My name is Susannah Gai, I was born in Newcastle, NSW, in 1974. I work primarily in carved gemstones and precious metals and currently work from both Zu Design and my home studio in Adelaide.

 

My father was a stonemason, a traditional family trade passed down through generations from Wales. I grew up watching him hand-carve sandstone in our backyard. I eventually pestered him so much that he gave me my own small hammer and chisel so I could carve limestone next to him whilst he worked. Whilst attending a night class cutting opal with dad in my first year of high school, I connected my love of carving to gemstones.

 

Securing a jewellery apprenticeship at 17, I spent the next 3 decades refining my work and craftsmanship. While rewarding, my true focus was to combine both the gem carving and those skills to work on my own pieces.

 

I made the move to work from Zu Design in August 2022 and made several pieces for my first group exhibition for Christmas that year. Since the first exhibition, I've accumulated my own body of work and through the gallery along with requests for private commisioned pieces both nationally and internationally.

 

Having the freedom to expand on my creative designs with an endless variety of gemstones and materials has evolved my hand-carving and making techniques. I want to continue to push further to explore the limits of each piece through the ancient hand skills of gem carving and making.