Ethical Journey Case Study: Donna Barry

As part of our maker case study series, we speak to Edinburgh-based maker Donna Barry about her ethical making approach. Through this series of posts, we aim to highlight that ethical making isn’t an all or nothing approach, more often than not, the process is a journey.

Donna in the studio. Image by James Robertson.

‘My jewellery is inspired by my love of flowers, plants, foliage and repetitive patterns found in nature. Aside from making jewellery, I worked as a florist at Edinburgh’s renowned ‘Narcissus Flowers’ in the New Town. My time there provided me with an endless source of shapes and textures to draw inspiration from.

In making, it is often the satisfying and playful technique of ‘fusion’ which comes first. I have developed my own customised style by creating intricate textured sheets in silver. I take simple shapes and arrange and layer them in regular and irregular patterns. I then fuse and form the metal in various ways. I often find it is only through the making process that patterns and shapes evolve, offering my pieces a more natural feel to them.

I work predominately with a soft colour palette of silver and rose gold, often incorporating earthy or neutral tones of colour using precious and semi-precious stones and pearls. In addition to this, I sometimes apply an elegant black ruthenium finish to all or part of some pieces for further contrast.

I love to make one-off statement pieces. These are often created for special exhibitions and fairs such as ‘Goldsmiths Fair’ in London and more recently, ‘Elements Festival of Silver & Gold’ at Lyon at Turnbull, here in Edinburgh. Equally, I enjoy making smaller more delicate pieces that are feminine, romantic, very light and easy to wear.

I sell both on a wholesale and sale or return basis through a number of galleries throughout the UK. The Biscuit Factory in Newcastle, The Tayberry Gallery in Perth and long time supporters of my work, Ruthin Craft Centre in North Wales, to name just a few. You can also purchase my jewellery from my website amongst other online shops such as Lovedazzle.

From collectors of contemporary jewellery to brides and their wedding parties, my pieces are versatile and appeals to a wide market. 

In addition to making jewellery, I also offer wedding ring workshops at my studio at Coburg House, which I have been running for over ten years.’

Donna Barry

Images by James Robertson

When did you start thinking about taking steps to being more ethical in your business?

In early 2018, I attended a symposium ‘It’s in Our Hands’ - One Year on, Ethical Making, which was hosted by The Scottish Goldsmiths Trust and The Precious Metal Workshop.

This was when I very first began to think of how I could introduce new ways of working ethically, into my own business practice. However, between the every day running of my jewellery business and running workshops, there was no time to research. It was only until I received the Ethical Making Visual Arts Scotland Award from the Incorporation of Goldsmiths last year, that encouraged me to put things into action.

What steps have you taken on your ethical journey?

I am now a registered jeweller under the Fairtrade Goldsmith’s Scheme and I buy Eco silver or 100% recycled silver wherever possible.

Environmentally conscious, I have also recently adopted a more sustainable way of cleaning my silver pieces. Jeweller Rebecca Wilson did a brilliant Instagram story a while back, demonstrating how to clean silver using bicarbonate of soda, hot water and some tin foil, as an alternative to silver dip.

Tell us about your experience making these steps—were there any hurdles or unexpected costs?

Registering with the Fairtrade Goldsmiths scheme was quite straight forward, however there were some online problems at the time, which have since been resolved. I found there to be a few hallmarking issues also, though they were worked through and clarified very quickly too.

There was and still is difficulty in sourcing Fairtrade silver sheet. Fairmined seems to be slightly more accessible, although I’m not a registered Fairmined licensee due to some of the costs involved. I have decided to use Eco (or 100% recycled) silver for the time being.

Images by James Robertson

How did receiving the Ethical Making Visual Arts Scotland Award (supported by The Incorporation of Goldsmiths) help your journey towards ethical making, and how did you use this award?

I was thrilled to have received the award. For me, it meant the real beginning of my ethical journey as a maker. I was given £250 to spend on ethically sourced silver and gold and was asked to make a piece with these materials. I was also given a mentor session with Ebba Goring, now CEO of The Scottish Goldsmiths Trust, who was at the time the Ethical Programme Officer.

I decided to make a statement brooch from Eco silver and incorporate elements in 9ct Fairtrade rose gold. I had been thinking about experimenting with casting for a while and so I took this opportunity to try it out. My pieces are usually made from thin silver sheet, so I wasn’t sure if it would work.

After gauging and compromising on the thickness of the sheet a little and casting into silver first, it was successful. I had three little leaf elements cast into Fairtrade rose gold, which I then riveted on to the silver brooch.

I can now use these little silver master copies and produce them in any colour and carat of Fairtrade gold. They could be incorporated into other pieces or made to order as a pair or a trio of petal earrings.

Why do you think it is important to take these steps and make these changes?

By moving forwards to a more sustainable practice will increase awareness. The more metalsmiths, and consumers alike, asking for traceability and transparency in their supply chains and products, will hopefully make them more accessible in the future.

Image by James Robertson.

What challenges have you faced in your Ethical Making journey, and what areas do you think need to be improved to support this?

Like many jewellers, I mainly work in silver. Consequently, it would help if Fairtrade silver was more readily available to buy. Many findings and chains in ethical/recycled silver and gold are not yet available. Semi-precious beads with a fully traceable supply chain have also proven difficult to find.

Although I can now make my pieces to commission in Fairtrade gold, gold can be very expensive for some. Therefore, I like to reduce costs where I can to make my jewellery more accessible to my customers.

I do this through the form of plating. Due to the chemical process involved with gold plating, I am unable to acquire this sustainably at the moment. Hopefully all these products and processes will change as the demand gets higher.

What are your ethical making plans for the future?

I’m hoping to design and make a range of rings which can be made to order and produced in any colour and carat of Fairtrade gold. I also hope to incorporate some of the ethically sourced gems that I bought recently at the UK Ethical Gem Fair, here in Edinburgh. Ultimately, I’d like to be able to further develop this range into a full collection of work wholly using ethically sourced materials.