Nice Assets is the work of Nicole Gaston, a Wellington-based craftswoman who creates fun, colourful ceramics.

I am an academic, librarian, and self-taught artist who makes clay things.

I like to think I am finding ways to fight supremacist structures and ecological devastation a bit with my work both in clay and libraries.  I’m trying to be hopeful about the future and find & spread as much joy as I can while I’m here on this planet.

I like to use humour as a tool to encourage spontaneity and vulnerability.  I try to make work that acts as a lens through which societal norms and constructs are examined, inviting people to engage in critical reflection and dialogue. Objects of daily ritual use such as mugs and teapots provide the context for these conversations.  I like making functional domestic ware and avoiding traditional gallery spaces which I believe are classist and intentionally inaccessible.  I prefer to create opportunities for intimate dialogue and connection over a shared cup of tea through these familiar vessels.

Driven by a desire to create discourse, empathy, and introspection, my various mediums including written, visual, and community building works, I aim to challenge perceptions and provoke thought, trying to build a more nuanced understanding of the world around us.

My ceramics are available at various stockists and online, and my forthcoming chapter in ‘Global Perspectives on Anti-Racism and Anti-Colonial Library Management Practices’ (Facet Publishing) will be in print in late 2024.

Follow me on @nice.assets for regular updates.

Get in touch if you’d like to visit me at my studio in Aro Valley.

Please note studio visits are by appointment only.