natural colour, pattern and character before building the jewellery around it.

Marias work showing smoky quartz, anodized niobium metal earrings $350

Her work is process led and deeply personal, inspired by both her materials and the stories behind her custom pieces. In a world of mass production, Maria’s handcrafted jewellery offers something grounded, unique and wearable at the same time. We are pleased to display her unique work at our shop in Queenstown.