News

Goldsmith’s Craft And Design Council Awards
https://www.craftanddesigncouncil.org.uk/

A Gold Award

Monday 4th March I attended the awards evening for the GC&DC Awards knowing I had achieved an award but not what level for my piece Winged Silver and Horn Necklace in the Horn and Polymers category.  To my complete delight I was awarded Gold, not only from GC&DC but also from the Worshipful Company of Horners.

It was the Worshipful Company of Horners who provided me some sections of cow horn to carve and work my design around. I love carving and it was great to have an ethical resource to carve that I had not considered before.   Once carved the horn looked very like tortoiseshell.

These awards happen annually and are hailed as the Oscar’s of the jewellery and silversmithing world and they are held ‘to promote the pursuit of excellence in craftsmanship and design amongst all those in the United Kingdom who work within silversmithing, goldsmithing, jewellery and allied crafts’.

Picture – Julius Scuopney

Not only did I receive an award but Machi de Waard, my friend and co-author of’ Silver Jewellery Making’ also won a silver and bronze award in the Smallworkers and Modelmakers category for her work of six scored silver miniature vessels.  We attended the ceremony together which was a very prestigious and well run. We were both delighted to have achieved this accolade.

I am delighted to have be chosen to receive an award for the piece I submitted for the GC & DC Awards Competition. 

I entered the category for ‘Horn and Polymers’ and the Worshipful Company of Horners provided me with some cow’s horn to carve.  I love carving and this is a sustainable, ethical resource so I jumped at the chance.  I received some cow’s horn pieces after the new year celebrations with two weeks to design and make my piece.

The award will be presented 4th March and none of us attending will know what level we have been awarded until then to keep the anticipation high.

Here is what I made:

GC&DC say: ‘All submissions entered into the competition are judged by skilled and experienced practitioners drawn from their specialist fields of expertise within the profession. Through this process of peer inspection and scrutiny, work is endorsed by professionals to the highest standards and objectives set by the Council, thus validating the status and quality of these awards’

To get this far is wonderful.  

If you can, do go and see all the winning pieces in every category showing at Goldsmith’s Hall 5 – 8 March.  This is a free show and such a super one in a most prestigious venue near St Pauls.

My Work at Artistry

Artistry logo.png

57 Reading Road,  RG9 1AB

https://www.artistryhenley.co.uk

Open times: 10 – 5 every day except Sunday and Monday

Artistry has so much to see and is constantly changing.  It is great for gifts or for something special for you. This lovely gallery is worth a visit.  It is run by artist Sarah Pye with Kevin doing the framing there.

My Work at The Frame

The Frame Gallery. For framing, art, sculpture &
        gifts.

Lovely to change my show again at The Frame, Odiham

https://theframe-gallery.co.uk/

This award winning gallery now has a new owner who is very enthusiastic to carry on The Frame’s great reputation showing modern art and craft as well as providing a framing service. The gallery is on the High Street and offers an inviting and friendly environment so you have a great experience when viewing the work there.

Feature in Warwickshire Advertiser 

I was approached to have a feature about me and my work in The Warwickshire Advertiser.  I am so pleased with what they put together for me.

All change for Jan

I have decided after 45 years of teaching jewellery to step back a bit and stop teaching my termly classes.  I’m really looking forward to investing time in my own making practice and my family.  After stopping at Norden Farm earlier in the year I have now stopped my Monday classes at Woodley as well.  I intend to carry on with one day workshops at Woodley and also continue to organise specialist days there with invited guest tutors who will run their own workshop days featuring techniques they specialise in.

It’s been a joy and a privilege to teach people who I say are ‘brave’ to come to workshops which can put them on the spot and out of their comfort zone.  It is amazing that people come but added to that my returning students have been willing and enthusiastic to go with my methods and ways and they have created a family and support group within the classes that is so inspiring.

I may be stopping the classes but I am still there for you as once you’ve been my student you are part of the student family; so any query or thing you might need help with or talking through do email me and also if you wish to be added to my ‘exhibitions email contacts list’ let me know.

Silver Jewellery Making

Our book is still getting great reviews and sales are following.  What a learning curve but considering there was not launch due to Covid restrictions this has gone so well.
Here’s a review I’ve just come across and an example of many:

A must have book for beginners, everything is very detailed with texts, photos and even troubleshooting text boxes. It explains the uses of all the tools, show many techniques and a few contemporary projects from A to Z and getting started. An essential book that I always consult during my silversmith journey.

TV Appearance

Just after our book launched I appeared on the TV channel JewelleryMaker to publicise it. The interview went well (nearly 30 minutes of it) but I’m afraid that it no longer on their website.

For those of you that are not on Facebook so have not been able to access any of my video tutorials here is a link to YouTube item showing me making the bead chip earrings project from the book. 

One thing to note, it should have shown me soldering all the jump rings but they edited it out by mistake.  I used the alternative term ‘stick’ soldering when I filmed it and it should have used the term ‘pick’ soldering.  

Jeweller Maker were super supportive and very upbeat and due to the book sales they made the book made top seller for the Jewellery and Beading Book section on Amazon. 

