GRADUATES
PHOTO: COLIN TENNANT
Expert Advice: what makers wish they’d known when they graduated The Making Space: the challenge of finding a place to work From Clarity to Community: top tips for graduates starting a new business
Clutch, Dawn Youll, 2016, slipcast earthenware
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GRADUATES
Ten of the country’s leading makers tell us what they wish they’d known when they started out
EXPERT ADVICE RT ADVICE
Giles Miller Designer Try not to be too emotional about making mistakes. If you’re not experimenting and trying new things then you’re not pushing yourself forward. The very nature of experimentation means that you’ll likely have a few minor failures along the way, but you shouldn’t be disheartened – many of the mistakes that I’ve made have informed a positive outcome later down the line. And have the confidence to get your work out there. Some of our most interesting projects have come through Clerkenwell Design Week, and that came about because we approached the organisation directly and showed it what we do. It invited us to create an installation and now we’ve done quite a few for the organisation. The point is that it’s important to speak to people and find your own opportunities. Design companies are just creative people trying to do new things, so even if a project seems unattainable, if you think what you’re doing is interesting then the chances are the person commissioning will, too. gilesmiller.com 78 May/June 2017 Crafts
Matt Smith Ceramist
Clockwise from left: The Heart of Architecture, Giles Miller Studio for Clerkenwell Design Week 2013; Wunderkammer 17, Matt Smith, 2017, black Parian ware; Connect, Cara Murphy, silver cups incorporating stone; Jib Stool, Peter Marigold, 2014, birch and felted wool
Peter Marigold Designer
Cara Murphy Silversmith
I teach one day a week at London Metropolitan University and often see students exhibiting their work. I find it shocking how many of them set up an exhibit and then disappear. When I was starting out, all my opportunities sprang from exhibitions. You never know who is going to come round the corner and a small conversation can turn into something much bigger down the line. If you’re not going to be there with your work, don’t waste your money or your time. A business card or postcard left on a stand isn’t going to do anything; people pick them up but often don’t look at them. A really important thing is to be nice to everyone in your class. They’ll go on to have jobs in the creative field and remember you because you’re part of the same generation. Certainly for me, people I met at the RCA have gone on to really top positions. Also, students should be looking at crowdfunding sites such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo. I ran four campaigns with my students last year and all the projects got funded. petermarigold.com
To silversmiths just graduating, I would say join the Contemporary British Silversmiths association. It will give you access to a wealth of knowledge and contacts – and silversmiths are very friendly people. We will always help someone if they have a question about suppliers or where to buy a piece of equipment. The majority of craftspeople work on their own, so it’s nice to know that there are infrastructures and communities out there. Students sometimes think that they need to be making 24/7, but part of having a sustainable, successful business is realising that within your practice you have to allow time to promote yourself. One way of getting your work seen is by applying for grants and entering competitions. You can’t win it if you’re not in it. caramurphy.com
MARIGOLD: IMAGE COURTESY THE ARTIST AND SARAH MYERSCOUGH GALLERY LONDON. PHOTO: CASPER SEJERSEN | SMITH: COURTESY CYNTHIA CORBETT GALLERY
