KATHERINE RICHMOND

 

Katherine’s professional training took place at the University of Central England’s School of Jewellery, in Birmingham where she graduated with a First Class Honours Degree in Jewellery and Silversmithing. During her studies Katherine was awarded a Precious Metal Bursary from the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, and won first prize for the George Jackson Travel Award. 

 

Following her degree Katherine exhibited at New Designers at the Business Design Centre in Islington in 2003, and went on to take part in a number of group exhibitions across the UK, including the ‘Expect the Unexpected’ showcase at The Craft Centre and Design Gallery in Leeds, and with the Designer Jeweller’s Group at the Barbican, in London. Katherine set-up her own business in January 2005 and began producing bespoke silver and gold gifts for the sports and corporate sector, specifically limited edition pieces, player awards, and one-off commissions. 

 

In September 2008 Katherine returned to university to study a Masters degree in Jewellery, Silver and related products, at Birmingham City University, and in September 2009 graduated with an MA Distinction. Katherine’s work now sits on the boundary between fine art and jewellery, exploring the fragile relationship between memory and objects and the tensions between control and disorder. Katherine uses vintage books to create wearable art that questions traditional values associated to the permanence of our material surroundings, by embracing the beauty of the imperfect and incomplete. Katherine employs elements of chance into her making process, making each piece completely unique and regularly works to commission creating bespoke gifts using customer’s own books and precious papers.

 

Now living in Northamptonshire and focusing on developing this body of work, Katherine also enjoys being a Mum to 3-year-old Harry and continues to take part in collaborative projects and exhibitions with galleries in the UK and internationally including The Saatchi Gallery, The Museum of Arts and Design in New York and The Museum of London. Katherine’s work has been featured in many publications including Sarah Kelly’s ‘Paper Jewellery’, 500 Paper Objects: New Directions in Paper Art by Lark Crafts and Tales from the Toolbox (Narrative Jewellery) by Mark Fenn.

 

Teaching has become a fundamental part of Katherine's creative practice, and she is a regular visiting lecturer and Curriculum Coordinator for Northamptonshire Adult Learning Service where she coordinates and teaches a range of courses for community groups across the county. In 2012 Katherine spent time as an Artist in Residence at Birmingham City University's School of Jewellery where she supported students studying for an MA in Jewellery, Silver and related products, and worked collaboratively to co-ordinate group exhibitions and projects whilst developing her own work. Katherine continues her academic research and hopes to explore her ideas on a much deeper level as part of a PhD in the future.