From the 10–16 April 2025, Nelson Whakatū will resound with the noise and inspiration of Nelson Jewellery Week (NJW) as makers, wearers and viewers get to experience all facets of this universal form of adornment. Supported by the Arts Council Nelson, NJW will feature a comprehensive range of courses, from making knotted floral brooches to ring day to making jewellery in the kitchen. The week-long event will explore everything you might want to know about jewellery.

For many people in the Nelson region, their journey of exploration commenced well before Nelson Jewellery Week, with jewellery-making proving a draw card for many venturing into the ACE sector.

Kay van Dyk, founder of The Bench in Nelson, is a contemporary art jeweller and teacher with more than 20 years’ experience teaching Adult Community Education jewellery classes. In 2002 Kay started teaching evening classes at the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT), which then led to her tutoring Object Design on the NMIT Bachelor of Arts and Media programme. In 2024 when ACE sector funding was no longer available for the community classes, Kay established her own teaching school – The Bench School for Jewellery – an endeavour that is grounded in her passion for teaching, creating and inspiring others to make.

Kay says she’s not usually a risk-taker, so starting out on her new endeavour was a leap of faith, but something she had an absolute passion for.

“An opportunity came up to rent space in a friend’s building that includes two other art and gallery spaces, so it provided the perfect venue. The space is amazingly calm with great light, and it enables me to offer a range of jewellery-making courses suited to a wide range of people.”

Kay runs one-day courses, night classes and weekend courses for learners to explore their individual passions.

“I am not the holder of the knowledge. This is very much a community asset and when I meet other artisans who are keen to share their skill, I bring them in to share that expertise with others,” she says.

“What makes this special is the wide variety of learners that we have on courses. Jewellery making really does bring a community together. We will have a group of family members who come together to experience the opportunity of learning a new skill, or a group of friends wanting to experience learning together. While traditionally our demographic has been women, we are beginning to get more men attending classes and recently we had a 75-year-old man come along who wanted to join a group activity.”

Costs for a one-day course at The Bench cover materials and tutor time, with precious metals able to be purchased from the workshop in the 20 hours classes. Sometimes learners bring along their own materials to use, including family heirlooms that might need a revamp or repair. One of the stranger items brought to class was the gold from a grandmother’s teeth, the mouth being the traditional place for people to store and secure their wealth.

Learner feedback is extraordinarily positive, with jewellery making bringing a huge sense of satisfaction when objects are complete. It’s also a very visible demonstration of learning and skill.

Kay’s classes are very hands on. She gives a demonstration of technique at the start of the class then leaves people to apply their learning as they go along.

“I like to teach in small chunks so that learners can take a step-by-step approach to their activities. I’ll give an overview at the beginning of the session and then it’s largely up to people to explore their own creativity, with me there to provide expert advice if needed. I also like to deliver learning in a range of ways to meet all adult learning needs, so technique will be available in writing, via demonstration and also active participation for kinesthetic learners.”