Vanessa Neily was raised in small-town Kars, Ontario, Canada. Being the daughter of an aspiring fibre artist and an optical engineer made for a very creative and meticulous upbringing which lent itself well to her future interest in jewellery. In 2004, Vanessa moved to Halifax to study craft at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University, and in 2008 graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts majoring in Jewellery and Metalsmithing. During her studies, Vanessa was an active participant in numerous Halifax-based group exhibitions and has since exhibited her work in other provinces, as well as being featured in multiple national and international publications. Presently, Vanessa is based in Halifax and splits her time between teaching and crafting from her attic apartment studio.