Katherine James

MEET THE MAKER

Studio Katherine James is my business, run by me as a sole trader. I make jewellery and sculpture, mostly in a technique I have developed over the last year which I call ‘Lace-Armour’. I craft chainmail into lace-like patterns across scales to make work which reflects my ideas around gender identity. I graduated into the pandemic in 2020 having studied my BA in Leeds in my mid 20’s. I undertook the Crafting Business programme soon after graduating having only made a handful of sales and commissions. I currently work 2 days per week and focus the other 3 days each week on building my business.

WHAT ARE YOUR FEEDBACKS?

My objectives are to create a practice which balances my interest in fine art sculpture and art-jewellery. I aim to maintain my concept and research led approach throughout the production of each strand of my work. I would like to exhibit through art and contemporary craft fairs nationally and internationally to earn my living, and to participate in residencies and to gain funding to develop new creative approaches and concepts behind my work. Over the last 4 months I have really learned to interrogate the “why” behind everything that I do for my business. Even in places I didn’t expect to questions this, such as on the finance side of my practice. I have developed a much stronger vision of what I want from my practice and most of all, I have gained the confidence that it can be possible to achieve with the right planning and target setting. The thing that has changed the most since the programme is how I structure my time. I now have a much more detailed understanding of the time required to achieve the sales I want to, and how I need to price and market my items to support myself financially, but also the creative development of my practice long-term.

FIVE THINGS YOU’LL BRING WITH YOU FROM THE EXPERIENCE:

• Never under-sell yourself or your work. You must keep an honest track of your time and charge for it!
• Hold on to your vision. I try to do something each week, (or each day if I get the chance!) towards my longer term goals and vision. Even if it’s just sending an email, experimenting with a new material, researching opportunities… I try not to fall into the hamster wheel of always focussing on how to make money each week through methods I know work. I try new things and look for new opportunities to keep me interested and inspired
• Learn to sell yourself. You are the world leading expert in you! Communicating your passion and love for what you do is one of the most valuable assets you can have.
• Don’t get too caught up in worrying about what you think other people are looking for from your work. I have often felt imposter syndrome through not having “enough” technical jewellery training, or not making work which is super functional. But I have found that doing work that interests me and focussing my energy where I want to usually connects me with people with the same interests and values.
• Don’t underestimate your network. I felt like I didn’t have many connections which could help me with my craft career. But by thinking creatively and always being willing to find ways to reciprocate any help I asked for, I was surprised by how far people would be willing to go to support me when they were interested in what I do.