Alison Lush Blog

My happy place and where it all began for my jewellery business. I often get asked 'how did I get started in jewellery' or 'where did I learn my trade' and it was here at the Sir John Cass School of Art in East London. I was working full time in a London Law Firm in HR and I was really unhappy in a job that was very stressful and had sapped the life out of me.  So, I knew that I wanted to start some sort of business and I had always been really creative.  So I started enrolling...

I just can't wait until the shops and local venues open after lockdown.  I was just wondering the other day, how people will react when they do.  Will they be bursting out through their front door and storming the shops, or maybe being more cautious and carry on shopping on line. I think it is going to be a bit of both.  As an artist and maker myself, it feels like I have lost a limb or half of my body as my creative business has, in the past, been about physically showing up in front of my lovely customers. ...

I have a few theories. From my own perspective.  Making jewellery is such a competitive market.  You just need to look at the thousands of jewellers selling on Etsy to see the vastness of this.  It's not good for the soul to see how cheaply some people are pricing their work.  I have to stop myself from scrolling! But I think it starts when people are starting out in their craft.  It quite often starts off as a hobby.  Enjoying the making process and then maybe selling to a few friends and family.  It's not a business, but just something...

  I was having one of those days (in lock down) 2021 when I got excited by the thought of an online catch up, I think it was on zoom.  I got excited because I could put my lippy on and wear some big, in your face earrings.  I realised that this is what I would do normally if I was going out out! So, I just wondered if anyone else felt the same.  Those small things, like actually putting on lipstick for one (as not one really needs it under a mask).  Such simple pleasures. So I was on...

With everything that has been going on in 2020 with the pandemic, my thoughts have been about how I can make my own difference to the world.  I can't change it on my own, but I can make my decisions about where I spend my money and where it comes from. Don't get me wrong, I have always loved a bargain and have myself imported jewellery goods from Thailand when I was running a stall at Spitalfeilds Market in East London.  So I was part of that issue of importing cheaper goods from overseas. Firstly, two years ago, I decided...