Olivia Yorston

2023 QEST Scholar - Jewellery and engraving
Highlands

Olivia is a Scottish jeweller and engraver who started her career as a trainee bench jeweller seven years ago.

She’s now the sole designer and master pattern maker at Sheila Fleet Jewellery where she incorporates traditional methods of goldsmithing into her work, whilst pushing the boundaries of her medium. Here, she makes pieces including rings, pendants, bangles and much more.

A QEST Scholarship will enable Olivia to elevate her engraving skills by completing one-on-one training with master hand engraver Malcolm Appleby M.B.E, an opportunity she describes as a ‘once in a lifetime prospect’. At Malcolm’s workshop in Grandtully (Scottish village), Olivia will learn technical skills such as traditional surface engraving, lettering, carving with gravers, shading and die-cutting, as well as how to prepare the tools for specific tasks.  

Olivia is confident the engraving skills learned through her QEST Scholarship will allow her work to stand out and make her a desirable and respected maker in the craft.   She is working towards opening her own jewellery business and, in the future, she aims to teach workshops and share her skills. 

For me, jewellery is not a job – it is a way for me to express myself creatively and share my way of viewing the world with others, something that I feel very lucky to be in a position to do and fills me with satisfaction, passion and joy.

QEST Sanderson Rising Star Craft Award

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