Story: John Miller Designs
Episode: 9
Presenter: Diana Hills
Air Date: 30th April 2023

Diana meets iconic West Australian artist and metalsmith John Miller, who is marking 50 years of creating trademark gold and silver jewellery!

• John Miller’s jewellery is recognisable, iconic and tells stories from his life. Intricately carved and stamped scenes on cuffs, pendants, earrings and rings celebrate wildlife, nature and landscapes that have made their indelible mark on him.
• John Miller Design has been based in Yallingup for 25 years. He’s turned six acres of weeds and sand into a beautiful self-built home, workshop, retail studio and gardens and now has a second retail showroom and workshop in Margaret River and employs 17 staff across both locations.
• John teaches his staff traditional and old-world techniques that are not taught at TAFE and considers his staff as his tribe.
• Between jewellery creating John has graduated from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, has been an actor, singer/songwriter, voiceover artist, star of Bunnings TV commercials, been an inventor, furniture maker, photographer, designer, horticulturalist, a father of three and granddad of two.
• He’s passionate about the environment, was an early adopter of an electric car, and the Yallingup base runs off solar, batteries and rainwater and they export surplus power to the grid.
• As far as we are aware, John is the only jeweller in Australia to handmake and manufacture jewellery from start to finish in his own studios. Design, forging, tool making, hammering, casting, stamping, engraving and finishing is all done by hand in John’s workshops in Yallingup and Margaret River. He is also the largest purchaser of silver for jewellery in Australia!
• John is a Fellow of the Gold and Silversmiths Guild of Australia, which means he is regarded as a maker of individual jewellery to a consistently high standard.

For more information:
www.johnmillerdesign.com