Judith Brown transforms vintage haberdashery into highly distinctive and elegant jewellery and we are thrilled to have her work here on madebyhandonline. In this interview with Judith we learn a bit about her inspirations and that there's more to running a jewellery business than making... 

When did you first decide or realise that you wanted to design and make?
 
I have always loved designing and making things. I vividly remember making a mini room from a cardboard box at infant school (featuring chairs made from yoghurt pots and sticky baked plastic of course!) After that it was sewing clothes for my dolls and learning to knit from my Mum, so from there it was a series of steps like making my own clothes at 13 to A level art to my Embroidery degree. As for starting my business as designer maker that didn’t happen til 10 years after my degree in 2004, when I finally had the confidence to go for it.
 
From who or what do you draw your inspirations?
 
My inspiration to learn how to make things came from my Mum. My inspiration for my work comes from the materials I use, either the limitations of the wire and the technique I use, or the old haberdashery that I use. Like some old buttons that have been sat in a drawer somewhere for years which are transformed into something wearable and elegant and so, are reused, as our grandmothers would have wanted (when they cut off those buttons from an old favourite cardigan they had knitted ready to be used on the next one)
 
What experience has significantly influenced your professional practice? 
 
If I hadn’t done my degree course I wouldn’t be making jewellery as I do today. My techniques were inspired by one afternoon session that we had in the first year of the course called “stitching without fabric”. 
 
Describe a typical day for you?
 
There’s so much more to making jewellery than the actual making, so a typical day will definitely include spending a few hours on the PC, answering emails, applying for shows, editing images, updating my blog or website, confirming orders and chasing invoices to name just a few tasks. If I am preparing for a craft event, I might spend some time planning my display and labelling jewellery with prices, or filling envelopes with invites and catalogues for customers. If I’m working on orders for galleries or work for an exhibition then I might spend a few hours putting pieces together for e.g. adding drops to earrings and finishing pieces by adding chains or ear hooks. Then it all needs carefully checking and packing up, with a quick trip to the post office.
 
As an exhibitor at some of the UK’s main contemporary craft events what advice would you give to Makers interested in applying to these craft fairs?
 
You need to have good clear images of your work. Most of the time you will be asked for specific image dimensions and resolutions, it’s well worth investing in Photoshop to help you get this right. Choose your images so that they show a coherent body of work, so if you have lots of different ranges (like me) only represent 1 or 2 of these in your 6 images. If you don’t get selected, don’t give up, lots of events have selection panels that change every year, so you will have another chance next time.
 
Which Makers' work do you have on your personal wishlist?
 
I love Rachel Gornall’s hand dyed layered textile pieces, the colours are somehow bright yet subdued and I like the delicacy of the translucent fabrics that she cuts into and suspends above another layer of fabric.
 
Another maker whose use of hand dyeing techniques and colour I admire is Carly Petitt Taylor. She dyes nylon thread that she then makes into dramatic yet still delicate jewellery, by looping it together.
 
Another favourite is Emma Palmer’s jewellery which I first saw when I was exhibiting at Made By Hand last December. She uses the lace making technique of tatting to create loops of coloured lace into lovely earrings and necklaces. I like the use of another textiles technique to make intricate and delicate jewellery. I’m sure I’ll have to have a pair of earrings soon!
 
 
Many thanks to Judith for answering our questions. Judith has added some new pieces to her collection using vintage lace - absolutely perfect for weddings - and she has some striking, one-off brooch designs, giving new life to vintage buttons.

add a comment

Commenting is not available in this channel entry.