Author: Freya Ruane

“For me LCW is a gigantic and inspiring multi-event where I as a maker can share my work with a passionate audience who really looks, listens and sees.”   – Miriam Hanid

For December’s Maker in Focus interview, we spoke to artist and silversmith Miriam Hanid about her progression from 2D to 3D, how the essence of movement in water inspires her practice, and the value of craft in creating shared experiences.

Miriam exhibited at ‘Walpole’s Makers of the Exceptional’ during LCW 2018, a programme at Battersea Power Station celebrating a decade of makers across various disciplines demonstrating their skills and talking about their inspirations.

LCW: What is your background? What drew you to making?

MH: I began my journey into silversmithing at the age of four, when I often loved to paint and draw. One day I used the spiked end of a large umbrella to ‘engrave’ bold letters and curved shapes on to the hallway wall of our family home. I was pleased with my outpouring of self-expression but it was to be some years before I was to experiment with engraving again!

At school, I pursued my love of painting, and gradually moved towards a 3D approach by working in mixed media, adding collaged elements to oil paints, watercolours and oil pastels to produce textured pieces. On reflection, the bold colours and designs at this time in my life shaped the style of my current work and allowed me to more fully explore my creative approach.

My introduction to 3D work was through an A-level art project in which I created a triangular Art Nouveau-inspired lamp in leaded glass. I instinctively felt that 3D work was what I wanted to pursue and after my A-Levels I began studying for a degree in Three Dimensional Design (Metalwork and Jewellery) from the University College for the Creative Arts at Farnham, graduating in 2007.

LCW: How have you developed your career?

MH: While at Farnham I was introduced to chasing and repoussé and began working with large sheets of metal, approaching the pieces freely, as I would with a painting. From 2007 to 2008 I attended the Post-Graduate Training Course for Jewellers and Silversmiths at Bishopsland. This was a milestone on my creative path, and is where I developed the chasing, forming and engraving techniques that have since become my signatures. I have also undertaken specialist in-depth training with a number of highly experienced and skilled silversmiths including Malcolm Appleby, Rod Kelly, Ndidi Ekubia, Tony Bedford and Ray Walton.

I have been working as a professional silversmith since 2008, creating pieces for private clients and public commissions, including the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, Eton College, New College Oxford, The Victoria and Albert Museum and the National Museum of Wales. I have also won a number of awards at The Goldsmiths Craft and Design Awards.

In 2012 I was asked to produce an engraved silver band as part of a dressed walking stick that was presented to the Queen for her Diamond Jubilee.  In Kenya exactly sixty years earlier in 1952, my great-grandfather made two gifts for the Queen when she visited the country. I feel honoured to be part of a lineage of craftsmanship and engineering within my family.

LCW: Take us through your typical day…

MH: I wake up and meditate for 40mins to 1 hr, then write in my journal.

After breakfast, I go to the workshop and quickly plan out the work for the day, often using a list of my ‘big 3’ tasks. These could be anything from progressing and finishing a silver piece and posting it, ordering silver, sending designs to clients, updating my website pages, writing a mailout, preparing for the next big event, or writing content for my blog. I attend to emails as fast as possible then get on swiftly to silversmithing – I like to get stuck into the most important project in the morning when I have the most clarity and focus. After lunch which is often spent with my dog in the garden, I carry on with my project and often find it hard to pull myself away from my work to take the dog for a walk!. I always tidy my bench at the end of the day, even just into an organised mess rather than putting everything away, as I still may be working on the project for the next few days or weeks. Coming into at least a partly organised workspace helps my mind stay clear the next day. I maintain focus by putting any half-finished pieces away so they are out of sight while I’m concentrating on my ‘Big 3’. By having just 3 fairly substantial tasks on my list for the day, if I accomplish more I leave with a feeling of great satisfaction, but if I tick all 3 jobs off my list, I still leave the workshop feeling great about my progress and ready for rest.

LCW: Where do you draw inspiration from in the creation of your work?

MH: The essence of movement in water is the main inspiration for my work.

I feel that it is synonymous with love in all its physical and metaphorical representations. In water there is an endless, never repeating range of forms and patterns, each with its own unique and intricate beauty, giving me an infinite visual language with which to express my ideas.

Water makes up life – it flows throughout nature and is part of all living things. For me, this also represents divine love, all-permeating and free-flowing among beings and the other boundless possibilities of life.

These ideas manifest themselves in visual themes that relate to nature such as the waves, ripples and reflections found in water, layers of sedimentary rock, and the subtleties of texture and pattern found in wood grain, snowflakes and frost.

LCW: What role does craft and making have in society?

MH: There are of course many facets to this important role! One thing which springs to mind is that craft and making can bring people from many walks of life together in a shared experience – whether of buying, making, listening to a talk or visiting an exhibition – an inspiring shared experience.

LCW: How long does it take for someone to really build confidence in their craft?

MH: However long they decide to take to build their own confidence! I like the phrases ‘hard work in any area always brings results’, and ‘where attention goes, energy flows’!

LCW: If you were a type of biscuit what type would you be?

MH: Quadruple Chocolate Cookie – no nonsense.

