About Anna

Hello there. I’m Anna Campbell and I’m the founder of Jewellery School Scotland. I live and work in Edinburgh.

My mission in life is to help people find ways to enjoy being creative. I, like many people, have horrible memories of being criticised by an art teacher and having my confidence zapped. So I love it when students on my courses are so excited about what they achieve even if they didn't previously think of themselves as creative.

I have not done just one thing in my life. I started out studying Psychology and then did my teaching degree and then taught Psychology at colleges and a university.

I remember the moment when I realised you could study jewellery making. It was on a school trip, we visited Central St Martins and for some reason, I only remember the jewellery from that day. I thought it was amazing that you could learn jewellery making at university - like it was a valid life choice. I didn’t though, not then anyway. It was more than ten years later when I did what you’re going to do and I took a class. And then another one. On one of the classes, I heard about silver clay, did a one day workshop and was completely hooked. So I did what I always do and got as many qualifications in it as I possibly could.

So I did my Art Clay certification (with Julia Rai and Tracey Spurgin) and I did the Rio Rewards PMC certification (with Patrik Kusek) and I did the Higher Diploma in Metal Clay at the Mid Cornwall School of Jewellery (only 12 people have achieved that level right now). And I learnt and I practiced and I kept going.

And then I had too much jewellery! So I decided to sell some and I started selling on Etsy. And then, because I can’t not teach, I started teaching at the London Jewellery School in 2012 and other places in London. And then I got invited to teach at loads of cool exhibitions and shows and fairs. And then I filmed an online silver clay course for Jewellers Academy.  And then I was asked to do silver clay jewellery making demonstrations on Create and Craft TV. And then I started working as the part-time Community Manager for Jewellers Academy.

And then I was invited to teach at the You Can Make It residential metal clay conference in 2017, 2018 and 2020 by Metal Clay Ltd. (I am the only teacher based in Scotland invited to teach at the UK conference). And I got to write articles for Making Jewellery magazine (I even got a piece of mine chosen for the front cover - amazing).

And then my brilliant husband said, you know we don’t have to live in London right? And for some reason, I did seem to have forgotten that because I haven’t always lived in London but just did for a long time. (Gary has lived in other countries including Australia and Ireland so he was more aware of this fact than I was). And then we decided to move to Edinburgh. Which is not quite as random as it seems as my surname may suggest. And then I set up Jewellery School Scotland and started teaching jewellery workshops in Edinburgh. And that’s where I am now.

I do hope you’ll join me for one of my classes. Introducing people to jewellery making, particularly with silver clay, is one of my absolute favourite things.

Additional fun facts for those that are still reading this

• I am an ICF-qualified life coach and I work with female entrepreneurs who are great employees but struggle to get momentum on their own business. I have developed an online program called the Kansti Program for those who are just starting out

  https://www.annaccampbell.com/

• I wrote regularly for Making Jewellery magazine and was excited to have my work featured on the cover (fyi if you would like a free copy of the silver clay tutorial I wrote sign up for my infrequent newsletter > and you'll receive the download link as a thank you)

• I have made jewellery for famous people. Unfortunately, I am not allowed to name names because they were private gifts. It’s annoying. But my customers include famous actors (TV and film), a supermodel and a film score composer

Check out our interview with That's TV Scotland news from January 2020 and learn all about silver clay and the Arienas Collective