A J o u r n e y o f a C o m m i s s i o n
WAVE
COMMISSIONED BY THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SCOTLAND
&
THE P&O MAKOWER CHARITABLE TRUST
C o m m i s s i o n B r i e f
Wave is a sculptural centerpiece commissioned by the National Museum of Scotland and The P&O Makower Charitable Trust. The commission brief was very flexible and experimental, with the application of mixed metals or colour to the surface of the piece. The design was a very large center piece, which took the form of a crashing wave, whilst exploring the Korean gold fusing technique of ‘Keumboo’. I have always been fascinated by water and its fluidity, and always envisioned making a statement piece with its powerful movements.
London Craft Week Virtual Preview
London Craft Week will take place from 30 September - 8 October. In the lead up to the festival London Craft Week will be offering a glimpse into what to expect this autumn with a Virtual Preview. In partnership with Contemporary British Silversmiths, a short video was made with Jessica speaking about her commissioned piece, her temporary work place from home, a gold fusing demonstration and her design process.
R a i s i n g
The piece started off as a flat sheet of 35 x 75cm Britannia silver. This was formed into a cylindrical shape, which was then soldered along the seam in order to prepare it for ‘raising’, which is the process of forming hollowware through hammering a flat sheet of metal.
The initial aim was to create a rounded form in order to shape the curve of the wave. One of the most challenging parts of the making process was raising and shaping. The scale was much larger than what I was used to working with, which meant holding the piece in place was tricky as it was not only heavy but also difficult to angle.
C h a s i n g a n d R e p o u s s e
One of the techniques I have acquired in the recent years which has started to become a signature style of mine is called ‘Chasing and Repousse’. This is a traditional metalworking technique where a piece of metal is placed onto or filled with pitch, in order to create enough resistance for the surface of the metal to be worked on.
In simple terms Repousse means to push forward or push up, it refers to the metal being raised by hammering from back to create dimension in front. Chasing essentially outlines the pushed forward designs by pushing back around their edges to help define them. I love chasing as it doesn’t just add to the surface of my pieces, but because of how deep I can push the metal it has become one of the key methods of forming a shape.
K e u m b o o G o l d F u s i n g
Keum-boo is the Korean technique used to fuse thin sheets of 24k gold foil onto silver using heat and pressure. The initial process requires fine silver to be brought to the surface, this is done by heating the silver multiple times which is known as depletion.
Heat and pressure is applied to the two metals, which causes an exchange of elections between them and that creates a strong permanent bond. A simple hot plate and a steel or agate burnisher can be used for this technique.
C o m m i s s i o n i n g
Whether it is a bold artistic statement or a beautiful piece of silverware, your bespoke commission is our highest priority. The commissioning process is a deeply rewarding experience for both the client and the artist, working together to create something beautiful, unique and elegant.