Meet the Maker - Victoria Walker

For this weeks installment of the meet the maker we interview Victoria Walker. Her kinetic floral lockets are truly unique and each one is meticulously handmade in her Cornwall Studio. Here, she tells us a little bit about her jewellery, the design and making process as well as the inspirations and the journey to get to where she is now.

When did you start creating jewellery?

When I was 17, a friend and I would make and sell beaded jewellery at markets and by the beach in Cornwall 

What was the inspiration for the jewellery in the exhibition?

I am constantly inspired by the endless shapes and forms of flowers and the metamorphosis from seed to bud to flower. My opening flower lockets are a celebration of the flowers coming into bloom, and a reminder for the wearer (and observer) that sometimes the most precious elements of life are hidden beneath the surface. 

If you weren’t a jeweller what would choose as a career?

Probably something to do with the land. I volunteer one day a week at a beautiful community garden and I love learning about all the different crops and flowers. 

Please can you tell us a bit about your creative process?

I usually have a long list of flowers I'd like to explore in my work, often from pictures I've taken while walking my dog, I sometimes make quick models in paper and then make models in copper. Once I can see the design and movement works nicely, I will usually remake it in copper a few times to reduce the scale as small as I can before making the final piece in silver and gold. 

What are you listening to? 

I love listening to podcasts, especially the Diary of a CEO, Where Should l We Begin with Esther Perel and The Ins and Outs (experts in interior design and garden design). 

What’s next for you?

Hopefully more beautiful designs and more volunteering/learning about plants. 
What’s next for your brand? In recent years I've been exploring larger earrings and I'd like to continue to develop this work. 

Which is your favourite piece?

Rose Locket is special to me as it was the first design I created after my degree in 2009. It was a success and made me feel that perhaps I really could be a jeweller in the real world; a lovely feeling of hope and excitement. 

Finally, for fun, what would be your dream piece to make or person to make for?

Not sure about a dream piece but I'd love to go back in time and hang out in a Victorian jewellery workshop, they made some really quirky and interesting things!