CV ALAN CRAXFORD

J E W E L L E R and S I L V E R S M I T H

 

NAME Alan Craxford

BORN 21 November 1946, Birmingham, England

 

Education

1973-74

Central School of Art and Design (part-time) - studied enamelling under Pat Furse

1974-75

Sir John Cass (part-time) studied engraving under Fred Fryer and Stan Reece

1963-67

Canterbury College of Art - silversmithing and industrial design four-year vocational course LSIAD in silver plate and cutlery.   The course also included jewellery and some furniture.

1957-63

Dane Court Technical High School, Broadstairs, Kent

O level - Maths, English Language, English Literature, Art and Metalwork

A level - Art, Metalwork

 

Industry

1970-72

Concord Lighting International, London - designed a wide range of lighting products

1971-73

Kwok Hoi Chan, Design Consultant, Amsterdam - developed lighting projects

1967-70

Rank Bush Murphy Ltd (Staff Design Unit) London - designed television, stereo systems, radios and other domestic electrical equipment

Teaching

2009 - July - retired from University teaching

2002

London Metropolitan University – Director of Short Courses – Jewellery and Silversmithing

1999

London Guildhall University - Senior Lecturer, organiser of new short course and masterclass programmes at refurbished Sir John Cass Centre for Silversmithing and Jewellery

1997

London Guildhall University - Senior Lecturer MA Matrix Jewellery and Silversmithing

1993

London Guildhall University - Senior Lecturer, Design Studies 

BA CAS Programme

1989

City of London Polytechnic - Senior Lecturer in 3D Design, Modular Degree Design Studies

1985

Kingston Polytechnic - Furniture School Visiting Tutor

1984

Wimbledon School of Art - Part-time Lecturer Foundation Studies

1981

City of London Polytechnic - Part-time Lecturer Foundation Studies

1976

City of London Polytechnic - Part-time Lecturer Jewellery Department

1974

Brixton Centre - Part-time Jewellery Tutor

 

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

2011 Jan / Feb

ELECTRUM GALLERY LONDON - "A Sparkling Proposal" New Collection of A3 size Paper Cuts shown

 

2010 March / "Desire" Richmond

British Silver Week - work shown at four venues across the UK.

Goldsmiths Fair at Goldsmiths Hall, City of London.

 

2009 June/ BRITISH SILVER WEEK.

Reworked Sushi and Sake Set and pair of creamers, exhibited as a table setting shown with DAVID FOWKES GALLERY, Theorsby Park, Newark.

Group of Spinning Bowls exhibited with PAYNE AND SONS, Oxford.

Sushi and Sake Set and group of other Silversmithing pieces shown with JOHN HIGGINS CONTEMPORARY SILVER in several locations.

 

2009 April/ May

"TRANSFORMATIONS" Solo exhibition at ROGER BILLCLIFFE FINE ART, Glasgow. 32 page colour catalogue produced available @ £6.00

Full spectrum of jewellery and Silversmithing pieces shown

 

2009 March/April

SILVER WITH A PINCH OF SALT, Pair of new Salt dishes for Exhibition at GOLDSMITHS HALL, work from contemporary makers shown in context of historical pieces.

 

2008  May       

HAMLITON AND INCHES London new Bowls and jugs. Part of BSW.           

2008  May       

LESLEY CRAZE GALLERY “Fresh Forms” part of BSW 9 silversmiths

 

2007  Apr/May 

Solo exhibition of new silver vessels at ROGER BILLCLIFFE FINE ART, Glasgow.  New work involving engraved and enamelled spinning pieces

 

2005  Oct/Nov

“ON THE CUFF”, major exhibition of cufflinks, wearers and makers, Goldsmiths Hall, London.

 

2004 Sept

“LOOKING OVER MY SHOULDER”, Lesley Craze Gallery, 20th anniversary exhibition

2004 Feb

“COLLECT” at the V A Museum. Work including new neckpiece in 18ct gold, Pink Tourmaline, oxidised silver presented by the Metal Gallery

 

2003 Oct

“ART AS A JEWELL” at the Metal Gallery, Mount Street, London W1.  Two new 

Madala Brooches in 18ct yellow and white gold.  Set with white and yellow diamonds respectively

2003 May

“LOVE STORY” Goldsmiths Hall, London.  Precious materials   romance 

weddings.  Client loaned their collection, some new work

 

2002 May-Sept

EUROPEAN TRIENNALE OF JEWELLERY 2002 – Chateaux Seneffe,  Belgium

2002 Oct

Solo Exhibition at ROGER BILLCLIFFE FINE ART, Glasgow, Catalogue

 

2001 July

“THE BRITISH ARE COMING” at Elleard B Heffern Inc., Saint Louis, Miss, USA

 

