Meet the Makers: The 2020 Graduate Showcase

For our 2020 Elements exhibition, we are delighted to announce the graduates selected for the Graduate Showcase. In this unprecedented time we wanted to support this year’s Jewellery and Silversmithing graduates by giving them a platform to showcase a finished piece and introduce their work to the Elements audience. With thanks to our expert panel we selected nine graduates to showcase here and shine a spotlight on their hard work, innovative designs and craftmanship. Please join us in celebrating the work of these emergent makers on Friday 6 November as the Graduate Showcase goes live on the Elements website.

Michelle Currie

The Glasgow School of Art

I am currently an Artist in Residence at The Glasgow School of Art where I continue to develop my artistic practice and design work whilst assisting with students in studio and zoom tutorials. I also work full-time in the creative team at Chisholm Hunter, where I'm based in their Glasgow photography Studio creating video and photography content for the official website and YouTube channel. This year and next, will see completion of an international Ceremonial Mace commission that I designed for Glasgow University's overseas joint honors campuses in China and Singapore. I'm delighted to say that the mace designs are being Manufactured by Edinburgh silversmithing Studio, Hamilton and Inches. I am also very excited to say that I have been awarded the Fife Contemporary New Makers Award 2020, becoming part of their 20/21 cohort and most recently I have been selected as one of the six jewellery designers representing Scotland at the New York Jewellery Week Live event via Local Heroes and The Incorporation of Goldsmiths sponsored event, Still Lives.

Keep up with Michelle on Instagram @michelle.currie.artjeweller.

Sarah Murdoch

The Glasgow School of Art

I am currently artist in residence at Glasgow school of Art where I will be spending the year developing my work. I am planning to introduce silver pieces to my collection and explore other ways of incorporating my patterns on metal surfaces.

Prior to that, once restrictions had eased, I spent two months completing some unfinished work at Vanilla Ink, The Smiddy -  a silversmithing studio in Banff, Aberdeenshire. I am returning to the Smiddy next month and look forward to teaching classes.

I have also been invited to take part in smaller exhibitions in the near future, and I am excited to be exhibiting my work in a physical show.

Keep up with Sarah on Instagram @smurdo.ch.

Alice Fry

The Glasgow School of Art

I am currently at Bishopsland Educational Trust 2020-2021, a renowned residential silversmithing and jewellery course that acts as a bridge between university and starting out as an independent maker. I am currently creating larger silversmithing pieces, such as bowls and beakers, which I was unable to complete at university when covid struck. By using the modern metal niobium, which I anodise to bright colours, in conjunction with the ancient technique of chasing and repoussé, I create jewellery and silverware that is both traditional and contemporary. This body of work is a continuation from my degree, which was inspired by crystals and rocks. The first event in my calendar is the exhibition ‘Christmas at Bishopsland’, which will be online for the first time on the new Bishopsland Shop. In the future I plan to enter fairs and exhibitions such as Elements and Goldsmiths Fair, with a view to making my business full time.

Keep up with Alice on her website alicefry.com and on Instagram @alicefryjewellery.

Hayley Irving

Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design

The last few months have given me the freedom to experiment with materials and designs I never got the chance to finish at my time at uni. With not getting a traditional degree show not only myself but all art and design students have had to adapt to a graduate life sooner than expected. This has come with a lot of ups and downs; however, it has allowed me to work on myself as a brand and a business. I am currently looking into internships and hoping to carry out a post grad study next year. My degree show work allowed me to see how important my working-class upbringing has been to the growth of not only myself but to my work and practice. This is a message I will carry throughout my career and I would love to inspire people by showing them regardless of your background that anything is possible.

Keep up with Hayley on Instagram @i_rvingjewellery.

Scott Clark

Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design

Since graduating I have begun to set up my own workshop in my hometown in Fife. I’ve been investing my time in developing my own creative process and refining my skills that I have learnt at university. Adjusting to the current climate I’m trying to become as self sustaining as I can in the techniques and ways in which I work. Moving forward I’m looking to develop my designs into a line of work for sale and carry me further into new residency opportunities and applications into design prospects.

Keep up with Scott on Instagram @sclarkjewellery.

Nicholas Harrington

City of Glasgow College, HND

Nicholas Harrington recently received a business grant from the John Mather Trust to set up his studio and workshop in Glasgow, focussing on bespoke pieces of jewellery. He has also received a Goldsmiths’ Centre Precious Metal Grant for his design for a silver teapot, and his aluminium lampshades now hang in the Glasgow restaurant Gloriosa. He has been commissioned by the Alasdair Gray Archive to produce work for 2021 marking forty years since the publication of Lanark.

To get in touch with Nicholas, please contact him via njh.harrington@gmail.com.

Kelda Young

Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design

Since graduating I have started a post graduate residency at Bishopsland Educational Trust in the south of England. The programme includes technical masterclasses, access to workshop space and business skills to help set ourselves up as self employed makers.

I am using this opportunity to refine ideas from my graduate collection and translate my established skills and concepts in to larger pieces.

I plan to build my business as an independent maker around sustainable practices and responsibly sourced materials, continuing to create tactile objects with material at the heart of the design.

Keep up with Kelda on Instagram @kelda.jewellery.

Yanan Li

Edinburgh College of Art

Yanan has always been fascinated by different jewellery materials, and believes that even the simplest materials can be precious and cherished for years to come. Because of this, she felt inspired to investigate the properties and limitations of paper. By pushing the capabilities of this material, Yanan has found innovative and sustainable ways to work while developing her own paper maché material.

Keep up with Yanan on Instagram @tffjewellerydesign.

Daniela Groza

Edinburgh College of Art

Currently, I am an Artist in Residence at The Precious Metals Workshop which has given me a space to start making the work that was meant to be part of my graduate collection. I am especially excited to be recycling my own gold from family heirlooms and finally developing my digital designs through prototyping and metalworking. I am hoping to get a few pieces finished in the coming weeks and share them via my Instagram @danielagrozajewellery with you all.

I am also on the Design Informatics (MA) course at UOE which is a collaboration between the School of Informatics and Edinburgh College of Art, hoping to use the skills gained from this degree (electronics, codings) in order to bridge the gap between jewellery and technology.

Keep up with Daniela on her website danielagrozajewellery.com and on Instagram @danielagrozajewellery.

We would like to express our thanks to the selection panel of the 2020 Graduate Showcase:

Sarah Rothwell, Curator of Modern & Contemporary Design at National Museums Scotland

Kirsty Sumerling, Director at The Scottish Gallery

Stacey Hunter, Curator of Local Heroes

Ebba Goring, Director of The Incorporation of Goldsmiths

Leah Black, Chief Executive of WHALE Arts and Warden of The Incorporation of Goldsmiths