13 minute read
Yup, it’s that time JEWELLERY Exeter’s finest dazzlers
THE BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL If there’s a particularly good time to don beautiful and colourful jewellery it surely is Christmas. We chatted to a couple of local jewellery makers and trawled through Exeter’s boutiques to find the very best, most sparkly pieces to wear…
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Jewellery that pops
Jewellery maker Katherine Hoey
It’s precise work Leather off-cuts are transformed into beautiful jewellery
KATHERINE HOEY is a local jeweller who makes sustainable, and very colourful, jewellery pieces out of leather off-cuts. We caught up Katherine to find out more…
We have to start with the name of your company – Tula and the Whale. Where did it come from? Tula is the name of my daughter and whale is my husband’s nickname (his favourite animal is a humpback whale). I tried to come up with lots of different business names, but somehow that one stuck!
How long have you been running the business? Around eighteen months, but the idea was there for a few years before that. I started crafting more frequently after leaving Bristol six years ago with a wee baby, and needed a creative outlet for my sanity. This evolved into making jewellery for myself to begin with, but as my skills improved, the requests from other people came in. I realised how important working from home and having flexible hours would be with a young family so decided to take the plunge.
Where did you learn your craft? I’m pretty much all self-taught. When I was a young adult I had a fun job working in a haberdashery in St. Nicholas’ Market, Bristol. I learnt so much about materials and techniques there. Other than that it was a lot of trial and error!
Your pieces are made from leather offcuts, where did you get this idea? It came to me in the haberdashery, which was opposite a cobblers. They were kind enough to donate me scraps and I started experimenting. Since then I have sourced my offcuts from various places. It means a lot to me that the pieces that were otherwise going to landfill have been repurposed and are being worn and making people smile!
Katherine’s earrings are a big hit
I really want my business to be as sustainable as possible, so using leather off cuts helps my conscience by making a tiny dent in the tonnes of waste material created by the fashion industry. I have a small group of other makers who supply me with off cuts as and when, which is wonderful but I am always on the lookout for more. There is so much unwanted material out there, that it seems criminal to me to not utilise some of it.
Bright colours are aplenty in your jewellery. Are all aspects of your life this colourful? No! I love colour, but I wear a lot of black, which is why I like my accessories to be bold. Saying that I’ve usually got about three bright patterned woollen cardigans on in the winter. My house has accents of bold colour, but I feel like I have matured with my home decorating skills a little and I prefer less colour clashing than houses of my past.
Where do you get your inspiration from? Everywhere! The patterns and colours of the natural world are always inspiring, so having the River Dart and Dartmoor on my doorstep is such a luxury. I love geometric patterns and my favourite colour combinations are most likely inspired by a two-month trip to Mexico in my mid twenties.
What is the hardest thing about your job? Time management. Working from home with a young family has its challenges, but it is so great to be able to be fl exible. However I do get interrupted a lot and sometimes it is hard to switch off from work mode. This is something I am fi guring out.
LEFT TO RIGHT: Gold Leaf Leather Star Stud Earrings, £8.50; Statement stud leather earrings £10.50
And the best? Designing a new range and getting feedback from my lovely customers – it makes me smile so much. Another amazing thing about my job is meeting lots of other independents and being part of a very supportive community.
What’s been your greatest achievement – both with Tula and Whale and in your personal life? Wow, this is a hard one to answer. In business, it’s just the fact that people like my work and enjoy wearing it.
In my personal life, child labour has to be up there! Along with climbing a mountain in the Andes and working with spider monkeys in Bolivia.
What plans have you got for Tula and the Whale? Next year I’m hoping to move into a workshop in the garden, where I will have more space and be able to experiment with new up-cycled materials. I am also aiming to work at some markets and events in the not too distant future.
The big dream is to be content with the way my business is run and to be able to regularly contribute to worthwhile charities. For more: Katherine’s Tula and the Whale jewellery is sold at The Maker Mart shop on Gandy Street, and online: www.folksy.com (Tula and the Whale)
ALEXANDRA AURUM makes jewellery that is inspired by the landscape around her, using fusion, hand-forging and stone-setting techniques
What made you want to become a jeweller? When I was growing up I had a habit of looking/studying jewellery shop windows whenever I passed one. I just wanted to see how things were made, was fascinated how stones were set and how the metal was shaped. I mostly went down the art side of education and moved from sculpture to jewellery which I have been making now for over a decade.
