Crafts Council – AmeliasMagazine

Amelia’s Magazine | London Design Week 2011: The Best of the Independent Jewellery Fairs

Sian Bostwick Forget Me Not Necklace by Tilly

Sian Bostwick Forget Me Not Necklace by Tilly Wright

The first of my visits was to Gabriel’s Wharf on the South Bank. Nestled amongst a handful of gift shops and cafes is the Jianhui London jewellery shop. However, from 17th – 25th September, the shop was also home to the Jewellery Designers Collective, or JeDoCo, and featured the work from independent jewellers including MODICA, Jessica De Lotz, Zelda Cave and some amazing statement, tubular cuffs from Rosemary Lucas.

The small shop was crowded with jewellery, and felt like a treasure trove. A super friendly attendant turned out to be Sian Bostwick – a JeDoCo designer. She was a brilliant tour guide around this Aladdin’s cave, but her work also deserves merit. Sian produces her jewellery from a workshop in Kent, and has a feminine and soft signature style.

Forget Me Not Ring by Sian Bostwick

Forget Me Not Ring by Sian Bostwick

It was her Forget Me Not pieces that caught my eye. A combination of brightly anodised Titanium in dazzling blue, paired with delicate silver, in elegant and simple shapes. The Forget Me Not pendant is delicate, yet striking, as the vibrancy of the blue Titanium catches the eye. When I first spotted her work, I thought instantly of Alice of Wonderland – the blue of Alice’s dress, the ever-present background of nature, the flowers. I later read that the story was an inspiration for the collection.

Linnie McLarty’s silver rings caught my attention before I entered the shop, displayed in the front window cabinets. Linnie comes from a fine art background, which I think you can see quite clearly from the collection Take Me I’m Yours, to which her layered silver wire rings belong. The silver wraps beautifully around your finger, but the individual sterling silver strands add depth and interest. Linnie is also comitted to working ethically and responsibily, using 100% recycled silver and gold that is officially certified as fairtrade, which is fantastic.

Take Me I'm Yours Rings by Linnie McLarty

Take Me I’m Yours Rings by Linnie McLarty

Running from the 21st – 25th September was Composite, at the superb Two Columbia Road furniture shop, and on the same road that hosted another great independent jewellery show. I was invited along by designer Bethan Laura Wood, whose work I have been avidly following for a while now.

Bethan Laura Wood Pivot and Push Rings by Janneke de Jong

Bethan Laura Wood’s Pivot and Push Rings by Janneke de Jong

Bethan deserves her own post on Amelia’s Magazine (which I hope to provide one day soon), but briefly she studied at the RCA, and has since set up her own practice, WOOD London, designing and producing a range of beautiful creations from jewellery to furniture. Her work is based on the idea of rediscovering and exploration of aspects of the usual and everyday objects – focussing particularly on colour and pattern.

Bethan Laura Wood Particle Bracelets by Miranda Williams

Bethan Laura Wood Particle Bracelets by Miranda Williams

Bethan was showing her new Pivot and Push ring collection. I was really happy to see that Bethan was on show space duty that day, and she passionately talked to me about the new collection, from conception to the final product. The rings are like delicate snowflakes, in shades of metallics – gunmetal, gold, bronze and rose gold.

Bethan Laura Wood's Pivot and Push Rings

Bethan Laura Wood’s Push and Pivot Rings, photo courtesy of Ella Dror PR.

The rings shimmered below their glass case, tempting me to try them on. Bethan explained the ‘push’ and ‘pivot’ technique was to create interaction between the ring and it’s owner. And as Bethan kindly let me have a trying on session, I found myself enchanted with their movement and design. They are stackable, versatile and for me, utterly desirable.

Push and Pivot Ring by Miranda Williams

One of Bethan’s Push and Pivot Rings, photo by Miranda Williams.

