Independent shopping: Artemis

Artemis is an Aladdin’s Cave of bespoke jewellery, handmade by mother and daughter team Catherine and Carrie, who have grown a unique business starting from their kitchen table at home. They have the ability to create intricate pieces on site tailored to each customer’s specific needs. 

With a range of beautiful collections, extraordinary gifts and special little trinkets it’s possible to get lost discovering all that Artemis has to offer…

What was your inspiration for opening Artemis?

Catherine:   We started 14 years ago when Carrie was ten. She did a silversmithing workshop and made me a beautiful silver flower pendant and I fell in love with it and was inspired. I started a course and we just started messing around at the kitchen table together just mother and daughter. I was encouraged by friends to launch our designs because they were unique and different so I joined the North Bristol Arts Trail with my jewellery and that was the start of something that grew and grew. 

What is unique about Artemis?

Carrie:   What’s unusual about the set up is that we have all of the elements used to create the jewellery behind our two desks and a jeweller who can make up things on the spot. For example they can come in and say I want this bangle, but I want it with that stone. They can walk in, commission something bespoke and it can be made up while they wait and they can leave with it. 

Catherine:   What else is really unique is that the foundation of Artemis is our jewellery. We don’t sell a lot of other people’s designs; we buy in silver watches, silver rings and some studs that we don’t make ourselves, but everything else is made in our workshop. 

Have you got a favourite piece or collection in here at the moment?

Catherine:   Well our lariat was our original design and they are still really popular. Each one is unique because depending on which pieces are chosen, the stone, and the length, each one is slightly different. The original design was on cord but we have started doing them in silver as well. One of our iconic pieces is the Bella necklace, which has been advertised in Vogue. It’s freshwater pearl with a classic bird T-bar. There’s a local group of women – young mums – and they have called themselves the Bishopston Birds because they’ve all got one of our bird necklaces!

Why would you encourage people to buy independently designed jewellery?

Catherine:   Because it’s unique. Our jewellery is unique, it’s beautiful quality, and as far as possible, everything we use is sourced ethically. I go to Thailand and I know who makes it for me and I know they get the right money. 

What else does Artemis have to offer as well as jewellery?

Catherine:   When we opened Artemis we were able to sell gifts as well. This is what I love, all the gifts are chosen by Carrie and myself. We make joint decisions. Nearly all of our gifts you won’t find anywhere else in Bristol and we have chosen gifts that compliment our jewellery.

Carrie:   Come the end of October, after half term, this place will be an Aladdin’s Cave of Christmas decorations! A lot of them were made specially for us – we ordered them last January!

Catherine:   We also have six resident, local artists who I have met through doing the Arts Trail. We’ve offered them the opportunity to have a space and they change their work every couple of months. We act as agents for them. What people love is instead of being in a gallery, in a room with white walls and just paintings; you can see what your painting will look like in your home. 

artemisbristol.co.uk

0117 924 1003

214 Gloucester Road, BS7 8NU

Interview by Terri Cramer