What was your professional pathway to becoming a jeweller? I was lucky to fi nd out early in school that I was good at making most things using my hands. Building jewellery is relaxing for me, I can match the ideas in my head with a physical outcome. I am dyslexic and learning to be proud of this gift. I also knew that after university funding a business like this would take time, preparation and determination to get it started. I have worked for three local jewellers and in two jewellery shops in Exeter while waitressing on the side in the beginning. This was all an excellent foundation to understand how to run my jewellery business and how I want my customers to feel when I work on commissions for them. I am proud of what I do and I want them to feel that way also.
What skills or personality traits do you think make a great jeweller? For me it’s how I build and fi nish my work with the devil being in the detail. If it’s not right cut it up and start again and you will be quicker the next time because of the extra practice.
TOP TO BOTTOM: St Mary’s ring, fi ve diamonds, £1000; One-off boulder edge ring with seven diamonds, POA; One-off aquamarine, sapphire and diamond ring, £1250; Tresco ring, gold with mint tourmaline and six diamonds, £1340
What inspires you? The “landscapes” in my work refl ect elements of my family history and where I grew up. I understand that when you buy my work you then make your own meaning with that particular piece. When I am selling my work the Popplestone collection reminds me of the Isles of Scilly where my parents met and the Devon Red collection reminds me of growing up by the seaside and observing red sandstone cliff s change shape throughout my life. These themes are the thread which has run through my work and life to inspire me to keep moving forward. The encouragement from my family and sense of place drawn from landscapes motivates the style and visual signature which I hope makes my work unique and desirable.
Are there any gemstones that you are particularly drawn to? I love a cornfl ower blue sapphire and a green tsavorite garnet.
What is the hardest thing about your job? Paperwork; making is easy.
And the best? When you get a day when everything comes together just the way you planned, can’t say everyday is like that, but when it happens it’s a little bit of magic.
What’s been your greatest achievement – both with your jewellery business and in your personal life? Starting a business, honestly, it’s taken me years of hard work and I am so proud I did it all on my own. It truly is my own creation and I enjoy every development; it all means so much to me.
Alexandra’s pieces are sold at Polka dot Gallery in Exeter and Taunton. For more: www.alexandraaurum.com/ www.polkadotgallery.com
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COLOUR ME HAPPY Brighten up your winter outfi t with these colourful pieces
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SHOPPING LIST
1. Handmade acrylic cuffs by Sue Gregor, £49, Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Queen Street, Exeter; www.rammuseum.org.uk 2. Porcelain kissing giraffes necklace, £30, Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Queen Street, Exeter; www.rammuseum.org.uk 3. Mustard teardrop earrings by Claire Lowe, £65; Polka Dot Gallery; 12 Martins Lane, Exeter; www.polkadotgallery.com 4. Fiesta green cerenity necklace, £372; Polka Dot Gallery; 12 Martins Lane, Exeter; www.polkadotgallery.com 5. Poppy earrings, £21, Frocks in Swing Time, 151-152 Fore Street, Exeter; www.frocksinswingtime.com 6. Mini coral macrame leaf earrings, £10, 6. Mini coral macrame leaf earrings, £10, from KikiTropical: available on Etsy from KikiTropical: available on Etsy 7. 18ct yellow gold diamond and 7. 18ct yellow gold diamond and pink sapphire ring, £8,750, Mortimers pink sapphire ring, £8,750, Mortimers Jewellers; 87 Queen Street, Exeter; Jewellers; 87 Queen Street, Exeter; www.mortimersjewellers.co.uk www.mortimersjewellers.co.uk 8. Platinum emerald and diamond ring, 8. Platinum emerald and diamond ring, POA, Mortimers Jewellers; POA, Mortimers Jewellers; 87 Queen Street, Exeter; 87 Queen Street, Exeter; www.mortimersjewellers.co.uk www.mortimersjewellers.co.uk 9. Long beaded drop earrings by My 9. Long beaded drop earrings by My Doris, £20, Moko, 17 Gandy Street Exeter; Doris, £20, Moko, 17 Gandy Street Exeter; www.mokoexeter.co.uk www.mokoexeter.co.uk 10. Star hoop leather earrings, £12.50, 10. Tula and the Whale, Makermart, Tula and the Whale, Makermart, 11a Gandy Street, Exeter; 11a Gandy Street, Exeter; www.makermart-exeter.com and www.makermart-exeter.com and www.folksy.com www.folksy.com 11. Moth brooch, £12, Moko, 17 Gandy 11. Street Exeter; www.mokoexeter.co.uk Street Exeter; www.mokoexeter.co.uk 12. Polymer clay statement earrings, £14, 12. from KikiTropical: available on Etsy
