Jess Nicholson

Jess Nicholson  (Waitaha, Kāti Māmoe, Kāi Tahu, Pākehā) is a ceramic artist from Ōhope living in Ōtepoti. Their practice focuses on cultural and environmental sustainability, incorporating local uku, kōhatu, oneone, and ash, as well as recycled materials. Their work rejects capitalist notions of ceramic production, instead prioritising highly laborious and intimate processes to create works that explore feelings of belonging, discomfort, domesticity and acceptance.

In 2025 Nicholson was awarded the Caselberg Trust’s Creative Connections artist residency, second place in Art Murihiku’s ILT award, and a merit at The Portage Ceramics Award.