When faced with a situation that none of us have ever experienced before it knocks the way we live our lives for six. During the height of the pandemic we all adapted to change, with many of our jobs and livelihoods slowing down and in some cases coming to a complete halt.
As an independent business owner you didn't have the opportunity to furlough yourself to spend more time with home-schooling or taking a mind break, you were REALLY worried about how your business would continue and when the next payment was coming in!
Or, perhaps, you did have some extra time on your hands, but couldn't get hold of the stock that helps you to create your products during lockdown? What can you do instead?
Where there is an indie maker there is always a way....
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| Jewellery designer Elin Horgan |
Elin Horgan
Creating beautiful and elegant handmade jewellery in recycled silver, Bristol maker Elin Horgan became inspired to design her new Shapes & Spheres collection after realising she couldn't get new stock and components from her regular suppliers.
This interview took place during lockdown in June 2020.
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| Elin's wax carving tools used to make her unique ring creations |
How are you? What has your situation been like during lockdown?
I'm ok thanks (well, I am today at least!)....hanging on in there in these strange times.
I've been in lockdown with my two kids (who are 5 and 8) and my husband (who is currently working from home) so, like many self-employed creatives it's been quite an adjustment having everyone in the house with me all day every day.
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| Sphere pendents from £60 by Elin Horgan |
How has lockdown affected your business and the way you work?
Business has been mostly OK.
My stockists have, of course, been closed, but some have taken their shops and galleries online. I'm hugely grateful to everyone who has been buying jewellery from my website during this time as their support has really kept me going!
I usually run jewellery making workshops at Kiln Workshop just off Gloucester Road, Bristol, so have had to put all of those on hold for the time being. I'm really hoping to be back teaching in the Autumn as I miss it so much!
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| Silver orbit hoops by Elin Horgan Photography by Paola Leonardi |
Has this time helped your productivity?
It's a struggle to fit much in at the moment although I suspect that having less time actually makes me more productive as there are far fewer opportunities for faffing about.
There's definitely a lot of evening and weekend work (and not very much homeschooling) going on at the moment.
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| Elin Horgan's best selling Triangle stud £45 |
Have you become more or less inspired in this time?
After a few weeks of adjusting to our new family set up, I had a really creative burst and produced lots of new work.
As lots of jewellery making suppliers were closed to begin with I wanted to challenge myself to make some pieces by using materials I already had; repurposing and recycling my scrap silver where possible.
The new Shapes & Spheres collection of one-off pieces is now available to buy on my website and I love the fact that each piece is totally unique and won't be made again. (see top image)
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| Apollo Statement earrings £250 by Elin Horgan Photography by Han Goes Click Studios |
What's next for your business?
I'm currently working on a capsule collection of rings made from recycled silver which I hope to release this Autumn.
Visit the Elin Horgan online shop
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