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GO CLASSIC You can’t go wrong with this lot: gold, silver, pearls, and, of course, diamonds
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SHOPPING LIST
1. Zero waste pendant, £25, Sancho’s, 117 Fore Street, Exeter; www.sanchosshop.com 2. Oak leaf and acorn branch earrings, £255, Polka Dot Gallery; 12 Martins Lane, Exeter; www.polkadotgallery.com 3. White baroque pearl tassel, £839, Erin Cox Jewellery, 14 Castle Street, Exeter; www.erincox.co.uk 4. Wide hoop earrings in brass, £16, Sancho’s, 117 Fore Street, Exeter; www.sanchosshop.com 5. Platinum diamond daisy cluster ring, £14,950, Michael Spires, 22 Cathedral Yard, Exeter; www.michaelspiers.co.uk 6. Silver antique bangle, £12.95, Hyde and Seek, Unit 1, Harlequins, 1 Paul Street, Exeter; www.hydeseek.co.uk 7. Shimmer cascade earrings in gold and silver, £20, Moko, 17 Gandy Street Exeter; www.mokoexeter.co.uk 8. Stack of rings, poa; Eric Cox Jewellery, 14 Castle Street, Exeter; www.erincox.co.uk 9. Pearl drop earrings, £150, Polka Dot Gallery; 12 Martins Lane, Exeter; www.polkadotgallery.com 10. Gold rounded triangle hoop earrings, £14.95, Hyde & Seek, Unit 1, Harlequins, 1 Paul Street, Exeter; www.hydeseek.co.uk 11. 22ct gold and diamond ring, £1,914, Eric Cox Jewellery, 14 Castle Street, Exeter; www.erincox.co.uk 12. Michael spiers jazz collection 18ct diamond earrings, £5,750; Michael Spiers, 22 Cathedral Yard, Exeter; www.michaelspiers.co.uk
FOOD & DRINK
NIBBLES FROM EXETER’S FOOD SCENE
The team will also be delivering bread
GO WITH THE DOUGH St Sidwell’s Community Centre will open a pop-up Sourdough Bakery on Sidwell Street. The new space will allow St Sidwell’s to expand its current offer, following the success of Sidwell Street Bakehouse, run for the past 18 months from its long-standing community centre on Sidwell street.
The new bakery is due to open before Christmas and will be offering sourdough bread and treats, as well as doing bread deliveries by bike.
“Relocating The Sidwell Street Bakehouse will allow us to offer lots more volunteering and training placements, provide new employment opportunities, bake more nutritious bread and help attract more people to Sidwell Street,” says Iona Collins, project manager and baker from St Sidwell’s.
“At this difficult time for everyone, we are very pleased to be able to provide new opportunities and we are grateful for The Crown Estate’s support in achieving this.” For more: www.stsidwells.org.uk
A welcome addition to Gandy street
© @HEAVEN.IS.IN.DEVON
COMING SOON…. Gandy Street will soon welcome a new bar called Mermaids. Exeter Phoenix director Patrick Cunningham tells us, “It will be a place like no other.”
We can’t wait. www.exeterphoenix.com
Shall we chalet?
LOUNGING ABOUT Who doesn’t want their own private chalet? This festive season, Princesshay’s Lloyd’s Lounge is welcoming six Christmas chalets to its outside space. Each chalet will offer a unique and safe private dining and drinking experience in the heart of Exeter for up to six guests. Expect a warm and cosy festive setting, with blankets, twinkling lights and even the opportunity to play your own music. The chalets are available to be booked seven days a week, for both lunch and evening sittings. For more: www.lloydslounge.co.uk
GET Have you bean drinking their coffee? YOUR FIX Starting your day with a fresh cup of really decent coffee is a must for some people. If you fall into this category, take note:
Indy Coffee Box is a Devon-based company which delivers a box of top-notch, fresh as you like, speciality-grade beans to coffee fiends each month.
There’s an ever-changing monthly selection of coffees from independent coffee roasters and there will also be occasional treats in the form of artisan chocolate, traybakes and chai syrup.You can sign up to their monthly subscription boxes or, if you’re feeling generous, gift them to a coffee-loving loved one. For more: www.indycoffeebox.co.uk
