Louise Farrow – Designer Interview

I have always loved making things, and have tried a variety of crafts over the years from glass painting to crochet. However, a few years ago I got interested in beading and started making beaded jewellery, and have just developed from there really. I found out it is possible to do a degree in Jewellery and silversmithing, which I did at UCA in Rochester, Kent, and after that I spent some time working at a local jewellers. I worked on a couple of commissions and began to sell some of my work, so I decided to leave the jewellers and began setting up Nanuk Jewellery to make and sell my own work and take on commissions full-time.

I have always loved the illustrations of artists such as Kay Nielsen and Edmund Dulac, having grown up with several books featuring their work. I studied this period of illustration for my dissertation and based some of my degree work around it, and I frequently look to their work for new ideas. I love the intricate detail and use of colour, and try to bring some of that into my own work. I also take inspiration from the stories themselves, myths and fairytales, which I have used to create pieces featuring mythical creatures, and I would like to develop more work with a story behind it.

I have always loved the work of Sean Leane, since seeing his Hook My Heart collection at the Goldsmiths Fair a few years ago, Stephen Webster’s work. I am also a great fan of Zoe Arnold’s work, and I love the fact that a lot of her work is based around her poetry and stories.

Music to listen to or the radio, otherwise it can get a bit quiet! I also do some things like threading beads in front of the TV in the evenings, I tend to get a bit bored if I’m not doing something!

The best advice I’ve had is to perfect the basics first, because it’s these that will make all the difference to the final outcome of the work. Simple designs are more effective if they are well finished.

I love to be making things; I enjoy seeing a pendant or earring take shape from a blank piece of silver. It’s nice to see an idea become reality and begin to look how I had imagined it in my head – or sometimes completely different!

Be prepared for a large proportion of your time to go into promoting yourself rather than actually making jewellery – it’s all very well making a lot of beautiful jewellery, but no good if you haven’t spent any time promoting it and nobody can find your work to buy it! Take any opportunity you are offered to promote yourself, and be prepared to put all your time and energy into making and selling your work.

I get a lot of good responses to my intricate beaded necklaces (such as my Cloudy Skies and Pink Dawn necklaces), and these are some of my favourite pieces. I have also received a lot of comments about my shell and pearl necklaces, and I am hoping to expand this range of work for the summer.

Below are links to my shop etc., and I have attached images of the pieces mentioned in the last question for reference.

Folksy –

Website –

Blog –

Shell Pearl Necklaces
		These elegant necklaces are cast in fine silver from real shells, and hide a freshwater pearl inside them.  Pearls are also fixed throughout the length of the sterling silver chain.
Pink Dawn Necklace
		The rising sun is reflected in a soft pink focal bead, decoratively wrapped with gold wire, and radiating outwards in a selection of pink glass and white jade beads.
Shell Pearl Necklaces
		A cloudy agate focal bead with a slightly blue hue has been echoed in the beads along the rest of this elegant necklace, which are a mixture of mother of pearl, blue lace agate, freshwater pearls and glass. The centre bead has also been decoratively wrapped with silver wire and tiny freshwater pearls to make it truly special.