The Business Exchange Swindon & Wiltshire Edition 48: April/May 2020 | Page 18

SWINDON AND WILTSHIRE’S CREATIVES The jewellers Lee Orton of Orton Jewellery, based in Bradford on Avon. Lee started his business in 2002 with one unit and a workshop and quickly expanded to include the unit next door. He now has a large jewellery showroom upstairs and extensive jewellery workshops downstairs. There is also a workshop within the showroom, so clients can watch the team creating handmade bespoke fine jewellery. The team also offer repair and restoration, valuations and much more. They also take commissions for objet d’art and commemorative pieces. This year, that’s included a scale replica of a country house for a valued client (see front cover). Are you creative? Absolutely. We are a team of skilled crafts people for a start, but the business is centred around designing and crafting unique fine jewellery. Each item is an individual statement for a specific person so it couldn’t be more creative. There is a shortage of people with our skills so we attract clients from all over the globe. What does creative mean to you? Understanding the style and tastes of a client and translating that into a piece of bespoke jewellery surpassing their expectations. It’s a collaboration. Equally I have the opportunity to create items for stock, expressing my own skills and interest in techniques and materials, which are full of character and personality. How do ‘sell’ your creativity? Recommendation, recommendation, recommendation! We advertise locally however our customers actually do the marketing for us. We form very strong relationships so clients feel confident and enthusiastic about recommending us. What’s the future for creative businesses in your view? We are very positive about the future. Our business continues to thrive, so we intend to build and expand as opportunities arise. There are interesting initiatives within the industry to encourage export and to raise the profile of British jewellery designers. These are all encouraging signs. We are also excited to be expanding our offering of responsibly sourced materials which include Fair Trade gold and silver and also 100 per cent recycled precious metals. As a small business we are able to adapt quickly to the challenges that face us and that makes us extremely agile as well as creative. Tamara Eccleston of Barking Hen Jewellery – based in Chippenham, Tamara created her business in 2015 offering handmade silver and copper jewellery. She has a special creative for wildlife subjects including owls, otters, birds and much more. Are you creative? Yes. I design and handmake my jewellery from scratch and I often draw inspiration from my own surroundings and my life of animals and wildlife. I also consider how my jewellery can be enjoyed by everyone so will adapt from a necklace to a brooch, to earring, to a tie tack or similar. For me, creativity is a mindset. You don’t have to be good at drawing to be creative, if you can visualise what you to produce in your mind you are creative. You may make the object yourself or you may inspire others or work with others to bring that object or vision to life. How do ‘sell’ your creativity? I start with my website which acts as a shop window and as a shop. I support that with social media activity. I also showcase my work through outlets and galleries as well as media relations when I can. What’s the future for creative businesses in your view? I think the future is strong especially for the handmade industry. I think that as a nation we are becoming more environmentally aware and hopefully will become less interested in throw-away fashion and cheap The artist Emelie of Emelie Art, based in Corsham and established in 2017. Emelie specialises in vibrant portraiture offering original works and limited edition prints. Are you creative? 100 per cent. I take a blank canvas and transform it into something that makes people reflect on their inner self and smile! What does creative mean to you? To transform and to be reflective. For me, transforming the canvas means to transform myself. In turn, others who view my work, transform themselves into something stronger. Even just for a moment. Creativity nurtures our wellbeing and produces wonderful problem solvers. It spans across many other sectors such as education and health and across all ages. Income from creative businesses can be 18 www.tbeswindonandwilts.co.uk strong and steady, all the while making our economy as a whole richer. How do ‘sell’ your creativity? • Word of mouth: This is so valuable for my work. Being bold, unique and identifiable certainly helps! • Events: I choose my events carefully, making them a wonderful avenue to sell my work and meet new and existing clients. • Online: Social media is a great platform for creatives, albeit a time-consuming one! What’s the future for creative businesses in your view? With regards to Brexit, I feel for the larger collections and the history of British Art with the possible constraints of movements having an effect on the larger galleries and museums. Art is a global entity and to needs to be shared and enjoyed worldwide. Hopefully we’ll see wider cultural benefits throughout the sector. There’s no choice but to remain optimistic! I believe creatives will flourish, just as we would had the result been any different. We can be exceptional at taking on board any challenge and turning it into something wonderful. imports. For the handmade and creative community this is good news. I found last year people were spending more on one special item of jewellery that they will keep and treasure, however they were spending less spontaneously. When you buy direct from a small business you can work with them directly and a really feel the passion involved in producing your item or service.