Why did you choose to become an artisan?
I left school at 16 and spent seven years in The Lanes of Brighton as an apprentice jeweller. It hurt me so much to see beautiful pieces considered beyond repair and scrapped, so I decided to join the trade in order to bring pieces like these back to how they should be and keep them dear.
Why do you think it’s important to support craftsmanship?
When you are buying a piece from an artist or artisan, you are buying hundreds of hours of failure and challenge, hundreds of moments of pure joy, a piece of their heart, a part of their life. You’re also buying them more time to do something they are passionate about!
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How has tai chi influenced your work?
Tai chi has been at the centre of my life and work, my design philosophy and my making, for 20 years. Every hammer mark, each motion of sanding, filing and soldering, is carefully considered and in harmony with the centre of my being. This allows the metal to sing an audible expression of its energy.
What advice would you have for a young silversmith?
The greatest advice my teacher, Professor Tamagawa, gave me was to never take short cuts. Root values give you the stability to grow and explore. If you want to learn about silversmithing, step into your garden. With this outlook, even a cold, hard metal can blossom and flower.