Linnea Montvila from Farnham (Surrey) grew up in a creative household in Sweden where she has been surrounded by inspiration from an early age. Her mother, an art teacher who works in various mediums, primarily painting, instilled in her a deep appreciation for creativity, while her father’s strong interest in art ensured their home was filled with thought-provoking pieces and stimulating conversations.

This rich artistic environment shaped Linnea’s perspective and nurtured her passion for the arts. After spending her twenties traveling , Linnea decided to pursue her creative ambitions in her early thirties. She began her formal studies in Jewellery Design and Manufacturing at the British Academy of Jewellery (BAJ), before going on to complete a First-Class Honours degree in Jewellery and Silversmithing at the University for the Creative Arts where she refined her distinctive approach to contemporary jewellery and object making.

“My practice explores the boundaries between function, value, and adornment. I work primarily with metal-cast textiles and hand-sculpted wax, often incorporating steel or iron nails and sapphires. My latest collection features non-wearable rings. Objects that echo the familiar form yet defy their traditional role.

Each piece, constructed in wax and then cast, is paired with a nail or precious stone, purposefully designed to seem damaged or impossible to wear. The gesture is not an accident of construction, but a deliberate denial of function. A ring that refuses the finger.

This series questions what happens to jewellery when it no longer serves its intended purpose: does its value, monetary or emotional, change? Can a ring still be a ring if it cannot be worn? By challenging conventional expectations, I seek complete creative freedom, detaching my work from monetary constraints and exploring jewellery as a space for conceptual, material and social experimentation.” - Linnea Montvila