The Spirit of Scotland’s Seas

Róis first discovered sea glass almost 7,000 miles from home on a trip to Hawaii. But it was years later, after a period making paintings and prints for Glasgow craft markets, that she found sea glass again. This time, it was right here in Scotland. 

“Then the vision really took off,” she says, into a fully-fledged business: Róis Scottish Sea Glass (it’s pronounced ‘Rosh’, like the sound of a wave breaking on the shore). Inspired to “make treasure out of the broken pieces,” Róis ripples silver and gold around the recycled crystal pebbles, which are shaped by the sea over decades. The result? Delicate earrings and necklaces to cherish or gift to loved ones. 

In her Glasgow studio, Róis says there are “at least 200 jars of sea glass from 68 different locations around Scotland,” as well as pliers, a drill, and her trusty label maker. But the beauty of having a business based around sea glass is that the beach is also your office.

Whether a solo trip to Clyde islands like Arran, or a Highland adventure in the family campervan, Róis starts her search with a loosely-planned route. But, she admits, she has “learnt to take each trip as it comes.” You can’t always be sure what the tide will wash up, and locating the prettiest pieces can be back-breaking work, bent low for long periods over the sand. 

Yet rummaging through pebbles and shells to spot that telltale glint of glass has a deeper meaning for Róis. Each piece she finds has its own story, “a bumpy yet redemptive journey which gives language to describe our own lives,” she says. “I was amazed how such a small, broken piece of glass could speak deeply to people and promise beauty from the wreckage.” 

As well as trying to pick up litter whilst beachcombing — Scotland’s coasts are not spared from plastic pollution — Róis uses recycled silver where possible. “I don’t think I could feel proud of my business if I was to leave a trail of destruction behind me,” she says. Through Róis, this vision flows far beyond Scottish shores. 

Since 2017, Róis has been working with Samaritana, a charity in the Philippines that supports women vulnerable to exploitation. They’ve come together to create the Likha Project. It’s a ripple effect — the women create their own sea glass jewellery and Róis provides the platform to sell it. All proceeds go to the charity, funding trauma therapy and giving the women an alternative income. “It’s about using creativity and community to bring healing,” she explains. 

This message of hope, particularly during challenging times, is a universal one. It’s something Róis plans to take to her new workspace next year, a start-up hub in the Possil area of Glasgow. There she hopes to run more jewellery workshops for local teenagers, “giving them insight and opportunities as it grows.” Inspired by the currents shaping sea glass from Scotland to the Philippines, Róis shows how people can come together to weather the storm. And how, if we look hard enough, we can find beauty and belonging in our stories.

interview by // Laura Anne Brown - photography // Eilidh Macleod & Beth Chalmers