Don’t worry about which path you’re going to take: worry about the work and the path will sort itself out. It’s really easy when you’re at university to look at what other people are doing or have done before and imagine that you’re going to follow in their footsteps. Rather than thinking about someone else’s career path, focus on having a really interesting, creative practice. No matter how much you want to control your career, it’s a bit like handwriting – it’s going to naturally find its own course. I wish I’d known that it’s really tough to make a living from being a maker. At the beginning, don’t rely on being creative to make money: it might be better to split your time and work in another area as well. That way, when you are being creative, you are free to make the best work you can and not what you think is going to be economically advantageous. mattjsmith.com
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Silvia Weidenbach Jeweller
Don’t think that you need the money for a big studio to be able to practice ceramics – it’s completely unrealistic and financially it will kill you. We live in a post-studio world where you can work almost anywhere: beg and borrow and work on the kitchen table if you have to. Also, you might not know where you want to be, or if you are planning on staying in the same city that you studied in, so you don’t want to be tied down to a contract. When I first started out I rented what was really just a studio table and it didn’t matter. The point was that I found a way to make work. Having access to a shared studio or a temporary studio can be a good thing because it helps you become part of a community. One of the best things about being a graduate are those friendships which prop you up and keep you going. Nothing happens quickly, so you’ve got to be prepared to be in it for the long run. clairecurneen.com
I think it’s important to retain a little naivety, to be curious and not intimidated. There are many creative avenues in the jewellery world, but so much choice can seem a bit daunting. You need to be fearless and brave enough to take risks, for example, if you want to explore a new aesthetic. When you’re confronted with the business world after university and you suddenly have to start thinking about how to find rent for a studio and funding projects that need precious metals, reality can seem harsh. Think outside the box, perhaps by doing collaborations or making work that crosses over with other disciplines. In goldsmithing, we have been using the same tools for thousands of years, but now we have a digital toolbox too, which we can use to create new opportunities. silviaweidenbach.com
Clockwise from left: Guardian, Claire Curneen, 2011, porcelain; Artificialia, Silvia Weidenbach; Asymmetric Yellow Diamond Ring, Ruth Tomlinson, 18ct yellow gold
EXPERT ADVICE 80 May/June 2017 Crafts
Ruth Tomlinson Jeweller
Listen to feedback from people viewing your work and take their responses onboard – that’s how you can move your designs forward. You need to keep ahead of the trends, but at the same time be true to your vision. An artist residency is a good idea because it’s a gentle, baby step into the working world. I did a silversmithing residency for a year at Bishopsland Educational Trust in Oxfordshire, which gave me time to develop my collection in an environment that didn’t cost too much while I was surrounded by creatives. I think that having a mentor is useful, particularly in those first years after university. My studio in Cockpit Arts has business mentors. Just because you’ve left university, it doesn’t mean that you’re on your own – there are plenty of people who can support you along the way. ruthtomlinson.com
CURNEEN: CRAFTS COUNCIL COLLECTION. PHOTO RELIC IMAGING LTD © CLAIRE CURNEEN | WEIDENBACH: PHOTO SYLVAIN DELEU | TOMLINSON: COURTESY THE ARTIST
Claire Curneen Ceramist
SHOW 2017 Royal College of Art Graduate Exhibition 24 June – 2 July Free admission 12–8pm daily (closed 30 June) rca.ac.uk/show2017 +44 (0) 20 7590 4498 @RCA #showRCA
SHOW BAT TERSE A Howie Street, London SW11 4AS School of Material Ceramics & Glass, Jewellery & Metal SHOW KENSINGTON Kensington Gore, London SW7 2EU School of Material Textiles Free shuttle bus between each site
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Crafts May/June 2017 81
Dawn Youll Ceramist