The weekend was over, but enjoying a day off in the week, I went along to see the work of another familiar face. I have been aware of Ros Millar’s work for about a year and half now – finally getting to meet lovely Ros at this year’s Treasure exhibition. Ros was showing her work at 2 different spaces – the Pitzhanger House in Ealing, and also as part of the Bobbles & Bling Pop Up Shop in Clerkenwell, from the 27th September to 1st October. I really like Ros’s work, specifically because I’d wear it. The rings from her Nugget collection are like natural rock formations – rich in colour, and really cool. She was showing these at the Bobbles & Bling shop, where for one week, Modica Jewellery, Amanda Li Hope and Ros, had created a mini boutique. It was based in the Craft Central Corner shop, and showcased new work, aswell as some other special pieces. Ros was showing both her Nugget and Black & Rose collections.

Ros Millar Necklace by Cathryn Nicholson

Ros Millar Necklace by Cathryn Nicholson

Over at the Pitzhanger exhibition it was great to see some diversification in her range with the specially produced One Off pieces. Originally the home of Sir John Soane, who the saw the Pitzhanger manor as an architectural ‘portrait’ of himself, and the house as a reflection of his personal style, from the 21st September – 12 November, it was home to Portraits in the Making. It featured the work of 17 designers, Craft Council award winning artists, who were invited to find new ways of making portraits in their fields of glass, textiles, woodwork and jewellery, with the influence of the design and architectural details in the Pitzhanger Manor. Ros’s large necklace, made from lichen, sponge, rope, silver and bronze, was a great contrast to the work of hers that I had previously seen.

This exhibition was in conjunction with the Hothouse scheme, run by the Crafts Council, which provides a programme of skills and creative development for designers starting out in their careers. It is a fantastic programme, similar to that run by Camden Council which I wrote about a few months ago here. I hope that these schemes, and those similar to them, continue to nurture and develop the talents of these designers, so that I can explore and enjoy the creations of our local designers as I did that weekend a few months ago.

Written by Miranda Williams on Wednesday November 30th, 2011 11:31 am

Categories ,Alice in Wonderland, ,Bethan Laura Wood, ,Black & Rose, ,Cathryn Nicholson, ,Composite, ,Craft Central Corner, ,Crafts Council, ,Ella Dror PR, ,ethical, ,fairtrade, ,Forget Me Not, ,Gabriel’s Wharf, ,Hothouse, ,Janneke de Jong, ,Jessica De Lotz, ,jewellery, ,Jianhui London, ,Linnie McLarty, ,London Design Week, ,Modica Jewellery, ,Nugget, ,One Off, ,Pitzhanger House, ,Pivot and Push, ,platform, ,Pop-up Shop, ,Ros Millar, ,Sian Bostwick, ,Take Me I’m Yours, ,Titanium

Amelia’s Magazine | Inspired by Illustration: An interview with jewellery designer Annabelle Lucilla

Annabelle Lucilla by Laura Hickman.

I first ran across the beautiful illustrated etched designs of Annabelle Lucilla at the One Year On exhibition at New Designers 2013, and her work instantly caught my eye. When it turned out that she knew me from using social media an instant rapport was born. Here Annabelle talks us through her inspiration and design process: and explains why you must never underestimate the power of online networking in building your career in the creative industries.

Annabelle Lucilla hovering hummingbird design
Annabelle Lucilla: hovering hummingbird design.

When did you start to combine your love of illustration and jewellery to create ‘Metallic Graphics’, and how did it all start out?
I have always drawn intricately; my mum is an illustrator so I acquire that from her. I started to create jewellery when I was around 13, but I didn’t combine these two techniques until I was in my 2nd year of my Jewellery and Silversmithing degree. I initially set out to study Surface Pattern design at London College of Fashion. However, I felt like I could always come back to textile design, after I had learnt a technical skill that would set me apart from others. Discovering etching was a ‘bingo’ moment for me as I was always chasing after the idea of making an illustration into a wearable, permanent object, which had character and form. My Illustrations started out as large ‘motif’ stories, and then I created certain singular characters to go in the story. They are based around mythical tales, ancient cultures and lands and symbolism.

Annabelle Lucilla Jewellery by Daniel Alexander.

