49: Sticking to Your Guns: 20 years of Contemporary Jewellery with Victoria Sewart

Celebrating 20 years as a beacon of creative excellence in jewellery, I'm delighted to be joined this week by Vicky Sewart, founder of Victoria Sewart Contemporary Jewellery Gallery in Plymouth, Devon.
In a lovely chat with Vicky we talk about what's changed in the jewellery world, and why, with a very clear vision of what she wanted her gallery to be, she "stuck to her guns" through recessions and retail shifts.
Vicky also shares how teaching has become a huge part of her creative life, the reality of navigating breast cancer just two years into opening the gallery, and why she's now embracing a fresh "next chapter" with mentoring and renewed energy.
What we cover:
• How the contemporary jewellery landscape has changed over 20 years

• Why Vicky chose "gallery" over "shop" - and what that means in practice

• Sticking to a clear vision (even when the market pushes you mainstream)

• The joy of teaching design-led jewellery

• Whether you need university to become a jeweller today

• The role galleries still play in a world of Instagram selling

• What Vicky wants next: lifestyle business, career business… or something she can eventually sell?

You can see the gallery at victoriasewart.com and on instagram @victoria_sewart_gallery
Vicky talked about the work of one of her gallery team, Rachel Darbourne whose work you can see @racheldarbourne, also part of the amazing team at the Gallery is @valmuddymanjewellery @kathleen.ashcroft.jewellery and @donna.burns.jewellery
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