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A bit about Jesselina

“This really is ‘feelgood’ jewellery!”
M.F., Berkshire

Gill Rice, Founder of Jesselina, answers a few questions…

So – how did Jesselina start?

Well, way back, I did a degree in Jewellery and Silversmithing, followed by an Art Teacher’s Certificate. While I was studying for my post-graduate teaching qualification, I learnt the art of making paper beads (very fiddly and time-consuming – but oddly satisfying!). Being an impoverished student, I was unable to afford Silver or Gold to work with, so I began to make beaded jewellery (mainly out of the wrappers of a well known chocolate product!) out of these paper beads which I sold at exhibitions and shows. After my post-grad, I got side-tracked into a career in publishing, but I did keep making jewellery and selling it on and off at various events.

At the end of 2004, I finally decided to go back to my roots and go for the jewellery full-time, so I set up Gillian Rice Jewellery, and in 2005 I began selling to small galleries around the country. The designs are made mostly in silver, and are mainly approached from an ‘intellectual’ angle, much as I did when I was working towards my degree. I like the processes involved in working with metal – and I find the ‘problem-solving’ required when working out how to make a piece really engrossing.

Then, I began to discover the wonderful colours and properties of semi-precious gemstones, which led to a whole different way of designing, and seems to satisfy a completely different part of my ‘creative make-up’! I get quite excited about the colours and shapes of gemstones and they seem to spark something off in me – I don’t know whether or not some of the properties they’re supposed to have are at work, but I find myself curiously drawn to different ones at different times. Anyway, as I got more and more enquiries for these designs, I decided to give this branch of my business its own identity.

Ah, ‘Jesselina’

Exactly.

It’s an unusual name – where did it come from?

Over the last couple of years, I have been really inspired by a very good friend called Jess, who has many attributes I can only aspire to...

...such as?

Oh, she’s all sorts of things – positive, undeterred by setbacks. She helped me through a bad patch a year or two back. She’s patient, determined, loyal, trusting, caring, playful – she’s got a great sense of humour! – feisty, curious, beautiful, intelligent...

...she sounds amazing...

Absolutely! Mind you, I wouldn’t like to be as hairy as she is...

...hairy?...er...?

...yeah...

...oh I get it – she’s...

...mmm, didn’t I say? She’s a...

...dog?

You got it! I sometimes take her to the workshop with me (although I’m not really supposed to!). It’s quite relaxed there, and we always make sure she’s out of the way of any equipment. Having said that, she sometimes does break the rules and behave like a lapdog! But still, she’s quite an inspiration, in fact, I’m actually thinking of developing some ‘pet portrait’ jewellery...

Really? But, generally, where do you get your ideas from?

Well, as I say, a lot of the time it’s from the stones themselves. Quite often clients have a basic idea of what they want , and I work up some ideas from our discussions, and sometimes I have to bring in the ‘problem-solving’ to adapt a piece for particular needs – such as enabling a client with arthritic fingers to easily put on and take off her Jesselina watch. Quite often ideas occur to me on journeys – on the train, or as a passenger in a car, or even walking the dog! I’m also very keen on Egyptian jewellery and I love the gorgeousness of Tudor finery.

So, plenty more ideas in the pipeline?

Definitely! As they say – watch this space...!