Day 1 prompt for #Marchmeetthemaker and my first blog post! A chance for me to say hey! And introduce myself to you lovely lot. So here goes...my story of becoming and jewellery designer maker and goldsmith.
I was always the creative type at school, I studied Art & Design at A level and was even selling “up cycled jewellery” to friends and family . I attended De Montfort University after school to study Art & Design foundation degree and specialised in 3D Modelling. But the real beginning of my story started 2015 when I began working on my Final Major Project on my 3-Dimensional Design degree at Bath Spa University.
My project was called ”Fikja” or fidget jewellery, and the concept of this was to create wearable jewellery which would relieve the wearer of habitual ticks and fidgets they possess. these featured a silicone necklace, clicking and spinning rings and a moving beaded bangle.
These pieces were cast in Pewter, which was my first experience of metal casting propresses, and I really enjoyed it! Little did I know I would explore this further on in my life with precious metals!
This was a definitive moment in my life - this was the project that ignited my interest in jewellery and I knew I wanted to design and make jewellery for a living.
I returned home to Leicestershire after graduating and enrolled on some part-time courses in Jewellery Making And Stonesetting at The School of Jewellery, in Birmingham’s infamous Jewellery Quarter. I was confident I had the design skills I’d gained from my degree but I needed to start somewhere to develop my jewellery making skills! These courses were great - I met some wonderful, wise jewellers including my tutor Cassandra Reed who had been in the jewellery trade since she was young. Thingest just felt like they clicked - I could understand the making process easily and learned quickly. Stone setting was a little harder and more technical, and I’m definitely not technically minded!
These courses aren‘t running any more - unfortunately the university wanted to utilise the space we were learning in for more overseas students. As a result Cassie moved her business into a new building snd continued to teach her profession and I continued to learn. I remember making my first ever ring and being so proud of it! It was made from copper and set with a round cabochon Jade stone. It’s not much now and sits in a draw - but I’ll always keep it as a reminder and symbol of just how far I have come over the past few years.
I was so grateful to learn alongside a part-time job as a sale assistant for a local jewellers. This was a fantastic opportunity to learn the ins and outs of the jewellery world. I gained so much knowledge on materials and gemstones and how making processes work. As I gained confidence in making, I started get more hands on on the bench and get stuck in with some of the making and finishing processes. This was always my favourite part of the week - setting on the bench and getting in the zone! I love working with my hands and I’m never happier when sat at my bench with a good tune on the radio and a cuppa tea! (Yorkshire Tea always!)
I continued this job for a few years, although I thoroughly enjoyed it, I got to the point where I was looking for more - I felt confident in my making skills and there was still so much more of the jewellery world I had no idea about! I felt I needed to take the next step towards spending a little more time creating my own jewellery. At the same time the perfect opportunity came up in the form of another job - a bench jeweller/ Goldsmith. And still in Leicestershire! I began this only a few months ago and I’m loving it - I’m learning more and more everyday. I’m getting to use new technology I’ve never have been able to get my hands on before, and I’m hungry for more! I know it’ll take me 40+ years before I become a “Master Craftsman” in my field, just like my manager - but that doesn’t phase me, and I know I’m learning from the best! The wonderful thing about jewellery is that no day is the same. There is always a new design to make, always a new piece of jewellery to look at, and always a new fascinating story behind it.
That is the reason I knew I wanted to make jewellery. It’s a special thing, that ring we have on our finger or that necklace we inherited from our great grandmother. Jewellery is so beautiful and so sentimental. I love creating something something so meaningful and know it will be so treasured in meany years to come.
Jewellery is a memory in a gemstone, a promise in a ring and a story in gold. And all of which we carry with us everyday of our lives. And that to me is something truly remarkable.
If you’re still here - thanks for reading, this is just a little introduction to me and my jewellery. Keep an eye out - I’ve got some exciting things coming to this website in the way of new designs and new commissions. I’m excited for 2020 and what it’ll bring to my jewellery making journey - It would be great if you could stick around too!
Love,
Annie