Keep overheads low. When I started out I was making at the kitchen table, then the spare room, then the loft. I didn’t get a studio until about seven years ago. I started off using found objects, which I would have probably done anyway, but it was a way of making in the space that I had, with the money I had. I do a bit of teaching and we talk a lot about concept, asking questions such as where do you see your work and what sort of projects would you like to do. Some courses are very set – this is what you do, this is where you show your work – but the industry is more fluid than that. Use your transferrable skills to make money. There are a lot of jobs out there, such as model making, which are related and can support you. Everybody I know didn’t start making money for about six years, so you have to persevere and stick at it. Carry on making and one day it will get easier. barnabybarford.co.uk
When I graduated I didn’t have any business skills. I thought that they weren’t relevant for me because being creative was the most important thing: I didn’t realise that I would need to know how to run a creative business, and I wish that I’d taken the opportunities that were on offer so I had known more about how to do that. I think that what’s available today in terms of social media is really useful to connect to people. I try and use it now, but if I had done it from the beginning it would have been a bigger part of my daily practice. I remember I learnt a lesson once about sending out rubbish images of my work: if they’re not good, people won’t take them, or you, seriously. Now when I make a body of new work I always get professional photographs taken. It’s important that the images represent the work properly. dawnyoull.co.uk
YOULL: PHOTO COLIN TENNANT
Barnaby Barford Designer
Clockwise from left: The Tower of Babel, Barnaby Barford, 2015, fine bone china and other media, installed at the V&A; In Situ, Dawn Youll, 2016, slipcast earthenware; Mourne check placemat, Mourne Textiles, hand-woven linen, cotton and wool
EXPERT ADVICE
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Mario Serra Mourne Textiles When we take on weaving apprentices at Mourne Textiles we always say that they need to spend a lot of time handling the fabrics before they actually start weaving. It’s vital to ensure they understand not only the structures of weaves but also the different qualities of the fibres used. One way of doing this is through discussions with the yarn spinners. Much of my first year was spent getting to know our suppliers and their craft. Our yarn spinners and finishers are such a huge source of information. If I’m looking at a CV, I’m interested in someone who shows initiative, focus and a passion for weaving. I’ve also started to go slightly off the beaten track when I’m looking for weavers. Rhythm is incredibly important: I’ve employed one guy who used to box as a child and another who is a drummer in his spare time. As soon as I heard they had those skills, I knew that they would be able to keep a beat in production handloom weaving. mournetextiles.com
BA (Hons) Hand Embroidery for Fashion, Interiors, Textile Art
Discover the future of creative talent
Graduation Show at Hampton Court Palace 8 – 17 June (closed 11 June) Showrounds at 10am & 2pm To book your space Visit rsndegree.uk or call 44(0)20 3166 6929
A season of art & design shows by Truro & Penwith College students
New Designers: Part 1 Business Design Centre 28 June – 1 July Stand T64
BA (hons) Applied Media Final year exhibition of work. County Hall, Truro. Fri 19 to Fri 26 May. Page-turner. 12th annual exhibition by Truro College Art and Design Students. Marquee on the Piazza, Lemon Quay, Truro.
RSN is a registered charity no: 312774
Tue 23 to Sat 27 May, 9am to 6pm daily. closing at 3pm on Saturday. FdA Photography and Digital Imaging and BA (hons) Applied Media. Final year photography show. Lander Galley, Lemon Street Market, Truro.
䐀䔀䜀刀䔀䔀 匀䠀伀圀 ㈀㜀 䨀甀渀攀 ⴀ ㈀ 䨀甀氀礀 ㈀ 㜀
Mon 5 to Sat 10 June. Foundation Diploma in Art & Design Summer Show. Ginkgo Building, Truro College Tregye Campus, Carnon Downs, Truro.
䠀椀猀琀漀爀椀挀 䌀愀爀瘀椀渀最 簀 䌀漀渀猀攀爀瘀愀琀椀漀渀 簀 䘀椀渀攀 䄀爀琀
Mon 19 to Fri 23 June. 10am to 3pm daily. Tidal Memories. Penwith College Art and Design students annual exhibition. Harbour Car Park, Opposite Wharfside Shopping Centre, Penzance. Wed 21 to Sun 25 June. 9am to 6pm daily, closing at 4pm on Sunday.
