The award-winning artisan was immersed in the world of design at a young age.
His earliest memories were watching his mother work in her interior design showroom in Wellington. This family business lent him a more active role through the years, until his departure for Great Britain in 1999.
In 2004, a visit to London’s Tate Modern carved his course. Cole had glanced through a book, seen the image of a near translucent ceramic vessel and was instantly inspired to explore the relationship between ceramics and light. The next day, he set out to understand and work with Bone china. Two months later he produced his first piece, the now iconic Aloe Blossom – and was invited to exhibit in Frankfurt. Predominantly self-taught, Cole has been courted by design companies such as Royal Copenhagen and Swarovski, but chose the path of the artisan.
His philosophy rests on three points: Beauty, Elegance and Craftsmanship. Control over quality and production led to a ceramic studio in London. Creative triumphs off set ‘mad’ experimentation, and recognition of his brilliance grew worldwide. In 2008, a growing demand saw his studio move to the homeland of the ceramic industry, ‘The Potteries’ or Stoke on Trent and since then he has moved back to his homeland, New Zealand.
Today, his flora-inspired collections are appreciated the world over. Not only admired for their contemporary style and timeless beauty, but also for the care and skill each handmade piece entails. Embracing traditional methods of production with his own modern flair, Cole is proud to employ some of the world’s most skilled ceramicists.
Recognised by the London Chamber of Commerce as one of the UK’s leading manufacturers, Cole’s work has been displayed in museums and is included in prestigious interiors and architectural projects internationally. Fashion and jewellery houses, such as Bulgari, Harry Winston and Franck Muller, also seek out his unique light-forms.
Jeremy Cole’s singular style is an expression of his homeland, New Zealand, and its distinctive and stunning flora. Light is gently captured in the glowing ceramic plant forms. What are also captured - and most evident - are exquisite craftsmanship, elegance and beauty. Pieces from his collections include the dramatic “White Flax”, consisting of 350 handcrafted ceramic leaves, specifically arranged for even light distribution that pushes the limits of its medium and craftsmanship and the beautiful “Cymbidium Chandelier” made from eight up lit porcelain cymbidium stems.
Most recently, he has added to the Cymbidium collection with two stunning creations; the “Cymbidium floor lamp” and the “Cymbidium Ming Vase”, and has introduced the “Chrysalis” collection, a simple and elegant porcelain core symbolic of the cocoon of a Butterfly.
