hello!

I’m Holly, and I am pictured here in front of my jewellers’ bench at Double Door Studios in Dundee, Scotland, (slightly awkwardly clutching my favourite saw). In the workshop, this is where I spend most of my time, developing new contemporary fine designs and making pieces to order.

My work is inspired by nature, in particular, the calm and grounding feeling of being immersed in the natural world. Think standing in a serene woodland, with warm sunlight on your face and leaves quietly rustling all around, or sitting on a deserted beach with the shushhh of waves breaking on a pebbley shore. While jewellery can’t bottle that feeling (if only!), I try to capture elements of it through elegant, delicate designs, with tactile textures bringing a sense of connection to the natural world.

As a designer with aphantasia, I’m heavily guided by the materials when developing designs. Rather than visualising a finished piece in my mind before I begin (because I can’t actually visualise anything at all!), I start with the sense of how it should feel to wear and then develop each design through making. Tactility is super important to me - a subtle texture, the shapes, weight and feeling of each piece are all considered while the design evolves naturally. My current collection of contemporary, fine jewellery showcases tiny, handformed petals, intentionally layered to create complex yet minimal, refined designs in recycled gold.

It’s important to me that my work reflects my values, and I aim to make jewellery that’s both ethical and environmentally conscious. I use recycled materials wherever possible, avoid harsh workshop chemicals, and my practice aligns with vegan principles - no animal products are used in the creation or embellishment of my jewellery.

While I love making all kinds of jewellery, I think there’s something special about creating pieces that mark a meaningful occasion in someone’s life, so I particularly enjoy creating bridal jewellery, bespoke designs and wedding ring sets, and this has led to the development of the current collection of fine gold jewellery you can see here on my website. Making pieces for special occasions does also bring with it a fairly large amount of pressure, but the reactions I get from my clients makes it totally worth it!

I’ve been based at Double Door Studios since 2020 where I regularly work alongside fellow makers & designers Islay Spalding, Christina Vernon & Ieva Jankovska. We plan events and exhibitions together, and regularly open the studio for visitors. If you’d like to come by and see my work or discuss a bespoke commission, please get in touch so we can arrange a time - I’d love to show you round the workshop.