www.truro-penwith.ac.uk
Artwork by Rosie Buttle
Truro 01872 267000 Penwith 01736 335000
Crafts May/June 2017 83
GRADUATES
With the south-east property bubble showing little sign of bursting and workshop space being turned into luxury apartments, Julia Bennett wonders where the next generation of graduates are expected to work
You’re about to leave uni, you’re bursting with ideas and skills and you want to give these tangible expression in the world of work. What do you need? Either an exciting job with an imaginative employer, or, if you’re an art, craft or design graduate, the right set-up to hatch your plans, hone your concept and get creating as one of the 89 per cent of makers who are a sole traders (according to Craft in an Age of Change, published by the Crafts Council in 2012). The key ingredients to unleash this potential are likely to be ideas, tools, materials, contacts and, above all, space to work. How realistic is this? Tales abound among makers and in the press of the challenges of finding a studio. Driven out by rising property prices, anecdotes point to makers and artists who are moving out of London to Margate, Glasgow or even Berlin – this latter now with the added insecurity over longer-term residency rights in other EU countries. We’re also seeing rising numbers of entrepreneurs, with more people wanting to create their own jobs, seeking to take control
of their destiny in an era of increasing globalisation. Creative United, which provides finance to creatives, recently reported a significant increase in studios over the past 30 years in the UK, particularly in London. It showed how such spaces have a wider economic and social value, helping to regenerate areas by stimulating local business growth. Yet it said that the cycles of property development leave many workspaces and communities vulnerable to the changing dynamics of that industry. Often on short-term leases, few studios are currently owneroccupied or reserved for the creative community. This is echoed in the 2015 Crafts Council survey, which found that the majority of makers rent their workspace, provide their own equipment and say that cost is the biggest barrier. Use of a studio is not just about access to physical space. A recent case study of workshops along the Ipswich-Cambridge rail corridor by Smiths Row confirms it’s about the ability ‘to access a combination of professional support and a space
THE MAKING SPACE 84 May/June 2017 Crafts
NORDHEIM: PHOTO WILLIAM SCOTHERN | BLACKHORSE: PHOTO BEN QUINTON
Above: Walthamstow’s Blackhorse Workshop, which celebrated its third birthday this year. Left: couture tailor Thomas von Nordheim at Cockpit Arts in Holborn
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TURNING EARTH: PHOTO ARTHUR RUMMEL | CUSTOM LANE: PHOTO MURDO MCDERMID
for networking and exchange with other artists, particularly those disadvantaged by lack of social mobility, rural isolation and financial or health barriers’. Some of these needs are being met in more urban areas through the rise of makerspaces. Open access facilities like Build Brighton, Fab Lab Devon and Newport Makers Club support a range of different practices. Workshop East’s report in 2015 found that co-making spaces in London are predominantly independent organisations, mostly maker-led and established through private funding, often by founder
Making helps to forge and shape our diverse towns, cities and neighbourhoods
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members taking out private loans. The 89 spaces it mapped provide premises for over 500 small businesses, with these providing further jobs, services and products for thousands of others. They also offer a broad range of classes, mentoring and skills training opportunities. It’s likely that some will also be substituting for the decline in local authority and further education classes, but with less accredited training on offer. So what can be done to tackle the challenges of finding a studio? If you’re approaching graduation, you’re probably busy networking, Top: popular pottery studio Turning Earth’s new open-access ceramics centre in Lee Valley in an old hardware factory. Above right: Custom Lane, a new centre for design and making in Edinburgh, which opened this year
Bath School of art and design Undergraduate degree Show
BA 2017 Venue
Bath School of Art and Design Sion Hill, Bath, BA1 5SF
Public View
10th -15th June 10.00am-5.00pm
BA Courses
Contemporary Arts Practice Creative Arts Fashion Design Fine Art Graphic Communication Photography Textiles for Fashion & Interiors Three Dimensional Design
Website
bathspa.ac.uk/degreeshow
ART AND DESIGN FOUNDATION EXHIBITION 2017
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 10-18 JUNE 10AM-5PM YEAR 12 SCHOOLS’ EVENT-15 JUNE
INSPIRING MINDS: ART AND DESIGN
www.lboro.ac.uk/artsdegreeshow2017
#lboroads17
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UNMADE: PHOTO BEN CATCHPOLE
