October is a very wild and windy month up here in Skye and one of our jewellers knows this all too well… get ready to meet Heather McDermott. Local Skye girl who swapped her hiking boots for the hustle and bustle of Glasgow. Over the last few years Heather has accumulated a loyal customer following, is a regular at world-renowned jewellery showcases and is now exhibiting internationally. It’s clear the future for Heather is very bright (much like her jewellery collection). Her pieces encapsulate her roots to Skye vividly, incorporating the rugged coastlines and wild waves into steel, gold and silver designs. We wanted to find out why Skye is such an important influence for Heather’s work when we caught up with her for a chat…

Tell us about your journey to get to where you are today?

I have very artistic parents and have always been surrounded by art and design growing up. I first decided I wanted to be a jeweller was when I was 11, and was making beaded jewellery to sell in my fathers gallery on the Isle of Skye. Then at art school I discovered I loved working on a smaller 3D scale so jewellery became the natural choice. I also loved textiles which is why I think I ended up working with colour so much.

I spent 5 years at Edinburgh College of Art which was a real rollercoaster of trying to figure out who I was as a designer and what kind of work I wanted to make. I didn’t really figure this out until I moved back home to Skye and had the time and space to develop outside of a learning environment. Being back in Skye gave me the freedom to design different collections and play around with mediums without any distractions. In these first few years I travelled a lot to different shows throughout the country which helped to grow my customer base. Three years ago I decided to move to Glasgow to be closer to a larger community of artists, makers and designers. Although this has been great for my work I still routinely come back to Skye to get inspiration for my work.

What are you most inspired by?

I specialise in stainless steel and silver, but recently I have been working a lot in gold, and just working with a new metal is so inspiring. Gold is completely different from steel and silver, it has a very unique luxurious and rich quality to it.

I’ve also been studying the way seaweed washes up on the beaches in Skye and looking at how I can translate that into my jewellery through cluster design. I recently learned a new skill using computer aided design which is opening up a whole new way of working for me. I have always been a hand-maker so it has been really interesting introducing a technical element into my work.

What are the most rewarding aspects of what you do?

There are so many aspects of being an artist that are rewarding. I really enjoy working on commissions and creating more personal pieces. I also love events and exhibitions, I work at home so after being a hermit for a few months it’s great to get out and present new work. Feedback is also very helpful, having conversations with clients is really important for building relationships and networks.

We are huge fans of Heather and her work. We love how her pieces pay homage to the rugged coastline of Skye - fishermen’s nets, buoys and boats, imbued with flashes of stormy winds and wild waves. Pop in and see her full collection at Òr!

Follow Heather on instagram: @heathermcdermottjewellery

Heather McDermott Encapsulating Skye in Her Craft