My Roller Coaster Ride Of A Show

I exhibited my pieces in my first high end show this weekend and it really was a roller coaster ride of emotional highs and lows
The great thing about this, was that for every low, there was a high ...

These are the Lows

1. Arriving on that first morning to set up feeling like a rabbit in headlights with crippling insecurities threatening to overwhelm you

2. It felt like every other exhibitor was an award winning established artist. They all seemed very confident and oddly very tall lol!!

3. The inevitable lulls, or when someone’s gaze briefly rests on my display of pieces and then moves on elsewhere, seemingly unmoved and underwhelmed by my work

4. Feeling exhausted at the end of a very long day, sitting in a Travel lodge/motel, wishing you were home

5. Those times when you are left wondering whether you’ve taken too big a risk and that you won’t be able to sustain a living as an artist



And the high points....

1. Seeing your work presented for the first time in glass cabinets under spotlights in you own mini boutique. I loved that so much!!


2. Meeting some of the warmest, funniest and talented metal work artists out there. The camaraderie between the artists was amazing and so uplifting.
3. I loved how supportive everyone was of each other. Swapping anecdotes and sharing those highs and lows throughout the day meant so much to me


4. Artists that I am in awe of would come over and love MY work!! They would even take me under their wing so to speak, and passed on useful tips and gave me tons of encouragement. I’m still feeling choked up about that actually


5. Meeting customers and art lovers, that just loved my work. They wanted to talk about the pieces, the stories and inspirations, and wanted to try everything on lol!!
There was one surreal moment, where I had a crowd around my mini shop front , with 3 very different ladies wearing 3 unique pieces, all complimenting each other on how they looked in my jewellery!! They all seemed so happy ... it was a magical moment for me

All in all it was an amazing experience, and I cannot wait to do the next show on this circuit.
I have come away with so many new friends and mentors and with a renewed sense of confidence in my artistic abilities. The key thing also is coming away with the knowledge that my own unique, rather fantastical creations are loved and that there is a place for me in this kind of world





Thanks to all those wonderful people that played their part in making this such a memorable and significant weekend

Siren Rings Collection and Barnacle Pearl Cuff

These are my latest additions to the Shipwreck Jewellery Collection. Siren Rings, which are ornately wire sculpted rings, perfect for a Mermaid. I make them in Aquamarine gemstones and Freshwater pearls to complement the Mermaid Amulets and the Pearl Barnacle Collections

Every one is organic and unique...

I also have made another of my Barnacle Pearl Cuffs, in Turquoise freshwater pearl and sterling silver. The weaving is inspired by the patterned calyces seen in hard corals. I hope you love them (I do !!)

I am finally off to do the show (linked in the last post), and am stopping off at a photographers on the way. The pitstop is to hopefully capture a good enough image to make the front cover of a magazine...but we will see what happens about that

I feel ready for the show and hopefully it will go well :)

Anyway, enjoy the pics and slideshow....

Pearl Barnacle Cluster Necklaces

These necklaces are part of the Shipwrecked Jewellery Collection, based on the idea that gemstones and jewellery pieces are left on marooned shipwrecked vessels beneath the sea

These pieces lost in time, accumulate barnacles and other marine life, creating part living organic wearable sculptures

The Barnacle cluster collection is very much inspired by the theme, and each necklace contains clusters of freshwater pearls handwoven in sterling silver, nestled amongst fine silver barnacles and shells

I am taking this collection with me to the Desire Fair I'm doing at the end of the week. It will be one of ten collections I'll be exhibiting there...no wonder my hands are so tired

I've spent the whole day with the hubby arranging the layout of pieces and props, for the show. It was exhausting, and fun at the same time. I still have a few items to make unbelieveably, and have almost run out of time.

Anyway here are the photos of the rest of the collection...

















Hope you enjoyed the pics!!





Samantha Braund xx