Jewellery Showcase: Amanda Henderson

Amanda Henderson is a Canadian jewellery artist with a focus on fluid, contemporary designs. Born in Etobicoke, she lived in several cities across Southern Ontario and Manitoba before finding her home in Toronto as a teenager. Personal expression has always been important to her as a way to maintain her sense of self during her nomadic childhood. She completed her jewellery and gemmology studies at George Brown College, followed by an artist residency at Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre, and now works out of Goldspell, a jewellery co-working space that she also owns and operates. She can also be found at artisan shows such at the One of a Kind Show and the Cabbagetown Arts and Craft Show.

Her work explores the intersection of functionality and expressive form, creating timeless jewellery  intended for personal connection and everyday wear. With a deep commitment to her craft and  community, Amanda continues to expand her creative process through thoughtful experimentation and  refined technique. Read Amanda's reflections on her practice below and shop her fine jewellery through the Craft Ontario Shop. 

Visit our Distillery Shop to see the Jewellery Showcase, from January 17 - March 15, 2026. 

"Ribbon, my signature collection, was first dreamed up while I was a Jewellery Arts student at GBC. The first piece was loosely inspired by Frank Gehry’s spiral staircase in the AGO. I love the fluidity and gracefulness of the curves, and the juxtaposition that is revealed in the process of making of it –soft, voluminous pieces that look like spirals and ripples of fabric that are created out of flat sheets of rigid sterling silver. It is playful, yet elegant and architectural at the same time. Each piece is individually hand formed.

"I am inspired by the world around me—the curve of a building’s arch, the drape of a dress hanging over the back of a chair, a vine winding its way up a trellis. I’m drawn to soft curves, clean lines, and bold shapes. For me, making jewellery is equal parts technical challenge, tactile enjoyment, and creating beautiful, pleasing forms. I love working with my hands to sculpt metal and wax as much as I love using the torches to soften the metal, solder, and cast. I am also strongly driven by my values. All of my decisions, from using recycled metals and eco-friendly packaging to carefully choosing my suppliers and even creating original designs and custom jewellery, are guided by my beliefs in the importance of social equity, environmental sustainability, and creative self expression.

"My first jewellery job was in a kiosk in the Eaton Centre in high school. After that, I managed a silver jewellery store, and had a job in jewellery wholesale office. I started making jewellery in GBC’s night classes, and I loved it so much that after almost finishing a night certificate, I enrolled in the full-time program. I really loved metal forming and silversmithing- I gained an understanding of how metal moves, how much you can stretch it, compress it, fold it. And every metal is different. It’s a really fun and interesting process.

"I was born in Etobicoke, but my family moved to Winnipeg until I was 10, and then we lived in several cities in Southern Ontario. I went to 11 schools before graduating from high school. Moving that much made self expression especially important to me. It was a way for me to maintain my sense of self. But also, being the new kid in school is never easy, and I also found that leaning into my differences gave me the strength to be myself in a new school. Bullies can’t make fun of you if you aren’t ashamed of who you are.

"It is important to me to minimize my impact on the Earth as much as possible. I try to do my part in leaving it a little better for the next generation- environmentally and socially. To that end, I am always looking for ways to be more sustainable in my practice: I use certified recycled silver. I source local supplies to reduce my carbon footprint. I try to find vintage furniture before buying new. I use packaging and marketing materials that are made of natural materials (I.E. paper not plastic). I try to only buy from companies who have aligned values. Currently, I operate, and work from, a studio called Goldspell. It’s a fully equipped jewellery co-working space that is home to 5 goldsmiths. It is relatively small, so it is easy to focus on work, but it’s great to have other people around when someone needs guidance or advice. 

"In the future I am going to focus on making more one of a kind, statement pieces, and custom designs. I would like to have more room for creative expression in my practice (over production work), and I am always exploring more ways to support the jewellery community and emerging designers through mentorship."

Visit our Distillery Shop to see the Jewellery Showcase, from January 17 - March 15, 2026.