About me

My name is Orla, I am Bristol based, and have been making things for years. But over the last 6 months I have access to a garage as a studio space and this space has given me enthusiasm and space in my life to experiment and learn new crafts and skills. 

Last year I spent time in Mexico, there I did a 3-month silversmith and jewellery apprenticeship with a local jewellery maker in Southern Mexico whose family had been jewellers for three generations. Since coming home, I have been continuing to make jewellery in the studio and continuing my learning and development of techniques. I am a now a trained silversmith and make a variety of jewellery inspired by nature and found objects in silver and brass, incorporating sea glass, shells, stag antlers and coral. Most of my work orientates around utilising and repurposing found and recycled objects as well as objects from nature. 

I have always collected found objects, and many of my pieces, from textiles to jewellery to homeware and clothing are often made up of reused and recycled materials I have collected. For example, waterproof cycling rucksacks made of old plastic bags, a wedding dress made of collected vintage lace tablecloths and napkins, buttons made from old bits of pottery found on the Thames River shoreline, and bowls made of old sailing and climbing rope.

I would love to share my skills and have found it really difficult in the past to afford the courses which I would like to do to learn new skills so I would love to offer affordable course where people can learn in a chilled environment.