In 2007 I was commissioned to make my first box that was significantly large enough to allow for a fair amount of leather to be included.
We used the Russian reindeer hides for the first time with lapis blue suede in the interior.
Silver Water Twist Technique
I had first seen the work of American blacksmith Albert Paley in a book at silversmith Michael Bolton’s workshop while on industrial placement during my degree.
I was awakened to the beautiful art of blacksmithing.
The idea of making a water twist in silver occurred to me during this project when I was designing the handles for the treasure chest. Unusually working the metal hot was risky but with success, achieving a light catching flow and ripple in the metal. The result was striking and I have continued to use the silver water twist as an element in some of my other work.
I became the first silver smith to pioneer this technique in silver.
More recently I spent a memorable weekend at the wonderful Quinnell School of Blacksmithing, attached to The Fire & Iron Gallery in Leatherhead, learning to work with steel for the first time and managing to execute a piece involving much water twisting using its more traditional medium. Red hot from the fire the metal turned like butter.
Other specialists working within this project
With special thanks to John Harrison and his incomparable engraving skills, and Martin Andrews for the glass bottle, blown in two halves to accommodate the lotus flower.
