My journey
I decided to make my first piece of jewellery (a chain), because I was too lazy to go to a shop to buy one. I also might have had no money at the time, which always kicks creativity into a higher gear. I was fifteen and I've just joined a medieval sword-fighting re-enactment group, so I decided to try to make it out of rings, like the chainmaille suits of armour some of my fellow "knights" had. After a few tries, I finally managed...and it looked surprisingly good. So I decided to make some more chains, bracelets and accessories...and my friends noticed. They asked if I was willing to sell...and I was. That's how my craft and business started.
I'm glad I started so young, because I had a lot of time to start small and learn from my mistakes (and there were many of those along the way). How to make my products, present them, price them, sell them....and how to improve, both myself, and my products. I switched from lower quality materials with which I started to better, more expensive materials (from galvanized steel to surgical steel, from copper to silver). I started to buy better equipment and tools... I spent pretty much everything I earned on expanding my little business.
After finishing the high-school I attended at the time, I decided to further my education in manual crafts. I studied blacksmithing at a private art school for a few years, but it wasn't quite to my liking. I prefer quiet, peaceful work and the hammering just didn't allow for that. After I got my diploma, I went to study silver-smithing and jewelry-making at that same school and this was a much better fit for me.
After I finished school in Slovakia, I moved to Scotland, where I currently reside, working on my jewelry and having another full time job on the side. I very much enjoy spending time on my craft, and I can only hope that someday, I'll be able to devote myself to it full-time. I consider it my calling, as it's the first job I found that I can pour my soul into without losing spirit :)
For now, I am happy making items for my customers, practicing techniques I already know, learning new ones, improving with every single piece of jewellery. And I hope wearing my items will bring you at least half as much joy, as I experienced making them :)