What was the best thing about studying at Sir John Cass?
I very much enjoyed my 3 years of study at the Cass, especially being able to explore a wide range of processes and techniques. Most of all I was allowed to find my niche aesthetic, as many find that difficult when producing their final degree collection. I was quite sure about what I wanted my collection to look like, as well as what techniques I wanted to combine. I was given the opportunity to take part in a range of competitions and selling opportunities which helped me learn about creating a commercial collection. I also worked with a wide range of materials and finishes, such as resin, horn, aluminium, leather, rubber, powder coating, anodizing and not forgetting etching!

Annabelle Lucilla Jewellery, Peacock necklace
Can you tell us more about the inspiration behind your first major collection?
My debut collection, Oriental Embodiments is very decadent, yet classical. There are definite hints of Ancient Grecian and Indian patternation and form. I got a lot of inspiration from looking at Indian bodily adornment, and how they decorate every part of their bodies in jewels and chains and droplets. I wanted to reinvent some traditional techniques such as Filigree and stone setting, and so I contemporized and refined them to give them a modern feel. The collection features etched, hollow Peacocks, which originate from my hand drawn illustration. This was the connection to India, and they have a very regal, majestic aura, which I wanted the collection to reflect. I juxtaposed these curvilinear forms with geometric forms to give a sense of balance and modernity.

Annabelle Lucilla Jewellery by Zo Bevan.

How do you envisage your jewellery been worn?
The purpose of my debut commercial collection was to give the consumer a more wearable version of the large, decadent items I made for my degree collection. I want my jewellery to be worn as everyday staple accessories, with an added hint of glamour and luxury. The designs I created were envisaged to be worn by all ages, not one particular group of people. The collection consists of some classical, dainty earrings, large statement necklaces and cool, contemporary rings and bracelets.

Annabelle Lucilla Jewllery, Gold Oriental Peacock Earrings
What did you learn on the Crafts Council Hot House programme?
This programme was an amazing experience. Subjects ranged from making a business plan to pricing your product correctly. From learning about how to plan financially for the year ahead, to learning about what your work is all about and then in turn who your target market is. What was helpful was that it was spread over 6 months, and tailored directly to your specific practice. You could improve your business as the course progressed. I met so many wonderful people, and having my Hot House ‘Buddy’ Imogen Belfield was so much help, as I could have regular meetings to go over aspects of my business. Overall, it is a programme I would wholly recommend to anyone wanting to start or improve their business.

Annabelle Lucilla by Annabel Dover.

Which other creatives do you recommend we should check out?
I would recommend people to take a look at Sophie Harley’s jewellery. She is someone I admire greatly, and who creates exquisite, storytale pieces. I love that there is real meaning behind her designs, and people always connect with her designs for this reason.

Oriental Peacock Earrings Annabelle Lucilla Hastings
What is it like working at Cockpit Arts?
Cockpit Arts is a fantastic collection of designers and makers. Being part of a large community makes you feel like there is always someone to help you if you need advice. It is a wonderful start for me as I only launched my business in January 2013, and the collection was finished in April and so having a professional studio to go to and work makes all the difference when you want to be taken seriously with your profession. The Open Studios in June and November are great selling opportunities, as the public is brought to you, and they are fascinated to see the designers in their working studios.

Annabelle Lucilla Jewllery Silver Oriental Peacock Necklace
You’ve already done extremely well; securing loads of awards and bursaries in a very short time period. What are your top tips for gaining recognition as a new independent jeweller?
I would recommend entering lots of design competitions, and to try and be part of larger organisations, as these can help spread your name for you. Nothing happens instantly, but collectively, each achievement will help people recognise your brand. Social media platforms are also great for reaching a wider audience, so plan to tweet or share news on facebook everyday, as regular comments and posts help more people find you. Also, Social Media is what it is, ‘Social’ so interact with people, and make connections. Lastly, be original, and find your unique selling point that will keep your designs fresh and instinctively associated with your brand.

