I am a designer maker with a keen interest in London, history and recycling.
I have always enjoyed making something useful out of what other people might disregard as rubbish; using unusual and found materials to create individual one-off pieces. These days it’s called upcycling, but I have been doing it all my life! Those shells and that wire? Well that's the basics of a lampshade! Don't throw away that old jumper just because the moths attacked it... there's a hat and mittens in there, and probably even enough for a cushion too (filled with lavender to keep the moths away next time!)
Turning fragments of old clay pipes into jewellery (and later, images) began in 2009 when, on one of my Thames foreshore forays, I found some especially nice worn and coloured pieces of pipe stem. I could see that with the hole running through the centre they were simply screaming out to be turned into a necklace. The end result achieved good feedback and so I made some similar designs as presents for friends who were intrigued that they were wearing a piece of London history.
I was keen to expand the range and take my designs to market so, aware that many areas of the Thames are protected, as are the items found on them, I first looked into the legal side of things as to whether this was indeed possible. I subsequently procured a special one-of-a-kind River Thames foreshore permit that allows me to sell the items I create from my clay pipe finds.
The range continues to expand. I am now known as "the woman who makes the clay pipe jewellery"! My work can be found within some London museum gift shops and at occasional markets listed on my site www.amelia-parker.com.
On the days I am not making things I probably out taking photos on London's streets; the details and hints of the past that people walk past every day without noticing (see my other site www.janeslondon.com and my Etsy store of the same name). My part time day job as a freelance graphic designer working on different print jobs such as books, catalogues, stationery, corporate identities and business redesigns (see www.janedsignedthis.com) means I can do all the promo and advertising for my clay pipe creations myself.
There just aren't enough hours in the day, or days in the week, or weeks in the year...
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