In 1991 Siân began her four-year apprenticeship in Sam Fanaroff’s coppersmithing forge at Pevensey, where she trained in restoration and repair work and was taught to make copper bowls, vases and mirrors - embellished with fine wirework, appliqué and set gemstones.

In 2004 she was awarded a QEST scholarship, completed an MA by Project (Metal) at London Metropolitan University, built her first workshop and began her small business making bespoke copperwork and undertaking commissions.

A Churchill Fellowship in 2011 enabled Siân to travel to France, Greece and India to meet other smiths and study the origins of coppersmithing. Find out more about it here.

Inspired by this project, she later undertook doctoral research in archaeology, successfully completing a PhD at the University of Sheffield in 2025.  As well as her ongoing work as a professional craftsperson, Siân continues to develop her research into female metalworking and the gendered nature of archaeometallurgical interpretation. More about her doctoral research can be found here.

In 2019 Siân represented Great Britain at UNESCO’s 1st International Festival of Handicrafters in Uzbekistan, which strengthened her interest in safeguarding living heritage - in particular the preservation and transmission of crafts skills. She has also contributed to Heritage Crafts' Red List of Endangered Crafts.

Siân adores the natural world, loves looking at the stars, and is terribly keen on finding fossils – especially dinosaur bones and micrasters.