2000 Feb

“SILVER 2000”, Crafts Council Shop at Victoria and Albert Museum

 

1999 Dec

“CONTEMPORARY BRITISH SILVER”, Lane Crawford Department Store, Hong Kong

1999 Nov

“One Man Exhibition”, OXFORD GALLERY, Oxford, full-colour 16-page catalogue

1999 May

“THE ART OF CUTLERY”, Goldsmiths Hall, London, new Sushi and Sake sets made in sliver, gilt, ebony and maple - catalogue

 

1998 Nov

“Objects of Desire”, Roger Billcliffe Fine Art, Glasgow

1998 May

“Tea and Silver”, Goldsmiths Hall, new teaset in silver and ebony exhibited, extensive coverage in catalogue

 

1996 Feb

Hilde Leis Galerie, Hamburg, Germany

 

1995 Aug

“Herbst Messe”, Frankfurt, Germany

 

1994 Nov

“What is Jewellery?”   Exhibition curated by David Poston.   Jewellery from the point of view of the wearer.   Crafts Council Gallery, London

1994 Aug

“Chain Reaction”   Exhibition of contemporary chains by leading makers, Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh.

 

1993 June

“One-Man Exhibition”, Electrum Gallery, London.   Show of new work, hand engraved and carved in gold and silver, together with precious and semi-precious stones

1993 Mar

“The Eye of the Heart”   Cecil Collins memorial exhibition at Central St. Martins, London Institute, Kingsway, London

1993 Oct

“From Paper to Platinum”   A review of contemporary British Jewellery at Leslie Craze Gallery, Clerkenwell, London

 

1992 May

“British Goldsmiths of Today”, Goldsmiths Hall, London

 

1991 June

“Twentieth Anniversary Exhibition, Electrum Gallery, London

 

1990 Oct

Chelsea Comes to California - Orange County, California, selling exhibition organised by the DTI and Crafts Council

 

1986

“Precious Elements”   An exhibition of contemporary British jewellery, Usher Gallery, Lincoln (one of my Mandala brooches used on all the publicity material for the exhibition)

 

1985

“ALAN CRAXFORD - Jeweller”, VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM, one-man exhibition in the JEWELLERY GALLERY.

 

NB - ELECTRUM GALLERY, London. ROGER BILLCLIFFE GALLERY, Glasgow - I am one of their regular gallery artists.

GOLDSMITHS FAIR – I am a regular contributor over last 16 years

 

THIS IS A TYPICAL LIST OF COMMISSIONS

REFER TO THE COMMISSION SECTIONS OF THE SITE FOR THE LATEST WORK.

Note all my commissions are for private clients -

  

2004 Dec

Dress ring, 18ct white gold.  Olive baguette Tourmaline hand carved shank

2004 June

Two Hand Knitted Chains.  One 18ct green gold, one in oxidised fine silver, 22ct gold, 18ct green gold

2004 May

Pair cuff links, 18ct white gold, sapphires, hand engraved spiral design

2004 April

Dress Ring, 18ct white gold, Baguette Rubellite Tourmaline

2003 Nov

Pendant, 18ct white gold, hand carved, set with coloured diamonds.

Tanzanite, brilliant cut.  Suspended from heavy hand knitted chain in oxidised silver, white gold clasp.

2003 Dec

Pair sun moon earrings, 18ct yellow and white golds, pear cut sapphires.

2003 Sept

Necklace in 18ct green gold hand engraved drop set with amethyst suspended from hand knitted chain in 18ct green and 22ct yellow gold

2003 May

Pendant for man, Tanzanite cabochon carved white 18ct gold, oxidised fine silver handmade chain.

2003 Feb

Dress Ring in 18ct white gold setting, pink brilliant cut spinel.  1.50cts

FebPair Earrings in 18ct yellow gold, square blue/green Tourmalines.  Finely engraved heart shaped earrings with stones set on the diagonal, dropped to hang free below the ear lobe

2002 Nov

Dress Ring.  Platinum set with radiant cut pink Diamond 0.28cts.  Shank hand engraved.

2002 Oct

Dress Ring 18ct white gold, set with cushion cut fine Tanzanite 7.18cts.  

2002 June

“House Martin Ring” 18ct green gold, set with oval chequerboard cut purple red Garnet 8.33cts.  Shank hand engraved with House Martins on the wing.

2002 April

Pair Earrings to make a suite with Black Tulip Necklace.  Silver, 18ct gold, square diamonds, field hand engraved with spiral design of tulip buds

2001 Dec

Dress Ring 18ct yellow gold, set with brown fancy Diamond 2.65cts.  Shank hand engraved with spiral sun design