QEST Magazine Summer 2018

Issue 38 Summer 2018

Mori Mandi by QEST Carole Bamford Scholar Alice Walton (2018)

THE QUEEN ELIZABETH SCHOLARSHIP TRUST MAGAZINE

In this issue 2018 QEST Scholars & Apprentices

Private View: Deborah Carré, Carréducker

My QEST: Dr Nicholas Morgan, Trustee

Events: London Craft Week

Issue 38 Summer 2018

It has been quite a summer for QEST. We were thrilled to join The Prince of Wales’s 70th Birthday Patronage Celebration at Buckingham Palace in May. We have welcomed Matthew Ingle, founder of Howdens, as a Trustee and Caroline Armstrong-Jones, who has been instrumental in the success of our Celebration of Craft fundraising dinner, as an Ambassador. At the Royal Nick Crean, QEST Chairman Warrant Holders Association Annual Luncheon in June, we presented 31 awards.

What are the signs of potential that we look for in these new QEST Scholars and Apprentices?

John Makepeace OBE, respected cabinet maker and teacher, kindly gave the keynote speech during QEST’s London Craft Week event at Carpenters’ Hall.

He was full of history and stories of origin and excited about seeing his craft alive, but by no means sustained simply through preserving traditions.

On that level, he argues, that craft dies a little.

"Sustaining craft means taking risks, embarking on an exploration of ideas, of materials, of tools, and of inspiration."

The temptation to live solely ‘in the rear view mirror’ is not an option, but an error more likely to lead to a craft becoming endangered.

QEST Magazine is published with the kind support of our advertisers.

Photograph: Sequoia Ziff

Welcome to the Summer 2018 Edition

Chairman Nick Crean, Prestat Honorary Treasurer Alec McQuin, Rokill Trustees Matthew Ingle, Howdens Mark Henderson, Gieves & Hawkes Steve Macleod, Metro Imaging Nicholas Morgan, John Walker & Sons

justgiving.com/qest

Take the risk.

Nick Crean QEST Chairman

Patron

The Marquess of Salisbury

qestcraft

Come to the edge. We might fall.

Come to the edge. It’s too high!

COME TO THE EDGE And they came, And he pushed And they flew.

President

The Earl of Snowdon

queenelizabethscholarshiptrust

I was recently at a poetry clinic at Messums Wiltshire run by the poetry pharmacist, William Sieghart. He reminded me of Christopher Logue's poem:

Royal Warrant Holders Association

Vice Patrons

QESTcraft

In our most recent interviews, there was a surfeit of talent-driven dedication and an eagerness to learn, but what set the successful presentations apart were those who had this daring, rebellious inclination: potential pioneers and ones most likely to attract commercial interest.

QEST His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales

Registered Charity No.1152032

Sustaining craft means taking risks, embarking on an exploration of ideas, of materials, of tools, and of inspiration: great craftsmen need something of the rebel in their spirit.

This sentiment rang bells for me, having been brought up in a large, extended family of twelve boys, where risk was encouraged at every opportunity, from climbing high trees, riding your bicycle hands free at great speeds, to antagonising your brother by eating his favourite chocolate.

Neil Stevenson, N.E.J. Stevenson Ambassadors Caroline Armstrong-Jones Julie Deane, OBE Scott Simpson

Mark Henderson

Design and Print Farrows farrows.co.uk

CEO & Secretary Richard Peck

QEST Office Executive Director Deborah Pocock, LVO

Media Enquiries Eve Lacey Ideas Network +44 (0)20 7351 4719 eve@ideasnetwork.co.uk

Development & Partnerships Officer Natalia Guidorzi

Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust

Applications Co-ordinator

1 Buckingham Place

Maxine Thomik Communications Officer Guineviere Nicholas

QEST Magazine Editor Karen Bennett, Keysmith kb@keysmith.co.uk

London SW1E 6HR +44 (0)20 7798 1535 info@qest.org.uk qest.org.uk

QEST

Scholars & Apprentices 2018

QEST Scholars & Apprentices 2018 The Royal Warrant Holders Association Annual Luncheon at the London Hilton on 5th June was a feast of British craftsmanship.

QEST chairman Nick Crean and RWHA president Mark Henderson presented certificates to the new QEST Scholars and QEST Apprentices.

On stage, Dr Tristram Hunt, director of the Victoria and Albert Museum, presented 1997 QEST Scholar and bespoke shoemaker Deborah Carré with the QEST Award for Excellence, a silver medal cast by Fattorini.

Dr Hunt spoke with great enthusiasm about craft underpinning industry in virtually every sector nationwide and how the RWHA can take pride in being at the forefront of supporting these vital skill sets through QEST. This is an endeavour that chimes with that of the museum: “The V&A was built on the wonder of craft; our mission is and has always been to promote and celebrate excellence and innovation in designing and making.

Dr Tristram Hunt, Victoria and Albert Museum

New QEST Scholars & Apprentices

“Extraordinary craftsmanship is not owned by one department or discipline at the V&A, it is evident across its museum collections and throughout the fabric of the building. Organisations like QEST and the V&A working together on the education and training of designers and craftspeople is a powerful way to ensure these traditional and contemporary crafts skills are sustained across successive generations.

