Hi! I'm Donna Marea Ratcliffe, the designer and maker behind Briar & Hawthorn producing handmade jewellery and printed goods inspired by nature.
I live on the edge of the countryside and am inspired by the flora I see around me as well as the stories and folklore of the plants of the British Isles.
I originally studied Silversmithing and Jewellery at Glasgow School of Art but I've never met a craft I didn't like and since graduating have taken courses and workshops in everything from screenprinting to ceramics, wood-carving to weaving. I set up Briar & Hawthorn to give me the opportunity to create using different materials and techniques to explore my love of the natural world.
I work hard on improving and maintaining the sustainability of my practise and use recycled or sustainably produced materials whenever possible. In addition, I will donate a proportion of the profit from each piece of my work that I sell to environmental charities in a bid to ensure that my creative practise is not only sustainable but can actually make a positive contribution to our natural world.
Every item is handmade, by me, with love, in my little workshop in the heart of Scotland where I live with my husband and children.