Lisa's work is difficult to categorise or pigeonhole. I like the term 'pleasantly dubious': the pleasant charm and familiarity of the sometimes sentimental ingredients, and yet slightly disturbing: what am I looking at? what is it? what does it mean? It's the apparent contradiction that I like.

Lisa's work harks back to her native New Zealand. It is also reminiscent of the world of pastimes, while demonstrating a passion for materials. These pieces - mostly brooches - evolve from personal stories, influenced by the everyday things that Lisa sees around her. Her approach may look playful, but this is not just a hobby: the final decisions about combinations and finishing are thought out and sophisticated. Lisa searches hard to get the perfect balance between beauty and kitsch. She explores and comments on cliches in conventional jewellery, posing questions about what jewellery is and what it means to her, to us.

Paul Derrez

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