Leaving an Impression: The Story Behind My New Hammered Silver Collection

Sometimes I find myself heading down a creative path without quite knowing why. It’s only later, with a bit of distance, that the reason reveals itself. That’s exactly what happened with my Impression Collection — a body of work that began at the bench with a hammer in my hand and slowly unfolded into something far more personal than I expected.

How a Hammer Became a Form of Expression

It started simply enough. I picked up a hammer and began experimenting — striking the silver, varying the force, trying every kind of mark-making I could think of. Some textures came out soft and rippling, others bold and decisive. I noticed straight away that the process itself felt good. Each strike was satisfying in a way I couldn’t quite explain. So I kept going.

It was only after weeks of working this way that I paused to ask myself the question: why hammering, and why now?

The answer, when it came, surprised me. Like so many people, I’ve been carrying a quiet but persistent worry about climate change — a worry that has grown sharper since my two grandchildren were born. I think about the world they’ll inherit. I feel frustrated that, despite knowing what needs to be done, we as a global community still struggle to come together and act. That frustration had been sitting inside me, looking for somewhere to go.

The hammer, it turns out, was where it went.

Making Sense of What We Feel

We are all profoundly influenced by what is going on around us, but it takes real, conscious effort to understand how those external forces are shaping our inner lives. In my former career as a psychotherapist, I spent decades helping people create the space to do exactly that — to slow down, listen to their own feelings, and make sense of them rather than push them aside.

I’ve carried that practice with me into the studio and the handmade jewellery that is created. And in the case of this collection, channelling my feelings has been genuinely transformative. Rather than letting that frustration sit and stew, I’ve been able to direct it into something physical, something creative. There is real mastery to be found in forging metal — in deciding where the hammer falls, in shaping a flat strip of silver into a piece someone will treasure. It restores a sense of agency that feels in short supply elsewhere.

That, I think, is what hammering gave me: a way to act.

Pieces I’m Especially Proud Of

Every piece in the Impression Collection carries those marks — literally. Here are four that I keep returning to, each one telling a slightly different part of the story.

The Handforged Silver “Space” Bangle is, in many ways, the heart of the collection for me. Forged by hand in my Dublin studio and polished to a radiant high shine, it’s a timeless piece that looks every bit as good worn alone as it does in a stack. Available in medium and large (with other sizes on request), it’s designed for everyday beauty.

Then there’s the Handmade Sterling Silver “Threads” Earrings — slim, subtly hammered, with a high-shine finish along the top edge that catches the light beautifully. They’re light, comfortable, and easy to wear from morning right through to evening.

The Handmade “Links” Silver Bracelet is a real favourite of mine — two interlinking hammered circles on a sterling silver chain with a lobster clasp, sitting elegantly on the wrist. It’s loved by younger and older customers alike, which I always take as a good sign.

And finally, the Handmade “Links 5” Interlocking Silver Chain is the statement piece — five linked chain elements, one with that signature hammered surface, finished with a handmade “T” bar clasp. At 18.5”/47cm, it’s a necklace designed to be noticed.

Every piece in this collection is 100% Irish handmade. More than that, every piece carries the marks of the moments I spent making it — moments where frustration found its way into something useful, and where, hopefully, beauty emerged on the other side.

I hope this collection will leave an impression on you, just as the process of making it has left one on me. I hope you’ll enjoy wearing these pieces as much as I’ve enjoyed bringing them into being.

You can browse the full Impression Collection here.