LCW: What’s one thing you would most like to own?

MH: A lake or woodland – even if only for this life – and the necessary resources to maintain and look after them, hopefully improving them over time!

LCW: What are the positives/negatives about being a craftsperson today?

MH: Positives are: being my own boss, using my own intuition and guidance on what direction to take at any given moment, choosing how much or little to invest in my greatest asset – myself. Being able to take time off when I want to, and being the experiment, the experimenter, and the result of that experiment all at once!

LCW: Do you have someone that you idolize? Craftsperson or otherwise.

MH: I don’t idolize anyone, but there are many people with great skills which I admire – such as the unique and intriguing engraving of Malcolm Appleby.

LCW: What is craft to you? What does it represent?

MH: Observing, making, infusing, playing, meeting and reaping. Not necessarily in that order and not all have to be present!

Discover more at www.miriamhanid.com

For our November Maker in Focus interview, we spoke to the Ceramicist Sasha Wardell about her shift from Graphic Design to Ceramics, how maintaining her French language skills led to a defining moment in her practice, and how Craft works to preserve our culture and heritage.

Sasha demonstrated her craft alongside the ‘Echoes of Process’ exhibition at Contemporary Applied Arts during LCW 2018.

LCW: What is your background?

SW: Life’s habit of twists and turns means the direction one sets out in is quite often not the one originally intended!

This can definitely be applied to my career when I reflect on its events. The first ‘what if’ being a sharp U-turn whilst studying for A-levels – I had very clearly imagined myself studying languages with the very vague notion of being a bi-lingual secretary and doing something ‘exciting’ like a simultaneous translator for the European Parliament.

However, when our art teacher retired halfway through the course and a new and inspirational tutor, named Terry Sladden, took over a whole new world opened up as he introduced me to the, previously unheard of world of art schools, foundation and even degree courses!

LCW: What drew you to the medium of ceramics?

SW: During that first year of a graphics degree course at Bath Academy of Art in the mid-70’s I gradually realised I was on the ‘wrong’ course, albeit in the ‘right’ place and at the ‘right’ time, so asked for a transfer into the ceramics course. I had the good fortune to be there whilst another eminent tutor, John Colbeck, was the head of department and so another direction ensued.

Whilst settling in quite happily to the ceramics world I was tempted by the opportunity to do an Erasmus exchange scheme to France in my second year.

In retrospect, I guess I didn’t want to let go of languages completely so the prospect of combining French and ceramics appealed. This was a seminal moment and a classic case of ‘what if’ I hadn’t made that decision for it clearly defined the way I work now and most certainly contributed to later lifestyle decisions.

The period spent at the Ecole Nationale des Arts Décoratifs in Limoges introduced me to the fascinating world of industrial ceramics and hard-paste porcelain. It entirely suited my way of working where up until then had been a struggle combining both form and decoration unsuccessfully. The precision required to turn and carve plaster, coupled with mould making challenges and traditional surface treatments, seemed to answer my questions as well as suit my personality.

LCW: Take us through your typical day…

SW: If I am running a course then a typical day is spent in the workshop in France teaching four students how to work with plaster through mould making and slip casting bone china. Otherwise, I will be working on my own production fulfilling orders/commissions and attempting to create new work….!

LCW: How long does it take for someone to really build confidence in their craft?

SW: Personally I think it is a lifelong journey to really build confidence in one’s chosen craft.

LCW: What are the positives/negatives about being a craftsperson?

SW: The positive aspect of being a self-employed craftsperson equates to freedom although the downside of this is, inevitably, a certain degree of financial insecurity!

LCW: What role does craft and making have in society?

SW: I feel that craft, and the role it plays in society, is a hugely important one which represents our culture and heritage by preserving traditional knowledge, skills and talents whilst, at the same time, constantly updating them.

LCW: Do you have someone that you idolize? Craftsperson or otherwise.

SW: I wouldn’t say I ‘idolise’ these people but I have a huge amount of respect for Bodil Manz, a Danish ceramicist, whose paper-thin porcelain pieces have always been an inspiration for me, as has Andreas Steinemann, from Switzerland, who demonstrates extraordinary technical feats with mould making and porcelain.

LCW: What’s one thing you would most like to own?

SW: If possible I would like to own two very different things – a brand new Rohde kiln and a horse again!

 

For October’s Maker in Focus interview, we spoke to the multidisciplinary maker Simone Brewster about her creative journey through the mediums of Architecture, Product Design, and Jewellery, about finding her voice as a craftsperson, and how her four cultural heroes have affected her outlook and practice.

Simone was part of a panel of makers discussing ‘Diversity in Craft’, for the Design Museum and Loewe Foundation’s talk series Craft Conversations during LCW 2018. Silversmith Ndidi Ekubia and Gallerist and porcelain manufacturer Peter Ting were also part of the conversation, which was chaired by the Crafts Council’s Director Rosy Greenlees.

Image by Simone Brewster

LCW: What is your background?

