To highlight the importance of the support offered to our students by our collaborative subsidy scheme in conjunction with the Goldsmiths’ Centre, we’ve asked our tutors to reflect on a time when a little bit of extra help made a difference to their jewellery practise ….
I started predominantly working with wax during lockdown (the first one) as a way to keep busy while everything else was closed and chaotic and I was far away from home. This led to my first full jewellery range based on the Ochil Hills in Scotland.
In September 2021, I returned to work with Jo at Central Scotland School of Jewellery and my first solo class was Wax carving rings, I am so thankful that Jo gave me the opportunity to develop my tutoring skills as well as allowing me to indulge my passion for wax.
I was also lucky enough to receive funding through VACMA (Visual Artist and Craft Makers Award), allowing me to travel to Liverpool to learn Artisan Casting. Learning more about the process of casting has really helped my making.
Coming full circle, I completed a project for the Craft Hub Library, which was to carve and create a ring from wax while on the side of Dumyat, the highest peak in the Ochils.
Shirley Warnock Lowe, Verdant Jewellery
Shirley’s journey highlights the profound impact that a little extra support can have on a maker’s growth, both creatively and professionally. From refining her skills in wax carving to expanding her knowledge through funded opportunities, each step has shaped her practice in meaningful ways. Stories like hers remind us why collaborative initiatives, like our subsidy scheme with the Goldsmiths’ Centre, are so vital in nurturing talent and opening doors to new possibilities. Visit our Subsidised Places page now to find out more about our ‘Setting Inclusivity‘ concessionary fund supported by Goldsmith’s Centre.
Shirley Warnock-Lowe
Recycling Precious Metals
Ochills Inspired Rings
