Meet the Maker: Amber Joy Creative Studio
We're delighted to have partnered with Amber Joy Creative Studio to create an exclusive jewellery collection inspired by the Turkish Cannon in the Royal Armouries collection, displayed at Fort Nelson.
Based in Sussex, Amber creates bespoke collections for museums and heritage sites across the UK, transforming historic objects into contemporary jewellery and gifts.
Inspired by the Turkish Cannon
Dating from 1708-9, the Royal Armouries' Turkish Cannon (Object XIX.115) is renowned for its intricate decoration, featuring detailed motifs of tulips, vines and pomegranates.
Rather than recreating the cannon itself, Amber focused on the object's decorative details to create jewellery designs that could stand alone as beautiful pieces.
"The cannon has many beautiful details so it was immediately easy to pick out aspects of the design that could work as various items of jewellery."
After studying photographs of the cannon, Amber developed a series of designs, refining them through sampling and close collaboration with the Royal Armouries team.
Crafted from Recycled Acrylic
Sustainability plays an important role in Amber's work. The collection is made using recycled acrylic, created by shredding acrylic waste and pressing it into entirely new sheets.
"Recycled acrylic will always be completely unique, no two sheets being the same."
The varied colours and textures of the recycled material helped recreate the rich patina of the original cannon, while ensuring every piece is one of a kind.
A Piece with a Story
Amber's background in furniture restoration continues to influence her work today. With what she describes as a "make do and mend" approach, she is always looking for ways to give materials a new lease of life through design.
This is the first fully recycled collection Amber has created for a museum, making it a particularly rewarding project.
"You aren't just buying from the Royal Armouries, you are buying the acrylic waste from at least five other museums!"
Among the collection, Amber's favourite piece is the round brooch.
"My favourite piece is definitely the round brooch because the etching lends itself so perfectly to juxtapose beautifully against the recycled acrylic."
Made for Museum Lovers
Amber works with more than forty museum gift shops across the UK, creating collections inspired by everything from iconic artefacts to hidden collection treasures. As she puts it, "the more niche the better!"
At the heart of her work is a love of museums and the people who visit them.
"If you're buying my jewellery then I know you're a fan of a museum gift shop and in my book, that already makes you a good egg."
Many customers collect Amber's designs from museums across the country, building a personal collection inspired by the places they've visited and the stories they've discovered along the way.
Inspired by a remarkable object from the Royal Armouries collection and crafted using recycled materials, the Amber Joy Creative Studio collection combines history, creativity and sustainability in a truly unique way.