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Workshop forging spoons

We all know spoons. They have existed for centuries in all shapes and sizes and are one of the oldest inventions by man. During this workshop you will learn the basic technique for forging a spoon. You will practice with copper and when you have mastered the basic technique you can get started with silver. And if you want you can add a fork to this.
Forging a spoon is a very intensive process. You start from a bar of silver that is gradually forged into shape using an anvil and a heavy forging hammer. During the workshop you will learn everything step by step about how to shape and finally finish your spoon.
This workshop is suitable for both beginners and advanced. No prior knowledge is required. Once you have been able to practice the basic techniques, you can go a step further as an advanced and forge a fork.
The workshop is guided individually by Max Gielis (°1977). He studied silversmithing at Sint Lucas Antwerp, is a teacher at the RHoK Academy in Brussels and worked as an independent silversmith for Gijs Bakker and Koen Wijngaerden, among others.

Practical info
The workshop takes place in the studio of DIVA, Kaasstraat 7, 2000 Antwerp, from 9.30 am to 4.30 pm, unless otherwise stated.
Participants choose at least one day from the available dates and register for the workshop via DIVA’s online ticket module. Do you want to register for more than one day? Which can, then choose the extra days you wish to come when you register.

The workshop will take place on the following dates:
Wednesday 25 to Sunday 29 August 2021

Cost of the workshop:
€ 165 per day (incl. one bar of silver, lunch not included).

You can request more information or apply via tom.iriks@divaantwerp.be or +32 (0)3 360 52 52.

Time Capsules

Nutida Svenskt Silver is a members association consisting of 28 goldsmiths and silversmiths working in different types of materials and techniques, with the processes of gold- and silversmithing at heart. All members create unique jewelry and items in limited editions, manufactured in their own workshops. The Swedish silversmiths will participate in the Stockholm Craft Week. Based on the Corona bubble over the past year, Contemporary Swedish Silversmiths have created the theme TIME Capsules for their exhibition at Stockholm Craft Week.

30.09.2021 – 03.10.2021 Stockholm Craft Week, Stockholm (SE).

MASTERY – Women in silver

This is the first exhibition to focus on the UK’s exceptionally talented contemporary women designer silversmiths. Fifty years ago, it would have been impossible to assemble an exhibition like this, as there were so few women working in the field. What was once a totally male discipline has been transformed within three generations.

The Mastery exhibitors represent a large cohort of women working at the highest level of silversmithing and include long-established and mid-career artists alongside some emerging makers of exceptional promise. The work itself was chosen to highlight both the diversity of women’s practice and their largely unacknowledged role as innovators. The resulting group of work illustrates a profound understanding of materials and processes and finally lays to rest the curious notion that silversmithing was an unsuitable occupation for a woman. On the contrary, unconstrained by the weight of tradition, women’s silversmithing has brought refreshing new approaches to an ancient craft.

Exhibitors: Juliette Bigley. Jocelyn Burton. Ane Christensen. Angela Cork. Maureen Edgar. Ndidi Ekubia. Megan Falconer. Na’ama Haneman. Miriam Hanid. Rauni Higson. Kathryn Hinton. Simone ten Hompel. Jessica Jue. Kyosun Jung. Nan Nan Liu. Anna Lorenz. Sheila McDonald. Claire Malet. Jacqueline Mina. Cara Murphy. Theresa Nguyen. Rebecca de Quin. Pamela Rawnsley. Jane Short. Mary Ann Simmons. Hazel Thorn. Adi Toch. Katie Watson. Tamar de Vries Winter

24.07.2021 – 18.09.2021 Ruthin Craft Centre, Ruthin (GB).

Introduction to embossing

Mid August the Antwerp based silversmith Patrick Storme organizes workshops in the basics of embossing. The setup is a question-and-answer session with demonstrations of what is being explained. In these sessions, the participants will not practice themselves, but get to know what is really important to understand the embossing and the possibilities, what you want to achieve yourself, which tools are required for this, and so on.
After these introductory sessions, hands-on workshops are possible at the candidate level.

Three days are planned: Saturday 14.8, Wednesday 18.8 and Friday 20.8, each from 9 AM until 1 PM (the times and exact content will be discussed after application). 3 to 4 candidates can participate at a time. Participation fee is 100 euro (+ VAT).
The sessions take place in the studio in Berchem (next to Antwerp, Belgium).

Examples and more information can be found on the website www.patrickstorme.be
Registration or further information by e-mail: p.storme@telenet.be

British Silver – an introduction

In an innovative new collaboration, the Silver Society, the Goldsmiths’ Company and the Goldsmiths’ Centre are to present an online course on the history of British silver from the sixteenth century to the present day. A series of talks, held over six weeks, will explore the evolution of forms and styles, illustrated by outstanding objects from collections across the world and enriched by close-up examinations of historic and contemporary masterpieces from the celebrated collection of the Goldsmiths’ Company.
Each session will be in two parts: beginning with a narrative chapter on the history and stylistic development of British silver, followed by a presentation focusing on a particular aspect of the history of the goldsmith’s craft.
Participants will be guided through topics such as silversmithing techniques, hallmarking, and fakes and forgeries.
Each session will be presented by Timothy Schroder and Lucy Morton.

The course will be taught online through the Goldsmiths’ Centre’s Zoom Webinar platform. Each session will last for 120 minutes including a 5 minute break and a Q&A session at the end.

Price for the full course: £90 /£60 (members of the Silver Society, the Goldsmiths’ Company History Group and Link Members and Gold Members of the Goldsmiths’ Centre / £30 (Members of the ECSG of the Silver Society, apprentices and students).

