Johanna Brierley’s lifelong fascination with jewellery can be traced back to a childhood spent rummaging through her grandmother’s jewellery chest. From an early age, she developed an enthusiasm for found objects and a curiosity about the various ways in which an object worn on a body will interact with the body itself. Whether she is discovering shiny, unusual shapes of glass and stone along the beach or scouring antique markets for objects with a unique past, Johanna’s work is informed by her passion for collecting and her eye for the exceptional and the unexpected.

Born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Johanna graduated from the University of Manitoba with a degree in English. She then spent three years studying for a Diploma of Jewellery Arts at George Brown College in Toronto, where she graduated at the top of her class. Afterwards, she obtained a Master of Arts in English from McGill University in Montreal, her research focusing on found poetry and the relationship between words and their function as objects. Once her formal education was complete, Johanna embarked on a career in the jewellery industry. She has since worked with a number of acclaimed jewellery designers in both Canada and the United States.