SB: My background is pretty diverse and may be a key indicator in why my work touches on many subjects. Educationally, I began in architecture. I was quite young when I went off to study at the Bartlett, but I think it was an amazingly grounding preparation for a professional life and the realities of the creative world. I didn’t have as much fun as I would have liked though, so I did a Masters at the Royal College of Art, which would give me a hands-on opportunity to continue my growing passion for making and materials. During my time there I would always sneak off to other departments.

I remember having tutorials with people in the jewellery department and the guys in vehicle design teaching me how to sculpt and mould. It started a love affair with design and creation that hasn’t really stopped. However, my educational background is only one aspect. I am also a born and bred Londoner, with Caribbean heritage. I’ve grown up with a rich and diverse cultural exposure and cross-culture appreciation that has been a constant source of personal inspiration.

LCW: What drew you to create such a variety of work, spanning both discipline and materials?

SB: My work is an expression of myself and my curiosity. I think there’s an obsession with creative disciplines, which can actually be limiting to the artist. When I started making work, I considered it a form of play and a conversation with my surrounding world. I let my awareness and natural interest be my rudder through a journey of expression leading me through from architecture, product design and across to jewellery.

I did not feel inhibited manifesting my ideas regardless of discipline. This meant that making furniture and making jewellery was equally as inspiring and interesting to me. Any creative process is a personal journey and the cross-disciplinary work I produce, is one that many creatives probably don’t feel the pull to explore, otherwise I believe you would see it more frequently. On the other hand, I would say that for me the idea of receiving a “title” is a daunting prospect. Our societal habit of labelling can close as many doors as it opens and maybe this has something to do with why I continue to walk down different creative avenues.

LCW: How have you developed your career? Was there a pivotal moment that drew you to craft?

SB: I’ve always thought of my career as an organic weird shaped thing that grows in unexpected ways with many off-shoots. Craft is just one of those branches. I really didn’t have a master plan when I started working.

I actually never wanted to be an independent creative. I always just wanted a simple job that would make me happy. What happened was my work was louder than my intentions, the work had a larger voice, which called people to ask for me to make more work and so it began.

I ended up making work as evidence of my skills, my creative approach and my capacity to think. I still feel like it’s a very tenuous thread.

My creative voice has been called unique (though I personally veer away from that word), though many people have talent. Finding your path to a career is very different from finding your voice as a creative. It’s the difference between being able to spell and being able to write and then being able to reach your audience with your books. I’m still figuring out how to reach my audience and I’m still training my voice, so I think this strand of my career is still in its early stages.

Image by Kevin C Moore

LCW: Take us through your typical day…

SB: It’s quite straightforward really. I wake up at around 5.30am. I eat something light and basic. I go to work, I come home. I have a tiny studio space that I’m actually neglecting. I’m learning how to stone carve. I am in what could be called a ‘pupal’ phase. I’m changing and rebuilding on the inside, asking different questions about the work I make, where it sits and the intention I have with it.  I’m also spending a lot of time on paper. In a strange way, I began on paper, even prior to the architecture I drew. It’s actually what brought me to that field. Now I spend time on paper far more than in the past, before moving on to three-dimensional forms and I spend time in the digital phase too.

Each stage has a place and a limitation, but the older I get, I find that I need balance to keep me from burning out and to maintain some level of perspective on life. For this, I spend my evenings climbing, which is one of the best forms of active meditation I’ve found to date.

LCW: Where do you draw inspiration from in the creation of your work?

SB: Inspiration is play. I think of my mind like a Michelin chef’s kitchen cabinet. I want to collect as many different ingredients and exotic recipes as possible. Then when I’m ready I’ll put them in a pot and play with them.

Being inspired is truly the easiest part of being a creative and in some ways we weigh too much on this. I am from London. I am surrounded by history and culture. I’m from the Caribbean and from England, where there is such a rich visual and creative culture. It’s easy to be inspired by walking in nature, listening to music let alone the obvious ones we are taught, going to museums, looking at the work of others.

The real question is what do you do when you’re not inspired? How do you keep going when it’s hard or when you don’t have the funds, or you can’t see the rainbow through the current storm you are passing through? I think that resilience and consistency are far more important ingredients than inspiration. It’s actually these ingredients that will carry you through to the next level of your creativity and your career.

LCW: What role does craft and making have in society?

SB: So much of historical culture has grown out of our relationship to our surroundings and how we transform those natural materials into objects of enjoyment. Wood to bowls, metal to tools and adornment. I think there’s something very instinctual about craft and as we move into a more digitised age, craft can play a great role in reminding us of the tactile and personal, the real and the quiet. It can remind us of our ability to transform ourselves and hone our focus and our minds through the act of making, designing and creating. It is not immediate. It is cumulative. It is constant. It repays those who have the vision to commit to a path. I think that society is waking up to this more and more and appreciating this, which is why we see the rise of “craft” beer and the success of Bake Off on TV. We are realising that regardless of what we make with our hands, the act of making with skill or the desire to hone skill is important and worthy of the word craft. Through the act of craft we forge our minds.

Image by Luke Andrew Walker

LCW: How long does it take for someone to really build confidence in their craft?

SB: I think that’s a personal question and it really depends on what people aim to achieve with the act of making. For me, it’s an exploration far more than a desire to be the best, which is why I suppose I feel free to explore different disciplines. However, I do feel that I liberate myself from that pressure by coming from a design background. Ideas are paramount to me.

