/// SKILLS TRAINING IN IRELAND ///

I wanted to use part of my @aceagrams Develop Your Creative Practice funding on learning how best to create my largest silver piece to date. A design I’ve had hanging around for a long time, in theory I know how to make it, but practice and theory can be very different things.

I’m comfortable working on tumbler sized silver pieces but a little apprehensive scaling up. Silver is so bloody expensive and if it goes wrong you can of course recycle it, but I can’t afford to buy another piece of silver in the same usable state so it has to be a one shot job. I wanted to learn the most efficient way make the carafe and this would also inform lots of future creations, and knew I’d pick up all kinds of tips relevant to all silversmithing along the way. Studio time with another silversmith is always educational in so many ways. Generally silversmithing is a lonesome pursuit so having another craftsperson to bounce ideas off, learn best practice tips, and generally pick up all kinds of advice is brilliant. And a rarity.

I’d met Cara Murphy @silverlandscape online via various Contemporary British Silversmiths “tech zooms” and knew her to be highly skilled and generous and nurturing with her knowledge. The ideal person to help me step up my work.

The funding paid for me to spend four days with Cara in her studio in Ireland, and we worked on creating a copper version of my design first. This allowed me to get to grips with what was involved and iron out any issues before moving onto the silver version. I’ll just say you have no idea the thousands of hammer hits involved in making that form so smooth!

I’m so happy with what I achieved, the silver carafe isn’t quite finished - the top and bottom still need to be levelled off to be soldered together - but I can do that in my own studio. I’ve learnt so much and I know it’s going to be so beneficial moving forward. Opportunities like this are so valuable to the progression of my career. Not just the skills gained but the conversations had which have lead me to reflect and consider, and have helped me to gain a clearer idea of exactly which path I want to take. Another piece of the puzzle among this big Arts Council funded journey.

The funding paid for Cara’s fees, my accommodation during the training and the ferry over Ireland. Although I paid for everything else, without that funding I would never have been able to afford such an amazing, and important, opportunity.

Supported using public funding by Arts Council England