About
Geneology — Whakapapa
Where am I from?
My name is Kiri Schumacher.
I’m a 5th generation New Zealander with Danish, Swiss and Celtic roots.
I come from a long line of makers. Schumacher is swiss for shoe maker.
My Danish Grandfather was a wood turner.
My father is a carpenter & an artist.
I grew up hugging men who smelt like wood chips
And I loved their workshops.
My mother is a violinist and a gardener.
She taught me to listen.
To listen for the harmony in music and in nature.
It was from her that I first learnt about the healing properties of plants.
We lived in Taranaki, where it’s fertile, wild and coastal.
Perfect for gardening.
We made things, we gardened.
And we walked a lot. In the forest and along the beach.
Once I’d finished school I knew I wanted to be a creative of some sort. I spent 6 years studying photography, sculpture and art history at Auckland's Elam School of Fine Arts.
Towards the end of my studies I discovered jewellery; miniature hammers, diamond tipped drill bits, tiny saw blades and files.
I was introduced to the various temperaments of metals when heated, shaped, hammered and carved.
Soon, there was often a fine coating of gold and silver dust on my hands.
Kiri Schumacher jewellery began in 2002, as I graduated.