Maybe that’s the answer to the question, I have far more confidence in my ideas than my ability to make. For me, this isn’t a problem. I am happy to work with other makers and learn from them when I can. The idea comes first.

LCW: Life on a deserted island or life without dessert?

SB: My sisters make amazing cakes, so I guess life without dessert would mean life without my sisters, which would be much like living on a deserted island, so I guess I’m at a stalemate.

LCW: What are the positives/negatives about being a craftsperson?

SB: The positive about being a craftsperson is that you develop a relationship with a form of self-expression that’s personal. Often you also take on part of a heritage and lineage that has existed and developed through the evolution of our societies.

The negatives of this journey are, that those outside of the craft world don’t actually understand the time and skill, which goes into making…anything. Dedicating yourself to making things is not just the cost of the workshop, the materials and the tools. It’s the endless hours you go into “skilling” yourself. Into making the perfect joint, the seamless solder, the clean weld. It’s learning how to predict a material, how to bring forth the best in the material and ourselves.

Craftspeople are so regularly undermined. After spending years acquiring the skills and tools, renting spaces in cities and towns, we often get asked why our work is so expensive. People forget the time that goes into making, the cost of materials and the personal investment. When we live in a world where you can buy cheap products imported from other parts of the world, the product of cheap or underpaid labour, the question of value and where we place ours as individuals and as a society comes into play. We begin to see that we have so much more to learn about the reality that goes into making all of our possessions.

Image by Kevin C Moore​

LCW: Do you have someone that you idolize? Craftsperson or otherwise.

SB: Idolize is a heavy word. I think it moves people away from the realm of reality and that’s not healthy. However, in a recent exercise, I was doing with Patricia Van Den Akker from The Design Trust, I was asked to identify four heroes I looked up to and identify the qualities which drew me to them. The list I came up with made me rethink the dialogue of my practice. The four names that I chose were Louise Bourgeois, Jamie Hayon, Chris Ofili and Akala.

Bourgeois represented longevity and career. This woman worked a lifetime, most of which without recognition, but kept going because of her passion. When people think about careers they don’t often think about one spanning till the age of 99.

I greatly admire Hayon’s creative expression, design quality and confidence to bring forth a personal vision. I also love that as a designer he focuses on working with dying craft industries in Spain. His projects aim to rethink and revive craft through design. A job we are now constantly being faced with to keep craft industries alive.

Chris Ofili represented purpose. After reading his opinion on why to make work and him saying “When I left the Royal College, I decided I would only make paintings that I would want to look at myself, that felt close to my life.” I too went to The Royal College and on reflection, felt my work was not speaking with a unique voice yet. I decided to try and bring forth work that I believe has a new flavour or perspective. But to do that you need courage – which brings me to the final name Akala.

For me, Akala represented integrity and courage. I admire his ability to articulate his position. I appreciate his ability to craft knowledge and use it to empower and educate others. I want my work to speak to others and empower them. I want my work to give voice to other concepts of beauty and value. I want my work to have integrity. I want it to represent craft and I intend to have a career that spans until 99.

LCW: What is Craft to you? What does it represent?

SB: Craft is the vessel through which I carry my ideas and my perspective into the world and share it with people. On a less philosophical angle, it’s fun. I believe everyone should make something and that craft and the potential and value of craft, the desire to skillfully make, is only just being understood in our society.

To kick off our new series Maker in Focus, we spoke to LCW 2018 participating maker Adi Toch about her love of metal; why craft is a tool for problem-solving, and how she could have chosen science instead.

‘Echoes of Process’, Adi’s solo exhibition and masterclass at Contemporary Applied Arts was featured as part of the LCW 2018 programme. The exhibition and masterclass explored Adi’s reflections on the remnants of making. The event also featured demonstrations by Ceramicist Sasha Wardell and a meet the maker session with glass artist Angela Thwaites.

LCW: What is your background?

AT: I was born in Jerusalem, graduated BA Metalwork from Bezalel Academy of Arts in Jerusalem and moved to London in 2007 to study for an MA at The Cass. I never planned to stay but one thing led to another and London became my home.

LCW: What drew you to silversmithing?

AT: I worked as an apprentice to a jeweller when I was 14 and fell in love with metal, captivated by the alchemy of turning solid into liquid and by the process of forming metal. It is such a communicative material – metal is perceived as ridged but in fact, it is very malleable.

Each metal has a different character and my favourite is probably silver. I enjoy the dialogue with silver, it is like a close friend – I like the way it behaves and the way it moves. I am interested in its ability to change appearance through different finishes: silver could be pristine white almost like porcelain, or become highly reflective when polished, and blend in with its environment. It is also possible to colour and patinate silver, which gives it a more ambiguous impression. (patina is a surface layer created by chemical reaction).

LCW: How have you developed your career?

AT: I started exhibiting my work soon after completing my MA in 2009. I was fortunate to get early recognition by The Goldsmiths’ Company, The Crafts Council, CAA Gallery. The first museum acquisition was by The Fitzwilliam Museum, about two years after my graduation, and since then my work was purchased for a number of collections including The V&A, National Museums Scotland and National Museum of Wales. Teaching is also an integral part of my career and consequently, I speak regularly and run workshops nationally and internationally.

