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Making it Yours - Metal 
Films & Exhibition

Making it Yours - Metal
Crafts Council - London

‘Making it Yours – Metal’   Crafts Council, London. 

Series of 8 short films: April 2005. Exhibition: June 2005 

 

Steven was commissioned by the Crafts Council to produce a series of 8 short educational films about makers and metalworking processes, to be part of an exhibition called ‘Making it yours – Metal. The exhibition marked the first time that the Crafts Council had presented a large group of metal artefacts from its national collection and coincided with the exhibition of the shortlist for the Jerwood Applied Arts prize –Metal. MIYM’s main purpose was to raise awareness of the Crafts Council‘s collection of metal artefacts and present some of the key works in that collectrion. The exhibition demonstrated the technical breadth and material range of the subject and was curated by Amanda  Fielding, Curator of  the Collection. The piece ‘Bound’ (1994), made by Steven and purchased by the Crafts Council in 1996, was included in the exhibition.

 

The films document individual metalsmiths including  metalworkers Steven Follen & Lucian Taylor, Master Blacksmith Julian Coode @ Nailbourne Forge Ltd & Jeweller and Silversmith Julian Stephens. Each craftsperson  demonstrates  technical processes relating to their practice.

As a practising metalsmith, in producing directing and editing the films about the processes Stevens knowledge of the materials and the techniques served to help make explicit the tacit skill and understanding. The project, aimed at extending  knowledge and understanding of metalworking techniques and processes, and gave unique insights into how metalsmiths work, their working environments, the inventive use of equipment and the nature of their practice.

 

Some of the films can be viewed at the following links on Youtube:    

Below:

'Bound'. Coiled and braised soft iron wire around a wooden core. L.175cm, W.20cm, H.12cm.

The piece is held in the Crafts Council Collection  and was exhibited as part of the crafts council exhibition.

The form takes its inspirations from seed pods and from sailing vessels and boats. Bound as in wrapped and contained but also bound as in ‘Journey bound’.

04. Vessels_Bound.jpg

Patination

Etching

Spinning

Soldering

Blocking and Raising

Planishing

Forging

Welding

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