Drawing inspiration from childhood memories of holidays spent in the countryside of England and Scotland, Carol Zilla's current collections focus on simple, archetypal shapes with a nostalgic quality - pressed flowers, doves, hearts and home.  These shapes are combined in silver with gemstones to create fresh, modern pieces of jewellery with an idealistic, romantic twist.

Carol Zilla pierces the different shapes in silver, and creates a softly dappled surface through hammering and repeated polishing.  She adds subtle and delicate detail to the pieces by acid etching.  She introduces colour to the pieces with gemstones such as carnelian, amethyst, labradorite and garnet, either set as a cabochon or strung as beads.

Carol Zilla began setting up her business in 2009 when, at the height of the ‘credit crunch', she decided to move away from her career in the City and pursue her passion for jewellery-making.  She combines self-taught skills with traditional silversmithing techniques as taught at Central St Martins in London, the City Lit in London, In the Studio Jewellery School in Kegworth and the Mid Cornwall School of Jewellery in Par, where she studied on a part-time basis over a five year period.

Carol Zilla works from a small workshop in Walthamstow and is a member of the Clerkenwell designer-maker collective, Craft Central.  She makes a limited number of each of her designs and sells them as exclusive pieces through her website and through the Hatton Garden gallery, Platform.  She also produces work on commission.