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THE STORY SO FAR...

Moonstone Sterling Silver Necklace

I remember as a child being obsessed with gemstones, on a weekend I would often ask my Step-Mum if we could go to the ‘spooky shop’, a little store tucked away off Stony Stratford high street that used to stock crystals, stones and incense.  I would spend my money on stones in a way that other children bought their weekly pick’n’mix sweets. This passion continued through my childhood, I remember my first girlfriend laughing at me when discovering a little wooden box I’d filled with different shiny things I’d found and pocketed over the years.


I thought very little of this and as life went on I continued to be interested in gemstones but my passion for music didn’t seem to allow any space to explore it.  I spent several years after university touring in a punk band, a lifestyle that to many probably seems like the antithesis of the jewellery makers life, but I think both share many similarities: self-reliance, the ‘do it yourself’ approach to learning your craft and the importance of sincerity and caring about your art. 

After several years of touring the band split up. I got a job in a school and formed a folk duo with my partner Carly.  Despite being busy I felt like I needed an interest outside of music and work.  I had been inspired by the way my friend Cherry of Rising Tides Jewellery had been able to build a successful jewellery business, making incredible jewellery and through her own hard work building a large fanbase of admirers.  After chats with her and my other incredibly talented jeweller friend Michelle from Peak Jewellery I decided I’d give it a go. 

 

I was fascinated by the process of jewellery making and the first time I melted my first strip of silver into a silver ball and created a simple Moonstone ring I was hooked. Cherry generously gave me my first few lessons and from there, with a little help from Youtube and much trial and error I began being able to make the designs that came into my head.

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I have always felt that beautiful stones do most of the work for you as a jewellery maker and from the very beginning I did my best to find the most beautiful specimens.  I love the iridescence of Labradorite and Moonstone, the warmth and history contained in Amber and the ancient reverence and adoration intertwined with stones like Lapis Lazuli.  From early on I decided to say yes to everything.  I learned so much from working out how to do it as I went on; it was that punk ethic again. I also spent many a night swearing loudly and despairing at another piece melted and unusable, Carly put up with a lot. But after a while I began destroying things less and started to understand the process.

Smiling male jeweller at work.
Jewellery workshop harsh realm jewellery

I have always tried to incorporate my other passions into my work. I present most of my jewellery on the pages of my favourite books or records.  I also try and show them outside in the great outdoors, the older I get the more important nature becomes to me and the more I realise its capacity to create peace and serenity in our busy minds.  Marco Kernbach the finest tattoo artist I’ve ever met, made me a logo that shows a vast desert with a peaceful, watching crow.  It perfectly represented how I saw my jewellery in an image. 

 

I continue to make my jewellery from the spare room of our static caravan on a beautiful farm in the British countryside. I’m eternally grateful for the opportunity to make jewellery for people that they treasure and find immense pleasure in it every day.

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