This brooch called Soft Star is one of a series of works by jewelry artist Warwick Freeman from the 1990s. It’s carved from the mother-of-pearl shell of a Pinctada maxima, the largest species of pearl oyster that’s used to cultivate pearls. The hollow interior of the brooch, as tightly encased as a pearl inside its shell, offers us space for thoughts and wishes. Shining brightly, this star guides our way, just as it once guided sailors. For them, stars served as signposts on the long voyage across the oceans. The constellation known as the Crux or Southern Cross was frequently used for navigation in the southern hemisphere. Consisting of four bright stars, it’s the same constellation that’s found on the New Zealand flag. New Zealand, called Aotearoa by the Māori, its indigenous people, is rich in flora and fauna. Pāua, scallops, and mother-of-pearl as well as volcanic rock and jade are some of the materials used in Warwick Freeman’s work. In fact, his work would be inconceivable without New Zealand. Born in the town of Nelson in 1953, he began designing jewelry as a self-taught artist in 1972. From 1978 to 2003 he was a member of Fingers, New Zealand’s jewelry cooperative founded in 1974. These days, Warwick Freeman is one of the world’s leading jewelry artists.