Robyn Chamberlain

Ethical Jewellery Design

« A little about myself… »

I have always known I wanted a creative career.

All through my childhood I was painting, drawing, sculpting, crafting, and anything else I could do to express my creativity. I dabbled in countless forms of artistic mediums, enjoying almost all of them, but never feeling I had found my true passion.

This all changed with one amazing high school art teacher who introduced me to jewellery fabrication. It was all basic, low tech methods, but I fell in love with working with metal. I enjoyed the challenge of forming and joining together pieces of this seemingly unyielding material. It was a completely new way to express myself.

I was hooked.

This newly discovered passion led me to completing a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a major in Jewellery Design and Metalsmithing from the Nova Scotia Collage of Art and Design University in Halifax, Canada.

My classes at university taught me how to hone my design skills and brought me into contact with completely new ways of working that have continued to shaped my artistic practice to this day.

My ideas of what jewellery was were broadened and I came to embrace a diversity of materials and techniques within my own work.

« Studio Practice »

I have a deep love for colour. My wardrobe and accessories have always been bright and bold and I have never shied away from being the only one wearing a colourful outfit in a crowd.

This fondness for colour and a desire to experiment with materials has had a big impact on my practice. The majority of my pieces boast a playful character and have their own unique charm. Within my work I use enamels to coat metal with a punch of colour and precious and semi-precious gemstones to bestow some pieces with a touch of glamour and luxury.

« Learn more » about my Studio Practice.

Jewellery process - sterling silver and enamel umbrella earrrings

« Sourcing Responsibly »

A facet of my work that has become very important to me, especially within recent years, is its environmental impact.

This is tough topic for an independent jeweller, however I strive to keep my studio practice as eco-friendly as possible with things such as:

Using recycled silver, ethically sourced gold and responsibly mined gemstones as often as possible
Constantly reflecting on my studio practice in order to reduce waste
Collecting all scraps of metal for future refining
Hand fabricating all of my pieces instead of casting (casting requires incredible amounts of energy and waste)

One of the most important items on this list is my transition to more sustainable silver and gold sources. This is something that I am very excited about incorporating into my jewellery practice whenever possible. This move means that every piece will cost more to make, however, I feel it is my responsibility to make a change and limit my contribution to the harmful practices associated with mining.

Learn all about my commitment to Sustainable Jewellery Practices « here »

« What's Next ? »

Are you looking for a piece of jewellery to match your own unique style and personality?
Do you like the idea of owning something original and hand crafted?
Have some of my creative practices and values piqued your interest?
Does the idea of owning a piece that will transition into an heirloom that can be passed on to future generations appeal to you?

If you answered yes to any of these question please take some time to have a look at the selection of jewellery pieces for sale in my « Online Shop! »

Live in or around Leipzig and want to shop in person? Come by my Store and Studio in the historic Capa Haus in Lindenau! « Click here » for all the details.