The Journey of a Commission in Lock Down

I was asked to make a key fob in the shape of a key for a son’s coming 18th birthday. As this was during lockdown we could not meet to talk ideas and look at what I had on my bench.

I started but asking Christine to look at some things I had already made to get an idea of what she liked and she sent me a few images saying what she did and didn’t like about them.

From this I made some sketches and we had a face-time chat. I had loads more pages of sketches and could have gone on and on with more designs. I decided to stop and have a chat with what I had, explaining this was just a starting point. These are some of the sketches we talked around.

Design Page

I then made up a few things so when we next face-timed I could show her something in addition to the sketches. I find this easier to envisage the piece and think the customer does too but it can leave you with items you don’t want once the piece is designed and finished. At first I had plain stems and Christine commented that she’d like some detail on them; the two following pictures show some stems and tops that I prepared.

I asked Christine to be honest; that she’d have an emotional response to them and to go with that.

We played with the different items moving them around so she could see what each one looked like together and we then came down to two stems and two tops. This was all done using face-time so she could see the designs and pieces as I moved them around. After a while we came down to two designs each of tops and stems.

I then made these items, keeping them separate so I could move the stems from one top to the other forChristine to decide.

In the end Christine chose them both for her son. After his birthday this is her lovely feedback together with  pictures of the finished articles.

I just wanted to thank you again for the beautiful key rings; everyone loved them and have asked for your details.

He was taken aback with them and couldn’t believe I’d got them designed and made and gone to so much trouble.

He was more drawn to the wings key ring and said he will use that for his car keys but he said they look so amazing he doesn’t want to put them on a set of keys in case they get damaged.

He kept going into his bedroom to look at them. They are so lovely and something he will always have fondness for.

Thank you again.

The Finished Pieces

Needless to say I was delighted to have such a satisfied customer.

An Amazing Find

Julia Coombes (student from the Oakwood Centre, Woodley) did some fabulous detective work and here is the story she posted on the Facebook page Jewellery News, a page for my students past and present.  It is in 3 parts and super that she shared her research.


An Intriguing Find (Part 1) – What is it? Sunday morning, returning from my local walk I encountered  Janet Richardson  picking up litter in Woosehill. Enjoying the unexpected and lovely chance to catch up, we chatted (mostly about jewellery!) and collected discarded bottles in the verge along the path. Then, Jan noticed something embedded in the ground- a flat piece of metal in a leaf shape! Reaching down to pick it up, she suggested I could press it into silver clay, which I thought might be fun, so Jan popped the find into a plastic bag and gave it to me to take home. Later, retrieving the piece, I washed it off, held it in my hand and had a look at it. The feel and appearance of it made me think it might be made of silver though I realised it could have been any kind of metal. Then, as I peered closer, I spotted what looked like a hallmark and I could see it included an anchor which from recent exploration of the different assay offices was, I realised, from the Birmingham Assay office! This I decided needed further investigation and has led me to some fascinating discoveries! What do you think from the photos? Have you any idea what it is/was or how old it might be? I will share more of what I found out with the group soon..

An Intriguing Find (Part 2) – Deciphering the hallmark So, the shaped piece of metal found by Jan on Sunday certainly awakened my curiosity. As it did for Jan (who encouraged me to share the story) and many of you yesterday! I decided my first mission from the hallmark was to figure out the year. The letter took a bit of deciphering – at first I wondered if it was a ‘j’ but then thought it was more like a ‘c’. Searching for ‘c’ on the Birmingham Assay Office website revealed that the ‘c’ that matched dated from 1877-1878! Back then (and until 1975) the date letter changed in July when the Guardians of the Assay Office have their annual meeting. I then set about finding out who the maker was and I discovered that this was George Unite and Sons. George Unite was a silversmith who lived and worked in Birmingham. He started out in 1825 in partnership with James Hilliard then from 1845 he carried on in his own name, having registered his own mark ‘GU’ in 1832. By 1865 the business changed to ‘George Unite and Sons’ and his eldest son George Richard Unite was one of the partners. How fascinating! The other interesting fact I discovered concerns the Sovereign Mark – in this case it was Queen Victoria. This was also known as the Duty Mark and was stamped on the piece to show that the required duty had been paid! As David (another student) and Janet noted, this was only up to 1890. After all that research, I was keen to find out what this fascinating piece of hallmarked silver was part of? I think I have sussed it out but before I tell you, I wonder if anyone would like to make a guess as to what it might have been? I have included screenshots of the information about the hallmark. Also an old advert for George Unite and Sons. I will reveal what I discovered about what I think it was soon!

