A talented local jewellery designer has been crowned the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter’s second Jeweller in Residence. Winning designer, Vanessa Miller, will work from the museum regularly over the next year creating an exclusive new jewellery range as part of a project which aims to promote local designers through a partnership with the Birmingham City University School of Jewellery.
Vanessa, whose own business is based in the Jewellery Quarter, shone through to win the competition with her creative designs. Vanessa now has the exciting opportunity to regularly work from the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter. Her handcrafted jewellery range will also be exclusively sold in the museum’s acclaimed shop, which has recently undergone a refurbishment, and online at shop.birminghammuseums.org.uk/collections/jeweller-in-residence.
The competition ran by the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, in partnership with Birmingham City University’s School of Jewellery, aims to offer opportunities to budding jewellery designers and graduates of the university. Entrants were asked to design a two-piece jewellery collection inspired by the iconic snake range produced by the historic Smith & Pepper factory, which the museum is built around.
Vanessa is an independent jewellery designer-maker who runs workshops in the city. She graduated from the School of Jewellery with Distinction in Jewellery and Silversmithing (HND) in 2016. She took inspiration from the Smith & Pepper sketch books and has reflected some of the classic shapes into her winning designs.
The prize also includes £1000 to support Vanessa’s work and she will be based at the jeweller’s bench at the museum on a regular basis to showcase her work’.
Original story by Zoe Turton
More Information:
W: birminghammuseums.org.uk/jewellery
W: vanessamillerjewellery.co.uk