Annabelle Lucilla Jewllery Purple Agate Necklace with tassels
What next?
I am very much looking forward to exhibiting at International Jewellery London this week, which will officially launch my debut collection. This is the largest show I have done so far, so it will be good to show my collection to such a wide range of retailers, buyers and stockists from the U.K. and abroad. I am launching a few new etched designs in late September, so keep a look out for that. I am also showing at London Fashion Week as part of a collective with one of my online stockists, Wonsuponatime, which I am very much looking forward to. I am also taking on a few more established online stockists in the next few months. Christmas is going to be busy, with the Cockpit Arts Open Studios in November. I will also be exhibiting as part of an exciting curated exhibition about ‘the diverse and eclectic cultural influences present within the British craft scene‘ in the new year.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Tuesday August 27th, 2013 8:04 pm

Categories ,Ancient Grecian, ,Annabel Dover, ,Annabelle Lucilla, ,Cockpit Arts, ,Crafts Council, ,Daniel Alexander, ,Filigree, ,Hot House, ,Imogen Belfield, ,Indian, ,International Jewellery London, ,interview, ,jewellery, ,Jewellery and Silversmithing, ,Laura Hickman, ,London College of Fashion, ,London Fashion Week, ,Metallic Graphics, ,New Designers, ,One Year On, ,Open Studios, ,Oriental Embodiments, ,Peacocks, ,Sir John Cass School of Art, ,Social Media, ,Sophie Harley, ,Surface Pattern, ,Wonsuponatime, ,Zo Bevan

Amelia’s Magazine | Tent London 2010 LAB CRAFT Exhibition Review

All photography by Amelia Gregory.

Yes, help I admit this will be a series of massively late reviews, but I’m going by that age old edict, better late than never…. My first port of call at Tent London 2010 was the LAB CRAFT area; Digital Adventures in Contemporary Craft. A Crafts Council exhibition, it attempted to redefine what is meant by ‘craft’ in an age when we have so much digital technology at our disposal. Curated by Max Fraser, I found this arguably the most interesting part of the main exhibition.

Under the auspice of ‘Urban Camouflage’ Chelsea College of Art graduate Chae Young Kim had created the Knitted Room, soft hairlike lines on a wallpaper design – so fine that they could only have been made by a computer, of course. Hypnotically beautiful.

Chae Young Kim Tent

For Information Ate My Table Zachary Eastwood-Bloom had chomped through the side of a coffee table in a fabulous mathematically shaped design.

Tent Zachary Eastwood-Bloom

The Bravais Armchair by Lazerian was created from cardboard – but retails for a massive £1700. Steady now. It’s design was inspired by the structural columnar forms found in nature, and looks to be an idea that could easily be made using recycled materials, and potentially very cheaply at that. Unfortunately there was no mention of sustainability and given the high price it’s likely that the Bravais Armchair will remain available only to the very rich. Designer Liam Hopkins’ other work is inspired by wasp nests and crystals – stunning stuff, if only we could all benefit from such great design.

Tent Lazerian

Daniel O’Riordan had created a stunning wood table, it’s surface subtly etched with the pattern of rain plopping onto water. He managed to get this effect by stimulating the effect with fluid dynamics software, the results of which were then milled into the oak table top.

Tent Daniel O'Riordan

A triangular bean bag by Jo Pierce was made from a digital textile design that was then digitally printed. A hand finish was given to the surface to still further mix up manufacturing mediums. Lost in Digital was an art piece that epitomises the way that most graphic artists currently work – created by the BA Print Pathway Leader in Textile Design at Central Saint Martins.

Tent Jo Pierce

Philippa Brock had woven an amazing textile. Ignore the pretentious art name and marvel at Self Fold #1 and Self Fold #2, inspired by paper folding techniques. Despite digital intervention initial prototyping was done on hand looms and the resulting fabric is textured yet elastic.

Tent Philippa Brock

Jo Hayes-Ward is an old friend, talented jewellery designer and graduate of the RCA. She works with traditional jewellery making processes such as lost wax casting to create complex, attractive rings and broaches embedded with digital patterns.

Tent 2010-Jo Hayes-Ward

It goes without saying that these days almost all artisans embrace some level of technology, but this was a stunning collection of those who have really pushed the limits of their craftsmanship to encompass digital advances in design.

