A Journey in Colour, Confidence and Craft: Why I Make Jewellery
Pink and red acrylic chain, Colour of Survival collection
There’s a moment I come back to often — a memory from my early twenties, standing beside the rose-pink salt lakes of Australia. The colours seemed impossible. The light was different. I was thousands of miles from home, fresh out of university, and open to whatever came next. I didn’t know it then, but that moment — a flash of freedom, joy, and curiosity — would eventually shape the jewellery I now make and the woman I’ve become.
This year, I graduated from Hereford College of Arts as a mature student, with a brand-new body of work and a whole new chapter ahead of me. I was honoured to receive the 2025 Alloy Graduate Award, recognising innovation in jewellery, and I’ll be showcasing my work at New Designers in London this July — a huge moment in my journey. More than awards or shows though, I’m most proud of creating something that feels truly me: jewellery that expresses individuality, jewellery that makes you feel amazing, jewellery that makes you feel seen.
Why Jewellery?
Red and blue enamelled rings, Micro collection
I’ve always been a maker. Over the years I’ve worked with many materials and in many crafts, but jewellery has always held a special place in my heart. There’s something magical about it: its intimacy, its closeness to the body, and the way it lets you express a part of yourself without words. It can be bold or delicate, precious or playful. It can hold stories and carry memory, and it can empower.
When I started studying jewellery formally at Hereford, I was particularly drawn to contemporary, statement forms. The possibilities felt endless and, at the same time, I felt like I had something to say.
Women, Visibility, and the Power of Jewellery
Black hand-worked acrylic chain, Colour of Survival collection
As women, our style and confidence doesn’t fade with time but deepens. With life experience comes a clearer sense of who we are, what we love, and how we want to express ourselves. These can be some of the most vibrant, empowered years of our lives and I believe the way we dress and the jewellery we wear, should reflect that.
Jewellery has an incredible power in the way it helps us to express ourselves. It can add boldness, playfulness, and elegance whether it’s a pair of oversized earrings or a sculptural necklace, the right piece can bring out a sense of strength and presence.
That’s what I hope my jewellery offers: a way for women — of all ages, backgrounds, and styles — to feel seen, celebrated, and confident. To wear something that feels unmistakably them, and to shine in their own unique way.
From Hereford to London: The Path So Far
Returning to full-time education later in life was no small thing. I had to re-learn how to learn, and I had to trust that my voice — my aesthetic, my choices — would find their place. The team at Hereford College of Arts were endlessly supportive. The facilities, the creative environment, the emphasis on experimentation — all of it gave me the tools to turn ideas into reality.
Hereford College of Arts
The highlight of my final year was working on my graduate collection — inspired by those salt lakes in Australia and the aerial landscapes surrounding them. The colours, the abstract forms, the sense of place and personal freedom — it all came flooding back. That work, and the journey behind it, is what led to winning the Alloy Graduate Award. I was recognised not just for my making, but for bringing new ideas to the table — mixing materials like hand-worked acrylic sheet with traditional methods to create something fresh, striking, and contemporary.
Now, as I prepare for New Designers in London this July, it feels like the next stepping stone as I exhibit alongside an incredible group of emerging designers. It’s exciting and daunting in equal measure — but mostly, it’s thrilling. This is what I’ve worked towards.
Building Roxwoods
Out of this creative evolution has come Roxwoods, the brand I’ve built to carry my work forward. The name comes from two things that matter to me: “Rox” — a nod to gemstones, strength, and playfulness — and “wood” — a tribute to the rural, wooded place I work from, and to the workshop itself, which is literally made of wood. It’s also where I feel most grounded.
Silver loop-in-loop chain with blue druzy gemstone beads hand knotted on silk thread
Roxwoods is about more than jewellery. It’s about identity, transformation, and expression. Every piece is designed to make a statement — whether that’s bold or quiet, colourful or monochrome. I work in both precious materials and mixed media, whatever feels right for the piece I am designing. this gives me the freedom to play with scale, structure, and colour in a way that metal alone can’t. The results are wearable artworks — playful, architectural, unexpected — designed to lift the spirits and catch the eye.
What Comes Next
Over the next few months, I’ll be preparing for my official collection launch later this summer. Alongside the statement pieces, there’ll be smaller, everyday designs and a capsule for men — because style and self-expression shouldn’t be limited by gender.
Chunky silver ring and cuff, men's collection
Behind the scenes, I’m adding new designs to the collection, refining my packaging, meeting stockists, and working on my photography to capture the new collection. There’s a huge amount to do, but I’m energised by the pace. This isn’t just a hobby or a creative outlet — it’s a business, and I want to grow it into something sustainable, joyful, and brave.
I’m excited to connect with women who want to express their individuality — who don’t want to wear the same thing as everyone else, but instead seek out pieces that reflect their own unique style and story. My aim is to celebrate that uniqueness through bold, expressive jewellery that helps each woman feel confident, visible, and completely herself.
Because when we embrace what makes us different, we don’t just stand out — we shine.
Gratitude and Growth
From left to right: Nicola Lillie, Victoria Hopkins and Ella Sibley
As I look back on the last few years as I re-entered education, taking creative risks, and launching my own business — I feel deeply grateful. Grateful to the tutors who encouraged me, the friends and family who cheered me on, the other students who inspired me, and to the award judges who saw potential in what I’m building.
And most of all, I’m grateful for the opportunity to start something new at a stage in life when society tells you it might be too late. It’s not too late. In fact, it might be the perfect time.