Puawai Jade

Puawai Jade is a Rotorua-based pounamu studio led by master carver Niki Nepia, known for technically complex, contemporary takes on traditional Māori forms such as manaia and hei tiki. Niki's work draws on his whakapapa to Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Manawa and Ngāti Whare, and on the landscape of the Urewera Ranges where he grew up, an influence that runs through his free-form, nature-inspired designs. Beyond his own carving, Niki has studied under master jade carvers in China, bringing an additional layer of technical range to his practice.

The studio takes its name from Niki's late mother, Puawai, meaning "blossom" in te reo Māori. At its showroom and workshop on Rotorua's Eat Streat, three specialist greenstone carvers work on-site, and visitors can watch pieces being shaped in real time. Alongside Niki's own carvings, the gallery features traditional and contemporary jewellery, pendants and sculptures from other experienced New Zealand artists, with new designs introduced monthly and custom commissions available for anyone after something made to their own specifications.