Sian Bostwick creates award winning jewellery inspired by a love of fairy tales, wondrous literature and mysterious story’s.
Drawing on treasured tales such as Alice in Wonderland, tales of enchanted woodlands and fairy glades, 20,00 Leagues under the sea and Tristan & Iseult to create beautifully crafted jewellery with intricate detail and a touch of wonderland.
Siân handcrafts each piece of jewellery from her Kent workshop. Her love of making jewellery founded at UCA Rochester’s Jewellery & silversmithing course.
In honour of KickStart’s 10 year anniversary, we caught up with Sian to find out about her experience of being a KickStarter and her journey after.
Q. What have the last 12 months been like for Sian Bostwick Jewellery and what have been your most successful pieces/collections?
I have launched new additional to our collections, help organise and develop open studio events, mentored graduating jewellery students and prepared to launch and whole new collection (launch very very soon, with a 50s pulp sci fi twist!) by experiment and exploring new techniques, launch one to one jewellery classes and couples wedding ring classes. This year has been a lot more focused on personal successes, being part of my sisters wedding and arrival of my niece but I have also become a homeowner for the first time, which is something I never i’d thought able to do.
Q. Where does your inspiration come from?
All of our jewellery is inspired by treasures stories and tales from some of my favourite books. From Alice in Wonderland, Jules Vernes 20,000 Leagues under the sea, Arthurian legend and tales of fairy enchanted woodlands. I love to get lost in a good story, to explore worlds of magic and wonder through and excellent book, and many a happy hour is spend hunt for my next read in my local cavernous 2nd hand book shop.
Q. What was your overall impression of KickStart and how did it help your business in its early stages?
Kickstart was an amazing experience for me, I was a fresh graduate stepping out into the industry with not much of a clue what I was doing. Kickstart not only allowed my brand a launch into the industry by meeting press, buyers, gallery owners and industry professionals that’s I wouldn’t have been able to do before but the additional mentioning, advice and media training we invaluable. I was able to seek the guidance, advice and fellowship of the other participants for years to come.
Q. How can future KickStarters capitalise on their IJL Journey and the IJL experience? What would be your advice?
There is so much to constantly learn, you are never done learning new skills so it is hard to narrow it down. Take every opportunity you can, pursue and push for everything that comes along and don’t give up.
Q. What was one of your biggest challenging in launching your jewellery brand and how did you overcome it?
There are may challenges when you start out on your own, in any industry not just the jewellery industry. When I first started with Kickstart I had workbench in bedroom and little idea of how to grow anything further. Kickstart helped hugely with this, but best of all I was able I get a place at an artists/craft studio building and community. Our workshop is still based there now and being part of the creative community of 30+other artists studios and workshops has been a truly wonderful support and creative space to grow and develop the brand from.
Q. Finally, what is the proudest moment in your jewellery career?
Though I have been lucky enough to win many awards including New Designer of the Year for the UK Jewellery Awards and featured in plenty of press which have been wonderfully proud moments, but one of my favourite has been that I recently made my little sisters and her new husband wedding rings. It was a wonderful honer to be part of their special day in such a unique way, it was a wonderful occasion and and was delighted to be part of their story. It was more of a personal rather than a professional proud moment.
Heading into it’s 10th Year, KickStart 2019 is now open for submissions. Enter here: https://www.jewellerylondon.com/kickstart/
To read more terms and conditions about KickStart, please click here.
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