Celebrating Our Local Ceramic Artists in The Suter Store

If you’ve wandered through Fire & Earth lately, you’ll know just how much clay can surprise you. From bold sculptural forms to quiet everyday pieces, the exhibition showcases an incredible mix of approaches to ceramics, and it’s a great reminder of how strong our local clay community really is.

What many visitors don’t realise is that a number of the artists in the exhibition also have work available right here in The Suter Store. It’s one of the lovely overlaps between what happens in our gallery spaces and the creativity happening in studios across Te Tauihu.

Right now in the store, you’ll find pieces by Sue Newitt, Peter Gibbs, Petra White, Darryl Frost, Erika Aupperle, Myriam Goos, Linette Hurst, Stuart Newby, Lilly Swanson, and Charles Shaw. Their styles are all distinct, some wheel-thrown, some hand-built, some shaped by wood-fired kilns, others by porcelain experiments or glaze alchemy, but what they share is a deep commitment to their craft and a connection to our region.

The store gives a glimpse into the everyday side of their making: mugs that feel good in your hands, bowls with the perfect curve, vases with personality, pieces that are meant to be used and lived with. For many visitors, this becomes a way to take home a small part of the creativity they’ve just experienced in the gallery.

We love being able to support local makers in this way, offering a spot where their work meets the community, and where people can discover the talent that exists right here in Nelson. So if you’re enjoying Fire & Earth, take a moment to explore the store too. You might recognise a few names, spot something you love, or simply appreciate the incredible skill that goes into shaping earth and fire into something beautifully made.