Sarah Drew

I am, and always have been, a bit of a collector: not of high value things that you have to be careful with, just little, curious, quirky things that are everywhere in everybody's everyday life. I just like to pick them up, look at them and put them in my pocket. Then I like to make them into jewellery later… 

I make contemporary, definitely eclectic, jewellery from found objects (driftwood, sea-plastic, sea-glass and slate pebbles) combined with semi-precious stones and pearls linked together with chunky hammered eco-silver chains, delicate crocheted fine silver and fused silver focal pieces. I make big statement rings with boulder opals from Queensland, Australia; and from Cornish amethyst and aquamarine I find near the local clay pits.

Using recycled materials in this way is also a sustainable way of creating unique pieces that aren’t a strain on new resources and whose material components are traceable.   I love colour and collage and take a lot of inspiration from 20th century artists such as Terry Frost, Margaret Mellis and Peter Lanyon: I feel very surrounded by colour in Cornwall: beautiful big skies, lush gardens, aqua or moody dark blue seas and vibrant old woods.

I run recycled jewellery workshops at lovely hotels in Cornwall such as Bedruthan and at West Dean College in Chichester. As well as designing, making and selling my jewellery collections and teaching, I look after my 2 boys, husband and dog Rosie!