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Me

I was born in Devon in 1970 and my interest in jewellery started at a very young age. By the time I was 10 years old, all of my pocket money was spent buying beads and making earrings for my friends and family.

This interest continued into adulthood and I went on to study metal smithing and jewellery at art college, specialising in jewellery design and manufacture during 1989.

Whilst holding down a day job and bringing up a family I was making jewellery any spare minute I had. We were living in Devon on a tight budget so I had to be inventive. I used scrap copper piping (my father-in-law was a plumber) to make pendants and brooches selling them at local village fetes and table top sales. People seemed to like my designs and I was aware of the fact that lack of investement in tools and silver was holding me back so I applied for a Princes Trust loan. I was delighted to be approved and received funds during 1999 and set up my own full-time jewellery business. I worked long hours designing and making silver jewellery in the evenings, sometimes until 2am. I sold it during the day at various craft fairs and markets around the country. On one occassion I was lucky enough to have a stall in Covent Garden that was subsidised by The Princes Trust. I was also exhibiting in numerous shops and galleries all over the country as far afield as Cumbria and Devon. I was delighted to be awarded first prize in a "Women In Business" competition sponsored by Oil of Olay in 2000.

Above left: Sterling silver trinket box with detachable butterfly brooch.           Above right: 18ct gold ring set with boulder opal and aquamarine.

The natural progression was a gallery of my own in which I could showcase my work and that of other designers and crafts people. In 2001, due to my husbands business, we moved to the North West of England and the doors opened on Argentium, a contemporary craft gallery and coffee shop showcasing the work of over 30 different jewellery designers as well as glassware, ceramics, textiles and more.                

Above: Interior of Argentium                                                          Above: Interior of Argentium

Sadly in 2004 we were forced to close the gallery as I had relapsed with a serious illness I'd first had back in 1999. I had a stem cell transplant and spent 5 weeks in a horrible, depressing isolation room at The Christie Hospital in Manchester! It didn't exactly go according to plan and I ended up checking out the intensive care unit back at Exeter hospital as we had moved back to Devon to be near my family during my treatment. Because of the hard work and dedication of the wonderful nurses there (I can't thank them enough) I came home almost 2 months later with a wheel barrow for all my medication and a wheelchair for me! Following a long period of recovery I finally started to return to my love of jewellery late in 2005. 

The following year I was fit enough to visit Art in Action (a fantastic arts and crafts show held near Oxford) and I came across the wonderful world of lampwork glass beads. Unfortunately I cannot remember who's work it was but I couldn't take my eyes off it and decided I just had to have a go. I managed to book some tuition with the very talented Sally Carver and spent the time absorbing as much information as I could! I bought myself as many books on the subject that I could find and became a "beadbook junky" taking a selection with me everywhere I went. I have since had tuition with Diana East and Laura Sparling from the UK and Michel Silberberg from Israel. I am a firm believer that you never stop learning and will continue to attend as many courses as I can to keep my work fresh and exciting.

I have worked in many mediums over the years but have never been so passionate about any of them, as I am about lampworking. I feel I have finally found the way of expressing myself that is most suited to me. I love the endless combinations of colours possible and like to explore new techniques regularly. This is my fulltime occupation and I can be found in my studio almost everyday, not because I have to be, but because I want to be. I hope you enjoy owning my beads as much as I enjoy producing them.

Helen x

Below: Helen's Haven!

Go to Shop to purchase my beads and jewellery.