NB Jewellery

I’ve been lucky enough over the past few years to be accepted to exhibit my jewellery at Art in the Pen and Crafts in the Pen.

I look forward to both events as this is really only my chance to get out into the big world and showcase some of my stock, and chat to people about my work of repurposing and special commissions.

It starts early in the year with a submission, an artist statement and pictures are required to show the level of work you produce, then it’s the big nerve wracking wait…

Once accepted it’s all guns blazing to get stock and display ready for the August event of Art in the Pen. Organisation is key and at 12pm you are granted permission to enter the auction mart.

There is an instant smell of the animals that were in your pens previously, but it’s only faint and not offensive and the pens are always cleaned before hand. It’s a reminder of the quirky space we are using.

Then it’s the buzz of meeting and greeting old and new friends and neighbours and the excitement to begin the transformation of the individual pens.

The rattle of trollies over the ribbed concrete floor, the hammering and screwing of the stands being built, people dropping boxes, hopefully no breakages. It’s become a familiar sound that I look forward to.

I always start with putting specially cut cream fabric around the three sides of the pen, which gives a clean backdrop and makes my little pen my space. Cable ties are a must for this process! I hire two tables from the event at a small charge.

After a coffee and a sandwich it’s time to start the ‘faffing’. I love to merchandise and display my work, telling a little story with props and accessories which enhance the design and reason for each piece.

This is what takes the time, aided with new additions each show, so it means every year the layout is different. Having spent a number of years on a retail side (alongside the bench) of jewellery on land and on ships I have learnt to merchandise and display jewellery.

It usually takes me approximately 5 hours to set up, then it’s home and feet up ready for the weekend where I’ll potentially meet over three thousand people!

The Pens run with a pre book time slot since covid which seems to work well as it spreads out the footfall, pre Covid people used to just turn up but that meant sometimes it was so busy people couldn’t see your pen so would just walk past, and that’s a missed opportunity for a sale.

The weather is always key, in August it’s nice sunny clothing and in November it’s layers of warm clothing, but key to both as an exhibitor is comfy footwear as your floor is concrete.

The first morning starts and everyone is busy opening up their pens ready for the general public to arrive, this is a good chance to have a quick look around the auction mart and to see what all the other exhibits are.

I am always overwhelmed by the amount of talent under one roof, over 200 pens of incredible skill and beautiful products, the man hours and creativity involved is like no where I’ve ever seen before.

Every genre of art and craft is there, jewellery, ceramics, painting, textiles, glass, photography, sculpture, wood and much much more!

Both Pen events are dog friendly, which is great as it means I can bring my little Ted with me, he sits as good as gold in his bed looking very cute and people can’t resist a little stroke.

It’s great to see the people bring their dogs to the show and in winter there’s an array of Christmas jumpers for their four legged friends, I always have some special treats for any furry visitors to my pen. 🐾

Crafts in the Pen in November is the start of the Christmas season for me and there is an extra event for the children, a Santas Grotto where your child can meet the man himself and get a small gift.

Ted wanted to see Santa this year, it as we arrived early he was still having his breakfast so Ted just got to see the grotto….

At the end of the last day at 4pm the bell rings to signal the event is closed. Everyone bursts into a round of applause then it’s all systems go to pack down and do the get out.

The immediate clatter of trollies and banging as stands are dismantled and the race to get packed down and home begins.

There’s a sense of relief, exhaustion and gratitude running around the mart as everyone packs away for another year.

From a five hour set up it usually takes me and my husband about an hour to pack down, not forgetting Ted of course….

Then it’s off to the pub for a nice meal and a drink to cheers the weekend. Grateful for the sales, enquiries and the meeting of lots of lovely people, and of course to the organisers Andy and team who work so hard to make the event such a success.

Fingers crossed I’ll be successful for the next round of pens…