Why SaltWater Studios? Both of us grew up, and spent our entire lives within walking distance of one sea or another. Even when we moved around the globe - from California, to Nova Scotia, Corwall, to Dorset - we have always been drawn to the coastal lifestyle and the energy that beaches and the open ocean can fill you with.
In 2016, inspired by our life on the Jurassic Coast, we decided to move our creative talents into an area that we have always wanted to work in, jewellery. It is important to us that people enjoy our work, and there really is no better way to do that than to wear it every day.
In 2020, during the pandemic, we moved to a more rural and somewhat land locked location in the heart of Somerset. We are no longer by the sea, but our passion for nature and the natural form of things hasn't waned. Just like crystal salt and mercurial water, we strive to bring a touch of elemental material aesthetic to our art.
Equally as important to our love of nature is the need to incorporate ethical and sustainable practices into everything we do. That is why we only use Certified Recycled Silver, vintage virgin Swarovski crystals from the 1900's, ethically sourced gems bought direct from producers, and recycled or up-cycled packaging.
If you want to read more about our products, packaging, care instructions, and terms and conditions then please click here.
Sharon Andrew & JR Ryan
Making beautiful ETHICAL jewellery together
Hi, we're Sharon and JR, AKA Saltwater Studios. We are passionate artists, designers, and jewellery makers based in beautiful Somerset. We were introduced by our dogs in 2006 and found that we shared a deep wonder for natural beauty. We've been living and working together ever since.
We have collaborated on and created many artworks, products, and designs (if you're curious, you can see some of them here). Much of our work has been inspired by the power and beauty of the sea and the materials and textures of the coast, but in general we want to reflect the intrinsic value and spectacle of nature in both form and material in our work.
We're committed to providing the most ethical and sustainably produced jewellery we can. We go to great lengths to only source our raw and recycled materials direct from trusted sources that meet our high standards. We're currently in the process of gaining B-Corp certification, and will soon be members of 1% for the planet.
Sharon Andrew is an artist and Jewellery maker with BA and MA degrees in Fine Art. She has exhibited in venues across the south of England and focuses her work on the power and energy of the open ocean.
As a Native of Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, I spent my youth next to and on the sea; my imagination captured by the rough ocean waves, and icy frosts of winter. Later I would seek out that raw power in my adopted homes of Cornwall and Dorset, feeling awed and energised as I walked my dog Daisy along the coast. I have always had an eye for the seemingly unnatural colours and patterns that occur in the depths of a crashing wave, or looking down through the fathoms of open ocean. The constant change in a coastal environment, its ephemeral nature, the unique geometric simplicity of each wave and grain of sand inspires me and drives my creativity.
JR Ryan is a technician and designer with degrees in Product Design, Interactive Multimedia, and Graphic Design. His interest in jewellery stems from a background in making where materials and the designs they are used in, bring a tangible form to ideas.
Most of the first half of my life was based in sunny Southern California, spending countless hours on the beach and in the surf. As I grew up, I travelled the world, moving from one costal town to the next, I would feel physically deflated if I had to live more than a few miles from the ocean. I even spent some time working on the water as a deck hand where I learned the real power of the sea and how it could give, or take at will. These days, I am interested in expressing ideas, and solving problems with creativity and style. I love working with materials and understanding their limits and properties, and I will often combine rough and raw, and highly finished materials together in one piece to show how things can be beautiful in any state.