Garniture (Twelvemonth)

In February 2025 I was privileged to spend a month as silversmith in residence at the Hugo Burge Foundation, located on the Marchmont Estate in Scotland. My aim during this residency was to engage in immersive, hands-on research, focusing on the creation of silver vessel forms using only hammers and stakes. I also sought to explore how the unique spirit of this secluded, wild environment might influence my artistic practice. This period marked a new and innovative chapter for me, allowing a deeper exploration of archetypal vessel forms and traditional silversmithing techniques, while expanding the meditative and essential nature of my process into fresh territory.

The gracious Palladian symmetry and tenderly curated spaces of Marchmont House became integral to this body of work, inspiring a group of five symmetrical vessel forms. The first vessel was crafted during my residency, and each piece in the series is distinct, designed to evoke a sense of completeness and containment.

The year 2025 began with the devastating news of a close friend’s diagnosis of terminal cancer, and by the start of 2026, they had passed away. Just twelve months separated the two events. These pieces became both an immersive escape from grief and a poignant reminder of the relentless passage of time.

As ever, the vessel form stands as a metaphor: for bodies, for landscape, and for the spaces we inhabit and ultimately leave behind.