An Intriguing find (Part 3) – the big reveal! Thank you to everyone for joining in the fun the past couple of days with your various comments. I certainly learned a lot from researching the hallmark and it has spurred me on with my plan to get my own sponsors mark registered with the London Assay Office. Well, the next piece of the puzzle was to try and figure out what the piece might have been part of! One or two of you made thoughtful guesses. Various searches led me to a listing of a sold item which I think matches what this intriguing find could have been part of – a silver caddy spoon! Here below is a link to the web page in case you want to have a look. I have also attached some screen shots. What is clear is that the handle is missing and what remains of the shell shaped bowl of the spoon has been flattened. This makes it at first seem a bit like a leaf – a ginkgo or a vine leaf perhaps. From what I have gleaned, these caddy shells would have been cast and the handle added. Looking at the handle on this design, (which must have been quite heavy in comparison with the shell shaped bowl) and the amount of soldier on the back it is perhaps not surprising that in time this bit broke off. (see the description on the web page I found). What do you think? https://www.antiquesilverspoons.co.uk/…/victorian… The big question of how it got to be on the verge where Jan picked it up remains a mystery, as indeed what happened to the handle! Perhaps it is still buried in the soil of Woosehill somewhere! Lastly, I plan to use the this as a design inspiration so I will post about that soon.

All posted with the permission of Julia Coombes

Jewellery surgeries

Until we get back to normal I thought jewellery surgeries might be helpful?
If you are making at home and have a problem you wish to solve I’m happy for you to Facetime me or set up a Zoom meeting and show me what you would like help with.  I can talk with you about what it is you are having problems with or you wish to see to move your work forwards.  Do heads up me with an email first about your request so we know it is mutually convenient and if I need to set something up in the workshop or sort examples.

Chain Making Tutorial

In class I lent a DVD with instructions on how to make the Byzantine chain/6 loop chain/Kings chain – all the same chain just different names. This is a lovely chain and only needs 2 pairs of pliers to make it if you buy the jump rings ready made.  To make it use 5mm or 6mm heavy jump rings from Cookson.  I can send you this tutorial by We Transfer.  If anyone over the lockdown would like to give it a go email me and I can send the instructions to you.

If this whets your appetite I’m sure you’ll come up with other ways to link the jump rings to make different chains or maybe search a few styles on the internet.  Don’t forget the wire wrap loops to add beads and stone chips to these.  this means if you wish to you can still make at home with very little tools just pliers and maybe wire cutters if you start wire wrapping.

Facebook Page

To stay in touch with my past and present students during lockdown I have created a Facebook  page called Jewellery News. It has been a learning curve and great fun filming tutorials to go on this page.  It is a safe place to go to for advice and sharing.  It’s super to see what people are making in lockdown, answering questions and getting good tips.

Due to Covid-19 classes and exhibitions have been cancelled. To see all updates on these cancellations look at my classes and exhibitions pages. This is a changing situation and will be amended as guidance is given.

Writing a Book

Receiving the first copies of our book

Thanks to everyone who has bought a copy, please write a review on Amazon if you enjoy it.  The book leads you through a tried and tested series of structured projects with a finished piece of jewellery at the end of each one.

The book is not only for beginners but for those already making jewellery who want to understand more the core skills and techniques used in making jewellery.

THE PROJECTS:
The projects are designed to be followed in succession, each one building on and adding to the skills learned previously.  Whenever a new skill is introduced there is a Method Box

•  Method Boxes go in depth about the new skill being introduced at that time. They are there to come back to once you have completed all the projects and start making your own designs. 

•  Handy Hints are additional to the Method Boxes and are the tricks and tips we have learned over the years and are keen to share.

 •  Troubleshooting  solutions are included just in case things go wrong.

At the end of each project, there are suggested designs for you to make using the techniques you have mastered so far. We even include some pieces you can make from your silver scrap. (There will be some, however carefully you plan and buy)

A PRACTICAL APPROACH: 
Before we introduce the projects, we give advice on buying the tools and materials you will need, as well as information to help you set up your own work station.

Our aim has not been to cover every possible technique in jewellery making.  Instead we focus on the core jewellery making skills, going in depth to help you understand them better and enjoy them more. We also show you several ways of doing the same thing such as ring sizing.  The right method is the one that works for you.

Finally, the last chapter on moving forward is to inspire you to start designing your own pieces.

MAKING A LASTING IMPACT: 
Wherever you are on your journey into silver jewellery making, this book will be a resource you can keep returning to for guidance and advice. We hope the fundamental skills and confidence this book will give you will lead you to enjoy jewellery making as much as we do.

On Show in the USA

My work is now part of the permanent collection of contemporary jewellery at
the Dallas Museum of Art

Electrum Gallery was a trail blazing gallery for jewellery residing in
South Molton Street in London and run by jeweller Barbara Cartlidge. 
The gallery has since closed and there is now a book written about her
and her jewellery world; she made a significant contribution to the
field of contemporary jewellery.

Whilst I exhibited at Electrum Gallery my work started to be collected
by Inge Asenbaum who ran the respected Galerie Am Graben in Vienna.   I
recently found out that this collection has been gifted to the
Dallas Museum of Art and is now part of the permanent collection of
jewellery there demonstrating the museum’s commitment to the field of
contemporary jewellery.  I am delighted to have two pieces in this
permanent collection .

I was tracked down as the maker of these two pieces because of
the hallmark on them.   It was initially Sheffield Assay Office where I
am registered that first got in touch with me to confirm I was the maker
of these two pieces through the maker’s mark that is stamped on them as
part of the hallmark.