About Mariko
Mariko’s jewellery is deeply inspired by her love of architecture. She carefully observes architectural elements during her travels — natural materials, colour and texture, dramatic contrasts, and geometric forms and spaces — and transforms them into sculptural jewellery.
Her architectural pieces evoke the immense passage of time she feels when standing before historic structures. With interior spaces like tiny treasure boxes, these works invite viewers or wearers to freely wander within them, embedding personal memories and stories.
Her collection draws from Japanese architecture, a long-time source of inspiration. Mariko has long been fascinated by the beautiful, rhythmic views and textures of roof tiles found at shrines and temples. Her initial interest in architecture began when she observed how people live and work inbuildings that, from a distance, resemble small boxes. It intrigued her to imagine life inside these boxes — how we all spend time in them, and how we see the world through windows and architectural frames. These frames, in turn, capture fleeting views and moments, unique to each person and time. This relationship between architecture, framing, and the passage of time is central to her collection.
Studying at Edinburgh College of Art marked a turning point in her creative journey. There, she was introduced to the philosophy of contemporary jewellery — how to choose materials, the importance of concept, and the value of process. It was a challenging yet transformative period where she began translating her background and ideas into jewellery. The process is as important as the outcome in her practice. Accepting discoveries and failures during the creative process has shaped her distinctive style. Her obsession with beautifully crafted details makes her work truly one of a kind.
The stories told inside these miniature precious compositions are unfinished – it is up to you, the wearer to invent the rest.
Biography
Sumioka was born and raised in Japan, but spent several years in Brazil due to her father’s work. This exciting cross -cultural experience sparked a deep fascination with gemstones and jewelry. Although she initially earned a degree in economics and worked in the upstream sector of oil and gas development, she couldn’t let go of her passion for metal and jewelry. Determined to pursue her passion, she moved to the UK to study jewelry making, and established herself as a jewelry designer-maker there in 2011.
2011 First class BA (Hons) Jewellery & Silversmithing, Edinburgh College of Art, UK
2004 Bachelor of Economics, Osaka University, Japan
住岡 真理子 略歴
父親の仕事の関係で幼少期の数年間をブラジルで過ごした経験があり、この異文化の中での生活が、宝石やジュエリーへの強い関心を抱くきっかけとなる。大学では経済学を学び、卒業後は商社にて石油・ガス開発の上流部門に従事したが、金属やジュエリーへの情熱を捨てることができず、ジュエリー制作を学ぶため渡英。
住岡の作品は、建築的要素への関心から着想を得た彫刻的なジュエリーを中心に制作しているが、近年は同様のモチーフの工芸作品も手掛ける。金属加工の技術を生かした独自のアセンブラージュ的手法を用いながら制作を行い、日本国外を中心に作品発表。
2004年 大阪大学経済学部 卒業
2011年 エジンバラ芸術大学ジュエリー科 首席卒業
2014年 準ベストニューデザイン Goldsmiths' Fair ロンドン イギリス
2015年 Winner of Jewellery of the Year, Collect ロンドン イギリス
2026年 第54回 伝統工芸日本金工展 文部科学大臣賞
展示：
新宿高島屋、松屋銀座、ギャラリーにしかわ（京都）、dazzle exhibitions, Katie Jones Gallery イギリス、Charon Kransen Arts, Mobilia Gallery アメリカ、 Thereza Pedrosa Gallery イタリア、Gallery Ahwon 韓国など
