A diary of general metallic mischief: new work, news, events and exhibitions, inspiration and thinking outloud.
Feel free to comment…
02.03.2025
The 63rd Faenza Prize 2025
Thrilled to discover that DUCK! is a finalist. 63rd Faenza Prize 2025 International Competition of Contemporary Ceramic Art. Italy On 30 January, the International Jury composed of: Claudia Casali (Director MIC Faenza), Hyeyoung Cho (Korea Association of Art & Design), Valentins Petjko (Latvian Ceramic Biennale), Marco Maria Polloniato (ceramic art curator) completed its selection of […]
08.02.2025
Unfinished Business
I am very excited to be returning to Leksands Folkhogskola. Sweden. 28 July-2 August 2025 Welcome to Unfinished Business The world can feel constantly busy, as we rush about doing our day jobs and trying to multi-task. It’s a non-stop juggling act, hectic and at times out of balance. As a consequence it’s not always […]
26.10.2024
An Alchemist of Unholy Alliances – By Rolf Hughes
Article by Rolf Hughes. Great to have different reflections and conversations about the work and motivations. Enjoy.
15.05.2024
The Craft of Tea
The Craft of Tea is an exhibition at the Goldsmiths’ Centre, exploring tea’s material history from 1660 to the present. Discover silver teaware from the Chitra Collection, alongside modern and contemporary pots. Free and open to the public, the exhibition showcases over forty notable pieces spanning centuries. Co-curated with the Chitra Collection team, this is […]
23.04.2024
The Financial Times.
It is an absolute pleasure to have an interview with Aimee Farrell for the Financial Times. HTSI_617_EURO RGB 113 As I say in the article; most precious metals gets the attention and press coverage. So when Aimee contacted me through Instagram I was more than happy to talk all things pewter. It’s still misunderstood and […]
27.09.2023
Disruption An Open Discussion
Very pleased to announce that Angus Patterson, Senior Curator, Metalwork at the V&A, lover of old pots and pans ‘n’ stuff, along with David Clarke, Delightful Troublemaker and Silversmith, will jointly open up the necessary subject matter of disruption and tease out why it’s so vital and relevant in this day and age. The […]
23.05.2023
Workshop: Serious Play
We lose the art of playing far too early in life. Responsibilities, work; whatever that is, and commitments unfortunately take over and we allow it. We enter education at an early age and even though we sit in groups it’s very much about the individual and our own abilities. What happened to collective thinking, exchange, […]
13.05.2023
Workshop Visit
During the pandemic the world was locked down, movement was restricted and access to the workshop had to be arranged carefully. This London Craft Week old friends and new came from Seoul, South Korea making it the ideal time to arrange a get-together. It was a pleasure to cook a full-English breakfast and gather around […]
23.04.2023
ICON Magazine
Thrilled to be in ICON Magazine Germany. My thanks to Heike Blummer for a great conversation. It’s such a joy to have new people visit the workshop, to talk, question and handle work, ideas and thinking. A curious mind is a joy to witness unpacking and considering how and why objects are made. Plenty of […]
01.04.2023
Essential Playtime
Every year I aim to have workshop time not devoted to making works for clients, commissions or galleries. However, I have learnt that playtime is essential. Space to freely experiment, try out and appreciate ‘failure’- whatever that is. I had a wonderful day in December with a large saucepan of wax. This week that play […]
12.03.2023
Breakfast Is Served!
Breakfast Is Served. 5 Gentlemen Doing Things. Sometimes things just happen…….Galerie Zink offered breakfast during Schmuck in Munich. Naturally, people gathered and slowly used the table Stash was being shown on 5 Gentlemen Doing Things. What I absolutely love is the true activation of the work. At the very point that ‘the table’ becomes recognised, […]
12.03.2023
A-Z of Metalwork. V&A Museum.
A-Z of Metalwork. “Fraud, beauty, amputation, alchemy, imprisonment, deception, a trip to London Zoo, cake, vomit and a 17th-century joke: they are all here in an A-Z of the V&A’s Metalwork collections. The 26 items include a few of the traditional big stars but this is more a chance to show the great range […]
07.03.2023
5 Men Doing Things-Galerie Zink
Curated by Galerie Zink BOTT / BIELANDER / CLARKE / FRITSCH / KOOIKER 5 Gentlemen Doing Things Artcurial Munich
29.04.2022
Lecture: Privately Public
Honoured to be invited By the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design to share my thinking and ideas that form my practice. It’s always a great opportunity to receive really engaging questions which I thoroughly enjoy as it’s the potential for the unexpected to surface. Alternative responses and reactions are always truly welcome.