LCW: Where do you draw inspiration from in the creation of your work?

AT: Inspiration comes from looking around me, observing how people use or interact with objects. I have a deep interest in vessels and containers and the way they form our perception through the division between inside and outside. I’m also intrigued by abnormality of forms, things that are not quite right.

Historical objects inspire me too, handling sessions in museums are a great source of inspiration. And finally, making inspires more making – often when I’m halfway through a project I already have an idea for the next one.

LCW: What role does craft and making have in society?

AT: Craft and crafted objects teach us about history and about material culture. Making is all about problem-solving and it is a great tool for understanding the world from a young age. Creativity is crucial in any path that one chooses to take in life.

LCW: How long does it take for someone to really build confidence in their craft?

AT: It really depends… but I can say that learning and trying new things should never stop.

LCW: If you weren’t a silversmith what would you be?

AT: Maybe a scientist? My main subjects in high school were biology, chemistry, physics. It was a toss-up between biology and metalwork and I eventually decided to study metalwork at Bezalel Academy of Arts (in Jerusalem).

LCW: Has your interest in science influence your work?

AT: Yes there is a connection to science in my work – the alchemy of metal and the exploration of materials, finishes, forms.

LCW: What’s one thing you would most like to own?

AT: I never really thought about this – I’m mostly into making things rather than owning things

LCW: What is craft to you? What does it represent?

AT: It is a way of communication. And there is something quite addictive about making.

See more of Adi’s work and keep up to date with her upcoming exhibitions at her website: http://aditoch.com/

 

London Craft Week 2018 may be over, but there is still time to enjoy some fantastic exhibitions and events across London, in case you missed them before.

• Ordinary Rituals Exhibition at SCP – until 24 May
• Cabinet of Curiosities II at jaggedart – until 25 May
• Mun•Bang•Sa•U – The Friends of the Scholar at the Korean Cultural Centre UK– until 26 May
• Wearable Glass in Collaboration with the National Glass Centre at Studio Fusion Gallery – until 26 May
• Purity and Decadence: Contemporary Czech Jewellery Exhibit Commissioned by the Czech Centre London at Gallery SO – until 27 May
• Venetia Berry In-Store Ceramics Exhibition at Modern Society – until 30 May
• The Goldsmith’s Company Curate a Showcase of Jewellery and Silver Objects at Fortnum & Masons– until June.
• Johnson Tiles and The British Ceramics Biennial present (UN)WOVEN by Tana West at the Material Lab – on until 7 June
• On the Way to Language: An Exhibition at Camberwell College of Arts – until 8 June
• Echoes of Process by Metalsmith Adi Toch at CAA – until 9 June
• MADEINBRITALY Host Superimposition Exhibit by Studio Furthermore – until 15 June
• LOEWE Craft Prize Exhibition at the Design Museum – until 17 June
• London College of Fashion presents Footnotes: Intimate Stories of Shoes at Sutton House, supported by the National Arts Trust– until July 2018.
• How to Build a Goldsmith at the Goldsmith’s Centre – until 3 July
• OMA Space Displays their Spring Summer Collection at Livingstone Studio – until 25 July
• Colourful Minds: Illustration & Pattern for the Home at The New Craftsmen– until 8 September
• V&A Lustrous Surfaces Exhibition– until 16 September
• Myth and Mortality: the Fairy-tale World of Caroline Smit at the V&A – until 30 September
• Sublime Symmetry – Celebrating William De Morgan at Guildhall Art Gallery– until 28 October
• The Lettering Arts Trust presents An Elixir of Letters at Chelsea Physic Garden – until 31 October

Also, on 9 June – for one day only, you can attend a ceramic globe-making workshop with Loraine Rutt of Little Globe Co. Check details here.

 

Now in its fourth year, London Craft Week (9-13 May) is back, bigger and better than ever with over 230 events planned this year. Celebrating, as LCW chairman Guy Salter puts it, “Imagination, individuality, passion, knowledge and skill”, this is a week devoted to exceptional craftsmanship from all over the world. This is a chance to not only peek inside the studios of the famous or snoop behind the scenes at some great British brands, but also to be introduced to independent makers, little-known crafters and global artisans. And even more exciting, there’s many an opportunity to have a go yourself with all the great workshops in the programme: have a play under the supervision of a master maker and then take home your made-it-yourself creation afterwards. After all, DIY is the fast-track to appreciation of just how talented the professionals really are. Herewith then my top 22 picks of the entire week divided by location. Click links to book any item. And the entire 2018 programme can be found online at London Craft Week.

Central London

1 Hole & Corner magazine, dedicated to “celebrating and promoting creativity, craftsmanship and heritage through digital, print and events”, teams up with dunhill to present a series of workshops and discussions from leather makers to tailors, glass artists and more. So combine a snoop around Bourdon House, Dunhill’s HQ, with some erudition — there’s even a screening room and a café! Thursday 10th to Sunday 12th. 10-7pm. Free entry. Home of Craftsmanship.