locating others who share your vision and might hook you into opportunities to share space. If you’re a student in an institution that’s committed to professional practice development, you’ll want to take advantage of any advice about entrepreneurship and may be one of the fortunate few given access to subsidised studio space. Under pressure to show graduates are going into employment, higher education institutions are increasingly active in civic leadership, seeking to shape and attract investment for creatives in their local area. Top: Manifold’s Ermine Mews studio, set up by a group of RCA ceramics and glass MA graduates in 2010 (see Crafts no. 234, Jan/Feb 2012). Above right: Unmade’s home in Somerset House Studios (see Crafts no. 263 Nov/Dec 2016)
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Making helps to forge and shape our diverse towns, cities and neighbourhoods. If we’re to sustain the contribution of craft to communities and livelihoods, we must address creative workspace needs. We need policies that can secure the longer-term availability of workspace. If you’re keen to champion making, you might join with the Crafts Council and others to push for new forms of finance for studios or to protect more former industrial space for artists’ use. One example is a proposal from the Greater London Authority for creative enterprise zones – areas of
small live/workspaces specifically for artists and makers – that could be good news as long as they include permission for the more industrial processes characteristic of some craft disciplines. And we need to see more councils applying for protection from developers’ rights to create residential units out of former offices without planning permission. Without such improvements, graduates will increasingly question the purpose of their rising financial investment in their future careers. Julia Bennett is the Crafts Council’s head of research and policy
We need policies that can secure the longer-term availability of workspace
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GRADUATES
Want to know how to kick-start your new craft business now you’re out in the real world? Nicky Dewar has some tips. Illustration by Satoshi Kambayashi
FROM CLARITY TO COMMUNITY Taking those first steps as an independent maker can be daunting – many are put off from starting and those that do can struggle. The Crafts Council has a long history of supporting makers with developing their skills and knowledge in order to build successful businesses. So how can you give yourself the best start? 1. Clarity Begin by being clear about why you want to start your creative business journey. Once you are certain of your own motivations you can start to identify who your customers are. 2. Boldness Try to be bold and specific with your plans – and truthful. This process only works when your responses are honest. How much time do you want to spend making and does this match the time you have available to make? Do you have all the skills needed to be successful? Where are your gaps? It may help to talk this through with someone you trust to be frank with you. 3. Honesty What do you want to achieve? And the age-old question: where do you want to be in 10 years’ time? These questions should help you consider a pathway. You may be clear why you want to begin, but a vision of what your business will look like in the future is likely to be harder to pin down. Don’t worry about this. Thinking about ideal achievements and working out what is important to you can make sure you’re heading the right way. If 10 years is too big a goal to think about, then start small and ask yourself where you want to be in one year’s time. 90 May/June 2017 Crafts
4. Order If you’re able to write down your goals as individual steps in a logical order and know when you’re ready to move onto the next step, you’re on your way to having your firstyear business plan. 5. Knowledge Market research – it sounds intimidating but is simply about acquiring knowledge and using it. Who are your role models or competition? Spend some time researching them. Where do they sell? What language do they use to describe themselves? What prices do they charge? How do they use social media? Now think about your customer. Can you describe them? Think about their lifestyle – spend a day in their shoes. Where do they shop? What do they do? What does their house look like? Why are they buying what you make? What do you offer that is unique and special? 6. Presentation Make sure your name and how you present yourself match the unique story you’re asking customers to buy into – know it and get good at telling it. A great narrative behind an object and/or its maker is a real selling point and it’s what separates you from others. 7. Professionalism Make sure the name you choose isn’t being used by someone else, with a quick Google search and a check at Companies House. Your brand is reinforced through professional behaviour. Respond to queries in a timely fashion: be polite, and if you’re busy at fairs make sure you have an automatic message telling people when you’ll be able to respond. Don’t copy
