/// MY WORKBENCH, WHAT IT IS AND HOW ITS EVOLVED OVER THE YEARS ///

My recent upgrade made me think about the benches I’ve had over the years - a bench is where jewellers and silversmiths do most of their work.

It usually has a semi circle cut out, and a “bench peg” secured in the middle. This is where the sawing and filing happens, and underneath the cut out semi circle hangs a “bench skin”, traditionally made from leather or a thick cotton. This catches everything from the bench peg, so all of the dust created by sawing and filing which is called lemel and all gets recycled, as well as all of the little bits of gold and silver which are too small to reuse as they are, and are called scrap. These get collected and recycled too, nothing goes to waste with precious metal.

My first bench, a long long time ago, was made from a breakfast table. I didn’t have much space, a small bench and some shelves, but at that point I didn’t need much. I was making exclusively jewellery, and mostly during evening classes. I was very happy with that first bench and it did me proud.

After my degree I needed a proper space to work in for the jewellery and now also silverware I was making. I received a bursary from the UEA as part of the Masters Degree I did there, which I spent on a shed, fully insulated with electrics, which I moved my workspace into. I foolishly thought I would have money left from the bursary to buy lots of tools with, but no, the shed and electrics etc ate up every single penny!

My bench in there was a used table top, bought for 99p off Ebay (facebook marketplace wasn’t a thing then), on some sturdy legs which of course my dad made and attached. The common theme for my workbenches is my dad and his handy work.

That bench served me well for a few years, and also saw the start of my teaching workshops in my own studio. It was functional, but not aesthetically pleasing.

Lock-down happened and I took the opportunity for a little glow up in the studio, and once again gave my dad a drawing with measurements and off we went to buy the wood, and bench number three was made. This time the top was solid wood, oak, which I had managed to find with a discount. I thought it was about time I invested in my bench as it is going to be used for decades. That bench was used for nearly five years, until I recently changed it.

While I was up at Marchmont House on my Hugo Burge Foundation silversmithing residency it occurred to me that having the cut out to the side of the bench, like theirs, rather than in the middle like mine, would be much more suitable for me now I’m often teaching two people at a time. A much more efficient use of the space, making it better for both participants. So dad got another drawing with measurements on, and he’s done his finest work yet! I love it so much. My previous bench has gone to one of my students so it will carry on being used and enjoyed.

Looking back at my benches over the years has been a nice reminder of how far I have come. It’s been a lot of hard work and things are more difficult than ever with rising precious metal costs and people not having the same spending money due to cost of living, but sitting in my studio at my bench will never not feel just right. Exactly where I’m meant to be. I wonder just how many people, and their wonderful creations, alongside my own, this new bench will see.

Thank you to everyone who has learnt from me, bought from me, recommended and suggested me to others, shared my content, talked to me about my work and given general encouragement. It really means a lot, thank you.