CALIDAD ACADÉMICA

Craftworx

A stylish studio set !n stunning East Yorkshire counırysıde m akes an ıdyllıc setting lor Tracey Spurgin b Vıt ırkplace " I’v e been here since lasi lu.'ie. Tracey telis me, ' and I ahsolntely lbve il. H avinş m v âtudio ;n thc^e convened Victorian farm buıldmgs has Iıberared m y house back into being a h a m t again'"

This spariâus arul vvelcoming studio is not only lh= place v.here Tracey creates herovvn w ork it's also \vnere she nolüs her Silver A n Ctay VVorkshops. leaehtny elhers hovv lo use Ilıt: m aterial that lu > hcxome such a large p an o f her life

I oriğinally Iraihed ın lextilcs and fashion design Tracey retalls. b u l ! ve alvvays \vanted to teach so vvhen ıhe time vvas r:ght, I look j teaching qualiiıcat!orı and began b y leaching soft fumisnings and interior design at Hull College. Gradualîy the suDjecıs I taugm vvere extended to mclude o:her i ralli. sttet: ab | evveli e ry making but vvhen the furıding fcır the courses »an m i l , ! deddcd te {şet up tndcperıdenfly vvillı m y ovvn Icvvellery Making NVorkşnops “

For a ijm e Traccv n ia d r and sold hc-r jevvellerv al tea li ?üirs bul my m am sim has alvvays been to teach so exhlbiting a t crall îaırs also hslpcd to promote m y vvorkshops she recalls.

Trac ey, v. hu b Ihe Educatlan Oflicer lor Ihe Silve: Art Clay Gulld w Ihe ÜK. lelLs m e about Ihe much acclaiıtıed bul relalivelv ne w Ari Ctay CcrtificaÜbn Programım:. vvmch has w urfdw ide recogmııoıı

Level ı o f Ilıe Progı anim e takes you to ıhe siage <A bemg qualified ta teach tnlroduclory classes.1 she eşiplaiüs,' vvhıist lhöse w H o succcssfuhy com plete Level II hcccuhe Senİot \rı Clay In s lıu a o rs

Allhough som e stil) coni-ıder m elal clay ıo be little! m ore ıhan a h,tbby craft m aterial Tîacey’s vvoık ıs a (ine exaıuple<>f hovv versallle this 2 tsl century m aterial can be Deveieped in lapan and ongınally a by-ptoduet

o:'the tılm an d p rin ö n g mdustries Art Clay is ;n the m o s basic terms, a m ixture ol lıny panıc.es oj silver ior hrorize. otcopper pı-rhapî) mixed vvith an

»ganic h n d e ı in nınke il maileahle and easy t»- use W hen fired in a kiln or wlth a blovv torch :he binder bum s avvay completely 10 leave only silver

"This m aterial i? abrAil creativuy ' says Tracey. an d noı having lo buy eXpenşrve tools and ecurpnıen: irs reiariveh. easy ta leâm hovv to use it sirnple designs can be achteved la jriy quıckly, but ıt 5

m ore difhcull to rcally masteT Ihe nalerial ıha; '.akcs nıu re tim e and e*pencnct

M astcnng iriorc corr.plex and specialist skills is vvhat Tracey ıs currently focussmg on asshevvorks her vvay Ihrough 50 challengıng projects ‘ ar İhe Master's Registry, ali dssigned lo devclop specınc :echniques and skills: I his is the intemat:onal!v recogniseû qualincatıon that proıessıonal Silver An Clay designer m akeii- ampire to öchfeve Lfiiıriched js recenlly a s 2 0 08 by ÜS m etal d a y exjieıt Tim McCreİght the Masters Registrv not only aıms to devclop skills aı a professional levei. but also encourages im ıovatiun and expcdmcntatıcın.

■It reaUy pushes out the h ju ııd arie s Of vvorking vvith ıhe m aterial, says Tracey. İt gıves pcople the o ppom ım ıy and comidence to d o ıhıngs w:th :: that have nliver been desne befprc."

Allhough hnny Silver Ari Clay creates 9C* hallm ark qualıty silver. Ütis clcaıly Is nol

sıîveramithing in Ihe ıradilional sense o f ıhe vvord and

..bl Tracey

ilil

fçc i

aı ıslı d

îeluctaııcc lo see Art Clay vvork -<s İme craftsmanship is valld.

'Tradıtionü! sılvcrsmıthıng has developed over hundreds o f years and lot conlemporaıv slivcssmUhs Uk. skills and ıc<>ls are ail 111 placc

Hbvvcveı Ai t Clay :s only aı:oul fifteen years o!d. ^ ;

vve'rc stili leanııng. v/c re stili dcvelopıng ik llls a n d tmding out m ore evcıy day âbuul the jKilentidl ol lh . m aterlal she sav's

■'From 3 persoııal pomı 01 v le w " she cutılüıues, i th in k there- ıs piörtly o-: room l i r both - the end product may b c silver Jtrvvellery. bul ine starlltis» and linishing place> and the Jourjıey betvveen the two :ırc diffenini. I see the developnıc-nl o f a soectal Ivpt

:f d es^ n er ınaker vvho uses bolh sifversrnıtlııny

skills «ınd AH Clay skills lıı thoiı .vorl,

Although much '»fw hat she does revolves around her bright lighl studio Ttacey also iravels

rxtensıvcly vvith her vvork. M uch 01 vvhat she's Crafrsman craüâdesign Magazine lAîrcK Apıü 2010

îm rohxtl [İl :hx‘ MaslCTS.HegıSTr/[(.-r cx3mp!c. -rtg in .ıU » from America w here the m atçriatis being used İti divcrse and Inrovâüve wa^s A •.veek long tn p to Chicago lası ıııiv vvas o n eo f İhc highughfs of h t r ycar

A group a f Rve t<İ us attended dte K il Ğ a y Vvtoöd Cuiıft-’ftıncf- shesavs W İİh three day* ol

Masıerclasses and lw o and 2 lıajf days o f lectures.

11 vvas hrlllianl find that people com e to Art Ciay rront m nm fİİlTcrcnt disaplinüs sııgaf paste, c e ra m iti. u:xUJes. * ard crall il.'s interestiııg and ınspınng to see :hc \vori< that comes js a resul! ol lhçsc di dereni hacfcgrounds.

N bv she s pianrıır.H a vve«?k ol t^achifiğ in Spain !!•- April aitJ h e to ir that shc‘11 be vis& nğ lapan Home oı An o>\v "Ten •; us \viil oe spendi:^ a vvcci v. ırkıııg vviih Hu* Misten». vısum gthe Art Clay feçtvnyaıııi leam irig «nere about hovv ir.s used İ m ahvays inteıesied 10 see biuw othet people vvotk i ve already get lo ts rtf qucsnans readv tor then ' There ıs.informâtiatt a ta tıl Trafcey's'Silver Ait o.ay \Vorkihops on her .-.ebsite www.craıVA'orx .:o.ul;

n cm aıl her ıor more jntörmation about ber\Vork:

E m iL s y ^v ra fh v o r.-; a v iik

C lasses C a le n d a r in s id e M e ta lw e rx T ra v e l I n f o Fail C a ta lo g C o n ta c t Us