Gemma Ruth Pettiford
Looking through Gemma Ruth’s Instagram feed should come with a warning – her handmade ceramic creations are stunning and you’ll want to buy them all. From delicate earrings to Christmas tree decorations and bold crockery, each piece is wonderfully flawed, telling a tale about the moment in which it was made.
Fit for a princess, Gemma’s handcrafted treasures captured the attention of the Duchess of Sussex on her trip to Dubbo with Prince Harry three years ago. “The local council asked me to make a set of ceramics for a private lunch during their visit, and Meghan commented that the set was beautiful,” Gemma says.
Public interest from the royal visit boosted Gemma’s profile, and in addition to online and Instagram sales, Gemma Ruth Ceramics is now a full-time business for the former teacher.
“After I had my three children, I really struggled to fit in traditional work around my family commitments and my husband’s business. So I resigned from my job and grew my hobby to a business over a six-year period.”
The new venture turned out to be a muchneeded source of income during the last drought, which hit Gemma’s hometown of Coonamble hard.
“It was a godsend when our fencing business was quiet,” Gemma sighs. “The fact that I could bring in an income not linked to agriculture and reach customers outside our community – thanks to Buy From The Bush – meant that I could support the family, buy a coffee at the local cafe, afford a haircut and have dinner at the pub. This all helps local businesses survive, so when the drought broke they were still around to thrive again.”