2 Make like a celebrity, or a minor royal, and hunker down for an evening soirée at 5 Hertford Street, the usually super-secretive private member’s club, to learn about handmade board games from the likes of Pickett London, Alexandra Llewellyn and Simpson London. After all, staying in to play a round of checkers is absolutely the in thing to do these days; and besides you might bump into Harry Styles on the stairs. Evening hosted by journalist Caroline Roux. Wednesday 9th May, 7-10.30pm. £22. Booking essential. Evening of Bespoke Board Games

3 Florence Balducci, she of the whimsical black and white illustrations and longtime collaborator with Anthropologie, not only has her latest homewares collection out on view at the brand’s flagship Regent Street store, but she’ll also sketch a portrait of you onto a handmade Japanese Wasara paper plate and you can take it home! 12 places only. 20 minute slot. £10. Friday 11 May 10-12pm and 3-5pm. Booking essential. Meet the Maker: Florence Balducci at Anthropologie

4 Wood worker extraordinaire Sebastian Cox presents ‘Balance‘, a series of sculptures cum mobiles that interweave woodwork and flora, all set within the Bamford store on South Audley Street to “create a sense of well-being and calm”. Wednesday 9th to Saturday 12th. 10.30am -6pm. Free entry.

5 You can never have too many cushions or scented candles, and Cire Trudon make some of the most delectable of the latter. Seeing as they’ve been going for some 400 years, they also know a fair bit about their craft, so a chance to hear CEO Julien Pruvost spill some of its secrets is a must. You can also claim your ticket price back against some shopping afterwards. Seriously win/win. Wednesday 9th May, 6-9pm. 25 places only, booking essential. Maison Trudon: 400 Years in the Making

6 Genevieve Bennett weaves, braids, cuts, crafts and sculpts leather into one of a kind wall art and home furnishings and accessories.  And now you can get up close and personal to see exactly how she does it at another luxury private member’s club, Home House. Wednesday 9th May, 7-9pm. 20 places only, £30. Booking essential. Genevieve Bennett at Home House.

7 Along with cushions and candles, you can also never have too many pots, especially traditional Korean ceramics and lacquerware. I know less about its native embroidery though, so this exhibition is a chance to see all three of the country’s celebrated crafts in one go. Plus, you can watch a Korean tea ceremony and taste a cup or three too. Exhibition: 9-12 May, 11-6pm, free entry. Tea Ceremony: Saturday 12 May, 12-4pm. 50 places, £3 each, first come first served! A Trio of Korean Crafts at the Han Collection.

8 A while back, Liberty London launched a genius initiative to find untapped design talent right here in the UK: LibertyOpenCall. Loads of people entered (basically any maker who wanted a shot at being stocked in the store could send in an entry!) and the finalists and winners are now on show. Wednesday 9th to Saturday 12 May, 10-8pm; Sunday 13th May, 11.30am – 6pm. LibertyOpenCall

9 Canapés, ceramics and conversation, what more could you want! Well how about Roux scholar Dan Cox cooking and chatting about the importance of all things “at the table” and his brand new online portal, The Room Service, where you’ll be able to find all sorts of wondrous linens and tableware as seen in many a fine hotel or design-led eatery. Oh and it’s all going on in the Plain English showroom on Blandford Street, Wednesday 9th May, 6-8pm. 20 places, £15, booking essential via hello@theroomservice.co

10 The Yunus Emre Institute was opened in London in 2010, its mission to promote the history, culture and language of Turkey. Named after a famous 14th Century Turkish poet, the institute also houses an extensive library and regularly holds classes and events to teach people Turkey’s traditional crafts. For London Craft Week then, you can make and learn absolutely everything you might care to know about Iznik tiles from master tilesman Ayse Özkan, from the stories behind the patterns to the intricacies of glazes to needling. Varied times. Booking required. £7 per workshop. Make a Turkish Iznik Tile

East London

11 Two things I didn’t know, 1. that ‘Couture Sellier’ is what you call traditional hand-stitching on leather, and 2. the Swedish brand Laperruque, who make “artisanal, minimal, timeless leather goods with a focus on functionality and refined detail”. And you can find out more about both by hot-footing it along to the Ace Hotel in Shoreditch, as well as getting the chance to practice a whole bunch of other special leather-meister wizardry on an unfinished cardholder that you get to keep afterwards. Thursday 10 May, 2-3.30pm; 5-6.30pm. 8 places per workshop, booking required. Free! Lapperruque at The Ace Hotel

12 Do you need an excuse to visit the Nobu Hotel in Shoreditch? Well just in case, during Craft Week it’s home to an exhibition of ‘Japanese creativity and Making from Kyoto’. Think rare silks, ceramics for tea, and Japanese cuisine from the ancient capital of Japan. Free entry. Varied times. And if you pop along on Wednesday 10th May, 5.30-7.30pm, you could also join Origami artist Michael Trew, for ‘The Art of Origami’and learn how to make a fabulous folded swan for starters I’m sure. I’m channelling the origami guy from Blade Runner already, remember him? £20 fee includes cocktails! Booking required.

