One of the most popular designs in jewellery is the ‘heart’. I admit I am quite fascinated with hearts in my handmade jewellery. I make beating hearts, falling hearts, moving hearts and bitten hearts (because sometimes your heart bloody hurts).

The ‘heart’ is a universal symbol we recognise across so many cultures - I mean, how many heart emojis are there out there?

Hearts are fascinating and quite frightening - we can feel our heart jump, drop, beat, thump and race. Hearts are provoking but also inspiring; broken and attacked hearts can be repaired and sometimes healed. There are heartless hearts; you can break your heart and it will ache and burn at times.

Hearts are a contradiction - cold hearts can be warmed, heavy hearts can be lightened, hard hearts can be softened; even the most tightly closed heart can open. As easily as it is to be half-hearted, our hearts can fill to bursting. Weak hearts can grow stronger. Big hearted people can soothe those with empty hearts.

For me hearts symbolise so many things, but most importantly no matter how battered and broken our heart is, it can still hold endless love and compassion and we can still ‘have a heart’ for others. Hearts signify kindness. Hearts should be felt and always followed.

What does the ‘heart’ mean to you?

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