24.04.2022
Poor Trait Miniatures
Very pleased to announce that 5 miniature Poor Traits have been acquired by Fuller Craft Museum Brockton USA. My sincerest thanks to Kevin Brown who funded the commission in Honor of Executive Director Denise LeBlanc. Cast lead, handwoven linen by Lucy Rhodes, oak gall dye, and urine Following the close of “Another Crossing: […]
10.04.2022
Online Lecture coming soon to wechat.
My thanks to Gallery BR for giving me this wonderful opportunity to introduce my work and more importantly the thinking behind it. Welcome To My Table I will be generously presenting a 5-course meal, highlighting different flavours from savoury through to sweet. Reflect on the rituals, methods and processes that have informed my practice […]
10.04.2022
Message on Facebook
‘My father was a plumber we had a three-car garage with pipes everywhere; lead, tin and steel. I played among all of it that’s why I have an extra part of my body. I think all that lead material floating around there. That’s why I love your work, I relate to it so well.
03.04.2022
Studio Tour for the Loewe Craft Prize 2022
In the build-up to the LOEWE FOUNDATION Craft Prize exhibitions, each finalist welcomes us into their studio to further share their stories and craft. The piece will be on show at the Craft Prize exhibition in Seoul, July 2022. Press here: STUDIO TOUR
12.02.2022
Loewe Craft Prize 2022
Thrilled to announce that STASH is a finalist in this years Loewe Craft Prize 2022. This year’s finalists were chosen by a panel of experts from over 3,100 submissions by artisans representing 116 countries and regions. The finalists selected represent work across a list of mediums including ceramics, woodwork, textiles, leather, basketry, glass, metal, jewellery […]
05.07.2021
We’re Back….for REAL!!
Another Crossing: Revisiting the Mayflower is now open. A touring exhibition recognizing the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower crossing and its significance to American and world history. Developed in partnership with Fuller Craft Museum. USA, and The Box UK. Poor Trait. 2019 Lead Linen Iron. 92.7 x 80cm
11.05.2021
FLUX me!
I’m not one for fixating on specific techniques, but yesterday, I had an unknown student contact me via Instagram asking for some soldering technical advice … shock horror! At college, Oppi Untracts book Metal Techniques for Craftsmen was the bible and I still to this day have a quick flick through now and then. […]
30.04.2021
Ooh behave!
I happened to be wandering around South London, in a state of lostness and was confronted by this sign on Great Guildford St. What are we to do with this turn of instruction? Who’s commanding us and barking their orders? Is it the Mayor of London? The residents’ committee? Or maybe the police? Personally, it […]
19.04.2021
Damn Drawing
During my education, I have been very fortunate to have had excellent tutors who at times offered me the opportunity and encouragement to experiment and think left-field. Art college can be a brilliant environment to test, learn and develop. Personally, drawing was NEVER my strength, whether it was life drawing, technical or illustrative. But, I […]
16.03.2021
2021 Residency: Leksands Sweden
We’re on the move! Tracey Rowledge and I are absolutely over the moon that we have a fully funded 3-week residency ‘Field Notes’, scheduled for later this year in Leksands, Sweden. With thanks to Bengt Julin Foundation and IASPIS Artists’ Committee for their generosity in financially supporting this exciting project. About Field Notes The […]
16.02.2021
Student feedback
Great to get honest feedback. It takes a lot of courage to say what you are thinking. When I deliver workshops, I always actively encourage students in this behaviour. It’s essential to take a position; recognise what’s important to you, and stand by that. Bravo! My thanks to Taiwan for inviting me.
01.02.2021
Can’t please them all
It’s great to share good news, but what about the bad? What does ‘bad’ really mean anyway? We all need to work this out for ourselves. People often comment on my work and I welcome the feedback. Even when the message isn’t a ringing endorsement. There is a danger in trying to please too many […]
01.02.2021
Metal Magic
The wonders of moving metal whilst casting, waiting for the temperature to drop and create a skin.
01.02.2021
Delightful Trouble Maker
In my time, I’ve been called many things, enfant terrible, ‘silver-terrorist’ and more recently ‘a right royal pain in the arse’. But my favourite bit of name calling appeared in Ken Quickenden’s book Making Form: Contemporary British Fine Metalwork, published in 2020, where he referred to me as a ‘delightful trouble maker’. I do take […]
29.01.2021
All Metals Are Precious
The world of metal is crowned with gold and silver, shiny, valuable and riding high in the stock exchange. Our daily lives are surrounded by more humble metals; tin, aluminium, pewter and steel, to mention a few. We encounter them in the kitchen – a pan to roast in the oven, a blade to cut […]
