2022 & 2023

2022 began with a big push on teaching, tutoring had really become a huge part of my practice and something I was quickly becoming passionate about. Many of the jewellery and metalwork courses across the country, including my own BA course in Sheffield, were shutting down and I wanted to make sure these traditional skills were still being taught.

The year also brought Andrew’s cancer diagnosis, a short illness before he passed in the July. The studio and all its contents, his incredible collection of tools grown over 30+ years in the industry and the building itself that Andrew had dedicated himself to over the years, needed someone to step in, and of course that had to be me. Andrew asked me to take over, and in April ‘22 I left my position as Head of Jewellery at The Craft Centre after 5 years in the role. Even with the circumstances and the weight of the legacy, this opportunity meant I had finally achieved my goal - I was a fully freelance artist.

A huge highlight of 2022, and one of my favourite pieces to date, is the large double Loop in Loop chain I created for my first Munich Jewellery week. The piece was selected by Anna-Cara Keim as part of ‘NEW FUTURES - a mixed discipline exhibition of jewellery, sculpture, collage, photography and installations dedicated to re-thinking adornment, space and how we live together’. Loop in Loop chain was fast becoming a favourite, and this particular piece set a huge challenge - how to make it continuous? By breaking open three different links and seamlessly soldering them back into place, even I can’t find the join and it’s become one of my proudest pieces.

2023 saw the beginning of my ‘Link’ collection. A collection inspired by the links found in the ancient Loop in Loop chain method, reimagining the individual links as rings, earrings and pins as well as celebrating the chain as a whole. 

22/23 also saw the beginning of my obsession with the Kurinuki carving process. Another ancient technique originating from medieval Japan. The word Kurinuki means ‘to hollow’ and the process involves taking a lump of clay, hollowing out the middle and carving the walls. Kurinuki is a time consuming, labour intensive process creating entirely individual pieces every time. So of course, much like chain making, I instantly fell in love. 

I continued to develop my multifunctional works, with the Curb Vessel and Stack of Stacks shown here. The Curb Vessel has a handmade wearable curb chain with sandcast clasp wrapped around, and the Stack of Stacks contain a reflective stacking ring inside each pot designed to be worn as a group. 

I exhibited at my first ceramic only fair at The Hepworth, Wakefield with my Kurinuki collection, exhibited with Skipton Town Hall ‘Threads of Tradition’ and brought together one of my other big ideas, Leeds Open Studios.