From Amanda herself:
On leaving teaching: After 7 years of teaching I wanted to reduce my hours to 3 days per week to have more time to pursue my personal development as an artist. When this was refused, I took stock of my financial situation, and realised that if I retired (at 57) I could take my Superannuation and pay out our mortgage.
After discussions with my partner we both agreed that this would be a good decision, freeing me from an increasingly stressful work situation and giving me a chance at a full-time creative life while I still have the motivation and energy to pursue it.
What I do now: I have a small fencing business, which I started up 6 months after leaving teaching. I do all the bookkeeping and paperwork associated with the business and have some input to commercial decisions that need to be made, working approximately 10 hours a week.
The rest of the time I am a sole trader as a Contemporary Jeweller. I share a studio space with 4 other women, and am represented by 6 commercial galleries, and while I’m never going to earn anything like I did as a teacher, I have never been happier in my work.
My Instagram address is amandacroattojewellery.