Val's jewellery practice is deeply rooted in her connection to the coastal environment.
She collects stranded seaweed from the high tide line of her local beaches, which she sculpts in wax and casts in recycled silver, or sand casts directly in her studio. Her work often features sea glass she has gathered over many years, which she reworks into unique, ethical gems. These are set into silver seaweed forms, resulting in striking, original pieces that echo the natural world.
She is particularly drawn to the stories embedded in found materials. "I like to imagine the journey that a piece of glass has made before being picked up on the beach," she says. Through her creative process, that journey continues, transformed and enriched by its new life as jewellery and by its connection to the wearer.
Val's formal training began with a year of study under Victoria Sewart in 2007, after which she chose to return to full-time education. She graduated from Plymouth College of Art in 2017 with a degree in Jewellery and Silversmithing. This experience gave her the freedom to experiment, explore new techniques, and build confidence in her work. She is now a Maker Member of MAKE Southwest and a proud member of the Green Maker Initiative.