Nanette Pengelley
Hew Jewelry
"Every piece has a story—from the origin of the materials used, to the intentions of the maker, to the lived experiences of the wearer. I create with intention and balance, for a community that prioritizes shopping with integrity."
Artist and designer Nanette Pengelley founded Hew Jewelry in 2016 with her vision to discover beauty in the unconventional. Nanette is focused on using sustainable practices to explore fine jewelry. Hew Jewelry is committed to sustainability and community building. All pieces are hand made from responsibly sourced 14k gold-filled wire, brass, and 925 sterling silver, with 20% of weekly sales donated to grass-roots led organizations.
Hew means to chop or cut roughly. Studying to be a professional jeweler and metalsmith, you are taught to do the impossible: take something of the earth—raw metal ore—and saw with precision, bend with accuracy, and sand for as long as it takes to arrive at a polished and conventional idea of “perfection." Nanette’s work pairs hand embroidered fiber techniques with a willingness to leave the metal in its natural state—to do away with the traditional inclination to make something appear flawless and symmetrical, yet still arrive at a harmonious composition with an organic finish.
Nanette attended Massachusetts College of Art and Design, where she studied abroad at Alchimia Contemporary Jewelry School in Florence, Italy, for one semester. After interning for fine jewelers Sophie Hughes and Hannah Blount, she graduated with her BFA in Jewelry and Metalsmithing in 2015. Since then she has been exploring her practice within her brand, Hew Jewelry, while teaching jewelry courses during her summers.
Artist and designer Nanette Pengelley founded Hew Jewelry in 2016 with her vision to discover beauty in the unconventional. Nanette is focused on using sustainable practices to explore fine jewelry. Hew Jewelry is committed to sustainability and community building. All pieces are hand made from responsibly sourced 14k gold-filled wire, brass, and 925 sterling silver, with 20% of weekly sales donated to grass-roots led organizations.
Hew means to chop or cut roughly. Studying to be a professional jeweler and metalsmith, you are taught to do the impossible: take something of the earth—raw metal ore—and saw with precision, bend with accuracy, and sand for as long as it takes to arrive at a polished and conventional idea of “perfection." Nanette’s work pairs hand embroidered fiber techniques with a willingness to leave the metal in its natural state—to do away with the traditional inclination to make something appear flawless and symmetrical, yet still arrive at a harmonious composition with an organic finish.
Nanette attended Massachusetts College of Art and Design, where she studied abroad at Alchimia Contemporary Jewelry School in Florence, Italy, for one semester. After interning for fine jewelers Sophie Hughes and Hannah Blount, she graduated with her BFA in Jewelry and Metalsmithing in 2015. Since then she has been exploring her practice within her brand, Hew Jewelry, while teaching jewelry courses during her summers.
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