“It was an absolute pleasure to view work by the new QEST Scholars and Apprentices. They illustrate perfectly how the charity is helping dedicated and aspiring craftspeople to raise their skill levels. This is to the benefit of both the individual and the craft industry and economy in this country as a whole.”

The QEST Celebration of British Craftsmanship fundraising dinner will return to the V&A on 13th March 2019.

Scholars ALICE WALTON QEST CAROLE BAMFORD SCHOLAR CERAMICS

Alice Walton, a Masters student in Ceramics & Glass at

“With the QEST Carole Bamford

the Royal College of Art, has exhibited at Tate Modern

Scholarship easing the burden of my

and MADE London and been artist-in-residence at

final year tuition fees, I can maintain

the European Ceramic Context in Denmark and the

my creative momentum towards

Victoria and Albert Museum.

becoming a professional studio artist and teacher. I am also

Alice makes one-off pieces inspired by street furniture

keen to continue my ceramic

and architecture. She combines collaged photography

material development.”

and drawing from memory to construct an imaginary collection of objects. Her original technique fuses processes from ceramic and glass disciplines to create complex surface textures over her forms.

alicewaltonceramics.co.uk alicewaltonceramics

Gillian Stewart QEST JENIFER EMERY SCHOLAR BOOKBINDING

Gillian has bound books for the Houses of Parliament

“For my QEST Jenifer Emery

and The British Library, been commissioned by artists,

Scholarship I have chosen tutors

and recently started her own bindery within a vibrant

who focus on creative and modern

artistic community in Glasgow's East End.

craftsmanship with a foundation in traditional skills. It’s this

She is highly skilled, but needs specialist training

innovative application of heritage

to become a fully-fledged fine binder. Gillian has

within contemporary design that

secured tuition in advanced leatherwork and sewing

excites me.”

with Fellow of Designer Bookbinders Tom McEwan, Switzerland and Professione Libro in Italy, and will attend the Society of Bookbinders Education & Training Seminar.

gillianstewart.co.uk juju.books jujubooksuk Photograph: Alice Gordon

workshops at the Centro del Bel Libro Ascona in

QEST

Scholars & Apprentices 2018

Paul Jefferies QEST EDITH MURPHY FOUNDATION SCHOLAR PERCUSSION INSTRUMENT MAKING

Repairing orchestral percussion instruments has been the mainstay of Paul Jefferies’ business for 20 years. Whilst successful professionally, his desire remains to focus on making complete instruments.

Paul has made every element of a percussion instrument many times, but is hindered from producing the whole because he is dissatisfied with accepted solutions to certain problems. His QEST Edith Murphy Foundation Scholarship will be spent developing and improving materials for components from resonator tubes and timpani bowls to note pegs.

“Modern composites are better suited to many elements of percussion instruments. I want to experiment with combinations of carbon fibre technology and the traditional wooden note bed to produce something I can be truly proud of and offer a lifetime guarantee.”

orchestralpercussion.co.uk

Glockenspiel case making

Otis Ingrams QEST LEATHERSELLERS’ COMPANY SCHOLAR LEATHER WORKING

Otis started leatherworking as a hobby during his BA in

“I want to push the boundaries of

English Literature. He soon found himself spending all his

leatherwork in furniture and product

money on leather and all his time cutting and stitching.

design. The QEST Leathersellers’

Photograph: Simon Brown

Company Scholarship means I can

Punching holes in a pattern for an apron

After two years’ practice, he was accepted for an internship at

take on fewer commissions to fund

Bill Amberg Studio. This developed his skills and confirmed

my studies and devote the time

his passion. In 2013, Otis founded OTZI leather design studio,

to experimentation.”

working with interior designers, artists and brands to create unique, functional pieces. He is studying for an MA in Product & Furniture Design at Kingston University.

otzilondon.com otzilondon

Issue 38 Summer 2018

Kendall Francis

Maud van den Broecke

QEST FINNIS SCOTT FOUNDATION SCHOLAR EASEL PAINTING CONSERVATION

QEST CORDWAINERS’

& RESTORATION

COMPANY SCHOLAR

Fine Art and Art History graduate Kendall Francis is working towards a Postgraduate Diploma in

Laura Adburgham

BESPOKE SHOEMAKING

Maud’s fascination with shoemaking began at age

the Conservation of Easel Paintings at the

QEST D'OYLY CARTE CHARITABLE

seven when she saw the upper of her school shoes

Courtauld Institute of Art.

TRUST SCHOLAR

removed and a new sole applied. Her interest in

TEXTILES

high quality, handmade footwear endures.

With the QEST Finnis Scott Foundation Scholarship, Kendall can continue her studies into the second year.

