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Nick Spicer Balme

Nick in Canada

Growing up in New Zealand, Nick was drawn to carving as a counterbalance to life in the modern world. He fell in love with the process as it makes him feel a stronger connection to his homeland, Aotearoa.

 

First carving materials such as bone, antler and wood by hand, Nick would spend a lot of time in nature contemplating the forms and their future possibilities, slowly moving the material by hand with sharp tools. 

 

Moving then to Greymouth, the Heart of Pounmau (Jade) country, Nick attended Tai Poutani Polytechnic to learn how to carve stone. Graduating with a Diploma in Hard-stone Carving and passing with Merit,  he also received the Mountain Jade Excellence Award for a Jade Chandelier he created.

 

In 2016, Nick became a member of Nautilus Creative Space where Kawakawa Stone workshop is located. The same year he competed in the NZ Jade Artists Society and received a Silver Medal in the Contemporary Category and was awarded the Emerging Artist Award for New Upcoming Artist for his piece 'Chinese Landscape'.

 

In 2017, Nick received a Silver Medal for his piece 'Growth' at the International Jade exhibition Zei Gang Bei in Suzhou, China.

 

In 2019, Nick received an award for 'Creativity and Innovation' for his articulated piece 'Thopter' again at Zei Gang Bei in Suzhou, China.​

 

Heavily influenced by the natural environment, plants and landscapes, carving is a way to connect with nature allowing him to channel and create his own representations, through a contemporary organic style with influence from native Maori art. 

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Recently, Nick has been taking time each year to travel with his partner Mady to many of the Jade locations around the world to deepen their knowledge of the world of stone, including China, Canada and Russia.

 

Each piece is unique as is every stone in this world.

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