It was a bright summer morning back in February 1989. The neighbourhood might have been awakened by the sound of my mum yelling at me. You see, I was 16 years old and had left school 3 months earlier. Mum just had enough.
She had enough of my bumming around, staying up late, sleeping in and hanging out with friends all the time. Mum wanted me to get a job.
So I stormed out grumpy and took a long walk to the local newsagency to buy several newspapers just for the job ads. I would have taken any job just to get mum off my back but I found something that really interested me.
There was a position available for an apprentice jeweller and I immediately applied. I was successful at my interview and my apprenticeship began in March 1989 with a large jewellery manufacturer in Sydney. I was super excited.
As part of my apprenticeship I attended the Sydney Institute of technology and was awarded the Certificate in Jewellery (trade) on completion of my apprenticeship in 1993. I also studied gemmology and business studies along as some other non-jewellery related courses which I may touch on in future blogs.
During my apprenticeship I was fortunate to have such patient and highly skilled master jewellers, mentoring and teaching me this amazing ancient art which had been passed down for many generations.
I have worked alongside and learnt from some amazingly talented craftsmen and women, locally and overseas and I have adopted different styles and techniques which have helped me forge my own style of metal-crafting.
My interest in jewellery design and crafting continues to grow and I still thoroughly enjoy perusing the internet pages of beautifully crafted pieces by obscure independent artists as well as the well-known bigger jewellery houses.
Being a jeweller has been a great career / life choice and I am very grateful for the opportunities my profession has presented to me and the many clients I have helped. I hope one day I can help you too.
Sometimes we all need some encouragement, someone to believe in us and guide us through life and in my case, it came in the form of my angry mum yelling at me all those years ago.
Thanks Mum. I love you heaps xx
Ben.