Book this course

Scottish Goldsmiths Trust

The Scottish Goldsmiths Trust publishes a digital monthly review about gold and silversmithing. The Trust curates the Millennium Silver collection, Silver of the Stars and the historical archives of The Incorporation of Goldsmiths. The work of the Trust focuses on promoting and supporting the education, art and craft of Scotland’s gold and silversmithing heritage and trade.

The July review reveals the completed 2019 Outstanding Student Award, designed and made by Ruth Page.This goblet made in Fairmined Silver will remain in the permanent collection of the Incorporation of Goldsmiths of the City of Edinburgh.

The review also contains an interview with esteemed silversmith Rod Kelly from his workshop on Shetland. This in-depth conversation delves into Rod’s nearly forty-year career in silversmithing and his passion to support emerging makers.

Everyone can subscribe to this monthly review free of charge on the Scottish Goldsmiths Trust website (at the end of the page).

The Pitcher – The realization of a vision

The Danish artist and silversmith Lasse Bæhring composed a video (12:34 min.) in which he shows the creation of a sterling silver wine/water pitcher. An evocative flow from inspiration to finished piece.
Bæhring was trained at Georg Jensen Silversmithy in the renowned traditional craft of silversmithing. He executes his own innovative and award winning designs for the fastidious international market.With more than 100 exhibitions over a 30 years international career Lasse Bæhring/Baehring Silver are at the top of his game. This video shows his process from start to finished piece.

Ground Hope – Jan van Nouhuys

As soon as the museum reopens from the Covid-19 lockdown until September 2021, silversmith Jan van Nouhuys will exhibit in Het Nederlands Zilvermuseum Schoonhoven with Ground Hope. Jan takes the visitor on the way to a point of light on the horizon. At the same time the new book Silver Art – Jan van Nouhuys, Founder of Dutch Contemporary Silver Art will be presented, describing 40 years of the life and work of Jan van Nouhuys.
In this exhibition, the visitor experiences a journey to a sunnier world, accompanied by inspiring, funny and special silver objects such as Goede Morgen Overkant, Briesje and Au Claire de la Lune.

Silver in Motion and exhibition master class participants
Jan van Nouhuys worked as a silversmith for over forty years. At a time when silver had fallen out of fashion as a tool, he consciously chose to make large art objects and eventually found a market for it. Jan van Nouhuys also taught his vision on modern silver at the Vocational School in Schoonhoven. Jan founded the foundation “Silver in Movement” in 1991 to give the profession new impetus, to put silver on the map as an art form and to inspire others. Jan coached silversmiths in his international masterclasses to develop and realize new concepts. These masterclasses formed a development place for up-and-coming talents and experienced silversmiths. Fourteen of them are exhibiting their work in the Silver Museum in addition to Jan: Tamara van Kekerix, Guido Schram, Mark Alexander, Dyon Seelen, Niels de Vos, Liv-Maritt Prins van Wijngaarden, Kaj Bras, Bas Jansen, Sybren Van Wesemael, Patrick Davison, Megan Falconer, Loucinda Nims, Yonatan Avishaul and Leandra Förster.

Publication
The exhibition coincides with the presentation of the bilingual book Jan van Nouhuys – silver art – founder of Dutch contemporary silver art. Journalist and art critic Marc Couwenbergh describes the life and work of Jan van Nouhuys. The book is a wonderful introduction to a visit to the museum and offers depth to the visitor who is inspired by the exhibition. The book is available at Publisher Pictures Publishers Woudrichem and also for sale at the Silver Museum. The publication is in Dutch and English, Price € 29,95. Click here to order the book.

Ground Hope
05.06.2021 – 19.09.2021 : Nederlands Zilvermuseum, Schoonhoven (NL)

Silver for everyone

The Stedelijk Museum Zutphen is exhibiting Hollandia silver from Zutphen in combination with contemporary silver. The latter is to emphasize how special it is that an age-old craft has stood the test of time with flying colors and is alive and kicking.

Silver for everyone is an exhibition that invites everyone to enjoy the dazzling beauty of old and new silver. 21 contemporary silversmiths from all over the Netherlands display objects in a wide range of shapes and styles. Their work is rooted in an age-old traditional craftsmanship, but innovation and experimentation in materials and technology make their work extremely topical “of today”. On request they drew inspiration from the Zutphens Hollandia silver, which was made between 1917 and 1950 in the Hollandia Silversmederij at Hagepoortplein.

The history of this successful company is told through photographs and film images, archive material, tools and a variety of silver objects from Hollandia’s extensive catalog. It offered customers a choice from an enormously varied range of objects in “Old Dutch” style, from cocktail forks, ashtray, bonbon dishes and bread baskets to a complete coffee and tea set.

Work of the following silversmiths is included in the exhibition: Mark Alexander, Pauline Barendse, Marcel Blok, Kaj Bras, Harm Bron, Daan Brouwer, Maja Houtman, Bas Jansen, Tamara van Kekerix, Jan Matthesius, Jan van Nouhuys, Willem Noyons, Liv-Maritt Prins van Wijngaarden, Maarten Rollfs of Roelofs, Guido Schram, Teun Schraven, Gabri Schumacher, Eelco Veenman, Niels de Vos, Paul de Vries and Malu de Wit.

video is dutch spoken

Zilver voor iedereen / Silver for everyone
05.06.2021 – 27.06.2021 : Stedelijk Museum Zutphen, Zutphen (NL)