A tribute to the achievements of the internationally renowned designer Dorothy Hogg, MBE, is included in Elements, the exhibition of gold, silver and jewellery which takes place from 28-30 October at Lyon & Turnbull.
The exhibition includes Goldsmiths’ Craft and Design Council (GC&DC) award-winning work from across the years.
The magnificent Fair Game vases, by Fred Rich, who was described by the judges of the 2021 Jacques Cartier Memorial Award as the world’s greatest ever art-enameller, will also be displayed.
The vases show plant life of the British Isles with a particular reference to Scotland as well as 41 birds of 25 types. They stand 51cm high, took thousands of hours to create and use over 100 metres of 22ct gold cloisonné wire.
It’s the first time the vases, and an exhibition of GC&DC winners, have been exhibited in Scotland.
Elements, Scotland’s annual festival of jewellery, silver and gold runs from 28-30 October is organised by The Scottish Goldsmiths Trust in partnership with Lyon & Turnbull fine art auctioneers.
The late Dorothy Hogg, former head of jewellery and silversmithing at Edinburgh College of Art, was awarded the GC&DC Lifetime Achievement award in 2010. The London-based Goldsmiths’ Company has acquired a significant number of her pieces, describing her as “an unsurpassed craftswoman”. The collection of Dorothy’s Hogg’s work to be on display has graciously been lent for the exhibition by The Goldsmiths’ Company.
The exhibition will include a cabinet of her jewellery, along with copies of her drawings, in the first exhibition of her work since her death in March 2022.
Ebba Goring, The Scottish Goldsmiths Trust CEO, said: “This is the chance to see gold, silver and jewellery from the very best makers in the UK at the absolute peak of their craft – the quality, detail and beauty are astounding. It’s a tremendous pleasure to host these pieces in Scotland for the first time.’’
“And it’s fitting that there should be a special section of the exhibition dedicated to the vision, skill and achievements of Dorothy Hogg – a world-class maker and designer who did so much to educate young designers and to promote jewellery and silversmithing.”
GC&DC winners are among the UK’s most renowned designers and craftspeople. Pieces on show include ones awarded the Jacques Cartier Memorial Award, which is the GC&DC’s highest accolade. In addition to the selling fair downstairs, the Elements exhibition will occupy the upper floor of the Lyon & Turnbull auction house.
Pieces exhibited will include:
- Vortex Brooch by Andrew Lamb, who is renowned for his incredible attention to detail and exquisite handcrafted use of gold and silver wire combined into sculptural, three-dimensional jewellery.
- Meadow Centrepiece by Theresa Nguyen, a multi-award-winning internationally-renowned Artist Silversmith based in the historic Birmingham Jewellery Quarter.
- MV Agusta Motorcycle – winner of the 2014 Jacques Cartier Memorial Award, by the late Simon Coldicott. The exquisite silver motorcycle is crafted entirely by hand, modelled precisely on the legendary MV Agusta 500 Tre, one of the most successful racing bikes of all time and took eight months of dedicated weekend work to make.
- String in the Tail Bangle by Thomas Johnson, who is based in York and has been making award-winning jewellery for over 30 years.
Among the pieces by Dorothy Hogg will be the Zig Zag Dispersal Necklace. The bell-like neckpiece could be heard tinkling as she walked across the Presentation Room at Buckingham Palace to receive her MBE for services to silversmithing and jewellery in 2001.
Dorothy was a valued supporter of Elements Festival, having co-curated one of its previous exhibitions.
Maeve Gillies, internationally celebrated Scottish jewellery designer, said: “As a trustee of The Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council and The Scottish Goldsmiths’ Trust, I’m thrilled to support GC&DC’s first ever exhibition in Scotland, at Elements 2022.
“The selection and calibre of these award-winning works are world class, bringing together exciting works of outstanding excellence by designers and craftspeople at the very top level of professional achievement, as well as showcasing their stories and creation process.
“As Head of Silversmithing and Jewellery at Edinburgh College of Art, Dorothy was a long-time supporter of GC&DC, facilitating countless student and graduate entries that regularly won awards.
“I greatly look forward to seeing the GC&DC show within the Elements community, and am confident these wonderful artworks will surprise, delight and inspire all who see them.”
Elements will run from 28-30 October and takes place in Lyon & Turnbull’s HQ in Edinburgh’s Broughton Place. In addition to the exhibition, it features Scotland’s only selling fair of contemporary designer gold, silver and jewellery.
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