Category: News

Delivering a wonderful pair of vases during lockdown was not the celebratory occasion envisaged when Fred commenced work on them 3 years ago. However the client was delighted with these truly amazing pieces. Unfortunately due to the situation we were not able to have the vases professionally photographed but we will be arranging this when circumstances allow, and we will post the images a soon as possible.

The brief was for a pair of vases and the enamelled scenes to include, amongst other things, game birds and plant life from the British Isles, with a particular reference to Scotland. The vases stand 51cm in height and include 25 types of birds with a total of 41 birds over the two vases. We will be posting closeups of the enamelled scenes on Instagram.

We were hoping to be taking part in Goldsmiths North in Sheffield next month but that has had to be cancelled, and we will keep you posted on Goldsmiths’ Fair in London as soon as we have news. In the meantime we are happy to be tucked away in the studio in the beautiful South Downs working on other commissions, and hoping that 2021 with bring the opportunities to meet up with all those we will have missed this year.

This should be a wonderful event with over 200 designer makers showing their work, plus 30 demonstrating artists and a food village, in addition of course to the amazing RHS gardens. We will be part of a group of contemporary silversmiths displaying their work in the state-of-the-art glasshouse, where we will have a selection of our enamelled silverware, and one or two pieces of our 18ct gold enamelled jewellery.

Further information about the event can be found at craftinfocus.com

Street Tweets II reflects the hustle and bustle of busy London pavements, and especially the annoyance of people engrossed on their phones (note the headphones in gold). Made in silver, the enamelled sections are applied fine silver, to which 22ct gold wire is soldered to the edges, and the silver is then hand carved and enamelled. 18ct gold wire and silver wires are applied to the background, and the background has been hand carved to give the piece extra depth.

We are delighted to be taking part in Week 2 of Goldsmiths’ Fair 3 – 8 October, stand 42.

Goldsmiths’ Hall, London, EC2v 6BN. Further details at goldsmithsfair.co.uk.

Inaugurated in 1987, the Master of Culinary Arts is held every four years and is seen to be the ultimate accolade, awarded in recognition of outstanding craftsmanship, for Chefs, Pastry Chefs and Restaurant Managers in the UK. Inspired by Michel Bourdin, then Chef de Cuisine at The Connaught and supported by Albert and Michel Roux OBEs the MCA was based on the Meilleur Ouvrier de France (MOF) and was originally known as the Meilleur Ouvrier de Grande Bretagne.

The award of Master of Culinary Arts is conferred on those who have displayed mastery of the complex and specialised knowledge and skills in culinary arts which are required to be a first class chef, pastry chef, or for restaurant management and service. The holder of the Master of Culinary Arts is able to prove advanced technical skill and professional ability; accept accountability for their decision-making; contribute to supervision and management; demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of the principles of sustainability and the viability of our food sources throughout the scope of the food chain; demonstrate leadership and support the development of others; and act in the best interests of the culinary arts profession.

This is the latest piece Fred has produced, in tandem with the oil painting as mention in our previous news post. This beautiful silver and enamel beaker is a complex weave of the amazing colours that can be seen in the hedgerows when walking through the countryside. Fred didn’t want to be too pictorial and so this is more to do with veiled details – a tangled mass of nature revealing hidden textures and pattern and colours where you least expect them.

The oil painting and enamelled beaker, as artworks, perform perfectly well on their own, and Fred was unsure how they would look together, however we are delighted to say that there is a real dynamic between them and the beaker really sings when near the painting.

They will look fantastic amongst the contemporary furniture and silverware at Inspired 2017 from 3 – 6 May at the Goldsmiths Centre London EC1M 5AD.

Hidden Hedgerows is the result of an interesting project to create a painting and a piece of enamelled silver in tandem, ie. working on the two independently over a period of time. Fred formulated his ideas, based on hedgerows, in a small watercolour, and from this he created an enamelled beaker and a larger scale oil painting.

Both the oil painting and enamelled beaker will form part of an eye catching selling exhibition of contemporary furniture and silverware to be held at The Goldsmiths Centre, London EC1m 5AD, next week from 3 – 6 May. Facebook @FestivalOfSilver    festivalofsilver.co.uk.