Creative Business Interview - Claire Lowe - Jewellery Designer

I’m so excited to start my Creative Business Interviews with jewellery designer Claire Lowe. Claire makes beautiful work using shape and colour with silver and resins and I caught up with her to find out more about how it all began and how she’s developed her creative business.

Tell us a bit about your business - what do you do?  Why did you decide to set up your creative business? 

I’m a contemporary jewellery designer maker, I work with silver and resin which is a type of plastic. I studied Silversmithing, jewellery and allied crafts at Sir John Cass in Whitechapel London, I graduated in 2005. After graduating I applied for a few shows and started forming a collection of jewellery, my business started there. Its evolved and grown and my jewellery has progressed and developed in the years since I left university.

What is your typical work day like?

Every day is different, I have 3 children and my youngest isn’t at school yet. Everyday I try and post on Instagram and have a little time scrolling and interacting with other creatives, a couple of days a week my youngest has childcare so on those days I’m head down and making, I create to do lists so as not to waste any making time. I spend time in the evening when the children are in bed, packing orders, doing paperwork, updating my online shops etc.

How do you market your business and what works best for you? 

Marketing is a tricky one, I find meeting customers face to face is great, I try and do lots of local selling events and this in turn leads to sales at the time and in the future via my online shops, I find a lot of my online sales are from the south west. I have social media accounts which certainly do generate sales and interest, they’re also great for getting feedback especially when you work alone.

If you were starting your business again is there anything you would have done differently?

I don’t ever remember thinking, I’m going to start a creative business. I still don’t really think of myself as a business owner, I’m a maker who sells her pieces, so I find it hard to think back and see differences I would have made. I do sometimes wish I’d taken up the more of the traditional courses alongside my degree, it’d be great to have a wider knowledge of jewellery skills, ie engraving, technical stone setting etc. At the time of my degree I just wanted to be creative and work with plastic.

What’s the best thing about being a creative business owner?

I really enjoy making, when I’ve had short breaks from making when my children were born I missed the peace and calm of making, the utter joy of letting my hands create something. Making jewellery is more to me than selling jewellery and making money, I need to make for me regardless of sales. 

What’s the toughest thing about being a creative business owner?

I find it really hard to stop, and to say no. My studio is at home so its very hard to leave it alone, it works perfectly as I can pick it up and put it down, make for as long a session as I can fit around my family, but it also draws me in and I struggle to leave it alone. I’m not very good at sitting still and not doing anything.

What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve been given?

Keep going, don’t give up, continue to make, be true to yourself and your work.

What advice would you give other creative business starting out?

I think the best advice is to find your voice, your style and nurture it. There’s so many creatives and so much competition, especially within jewellery. If you’re making something you believe in and have explored and developed you’ve got a great starting point for a business.

Do you have any exciting plans for your business in the future?

We’re in the process of converting out garage into a studio for me, this will be big enough for me to teach small groups. I’m really looking forward to planning some exciting jewellery courses for later in the year.

Where can people find out more about you?  Do you have any selling events coming up that you want to tell people about?

You can find out more about my jewellery at www.clairelowe.co.uk 

I am going to be at Nourish, a food and craft event in Bovey Tracey on 31st August.

Thanks Claire for taking the time to share this with us - it’s been great to hear more aboutyou and your business. I hope you’ve e all enjoyed reading - keep your eyes peeled for the next Creative Business Interview coming soon.