A Caithness-based contemporary artist and jewellery designer has expanded her home business and opened a new studio and workshop in Thurso, following support from Business Gateway Highland.
Lindsey Gallacher had been creating jewellery and art from her home since 2001. But she has now taken the leap to open a brand-new workshop in Thurso where customers can see her creating her jewellery using Caithness stone.
In addition to her original creations, Ms Gallacher now has the space to offer jewellery making classes, giving her customers the opportunity to design and create their own piece of silver jewellery in just one day.
In order to realise her dream of opening her own premises she received £3,000 from Caithness Business Fund which allowed her to invest in new equipment, including a polishing machine and tools for workshops, and outdoor signage.
She also personally invested £2,000 of savings for flooring, furniture and other miscellaneous items.
In 2018, Ms Gallacher was selected to take part in Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year during which she drew actor Ashley Walters.
She also recently exhibited her work at the Inverness Museum and Art Gallery, showcasing her experimentation and exploration of the qualities of Caithness stone.
She said: “Working with Business Gateway gave me the confidence to take the leap from homeworking to create a new studio and workshop in Thurso town centre.
“This means that I’ve been able to broaden my horizons and introduce jewellery tuition to my business, as well continuing to create and exhibit my jewellery and art collections.”
Jennifer Irvine, business manager for Business Gateway Caithness & North Sutherland added: “In addition to one-to-one support from a business adviser, Business Gateway has helped Lindsey to create her business plan and opened up networking opportunities. Lindsey has also attended one of our fully-funded DigitalBoost workshops, helping her to set up a successful Facebook presence.”