2015 - The beginning

The final year of my Jewellery and Metalwork degree at Sheffield Hallam, and the year my jewellery style really clicked. I still remember the conversation I had with my tutor, Jeff Durber, in late 2014 when he asked me about my inspirations. We discussed architecture, a theme that has stayed present in my work, and in true art school style he asked me - ‘well how can you bring an architectural material into the work?’ and from that day, I think literally, I have worked with cement in jewellery. 

For my graduate collection I created large, bold neckpieces and began to discover what would also be a continued obsession with creating chain. The pieces here have stayed with me all these years and I could never let them go. They are the first examples of my cement use, and have continued to influence the art jewellery that I still create. 

As part of our degree, every year the course would be invited to New Designers in London, the most respected countrywide graduate show for the creative courses. New Designers kick started my career - I was shortlisted for New Designer of the Year, and received invitations to two graduate schemes, Young Meteors with Lustre Nottingham and RAW with The Art Market York (later Art&). These graduate schemes taught me how to present my work, gave me invaluable experience and guidance into taking part in shows and the confidence to pursue my creative career. I also received a highly commended award for the collection from Bright Young Gems.

I took on my first studio space at Bank Street in Sheffield and registered as a sole trader in the December. I had literally no idea what I was doing, absolutely no business mind or knowledge, but I knew that ultimately, being a self employed maker was the dream.