Rosie Clayden is a jewellery designer that lives in Brighton, UK. She currently works full time in the North Laines and spends her days creating, mending, and designing beautiful pieces. She has an amazing skill set which enables her to create stunning fine jewellery out of precious gemstones and various tones of gold.
I stumbled across her Instagram page a while back and was instantly mesmerized by the alluring array of images she posts. Eager to get in touch with her, I messaged her and asked if she would kindly answer from questions for me so that I can share her story of how she came into the world of jewellery design and where she gains her inspiration from for you on this blog.
It is so interesting for a jewellery lover like myself to get an incite into the industry from someone who designs and creates beautiful jewellery on a daily basis and I am very excited to share this Q&A with you;
What inspired you to learn the art of Jewellery making?
My first experience of making jewellery was during my foundation year where I learnt to cast pewter using cuttlefish bone. I remember feeling proud with the funny little objects I had cast. I wasn’t completely sold at this point though and went on to study 3D Design & Craft at Brighton University. I am glad I did this because it allowed me to work with a range of materials including wood, plastic, ceramic and metal. In my final year I focussed on refining my jewellery skills. Working with precious metals, I created a collection of poison rings after being inspired by sixteenth century jewellery. I love the intricacy of jewellery and the challenges you are faced with working on a tiny scale.
Do you find it easy to gain inspiration for new pieces and collections?-Where do you gain most of your inspiration?
If I am making an engagement ring, this process usually starts with the stones. I will sit and carefully handpick individual stones and they often influence the design or way in which I use them. Trying out the positioning of stones on a piece of plasticine can help me to realise the best arrangement for the stones.
I also get inspired by nature, in particular insects! I have not had the chance yet to express this through my jewellery but hopefully in the near future this is something I can dedicate some time to.
When do you feel the most joy/reward from what you do?
I feel the biggest reward when I am able to learn a new technique through the making of a piece. I enjoy all aspects of the making but when I learn something new, it becomes more exciting and I feel a sense achievement even if it does take me a bit longer to make.
Its also rewarding when someone really loves and appreciates something you have made.
What are your future goals for the next season and 2017?
My future goals are to expand my collections and continue to make quality handmade jewellery. I particularly enjoy working with rose cut diamonds so expect to see more unique cluster engagement rings.
Will you be attending any Jewellery shows/events in 2017? If so, which ones and why?
For the past few years I have attended the International Jewellery London show. It has a huge range of jewellery suppliers from loose stones to tools and packaging. Each year this gives me the opportunity to try out new tools I am in need of and search for particular stones I have been looking for. It is a good opportunity to network and meet other designers. I also enjoy visiting other shows and craft fairs including, Etsy Made Local, Made Brighton and Artist open houses.
Rosie has dedicated an Etsy site for her handmade creations, a Facebook page and the afore-mentioned Instagram;
Rosie’s approach to showcasing her jewellery is by giving us an incite into the intricacies of her work. I love that we get to see how the jewellery is being made and the idea of potentially owning a piece that has had so much hard work put into it makes for a fantastically, loveable and personal outcome.
Check out Rosie’s pages for more images of her work, where to buy, and to keep up to date with her collections. A few of my favourites below;
olivebrighton.wordpress.com 