Hi all.
Well, I’d like to take this opportunity to tell you a little about myself. My name is James Anthony, and I design and make my own jewellery in Birmingham’s famous jewellery quarter, England.
History
I got my first taste of jewellery making back in 1996. I was browsing through the prospectus of Walsall Technical College with a view to becoming a plumber or an electrician when I happened across a short jewellery making course. I’d always had a fascination with jewellery from when I was a small child, and I can well remember attempting to make my own designs from bits of coloured wire even back then. I decided to enroll on this course thinking that because it was only short, I could pursue something else if I found it wasn’t for me. This course was tutored by James Griffin, he was actually very inspirational, and had a lot of enthusiasm for his subject, I found myself enjoying my first proper taste of jewellery making a lot. James said he thought I might have a future in the jewellery trade, and it was from him that I first learned about the Birmingham School of Jewellery. My next course of action was to enroll on the ND course they offered, which I did, and was duly accepted onto. My skill and confidence grew quickly, and I scored consistently good marks for my project work. I enjoyed my time at the School of Jewellery so much, that I decided to enroll on the HND course they offered also. I found this course a little more challenging, particularly in terms of the design side of things, but was still able to meet the course aims, completeing the HND with merit.
After I graduated in 2002, I went on to have various jobs working at the bench in several workshops around the jewellery quarter. Each of these jobs added to my skill set in some way, however, I had always harboured a desire to go self employed, so when the Design Space scheme started up again it seemed like too good an opportunity to pass up on. I applied for, and was accepted onto the scheme in 2007. Design Space is a great opportunity for those looking to start their own business in the jewellery trade, and it was an opportunity which I grasped with both hands. I enjoyed my time on the scheme a lot, to be surrounded by other like minded types all bouncing ideas off each other was a really good environment to promote creativity. I made several good friends during my time on the scheme, indeed, I’m now sharing a workshop with three of them.
Well, that’s the stort so far…..