13 I’ve always admired the work of ceramicist and designer Reiko Kaneko, so a chance to meet her and understand her work at SCP is a must, and if you head there on Saturday or Sunday(11-12pm or 2-3pm) you could also catch some live pot throwing courtesy of Steve Harold who hand-makes Reiko’s Terracotta collection. Free. No booking required. House of Ceramics at SCP.

West London

14 Living in Brighton as I do, I’ve always thought that the Georgian period (Regency too!) was by far one of England’s most elegant architectural eras, but what of its kitchens? Find out what a Georgian-inspired kitchen might entail by joining Christopher Howe of Howe London and Merlin Wright, Creative Director at Plain English to find out why they got together to create one in the basement of the Howe showroom. There’s also cake to eat. And new home accessories to buy. Pop in Wednesday 9th to Saturday 12th, 12pm – 6pm (4.30pm on Saturday). Or join the talk on Thursday 10 May at 10.30am. 20 places, £10. Booking required. Howe London

15 Did you know that Soane Britain own the last remaining rattan weaving workshop in Britain! No, neither did I. And seeing as I’m predicting that rattan is going to make a massive comeback, they’d better hang onto it and get training up some extra apprentices pronto! In the interim, check out their latest woven lighting collection, see how its done, and find out more about this incredible material. Thursday 10 May, 10-5pm for demonstrations. 12pm for the talk. Free to attend. Weaving Rattan Lighting, Soane Britain.

16 Deyan Sudjic, former editor of Blueprint and Domus, author of many a book, and now Director of the Design Museum is terribly smart and clever, so an opportunity to hear him debate ‘The New Ethics of Craft’ with Jonathan Andersen, Creative Director of Loewe, is bound to be interesting. Friday 11th May, 1-2pm. 150 places, tickets from £12. Craft Conversations, The Design Museum.

17 Ohhh, get thee to Petersham Nurseries, and using its plants and flowers, you could learn to dye your own apron. Get fancy with flower printing, stencilling, and hand-painting all under the watchful eye of the normally Florence-based La Sierra MK Textile Atelier. Saturday 12 May, 10.30am-12.30pm. 18 places, £70. Booking required. Stencilling with Nature, Petersham Nurseries.

18 In Japanese, there is a term called ‘mottainai’, or ‘waste nothing’. It is the core value of Boro (Japanese indigo patchwork), the practice of mending or patching textiles. Want to know more, then nip along to Toast on Westbourne Grove on Friday 11 May, free workshops on the hour, every hour from 2-6pm. Booking required. The Art of Boro at Toast.

North London

19 Tom Dixon has opened a new small batch manufacturing workshop in North London, so needs must take a look. His spaces always have an amazing energy to them, as if you’re right there at the coalface of genius, which you often are, quite frankly, and funnily enough, the space is actually called The Coal Office. The Factory by Tom Dixon.Free entry but limited to 50 places. Thursday 10 May, 6-8pm.

South London

20 The Craft of Letterpress is a wonder indeed, and Alan Kitching has a historic collection of blocks, which he uses to create art accordingly. Senak a peek around his studio and listen to the man himself explain all. Alan Kitching: A life in Letterpress. Open Studio Saturday 12 May, 10.30am -4pm. Talk Saturday 12 May 11-12pm. Booking required.

21 When I interviewed Fine Cell Work founder Katy Emckin March for Liberty London, I was stunned at the wonderful work this charity does, from the actual stitching and embroidery to most significantly the multi-faceted rehabilitation of the prisoners who do the work. Think it looks easy? Then sign up for this beginner’s workshop to learn how to make a cushion. Fine Cell Work. Saturday 12 May, 10am -4pm. 10 places, £80. Booking required.

22 Kintsugi is the Japanese art of using gold seams to breathe new life into broken ceramics. How amazing then to have the chance to learn how to do it in a workshop with Iku Nishikawa at the design shop Wagumi in London’s Oxo Tower. Thursday 10th and Sunday 13 May, 11.30-1pm; 2-3.30pm; 4.30-6pm. 3 places per workshop, £30. Booking required. The Art of Repair: Kintsugi at Wagumi.

 

We are thrilled to have Northacre’s CEO,  Niccolò Barattieri di San Pietro, select the events he most looks forward to this London Craft Week.

The Art of Bespoke in Savile Row: A Pop-Up Showroom

There’s nothing quite like the feeling of wearing your first tailored suit, and I’m intrigued to learn more about the process behind a product so personal. Today, luxury is all about offering the bespoke, a tailored experience, and this is something that we endeavour to achieve when crafting living experiences for our clients.

1920s-Inspired Fragrance Workshop at Floris

Scent is completely personal, and can carry a diversity of associations and memories for every individual. I’m fascinated to find out more about how art, culture or even architecture, can inspire a fragrance.

The Relevance of Traditional Methods in Modern Interiors with Rupert Bevan & Company

Keeping traditional skills and techniques alive is something we have valued at Northacre over the last 30 years, and I’m eager to compare how Rupert Bevan & Company reinterpret these traditional methods through the art of furniture making.

