Jewellery By Silvana

Vendor Biography

I handcraft sterling silver jewellery.   I found my niche in making animal and quirky items, though sometimes I may do something a little more classic for a change, but really it’s gingerbreadmen, sheep, highland cows, umbrellas, subjects that not many other designers do.  I particularly like hand piercing the various metals with my fine-bladed jeweller’s saw – I don’t use a laser.

I don’t follow “trends”, I make my own designs and these attract individuals who also don’t follow what other people tell them to like, who want to have something different.

Sterling silver is always the basis (never silver plate) though often in combination with copper, brass, pewter, dichroic glass, gemstones, resin, as well as upcycled pre-decimal coins, cutlery and biscuit tins.

Life has come full circle and I love the way it’s turned out for the end of my “career”. I started out with art college but having been led to believe I was really something at school, when I got into the big league, I realised I wasn’t that special, put my sensible head back on and went back to my original idea – getting an Information & Research degree. I worked in Local Government, then Age Concern, then a corporate organisation (awful!) and then lastly back to the charity sector.  It was at that time, 22 years ago that I also started a silversmithing course, the best decision in years, I loved every minute of it. I loved every minute of it. Then I carried on and did some more!

I progressed from working at the back of the dark and dingy garage, to a beautifully light studio attached to the house, painted yellow so it always feels bright and cheerful even when it’s miserable outside.

When the craft fair bookings became too much to handle even when I’d changed down to working part-time, I gave it all up and now concentrate solely on the jewellery, ably assisted by my now retired husband Mike, my donkey at the craft fairs as well as my studio technician, (very handy to have an ex-engineer!) and my inspiration, my toy poodle Zuzu.

I’m based in Ashton-in-Makerfield which is a very convenient little town, on the borders of Lancashire, Merseyside, Cheshire and Greater Manchester.

N.B.  All work in sterling silver weighing over 7.78g is hallmarked (as legally required) at the Edinburgh Assay Office with the lovely little castle symbol. Also, some of the more intricate/expensive designs that are under this weight will also have the hallmark but otherwise, to keep the costs down, I do not send for hallmark when it is not required by law. Those that have the hallmarked will be noted as this in my descriptions: if this is not mentioned, they are not hallmarked but please be assured, they ARE sterling silver.

Silvana