Craft Finder

Last week saw Ruth Gordon Jewellery joining Craft Finder, a website promoting British craft in the UK.



The website makes it easy for consumers to discover beautiful and contemporary craft across the UK by searching for artists, galleries, exhibitions and fairs.

I had seen a lot of people I am connected with on Twitter talking about Craft Finder and I always meant to join but it got put on the to do list and not done! I was recently reminded of it when I read an article from the Birmingham Mail about jeweller Miranda Sharpe whose work I have always admired. I really enjoy reading about other people in the same profession as myself, all crafts really, and seeing their workspaces.

Craft Finder allows the user to upload photos of their work, an artist's statement, exhibitions and events listings and contact details including website, selling site, facebook and twitter links.

I have had a wee look around the Craft Finder website and have found some lovely work, some by crafters and designers I was already aware of and some completely new.

I love the work of fellow jeweller Clare Hillerby. I first saw Clare's work at the 1997 Edinburgh Degree Show and I still have her postcard. I love how she uses text and things like old postage stamps and incorporates these into her jewellery.

With love to all from all brooch by Clare Hillerby

Oxidised silver, gold tube rivets, old cabinet photograph + postcard + stamp, perspex.

Photo: © Shannon Tofts

French bill brooch by Clare Hillerby

Silver, old postcards, gold tube rivets, gold leaf, perspex.

Photo: © Shannon Tofts

I also found the work of Samantha Bryan, which I had previously seen in Crafts magazine several years ago. I love how playful her mixed media work is.

Brain's Crash Helmet for fairies (detail) by Samantha Bryan

Detail of fairy sculpture on wooden base. Features Crash Helmet. Hand stitched leather, wire skeleton and clay face.

Photo: © 2010

Brain's Aerodynamic Flight Helmet for fairies (detail) by Samantha Bryan

Detail of fairy sculpture. Hand stitched leather and clay figure.

Photo: © 2010 Timothy Atkinson

Anna Krystyna Casey is another artist working in mixed media to make work that is innovative and beautiful. I love Anna's wall hangings and her crocheted fabric fused glass tiles.  

Small Ring Dish (series) by Anna Krystyna Casey

A collection of unique and distinctive home ware, including ring dishes, coasters and side plates. Crochet patterns are fused in glass, creating one off pieces which will provide a talking point in any home.

Cellular (#1-Blue) by Anna Krystyna Casey

A 50cm x 50cm wall mounted sculpture. Based on the microscopic world around us, I find inspiration from many sources. A proccess led work, crocheted fabric is entrapped in paper and wax to transform the usually soft fabric.

Photo: © 2012

Ruth Singer is a textile artist based in Leicester. Ruth's work is inspired by 'historical textiles, museum objects, personal heritage, memory and stories' and has work in the collections of several museums. 

Sewn Up (detail) by Ruth Singer

Sewn Up is a large wall hanging piece made from 665 folded squares cut from the proof pages of my book Sew It Up, machine stitched together. 70x130cm

Photo: © 2011 Nine Photos

Julia Bate by Ruth Singer

Part of Criminal Quilts, a commission for Shire Hall Gallery. I was fascinated by their Victorian photographs of criminals with their hands on their chests and used this motif in a collection exploring women's lives associated with this building.

Photo: © 2012 Ruth Singer

I also stumbled upon the work of Carly Dodsley, a ceramic designer from Stoke-on-Trent. Carly's work is inspired by 1950's and 60's surface pattern design as well as hand-drawn motifs and it's beautiful!
  

Bird jug by Carly Dodsley

Creamware jug

Photo: © 2012 Carly Dodsley

Kissing Birds by Carly Dodsley

Creamware square 21cm plate.

Photo: © 2012 Carly Dodsley