*News just in* LAB CRAFT will be going on tour soon: it visits these venues across the country:
Turnpike Gallery
Civic Square, Greater Manchester, Leigh, WN7 1EB
30 October 2010 – 18 December 2010
Plymouth College of Art
Tavistock Place, Plymouth, PL4 8AT
10 January – 19 February 2011
New Brewery Arts Centre
Cirencester, Gloucestshire, GL7 1JH
11 March – 25 April 2011
Leamington Spa Art Gallery and Museum
Royal Pump Rooms, The Parade, Leamington Spa, CV32 4AA
29 September – 20 November 2011
The Civic
Hanson Street, Barnsley, S70 2HZ
30 November 2011 – 21 January 2012

In my next posts: best sustainable designs and best of the rest of the show.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Thursday October 21st, 2010 12:51 pm

Categories ,Bravais Armchair, ,Central Saint Martins, ,Chae Young Kim, ,Chelsea College of Art, ,Crafts Council, ,Daniel O’Riordan, ,Digital Adventures in Contemporary Craft, ,Information Ate My Table, ,Jo Hayes-Ward, ,Jo Pierce, ,Knitted Room, ,LAB CRAFT, ,Lazerian, ,Leamington Spa Art Gallery and Museum, ,Liam Hopkins, ,New Brewery Arts Centre, ,Philippa Brock, ,Plymouth College of Art, ,rca, ,Tent London, ,The Civic, ,Turnpike Gallery, ,Zachary Eastwood-Bloom

Amelia’s Magazine | Power of Making at the V&A: exhibition review

Power of Making V&A 2011-Elaine Colbert
A hyperrealistic baby doll created by Elaine Colbert for ‘adoption’.

Yesterday I went along to check out the new Power of Making exhibition at the V&A Porter Gallery in conjunction with the Crafts Council, which opens today. Curator Daniel Charny was on hand to give us a personal introduction, explaining that when putting together the show he looked for the best demonstration of knowledge for each skill on display. He aims to challenge preconceptions of what arts and craft can be, because ‘making is an active way of thinking‘ that needs to be better valued. Many of the objects on display demonstrate a strong link between science, technology and craft and he would love this relationship to be more widely recognised and utilised.

Here are some of the most interesting things I discovered.

Power of Making V&A 2011-david mach
King Silver Gorilla: made entirely from wire coat hangers by David Mach, this stunning sculpture greets visitors at the entrance to the exhibition.

Power of Making V&A 2011-Peter Butcher embroidered implant
Embroidered surgical implant: this snowflake shaped machine embroidery by Peter Butcher at Ellis Developments is designed to lie just under the skin, providing the surgeon with attachment points for replacing lost tissue.

Power of Making V&A 2011-Mirlande Constant
Beaded Haitian Vodou Flag: having learnt the skills from her mother Mirlande Constant quit her job in a wedding dress factory to make traditional flags.

Power of Making V&A 2011-Kane Kwei lion coffin
Carved wooden lion coffin: the family workshop of Kane Kwei in Ghana has been making sculpted coffins since the 1950s. Designed to reflect an individual’s job and aspirations traditional imagery often merges with contemporary culture: you can now be buried in a car or a branded trainer.

Power of Making V&A 2011-maker bot
The MakerBot: first discovered at a recent Future Human event, this is a small 3D printer designed for home use that extrudes lengths of plastic to create 3D objects.

Power of Making V&A 2011-kideville
Kideville 3D printed game: Also in the realm of new technology, the Kide 3D package uses advanced tools to create a game that simultaneously teaches children rapid-prototyping skills. Over the course of Power of Making children will make their own buildings to complete the 3D printed city.

Power of Making V&A 2011-Thorunn Arnadottir QR CODE
QR code beaded clothing: first discovered at this years graduate Royal College of Art exhibition, Thorunn Arnadottir mixes high technology and art in his Swarovski crystal beaded garments, which can be read by a smartphone.

Power of Making V&A 2011-David Kaleta
Lego frog dissection: David Kaleta’s frog is very accurate, despite its unusual material construction.

Power of Making V&A 2011-Kathyrn Hinton
Digitally hammered silver bowls: Kathyrn Hinton’s beautiful bowls are created at a distance that technology affords: a hammer hits a pad and the force of each blow on metal is recorded onscreen.

