Featured Maker // Little Joy Jewellery
Lauren Griffiths
Little Joy Jewellery
Lauren is a fully certified goldsmith, and studied her craft in Birmingham's renowned Jewellery School in the Jewellery Quarter before launching Little Joy in 2011 at her harbour-side studio in Bembridge on the Isle Of Wight.
Lauren is passionate about artisanal techniques and using sustainable materials. She makes minimalist and fine jewellery designs using Fairtrade Gold and various 100% recycled precious metals with a raw and contemporary aesthetic.
Lauren tends to draw inspiration from the minimal lines that occur in nature. With her craft, she has practiced over many years and developed a distinctive style that's both simple and intricate. Her new body of work is utilising hand cut crystals and natural diamonds to produce completely one off pieces that carry healing properties.
Lauren was raised by a maker & spent her childhood in her father’s workshop who was a cabinet maker. Lauren would play with wood and metals and make wearable pieces as a small child. This creative passion continued to grow when she went to art college in Wolverhampton. Her degree studies began in Ceramics where she leaned towards small objects and vessels with metal elements. Following on from this, Lauren went on to complete a degree at the School of Jewellery, Birmingham.
Lauren tells us a little more about the importance of creativity, how her business has evolved and her latest collection.
Who is your customer?
My customers tend to be those seeking fully sustainable based designers/ makers. Customers who are conscious of the ethical and sustainable fashion movements, or who simply love minimalist, fine jewellery!
Why is creativity important to you?
Creativity is my passion, focus and drive. I am naturally creative minded so my days relate to goals in making whether it be jewellery or montessori craft for my small children. I learn through creativity as a visual learner and being raised by creative humans, it's all I know. Raw creativity & freedom is a way of life for sure, one that feels lost sometimes in the modern world.
How has your business evolved since the beginning?
Little Joy has grown with practice. I think each small business grows with development in practice and business studies! I am a naturally creative person but the marketing and business side didn't come easily to me. I feel that growth in my following has helped me gauge my audience and feedback from the work has grown my confidence with direction.
I started wholesaling a small variety of pieces and then I grew my platforms on various sites such as Etsy, before launching my website. Social media platforms came at a later stage when I decided I should reach a bigger audience with my makes. Exhibitions and trade shows have all aided my growth. Each day is still a learning curve but it keeps the progression flowing and engaging.
“Raw creativity & freedom is a way of life for sure, one that feels lost sometimes in the modern world.”
Tell us about your latest collection.
My latest collection came about with a collaboration with "Well Curated'. Ever since I was a small child, I have had an interest in crystals and their healing properties. I was always quite nervous in sharing my belief due to sceptics. Growing up, I heard many negative comments from various people who made fun of me about my beliefs. However, as time has gone on, I have engaged with many people who are now open to holistic approaches to their well being and with talks of Covid looming in early 2020, I surrounded myself with various crystals for protection and strength.
This appealed to me and I sourced a wonderful UK-based stone cutter who has enabled me to create the crystals in a way that suited my design and worn together, created the well curated collective. This has proved to be very popular and hopefully has bought many wearers support and joy through design.
Do you find having a dedicated studio gives you a more focussed approach?
Having a studio was a big step for me being newly self employed. Soon after, I became pregnant with my first son so it was overwhelming but definitely gave me the push I needed to stop procrastinating and get focused!
Going to a place of work in itself I feel is important for me as a maker; to give me a place dedicated to my craft and also a balance from family life. I grew as a business from 2011 from a shared artists building with internationally renowned artists and makers such as JO Hummel-Newell (Collage Artist) & Sue Paraskeva (Ceramicist) who taught me so much! After 3 years and another pregnancy, I went on to rent a small unit and after 2 years there alone, I moved to my current large harbour-side studio and showroom. I feel the progression has been very organic and fitted in with motherhood as everything is very local to home and schools. Separating habitats and sanctuaries is good for the mind for sure!
Follow Little Joy Jewellery on Instagram: @littlejoyjeweller
Visit the website: www.littlejoyjewellery.com
