Grainne Reynolds - Time to Treasure
Join us as we're catching up with artist and tutor Grainne Reynolds from Time to Treasure!
Grainne has been a metal clay artist and tutor for over 10 years, I'm sure you'll have seen some of her work online.
Grainne is passionate about metal clay and loves nothing more than sharing her skills and teaching others.
Working from a little studio in her garden in beautiful Dorset on the south coast of the UK, she plans and creates new jewellery collections and develops new workshops. She specialises in silver clay and offers a wide variety of classes in this wonderful medium. Grainne’s work is often influenced by the wildlife, countryside and coastline.
Scroll down and you might find out some things you never knew about Grainne!
Hi! I’m Grainne Reynolds, I’ve been a metal clay artist and tutor for over 10 years now, working from a little studio in my garden. It’s my happy place where I plan new jewellery collections and develop workshops.
I absolutely love silver clay! What really hooked me was the endless possibilities and that you can achieve amazing results in a relatively short space of time. The process of transforming a piece of clay into a finished piece of silver is just magical.
I got started with metal clay 13 years ago after taking a two-day class on silver clay imprint jewellery, using fingerprints and handprints. That experience sparked something in me, and I eventually launched my own keepsake business, and from there, my silver clay journey just took off! I still have the first thing I made: a set of three fingerprint hearts featuring my children’s prints, and names and ages engraved. The sentiment behind that piece means I really treasure it.
I love all arts and crafts, dabbling in everything from silversmithing to stained glass and pottery to garden design. Recently, I got a mini pottery wheel and had a couple of lessons. I 'd love to get better and have a go at combining pottery with silver clay someday - watch this space!
I absolutely love Art Clay Silver, it’s my favourite go-to clay for all my projects and the only clay I use in workshops. What I appreciate most is how easy it is to handle and cut and its wonderfully smooth consistency. It takes texture beautifully and can be sculpted and moulded easily. In the green ware stage it can easily be carved into. The reliable and easy firing schedule also makes this brand of clay a firm favourite..
Living in such a beautiful part of the UK definitely influences my work. I’m inspired by the coastline and countryside around me, often incorporating beach combed treasures like shells and sea glass, along with botanicals from my garden.
In terms of my creative process, I don’t have a strict routine. I tend to work on multiple projects at once, and my studio is an oasis of creative chaos - i often take over the kitchen table too! When making, I can’t live without my humble paintbrush. It’s perfect for shaping and blending the clay. I like to create most days, enjoying the sounds of nature around me. I love listening to the birds, I like the calmness and head space this gives me.
Teaching is now my full time job. I absolutely love it, I really enjoy sharing my knowledge and skills with others. The popularity of metal clay has grown tremendously in recent years, and it’s exciting to see more people discovering this versatile medium. Currently I’m busy planning new workshops for next year. Among them, I’m really excited about a beautiful bugs workshop and an automata project. There’s always something brewing in my creative world!
If I could give one piece of advice to beginners, it would be to take a class to learn the basics. It really makes experimenting at home so much easier. And I wish someone had told when I first started how addictive creating with silver clay is! ?
There are many artists I admire, but Joy Funnell holds a special place in my heart. She has been a fantastic mentor and cheerleader, and is now a good friend too! I feel so lucky to have had her expert tuition and guidance. Her work is so colourful and many of her techniques are innovative, and she is the enamelling queen!
I bet you didn't know that my old party trick was touching my nose with my tongue. I’ve just realised I can’t quite do it anymore! How can that be??! I need to come up with a new one now! A fun memory is winning an art competition when I was 13 and having Princess Anne present me with my prize at the National History Museum in London.
If I had to describe myself in 5 words only.... it would be; calm, creative, optimistic , kind and a bit scatty ?

Thanks for sharing with us Grainne! It's been great to learn a little more about you.
If you'd like to see more of Grainne's work, you can find her here:
Grainne's website - Times To Treasure
CLICK THROUGH FOR SOME OF GRAINNE'S WORK