It is always such a lovely insight to hear about our designer’s inspirations, how they began their careers and most importantly, their work-life balances. We hope you enjoy this interview as much as we did, Sally shares how her love for jewellery making began at such a young age, her collections of different materials and treasures, and how she balances her brilliant jewellery work alongside her impressive full time job as Course Leader at Central Saint Martins. Grab a cuppa, get comfy and enjoy!

Sally Collins

1 – Please could you give us a brief introduction to your work and who you are? (Where are you based, inspirations, fun facts)

What a pleasure to be part of this showcase Clifton Rocks- thank you so much for the invitation! With the theme being colour- I feel delighted to be taking part, as colour is a huge part of my work- and my life in general really! 

I am a jewellery maker, collector, curator and educator who has been working in the contemporary jewellery field since 2008, after graduating with an MA from Birmingham’s School of Jewellery. My passion is for creating jewellery pieces that explore an overly decorative and hyper ornamented ‘Superfrilly’ aesthetic, which question the role of collecting and our intrinsic desire to possess things in an increasingly overcrowded and fast fashion focused society. My jewellery asks the question ‘when is enough, enough?’, and explores the notion that we often strive to be better, stronger, more productive and more idealized versions of ourselves…where do we stop, how do we know when enough is enough? 

I have worked as a lecturer within the Jewellery field since 2010, and began my role as Course Leader for the BA Jewellery Design at Central Saint Martins, UAL in 2023- it’s such an honour to work with such amazing people- colleagues and students alike! I’ve been based in London since 2019, and I live on a beautiful little canal boat called Mabel- which is filled with colourful and handmade treasures created by myself, friends and family. 

2 – What led you to become a jeweller and how did you train/ learn your skills?

I’ve always been obsessed with jewellery, and have been making since I was really young, I just knew it was what I wanted to do! It all started with some pretty clunky looking Fimo earrings at about age 8/9- which my mum still has (bless her), and progressed into varnishing popcorn and Liquorice Allsorts and stringing them into necklaces when I was a teenager. I always took pride in these rather strange creations and wore my jewellery everywhere I could. When I was 16 my art teacher explained to me that it was possible to go to University and study jewellery making, and showed me lots of contemporary jewellery books- this absolutely blew my mind- I couldn’t believe that there were other people out there doing the same kind of things as me, and that I could go to Uni and study this! I think the first book I laid eyes on was a book about Arline Fisch’s crocheted/ knitted jewellery, along with a book with work from Hermann Jünger- I was totally inspired. I did my BA at Loughborough University and worked like a trojan to try and improve my technical skills and critical thinking- I made a lot of work I was proud of over those 3 years but didn’t quite find my groove aesthetically and conceptually. I then went on to study my MA in Jewellery at Birmingham City University, and this is where it really clicked for me- I made my first proper ‘Superfrilly’ collection in the Spring of 2008, and haven’t looked back since! I am so grateful to that art teacher who told me about contemporary jewellery being an option for Higher Education (a big shout out to Mr Sharpe!) and my university tutors Robeta Bernabei and Jivan Astflack- they’ve all had a massive impact on me and my jewellery journey!

3 – We love how you combine and use different materials and techniques, especially the discarded vape components, paint, pearls and precious metals. What inspired you to use a variety of media in your work? 

I think this just comes instinctively to me, I love colour, texture and pattern and I’m always looking for new ways to incorporate that into my work. I collect a lot of different materials and store them all in little boxes and jars- you never know when you’re going to need something! I also hate to see things go to waste, and like to recycle and reuse a lot of materials. I think my approach to making also really helps with this, as I am always testing and trying things out- just little samples of techniques and colours- that I can play around with and combine together. Sometimes something sits on the bench or in a box for years before I find the right moment to go back to that technique or idea, it’s good to let ideas percolate a little I think!

4 – We love to hear about people’s workspaces- please could you describe where you work?

I am so lucky to share a workshop with two of my best friends- Holly & John. John is a painter and Holly is also a jeweller- who I studied with in Birmingham. We have a very cute little workshop in East London, we love it! John’s fantastic colourful paintings provide the perfect backdrop for me, and Holly is a real inspiration as she is always coming up with exciting new ideas for her own work. I work full time so I don’t manage to get to the workshop as much as I would like, but I’ll often do ad hoc bits and bobs at work or home as well- as cheesy as it sounds I know that I have to keep that creative fire going and do something at least every week- even if it’s only picking up my crochet hook for an hour or two. 

5 – What are the areas of your business that you enjoy the most?

That’s a tricky one to answer! I really love the sampling and testing stages of creating a collection, but I think the most rewarding aspect is seeing someone wearing your work. I was in Munich recently for ‘Munich Jewellery Week’, and was stood in an exhibition… a wonderful German lady came through the door and as she turned towards me I see she is wearing one of my necklaces- and she didn’t even know she was going to bump into me- that feeling, that someone else loves your work as much as you do- it’s priceless to be honest ☺ 

6 – What does a usual work day look like for you? (Do you work full- time/ part-time, how do you balance your week?) 

My job as Course Leader for the BA Jewellery Design at CSM keeps me pretty busy, so I’ll work weekdays, and save workshop time for the weekends generally. Although of course when there’s a deadline I’ll have to put in some late nights during the week as well! 

7 – As we go in to the new season and have a little bit more sunshine, what are you looking forward to most in Spring? 

Some more sunshine and lighter evenings for sure! I cycle most of the time in London, and those beautiful evenings cycling home from work as the sun is setting are pure magic! But, I also am completely obsessed with Music and have some great gigs lined up, oh…..and possibly a few more tattoos booked in as well- I’m quite addicted and have got some amazingly colourful pieces from an incredible artist (Freddie Albrighton) recently- I might have plans to add a few more….!!! I will also be enjoying some cocktails on Mabel (the narrowboat) on those gorgeous summer evenings, taken from my very own Care Bear cocktails menu. Something which myself and your very own, and dear friend, Katie Snow, love to partake in when we have the chance.

Thank you Sally for taking the time to answer all of our questions. Sally’s work is currently on display in the shop so please pop in to see Sally’s full collection and a selection in our online shop.