As the September sunshine adds sparkle to our shores once again, we're reminiscing about summer strolls with the warm summer sand between our toes and the soothing sound of the waves lapping the shore.
Alison has always had a love of the sea; a passion which has grown ever stronger since making Orkney her home back in 2009, when she fell in love with the islands.
Surrounded by ocean, and located in the middle of the North Sea, Orkney provides the perfect backdrop; fuelling her imagination and creativity - not to mention the adventures that can be had. Alison, a keen snorkeler, scuba diver, sea-kayaker and underwater photographer, she spends much of her free time outside enjoying the islands; whether that’s Orkney’s beautiful sandy beaches, rockpools or the underwater world.
Exploring Orkney’s spectacular natural environments, rich in life and colour provide Alison with an abundance of inspiration. One of her earliest designs, the Pebble collection was inspired by the sea tumbled pebbles washed up on the shores at Skaill, just a pebbles throw away from her home. Similarly, her Rockpool Collection represents the wonderful treasures she collected, having been revealed by the receding tide.
More recently, and fuelled by falling in love and spending time underwater, her latest collection, Seaweed was created - celebrating her two greatest passions – geology and the ocean. Whilst underwater, she was always captivated by the stunning seaweed landscapes she encountered.
And it doesn’t just stop with jewellery; during her adventures Alison has been taking underwater photographs over the past few years, winning top awards for her images in the process. Using these stunning underwater snaps, Alison has created a striking range of goods incorporating the artwork; the collection includes vibrant jellyfish tote bags and sumptuous seaweed cushions, in addition to tea-towels and washbags. Each piece features one of Alison’s photographs, revealing Orkney’s rich and colourful oceanic environment. Several of her pictures are displayed in her Stromness jewellery workshop and gallery and she also sells prints of her work.
Keep the sea close to you, whatever the season with a piece from one of Alison's underwater inspired collections.