work by other people. Make sure you’re on top of legal stuff such as tax and intellectual property rights – it exists to protect you, so start as you mean to go on. 8. Interaction A website and social media interactions are how people find out about you and can engage with your work. A website shouldn’t be huge; it does need to be current and interesting, and tell people how they can get in touch with you. There are a host of social media platforms that allow you to build a loyal community of followers and help you find opportunities such as residencies or training. 9. Marketing Having great photographs of your work underpins so much of your marketing. Good images can sell your work for you. If you can’t afford professional images, there are some simple steps to doing it yourself: use bright, natural light, keep backgrounds simple, use a tripod and zoom into small objects. Think about your object in situ – for example, if you make jewellery, show a person wearing it (making sure the object, not the person, is the focus) or if you create products such as cushions or ceramic vessels, photograph them in a simple, interior space. Great images are so important when applying for opportunities, shows and residencies as well as getting noticed online and in the press – look at your role models’ photography for inspiration. 10. Pricing How much to charge? Setting a price is one of the biggest stumbling blocks we see regularly as makers
often forget to include important factors. Your unit price needs to include your materials – all of them and your overheads – electricity, insurance, stationery, travel, everything you need to function. Then cost the time you need to deliver all aspects of your make, including administrative tasks. Knowing these costs and then setting the right price will establish your place in the market. 11. Planning One of the best things to do after leaving university is to plan your first event. Having a fixed deadline to work towards will help you structure the time to create new work. You can set milestones for marketing, your website, etc, and it will motivate you and prevent any procrastinating. 12. Community Being an independent maker doesn’t need to be isolating. There are lots of ways to engage with a community of makers, find support and get help with elements of your business. Join a shared studio, training course or creative network to help develop your business skills, meet up with other local freelancers and share. Talking through both your worries and successes will be very useful. We know that considering all this when you’re first starting out can be scary, and so our support and advice exists to help makers become successful and their craft business to flourish. We have wideranging workshops, conferences, in-depth programmes and resources, so keep in touch.
Nicky Dewar is the Crafts Council’s head of learning and talent development
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Kingston School of Art 3D Design Architecture & Landscape Creative & Cultural Industries Critical & Historical Studies Fashion Film & Photography Fine Art Foundation Graphic Design Illustration Animation
via End of Year Shows
Foundation: 18-25 May Degree Show: 3-9 June Kingston University, London Knights Park Campus Grange Road Kingston upon Thames KT1 2QJ fada.kingston.ac.uk This event celebrates the Faculty of Art, Design & Architecture’s return to its original name as Kingston School of Art. With 150 years of art school history, and a spirit of fearless creativity, this return to our roots sees us leading the drive towards new ways of crafting our collective future.
Making and selling precious metal jewellery? Remember to get it hallmarked, it’s the law* The UK Hallmark is one of the oldest forms of consumer protection and a legal requirement for anyone selling their goods. Not only is it a guarantee of quality, it also includes your very own sponsor’s mark. Unique to you, your sponsor’s mark can be an invaluable marketing tool leading to increased recognition and additional sales. *
weight exemptions apply.
Find out more about hallmarking: T 020 7606 8971 E info@ assayofficelondon.co.uk W assayofficelondon.co.uk Cufflinks by Josef Koppmann
92 May/June 2017 Crafts LAW AD.indd 1
06/04/2016 09:47
10-17 June 2017 Also at
New Designers Part 1 29 June – 01 July 2017
Work by: Daniel Johnson, BA (Hons) Artist Blacksmithing
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www.rgu.ac.uk/degreeshow
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GRAY’S SCHOOL OF ART DEGREE SHOW 2017 OPEN TO PUBLIC 17 / 24 JUNE WEEKDAYS 10 AM - 8 PM WEEKENDS 10 AM - 5 PM
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The exhibition for emerging design Part 1 28 June - 01 July 2017 Part 2 05 - 08 July 2017 Business Design Centre, London N1 0QH Book tickets newdesigners.com #ND17