Power of Making V&A 2011-Jacquy Pfeiffer
Sugar sculpture: Corn syrup, sugar, water and lemon juice were boiled in exact proportions to create a glass-like substance that pastry chef Jacquy Pfeiffer manipulated into a dramatic sculpture (just out of shot, a tiger’s head).

Power of Making V&A 2011-Manel Torres
Spray on dress: Manel Torres developed Fabrican whilst studying fashion at the Royal College of Art and has since moved to Imperial College to work with materials scientists. New applications that are being considered include upholstery, bandages, and even spray on nappies.

Power of Making V&A 2011-Heleen Klopper
Moth hole mender: I don’t quite understand how this works but I want to use this now!!! Heleen Klopper developed Woolfiller to mend much loved old clothes – the fibre is placed over the hole and grabs onto the surrounding wool.

Power of Making V&A 2011-Michelle Wibowo
Marzipan and sugar baby: in an amazing burst of cake based creativity this hyperrealistic infant was made by Michelle Wibowo from edible ingredients.

There were many other intriguing objects to discover at this exhibition, many with extremely clever applications that take them beyond the realm of mere aesthetic frippery. The Power of Making is a fabulous testament to thoughtful creativity and will no doubt encourage many people to learn a new skill. I dare you not to be inspired! For more information and recommended events see my listing.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Tuesday September 6th, 2011 12:48 pm

Categories ,3D Printing, ,Beaded Haitian Vodou Flag, ,Beading, ,Carved wooden lion coffin, ,Coffin, ,craft, ,Crafts Council, ,Daniel Charny, ,David Kaleta, ,David Mach, ,Digitally hammered silver bowls, ,Elaine Colbert, ,Ellies Babies, ,Ellis Developments, ,Embroidered surgical implant, ,Fabrican, ,Future Human, ,ghana, ,Heleen Klopper, ,Imperial College, ,Jacquy Pfeiffer, ,Kane Kwei, ,Kathyrn Hinton, ,Kide 3D, ,Kideville 3D printed game, ,King Silver Gorilla, ,Lego, ,Lego frog dissection, ,Maker Bot, ,MakerBot, ,Manel Torres, ,Marzipan and sugar baby, ,Michelle Wibowo, ,Mirlande Constant, ,Moth hole mender, ,Peter Butcher, ,Power of Making, ,QR code, ,rapid-prototyping, ,Robots, ,Royal College of Art, ,science, ,Smartphone, ,Spray on dress, ,Sugar sculpture, ,Sugarcraft, ,Swarovski, ,Technology, ,The Porter Gallery, ,Thorunn Arnadottir, ,va, ,Wooden, ,wool, ,Woolfiller

Amelia’s Magazine | New Designers Celebrates 30 Years: an interview with One Year On curator Rheanna Lingham

Rheanna, portrait work
Jewellery by Rheanna Lingham, photography by Emma Dalzell.

Rheanna Lingham trained as a jewellery designer on the brilliant Middlesex University course (read my review of the 2015 graduate show here). She then opened Luna & Curious with fellow creatives Polly George and Kaoru Parry, specialising in British made products featuring high quality craftsmanship, traditional skills and excellent design. This year she curates the 30th edition of the preeminent graduate show New Designers. I got the low down on her role…

Rheanna Lingham photo by Karina Twiss
Rheanna Lingham, photography by Karina Twiss.

Why has New Designers been so instrumental in the careers of so many graduates? What did it do for you?
New Designers has been going for 30 years, which is a fantastic achievement. It has long established itself as the go-to show for the industry who are seeking out fresh creativity. The creative industries can be a little lazy and London-centric, so it’s an opportunity for all the other parts of the country to put themselves on show to a wider audience. One of the lovely things about New Designers is the things you see on the way round, we all have our own specialisms that we focus on, for me it’s jewellery, but take the long routes and a wander through the textiles can be so inspiring, you can just let your attention be grabbed. I apply this same rule to visiting the V&A, you are always guaranteed of uncovering a surprise like this.

Rheanna Lingham necklace.

