From Fine Art to Fret Saws: The Accidental Jewellery Journey of ‘I Am Acrylic’ (podcast episode)
If you love hearing how other jewellers found their way into the industry, this episode is for you! This week, Elin Horgan chats with Ruth and Brendan from I Am Acrylic, a duo who never planned to be jewellers but found themselves falling in love with the craft.
Listen now:
Trained in fine art, they stumbled into jewellery-making after experimenting with acrylic scraps and a fret saw. What started as a creative experiment grew into a thriving business, with independent shops and even celebrities like Angelina Jolie and David Schwimmer snapping up their work.
In this episode, they share their journey of hand-cutting every piece (despite the rise of laser cutting), the joys of selling at markets, and the power of connecting with fellow makers. They also discuss how running workshops helps them stay connected to their craft and community.
If you’re inspired by real-life jewellery journeys, listen now to hear how I Am Acrylic built their business with creativity, passion, and a hands-on approach.
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about i am acrylic
I Am Acrylic are Brendan Fan and Ruth Williams. They met whilst studying fine art back in the 90's, and have been making whimsical acrylic jewellery together since 2004.
They have a little shop & studio on Christmas Steps in the heart of Bristol, where they use noisy fretsaws and other tools to make all their acrylic jewellery (they don't use any laser cutting).
Their designs are inspired by a love of flora & fauna, vintage knick-knacks, and the bold, graphic design styles of the 1950's-1970's.
website/online shop: www.iamacrylic.co.uk
Instagram & Facebook: @iamacrylic
Visit their Bristol shop:
7, Christmas Steps, Bristol BS1 5BS
Open: Thurs, Fri, Sat 11am-5pm
your next listen
If you’ve enjoyed this episode and want more to hear more jewellery business journey stories, check out these episodes:
My Jewellery Business Journey: From The Kitchen Table to the Tate Liverpool with Mareike Wehner
Creating a Bespoke Fine Jewellery Business Online with Luke Brient
Sonny Bailey-Aird - Make What You Love - from Personal Trainer to Thriving Goldsmith