Today we catch up with JJ’s Beachcombing Art ahead of our Christmas fair on 1st December at Worthing Charmandean…
My name is Jade Jeffers & my company is JJ’s Beachcombing Art.
I am originally from London and moved down to the South Coast just 2 and a half years ago. I have always been a creative and artistic person and when I moved I was able to visit the beach more and found more treasures. This led to me designing some pictures with items I found while beachcombing.
Before I make any pictures I clean and sterilise all items I have brought home from the beach, this means that all items have lost their ‘beach smell’ and won’t disintegrate once in the frames.
While on the beach I only collect the items I want/need for the pictures I am making, if I take something home and find it doesn’t fit or isn’t quite right I return back to the beach with a bucket once a month to return those items. While beachcombing I always have a bag for the items I find and another bag for the rubbish I collect.
I love being on the beach and finding items that I can see what it will be before I even get it home. I have found pieces of driftwood that look like a creature or a shape and then create the picture/design around that piece of driftwood.
I come up with most of my designs myself but I also create commissions for clients. When I receive an enquiry I will come up with 1 or 2 designs to show the client and we will work at making the commission picture exactly what they want (within the restrictions of the items being natural). I love receiving commissions as it can stretch my imagination a little more but they do take a little longer to put together so I do have to charge a little more.
I have also started to design and make items of jewellery using shells and seaglass. This is a new part to the business and has only been rolled out this year.
I sell my art and jewellery via my website (www.jjsbeachcombingart.com) and via Facebook and Instagram and at fairs like this one but I also show/sell my art in 4 venues: Gallery Montague (Worthing) (https://www.facebook.com/gallerymontague/), Velvet Hare in Storrington (www.facebook.com/velvethare), All Things Nice in Ewell Village, Surrey (www.facebook.com/allthingsnice) and Gifted Gift Shop (Findon/Worthing) (https://www.facebook.com/giftedworthing/)
I’m really looking forward to taking part in The Fairy Tale Fair Christmas 2019 event. St Barnabas has a special place in my heart & anything to help this wonderful hospice is good for me and my family.
Please come and see my stall, I will have lots of beautiful pictures with me, I will also be able to talk about commissions, take orders and I will also have my gift vouchers with me in case you can’t decide on a design but want to gift a picture to someone.
I look forward to meeting many people, getting the opportunity to talk about the pictures and think of new designs.
If you want to see more of my works
Go to any of the following:
