Upside Down Tree Studio

Who we are

Hi there. I’m Denya, the creative spirit behind Upside Down Tree Studio. I am a jewellery designer and silver clay teacher who works from my garden-studio in Petworth, West Sussex.

I have always loved jewellery. When I was a child in South Africa, I used to make earrings out of squashed Coke and Fanta bottle lids and sell them to my friends. When I stumbled across the revolutionary material called silver clay 11 years ago my new career path seemed destined.

Silver clay is a wonderful, recycled product which starts life as a blob of what looks like window putty. It is completely malleable and very easy to manipulate, a bit like working with plasticine. This flexibility allows fabulous design possibilities and offers me the opportunity to stretch my imagination with my designs. When fired it is hallmark quality fine silver and is 99.9% pure silver and 100% unique.

From the very first time I worked with the product I was hooked and went on to do an intensive diploma in metal clay proficiency which included a teaching qualification and, as well as making jewellery, also teach others how to work with this unique product.

Using silver clay and traditional silversmithing methods, I create unique (and quirky) pieces of jewellery, inspired by my beautiful surroundings. Each piece has its own story and is handmade by me, and I pride myself on my production processes and on finishing all my products to the highest standards.

As many of my collection are moulded directly from an original seed, flower or pod, they have a lovely tactile organic quality that is superior to mass-produced jewellery.

As well as my existing collections I also take on commissions, translating my customer’s vision into unique gifts.