Experiential Retail: How Luxury Brands bring Sensory Appeal to their Clients

With the ease of online shopping threatening the retail industry, simply providing a luxury product is not enough anymore. Clients want an experience to reinforce their purchase, and this is what we continue to create in our developments.  A living experience that is utterly unique to London, whether that’s being the only residential property overlooking Buckingham Palace or offering apartments with unrivalled views of Westminster’s historic landmarks. With a variety of retail units available in our latest development, The Broadway, it will be valuable to find out how luxury brands are responding to this consumer trend.

Johnny Coca, Creative Director of Mulberry, makes his selection of highlights from the London Craft Week 2018 Programme.  See his entire list of unmissable LCW events.

Mulberry: Celebrating a Passion for Making 

“Visit our New Bond Street on Friday and Saturday to meet one of craftsmen and discover our limited-edition Amberley Hobo bag, created in celebration of craft”.

Innovation Through Tradition at the Michael Hoppen Gallery 

“This series of installations brings two subjects that have now inspired me for years into one space and line of thought. I am intrigued by how punk and craft can intersect, which is why I won’t be missing this show by Le Kilt and NORN.”

The Flipside at Selfridges 

“The concept of what luxury could look like in 100 years completely draws me in. Not to mention the performances by Benoit Swan Pouffer’s dance company and the opportunity to discover the sensory experiments of  Mr Lyan – all in this beautifully-conceived industrial space.”

Leather – Then and Now at the Leathersellers’ Hall 

“Every day in my job I am reminded how remarkable leather is; ‘Then and Now’ celebrates this, bringing unique and historical leather art pieces from the National Leather Collection in Northampton to the capital – something which Londoners, like myself, would never normally have the opportunity to see.”

The beauty of craft is that it spans multiple disciplines. 

Feature by Anya at Zetteler

Scottish designer Samantha McCoach founded fashion brand Le Kilt in 2014 with the vision to modernise her family’s traditional kilt-making heritage. Samatha’s grandmother has been a traditional kilt maker for 40 years and throughout her teenage years, Samantha would often sit and watch her grandmother perfect her craft.

Le Kilt strives to modernise traditional kilt-making processes yet craftsmanship remains central to its practice. “Our dedication to craft is a very purposeful attempt at helping people understand the work and time that goes into making clothing,” says Samantha.

For London Craft Week 2018, the brand is joining forces with experimental design consultancy NORN to host an exhibition exploring the re-appropriation of traditional materials through craftsmanship. A selection of ephemera that informs the luxury brand has been hand-picked for inclusion in the exhibition and will be displayed alongside items that illustrate both modern and traditional craft techniques.

Ahead of London Craft Week in May, Zetteler caught up with Samantha to find out more about Le Kilt and the importance of craftsmanship in fashion.

You founded Le Kilt with the vision of modernising traditional kilt-making. Why did it need modernising? 

We believe it is really important to safeguard the future of our shared heritage. These traditional crafts often have their foundation in local communities therefore by championing these unique skills we are also supporting individuals from a grassroots level.

How are you modernising kilt-making?

We want to take all the traditional aspects of kilt-making and incorporate it into a modern woman’s wardrobe. Le Kilt’s collection extends beyond kilts to include knitwear, denim, accessories and footwear. By considering its place amongst these other garments, we feel it firmly establishes the kilt as a key essential. Who we work with is also an important part of our brand story – we like to think of it as our ‘Family Tree”. By using the brand as a platform to educate people about our manufacturers and suppliers, we are spreading awareness to a modern audience.

Kiltmaking is part of your family heritage. Can you tell us a little about your family’s history as traditional kilt makers and why it was important that you continue furthering this heritage?

My grandmother was a kilt-maker in Scotland for over 40 years. She moved over from Italy in her late teens and got a job working for John Morrison, a well-known kilt company on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. The very first Le Kilt was made from a piece of Black Watch tartan found in a drawer, which was gifted to her by her former boss 30 years prior.

As a fashion brand, why is it important to be involved in the craft industry? Do you see Le Kilt as a fusion of craft and fashion?

We think it is important to draw parallels between craft and fashion to remind people of its importance, particularly in the age of fast fashion. As a small brand, we find it impossible to compete with the high street, and our dedication to craft is a very purposeful attempt at helping people understand the work and time that goes into making clothing.

Your London Craft Week event explores the reappropriation of traditional materials through craftsmanship. Can you tell me about this need for material innovation and re-appropriating in the current fashion landscape? 

By using traditional materials and techniques in an innovative way, it gives garments a degree of value and also builds a personal connection with the wearer. This is something that is often lost when consumers think of clothing as disposable.

Tell us about the collaboration with NORN, why are you a good match? 

We worked with NORN on the development of our International Woolmark Prize collection. We think that their approach to weaving, a traditional practice, using unconventional materials and techniques is something truly innovative and exciting. We shared very similar values and wanted to further explore new ways of working together.

The event also explores punk subculture. To what extent is tartan’s identity still intertwined with punk subculture?

Tartan will always be synonymous with punk. The punk movement itself was about subverting tradition as a statement. We always incorporate an element of this into our garments. For example, for AW18 we have been unravelling classic tartans and weaving the yarns into patches in our own nod to punk.

For more information, or to read the full press release see here.