For me New Designers was very successful: from the show I was selected to show at Galerie Marzee in Nijmegen, Holland as part of their International Graduate Show. Obviously, this was a fantastic opportunity, but really it was such a confidence boost to know that people were interested in my work. It’s very scary to leave university and keep up the momentum of your creative practice, so as many people cheering you along the way is the best kickstart.

Theo Adamson, Group Image – New Designers 2015 One Year On
Theo Adamson – New Designers 2015, One Year On

How has your work as co-founder of Luna & Curious informed your practice as a curator of design?
Having owned and run Luna & Curious for nine years now, we have sold a huge selection of designers, most of which we have found in the early part of their career, so I have picked up a thing or two about what sells, pricing, design etc. I also have been making and selling jewellery since 2005, my work has sold internationally, so I understand the whole spectrum, being a designer-maker, buyer, visual merchandiser and retailer. It’s one of those things where it is really hard to quantify experience, it’s generally a gut instinct that leads my decisions, however this is backed up with a knowledge gained over the years.

Robyn Hinchcliffe - Rugs - New Designers 2015 - One Year On (3)
Robyn Hinchcliffe – New Designers 2015, One Year On

What were you looking for in your choice of designers for this year’s One Year On show, and what has been the most enjoyable part of the process?
Good design is evident, but a good designer is something different, they must understand their product and its place in the market, they must be able to work to deadlines, sort production issues, market and retail their own work. This is a huge undertaking and involves much plate-spinning. The One Year On designers have all been brave enough to give this circus act a go and I want to support them all the way. As we get nearer the event, the excitement is building for all of us, and I can’t wait to be on the stand with all the designers, proud of what they have to show.

SO KLARA - Sample (2) - New Designers 2015 - One Year On
SO KLARA – New Designers 2015

How do you think we can better inform and support talented young designers to forge a valid career in the creative world? What is most missing from their current training?
I’m past being shocked by how little practical business skills are taught within university, most courses think there is an adequate provision for this, but they are falling vastly short. Students must learn how to cost and price their work, about mark-ups, securing an agent, even understanding how VAT works and the accounting requirements of being self-employed. There are amazing graduate mentoring schemes such as Hothouse from the Crafts Council and The Goldsmith’s Company Getting Started programme, which can really help support new designers. I had a year in industry which was such a fantastic experience, I learnt such a lot, mainly from listening in rather than direct advice.

Charlotte Beevor - Wallpaper - New Designers 2015 - One Year On
Charlotte Beevor, BDC New Designer of the Year New Designers 2014, Leeds...
Charlotte Beevor Silk Scarves – New Designers 2015, One Year On

What advice would you give those graduate designers now showing at New Designers, who are looking ahead and hoping to be featured in One Year On next year?
Listen… that’s my greatest bit of advice to designers. Too often we get sucked in to the performance of a show, that we must have all the answers and the spiel along with it. Those visiting New Designers are fully aware that the exhibitors are graduates, barely stepped on to their professional career paths, they want to have conversations with you, see what inspires you, learn about your practice and see how this can work with their own businesses. They too have been in your shoes and have much experience to share. Then take time to reflect on this and work out the best way of developing your creative process. Focus on one thing at a time.

Jake McCombe Jewellery - Bracelets & Pendants - New Designers 2015 - One...

Jake McCombe Jewellery – New Designers 2015, One Year On

How often do you find new talent at New Designers that is ready to go straight into your store? And can you tell us more about any of these discoveries?
As soon as I saw the work of Jake McCombe on the selection day, I knew it was perfect for Luna & Curious, we have been selling his chunky geometric jewellery in store since April and it’s going down fantastically. I have had some amazing conversations with designers at New Designers who haven’t quite got their product ready, and maybe two-three years on, we are now having the opportunity to discuss their products as potential items for us to stock.

Beth Lewis (Williams Ceramic Lighting), Towerblock 1 and Ramsgate - New ...

