MAKERSPACE STERLING STAR

Interview: Traci O’Dea

At an industry networking event for Brilliance Jersey, the Jersey Jewellery and Watch Festival, silversmith Aida de la Herran modestly chats with other makers. As she speaks with a representative from the National Association of Jewellers, he is wowed to learn that Aida runs morning, afternoon and evening sessions of Jewellery Making for Adult & Community Education at Highlands College; he starts excitedly predicting that Jersey is poised to become a jewellery-making hub in the British Isles.

Aida did not start out making jewellery. Now based in Jersey, she grew up in a similarly named location, Jerez, in Spain, in the heart of the sherry region. Her American mother and Basque father were both lawyers who had a wide range of interests including building harpsichords, flying planes, introducing Reiki to Spain, and traveling. Aida went to the USA for university, in the hope of becoming a marine biologist, but while there, she took some jewellery and sculpture classes and she ended up graduating with a Fine Arts degree with concentration in sculpture.

Upon returning to Spain after university, Aida started her own real estate firm, using her passion and skill for making things to refurbish properties, but she continued to make jewellery during evenings and weekends for friends and family.

Aida married, moved to Jersey, and had four children, but she always created. Her real breakthrough happened in Jersey when she started noticing shards of pottery washed up on the beach and incorporated them into her sterling silver pieces. Friends commissioned work from her, she set up a studio at her house, and started making sterling silver jewellery full time. She joined Genuine Jersey and began setting up at markets.

“I see jewellery-making as making mini sculptures,” Aida says. “Jewellery-making requires control, precision and skill; sculpture is the opposite, free and large. So they balance me.” Aida is a study in opposites: warm and wild; creative and technical; with the brain of an engineer and an artist.

In addition to her passions for making things, Aida believes that learning is a lifelong pursuit. She is currently learning stone-setting, and she hopes to take some creative courses with Will Romeril or other tutors at Highlands College Adult & Community Education.

She is also passionate about teaching. “All my students are stars in the making!” she says. “I remember the first lesson where they learnt piercing silver with a saw… the noise was horrid, with angry metal screeches, blades braking every other minute. Within the hour, it was smooth and paced. Now, they don’t even think about it,” she adds, proudly.

Aida is a dedicated and creative teacher. I don’t think her students realise that Aida designed and produced the purpose-built jewellery workbenches that they use every week. The tables completely fold away to allow flexibility in the multi-purpose workshop at Philip Mourant Centre. “Since I was very young, I have been involved with making things with my hands,” she says. Seeing her parents creating and building gave her the confidence to do the same.

And her love for marine biology has never gone away. Living in Jersey, she is inspired by our stunning natural seaside surroundings. When I ask her if she’s done any pieces relating to stars, she says, “Nothing related to stars, no, but starfish, yes!”

My name is

My job is

In 3 words I am

My worst habit is

When I was a kid I wanted to grow up to be

The song that best represents the soundtrack to my life is different every day difficult to say anything but an artist overthinking dr teeth help - the beatles getting to 30 my motto/mantra

The celebrity that would play me in the film of my life would be

My greatest achievement is

If I was a superhero I would be

My biggest inspiration is daredevil hokusai

Never impose on others what you would not choose for yourself

I couldn’t live without peanut butter

In bed I wear my godzilla tshirt

The advice I would give my 12 year old self is

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