Advice and support is silver lining for Caithness artist

About the business

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 bespoke jewellery and art from her home ever since 2001 but, in 2018 she took the leap to open a brand-new workshop in Thurso where customers can see her creating unique jewellery using Caithness stone.

In addition to her original creations, Lindsey now has the space to offer jewellery making classes, giving her customers the opportunity to design and create a bespoke piece of silver jewellery in just one day.

In 2018, Lindsey 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.

How Business Gateway has helped

Lindsey received support from Business Gateway Highland to start up her businesses, as well as specialist advice and information as her operation has grown.

Lindsey Gallacher commented: “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.”

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.”