Beth Lewis-Williams Ceramic Lighting – New Designers 2015, One Year On

Middlesex University, where you trained, is closing it’s innovative and much loved jewellery course next year. Why do you think this has happened and how do you feel about the loss of a degree that has trained so many amazing designers?
Extremely saddened. I will also add that the fantastic Art Foundation course in Maidstone, at which I studied also closed last year, I had also been teaching on this for six years and I was made redundant. So within ten years of my graduation, both courses I studied on have now closed, and these were exceptionally good courses too, the level of teaching was superb.

I went to a talk by Christopher Frayling a few weeks back where he quoted a statistic that between 2007-2013 the number of higher education craft courses fell by 46%. These are expensive courses to run, they require demanding student-teacher ratios, they need workshops, technicians, space, the results are hard to quantify in terms of employment as most go on to self-employment which is not always the most lucrative. With the lack of apprenticeships, the problem is even more confounded, and yes I could get on my soapbox about this for sometime… it’s the combination of education and profit-making that will always jar.

Charlotte Beevor - Silk Scarf A - New Designers 2015 - One Year On
Charlotte Beevor Silk Scarves – New Designers 2015, One Year On

How is your own practice as a jeweller developing over the years, and what are you working on at the moment?
This year I have taken a bold step to put the pliers down and pause the jewellery making for a bit. Luna & Curious is growing with such speed, Polly, Kaoru and I are fully immersing ourselves into developing the shop. We have our own ranges of accessories, knitwear and homeware launching this year and we are expanding our womenswear and childrenswear considerably for AW15. I have never been able to do just one thing, so OYO has been keeping me really busy and was the perfect project after my teaching redundancy, I was sorely missing working with a creative group, so was thrilled to be asked to curate the show. Bubbling away on the back burner is a very personal project which I will launch later in the year, focusing on British rural folkore and customs, an ongoing obsession of mine.

The 30th edition of New Designers opens soon, make sure you get along to discover a plethora of talent from all areas of art and design (full info in my listing here). I am super excited that I have been asked to take over the New Designers instagram feed from both part 1 and part 2 of the shows, so watch out for my top finds on Sunday 28th June and Sunday 5th July. I can’t wait to see what’s in store this year!

Written by Amelia Gregory on Friday June 19th, 2015 2:46 pm

Categories ,30 Years, ,British rural folkore, ,Christopher Frayling, ,Crafts Council, ,Emma Dalzell, ,Galerie Marzee, ,Getting Started, ,Hothouse, ,interview, ,Jake McCombe, ,jewellery, ,Kaoru Parry, ,Karina Twiss, ,Luna & Curious, ,Maidstone, ,middlesex university, ,New Designers, ,One Year On, ,Polly George, ,Rheanna Lingham, ,The Goldsmith’s Company

Amelia’s Magazine | Power of Making at the V&A: exhibition review

Power of Making V&A 2011-Elaine Colbert
A hyperrealistic baby doll created by Elaine Colbert for ‘adoption’.

Yesterday I went along to check out the new Power of Making exhibition at the V&A Porter Gallery in conjunction with the Crafts Council, treatment which opens today. Curator Daniel Charny was on hand to give us a personal introduction, explaining that when putting together the show he looked for the best demonstration of knowledge for each skill on display. He aims to challenge preconceptions of what arts and craft can be, because ‘making is an active way of thinking‘ that needs to be better valued. Many of the objects on display demonstrate a strong link between science, technology and craft and he would love this relationship to be more widely recognised and utilised.

Here are some of the most interesting things I discovered.

Power of Making V&A 2011-david mach
King Silver Gorilla: made entirely from wire coat hangers by David Mach, this stunning sculpture greets visitors at the entrance to the exhibition.

Power of Making V&A 2011-David Kaleta
Lego frog dissection: David Kaleta‘s frog is very accurate, despite its unusual material construction.

Power of Making V&A 2011-Kathyrn Hinton
Digitally hammered silver bowls: Kathyrn Hinton‘s beautiful bowls are created at a distance that technology affords: a hammer hits a pad and the force of each blow on metal is recorded onscreen.

Power of Making V&A 2011-Michelle Wibowo
Marzipan and sugar baby: in an amazing burst of cake based creativity this hyperrealistic infant was made by Michelle Wibowo from edible ingredients.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Tuesday September 6th, 2011 12:48 pm

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