Kiersten has beat up crone-hands, revels in living oceanside, maintains polyamorous relationships with many a plant and the odd human-animal, likes to bang on drums, and parents some bright quirky sparks.

FIRST PERSON:

Hi, I’m Kiersten and I am the dirty hands & active mind (or vise versa?) behind this work. I was born and raised on the prairies (Treaty 2 territory) but have moved eastcoastward, swapping the dry air and big skies for living oceanside. Still miss them though…

As an interdisciplinary artist, I studied ceramics and sound alongside metalsmithing/jewellery design at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in K'jipuktuk/Halifax from 2002-2009. I like to think that my larger scale, installation-based work lends to the jewellery I produce here; small sculpture for the landcape of the body. It is an honour to work in intentional relationship with the body & the elements, and I consider hand-making one facet of a committed embodiment practice.

I am a queer non-binary person, and the process of developing this body of work and practive has been integral to my embracing the liminal aspects of myself. With jewellery and adornment serving as an element of self-expression---the means by which we present/perform our often varied, complex, and intertwined identities---I aim to make wearable pieces that might reflect some of the tension, contrast, and balance we all embody to some degree. Adornment that is, in some small way, a declaration and celebration of the ways in which we each mix it up.

shorter version:

I studied as an interdisciplinary artist at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in K'jipuktuk/Halifax from 2002-2009. It is an honour to be working in intentional relationship with the body & the elements via this collection of work, and I consider hand-making one facet of a committed embodiment practice.

I am a queer non-binary parent, and the process of developing this work/ practice has been integral to my coming home to and embracing these liminal and expansive aspects of myself. With jewellery and adornment serving as an element of self-expression---the means by which we present/perform our often varied, complex, and intertwined identities---I aim to make wearable pieces that might reflect some of the tension, contrast, and balance we all embody to some degree. Adornment that is, in some small way, a declaration and celebration of the ways in which we each mix it up.

The development of this work/practice has been integral to my own process of coming-home-to and embracing the liminal aspects of my non-binary identity and queerness.

As a queer non-binary parent, the process of developing this work/ practice has been integral to my coming home to and embracing these liminal and expansive aspects of myself.

THIRD PERSON from before:

Kiersten Holden-Ada is a mischevious piscean nightowl born and raised on the prairies (Treaty 2 territory).

As an interdisciplinary artist, Kiersten studied ceramics and sound alongside metalsmithing/jewellery design at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in K'jipuktuk/Halifax from 2002-2009. Their larger scale, installation-based work lends to the jewellery they produce here; small sculpture for the landcape of the body. They are honoured to work in intentional relationship with the body & the elements, and consider hand-making one facet of a committed embodiment practice.

"With jewellery and adornment serving as an element of self-expression---the means by which we present/perform our often varied, complex, and overlapping identities---I aim to make wearable pieces that might reflect some of the tension, contrast, and balance we all embody to some degree. Adornment that is, in some small way, a declaration and celebration of the ways in which we each mix it up.

Kiersten is a white, non-binary settler and queer parent. They like to bang on drums and are grateful to be living a short distance from the ocean.