Paerau Corneal (born 1961) is a New Zealand ceramicist.
Corneal holds a certificate in craft design (1988) and a diploma in craft design MÃÂori (1991) from Waiariki Institute of Technology. She is of NgÃÂti Tà «wharetoa and Te ÃÂti Haunui-A-PÃÂpÃÂrangi descent.
Corneal has exhibited both internationally and nationally since 1988. A consistent theme in her work is MÃÂori female empowerment. From 2013 Corneal has collaborated with contemporary MÃÂori dancer Louise Potiki Bryant. Their performance work entitled Kiri references a creation narrative of the first MÃÂori human, Hineahuone, and opened for the 2014 Tempo Dance Festival in Auckland.
Throughout her career, Corneal has been involved in varying artist collectives. She was a founding member, alongside Manos Nathan, Baye Riddell, Wi Taepa and Colleen Waata Urlich of NgàKaihanga Uku, a collective of MÃÂori clay workers. Corneal was also involved with Kauwae, a collective of MÃÂori women artists formed in 1997; Te Rà Âpà « o NgàWÃÂhine Kai Whakairo, a collective of MÃÂori women carvers and Haeata Women's Collective.
Corneal's work is held in the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.