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A collaboration between local artisans and the owner of a recently-renovated café has led to the opening of a new shop in St Aubin featuring handmade goods from across the island.
Jersey Artisans, Gifts & Homeware is located in the recently-renovated Gallery Café building.
This was the former site of the Harbour Gallery, which moved next to Normans at Commercial Buildings in 2023.
The new shop brings together the work of nine core creators and products from 27 other local businesses.
Pictured: The team behind the Gallery Café.
The idea originated when Aneta Markowska-Krzeminska from the Gallery Café contacted some local artists to see whether they had any paintings and ceramics with which she could decorate her new site.
As Karen Hibbs of The Pottery Shed Jersey and Gail Fells of Florence James Jersey explained, that relationship was to lead to a brand-new venture.
“Aneta had just opened Gallery Café on the ground floor of the building previously home to The Harbour Gallery,” said Karen.
“She approached us as she had shelves and walls which she wanted to brighten up and she was keen to showcase locally produced pieces. We provided her with some goods, which sold well, and that was the start of the journey.
“The space was too large just for the café so, having seen the demand for our pieces, she asked us whether we would be interested in renting a room.”
For Karen, Gail, and Karen’s sister Amanda Sawyer of The Butterfly and Bee, the invitation was impossible to turn down. “We jumped at the chance,” smiled Karen. “It took about a year from that initial conversation to the building being ready, and we eventually opened at the beginning of December.”
Pictured: The cafe was previously on the first floor but moved to the ground floor.
Saying that having a shop was “the dream of every maker”, Gail and Karen said that this desire was often made impossible by “prohibitive rental costs”.
“We’d been looking for premises for ages and had a few near misses but this space is perfect,” said Gail, adding that they had only been able to realise their dream by “bringing together a selection of local businesses”.
“By forming a collective, not only are we able to share the financial responsibilities but we are also able to take it in turns to cover the shop, meaning that each maker still has time to produce their work,” added Karen.
In addition to featuring work from Florence James Jersey, The Butterfly and Bee, The Pottery Shed Jersey, Liz Lowe Handmade, Made by the Bay, The Jersey Hooker, The Chilli Kitchen, Steve Davies Art and Beverley Speck Textiles – the nine members of the collective – the shop stocks the products of a further 27 artisans.
“It’s a real Aladdin’s Cave, with the products carefully curated to provide a full and interesting shopping experience,” said Gail.
“It’s a browser’s shop,” added Karen.
“Everywhere you look, you will see something different from local artwork, candles and home fragrance to ceramics, woodwork and textiles, as well as jewellery, food, gifts and homewares.
“With so many different products, you might not see everything the first time you come in.”
Pictured: Aneta Krzeminska and Sebastian Krzeminska. (David Ferguson)
Helping to inform the product selection, Karen adds, was the experience the women had gained from attending markets throughout the year.
“From the markets, we have got to know people and built an understanding of the sort of products they are interested in,” she said.
“We were keen to offer a wide range of items, and have styled Jersey Artisans, Gifts & Homeware in a similar way to the collectives of art and crafts businesses that we have seen in the UK.
“As well as offering a range of local produce, each of the nine members have got different skills, covering IT, administration and merchandising. With each of us bringing something different to the table, we complement each other.”
And, as Gail says, with each member taking it in turns to man the shop, customers have the opportunity to meet the maker.
“We all have an in-depth knowledge both of our own products and those of our fellow makers,” she said.
“We are also all very friendly and approachable, and I think it’s lovely for people to come in, meet the makers and perhaps chat to them about commissions or bespoke items.”
Pictured top: Sophie le Blancq, Karen Hibbs, Liz Lowe, Gail Fells, Lesley Garton (David Ferguson)
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