Wallace Sutherland has been a practicing jeweller and sculptor for close to 50 years. He trained at the Lapis Lazuli School of Silver-Smithing in Auckland in the late 1970’s, and is a long-standing member of both The Medal Art Group and The International Federation of Medal Artists.

Wallace’s deep ancestral ties to French Pass and D’Urville Island in the Marlborough Sounds have greatly influenced his art making. His work often features themes of New Zealand flora and the ocean. His series of native flower rings have been consistent throughout his career, and his interest in the ocean led him to revive the ancient technique of cuttlefish casting, which uses the shell of the squid-like marine mollusk.

Precious metals - gold, silver, and bronze - have been constants in Wallace's work, often contrasted with found materials like argillite and ceramic fragments. His work is also characterized by playful humor, which he uses to explore deeper themes of mortality and politics.