Melanie Drewery

Melanie Drewery (Ngāti Māhanga) works as a potter, jeweller, and writer, from her rural home in Mapua.

Originally specialising in textiles, as a student of Nelson Polytech’s Craft and Design course, Melanie has worked continuously as a potter since 1989. Her first picture book, Nanny Mihi and the Rainbow, was published in 2001 and she is now an established Maori children’s writer with more than 20 titles to her name. Her concern as a writer is to introduce te reo Māori in story form giving children easy access to the language and culture and thus encouraging further learning.

She has held regular exhibitions but now prefers exhibiting in group exhibitions around New Zealand with her focus firmly on ceramics and small sculpture. Her sculptures in clay are created using a variety of methods and finishes, and her domestic-ware is finely thrown and delicate. Much of her work is inspired by Aotearoa’s beach and bush, the female form and what it is to belong here.