She has studied Footwear Design & Technology

Further developing her practical skills and chemical

Laura is an established weaver and designer-maker

at the London College of Fashion, trained with

and material knowledge will enable her to analyse and

who creates one-of-a-kind textiles. Her work is

2013 QEST Scholar Ruth Emily Davey, worked as a

perform treatments independently based on informed

about intricacy and variation, which means the

shoe designer and now makes leather goods and shoes

and reflective conservation and restoration practice.

weaving must be done by hand.

as MvdB Leather. Learning to make hand-welted

“My ambition is to become a prominent paintings

She makes each piece on her modernised wooden

conservator in the UK, specialising in Medieval and

floor loom using a variety of materials - wool, silk,

Renaissance artworks in leading British institutions.

horsehair and paper – hand dyed to create subtle

“I’m thrilled that the QEST Cordwainers’ Company

I also want to champion my craft to encourage other

colours and textural effects. An MA in Textiles at

Scholarship will fund six months of weekly

young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, like

the University for the Creative Arts in Farnham,

training on lasting, hand-welting, stitching and

me, to understand its value.”

supported by the QEST D'Oyly Carte Charitable

finishing at the Carréducker Shoemaking School,

Trust Scholarship, will enable Laura to refine her

run by Deborah Carré (1997 QEST Scholar) and

yarn creation, dyeing, weaving and finishing skills.

James Ducker.”

“Pushing creative and technical boundaries will add

mvdbleather.com m_v_d_b

shoes and boots is her next step to becoming

courtauld.ac.uk kendall-francis

diversity and value to my handwoven textile practice.

The MA will also provide openings for new projects, collaborations, exhibitions and industry links.”

lauraadburgham.com lauraadburgham

a full-time bespoke shoemaker.

QEST

Scholars & Apprentices 2018

Jack Waygood QEST SCHOLAR AXE FORGING

Jack Waygood, raised in the Dark Peak, studied art and design in Manchester before taking Artist Blacksmithing and advanced decorative ironwork at Hereford College of Arts.

Jack has since set up his own forge in Brecon, worked as a journeyman in Italy and at prestigious forges around the UK, and as a special effects technician. He is an active member of the British Artist Blacksmiths Association and in June worked with the National Heritage Ironwork Group on its spectacular BathIRON forging festival.

“Hand forged items are functional, ethical and possess intrinsic beauty.

During my QEST Scholarship I will learn to hand forge an axe at the renowned Gränsfors Bruk in Sweden.”

workofiron.co.uk work_of_iron nhig.org.uk/bathiron/

Jemma Gunning QEST JOHNNIE WALKER SCHOLAR PRINTMAKING

Printmaker Jemma Gunning recently completed a Masters at the University of the West England, exhibited at the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers The Masters: Etching, and is a founder of the Bristol Print Collective, which holds workshops for communities with little access to art.

The QEST Johnnie Walker Scholarship will fund Jemma’s Printmaking Fellowship at The City & Guilds of London Art School with master Jason Hicklin. She will learn the depths of intaglio printmaking, which supports her vision of the urban landscapes she depicts.

“With few institutions teaching printmaking, studying with a master is invaluable.

It maintains the traditions of this 600-year-old craft used by Goya and Rembrandt and will prepare me to run my own studio and teach in higher education.”

jemmagunning.com jemma_gunning_printmaker jemmagunningfineartist

Joe Milne QEST HEDLEY FOUNDATION SCHOLAR STONEMASONRY

Joe Milne came to QEST through the Heritage Crafts Association. He is currently on the Advanced Stonemasonry Apprenticeship at Exeter Cathedral having won stone carving competitions and a draughtsmanship prize at Exmouth College.

Joe has learned to work multiple, complex stones and produce accurate drawings, moulds and intricate carvings, most recently a grotesque beast head for one of the Cathedral turrets. He is about to embark on the Professional Development Diploma in Historic Building Conservation and Repair at West Dean College under the tutelage of leading practitioners.

“This would be beyond my reach on an apprentice wage, but with the QEST Scholarship covering my fees for the ten Building Conservation Masterclasses, I can improve my skills in stonemasonry, stonework conservation and related crafts essential for care of the Cathedral.”

exeter-cathedral.org.uk westdean.org.uk

Issue 38 Summer 2018

Jénnifer González Corujo QEST LONDON ART HISTORY SOCIETY SCHOLAR EASEL PAINTING CONSERVATION & RESTORATION

Jénnifer worked as a freelance conservator before applying

“With fee increases and without the

to the Courtauld Institute of Art, where she has completed

QEST London Art History Society

two years of the Postgraduate Diploma in the Conservation

Scholarship, I would have to stop

of Easel Paintings.

and save again for my final year.

I’m thrilled to continue and hope

Professor Aviva Burnstock describes Jénnifer as one of the

to apply my learnings to English

most visually sensitive and engaged students in the practical

heritage easel paintings at

aspects of conservation. She has been given extra paintings

a prestigious institution.”

to work on, including Still Life with Bust by Mark Gertler.

Painted in the 1930s using water sensitive oils, it requires one of the most challenging treatments in the studio.

courtauld.ac.uk jennyrestorer

Jason Mosseri QEST SCHOLAR WINDSOR CHAIRMAKING

Jason Mosseri, owner of Hopesprings Chairs in East Sussex,

“There are fewer than 30 craftspeople

is described by chairmaker and tutor Paul Hayden as having

chairmaking to a high standard

a good eye for form and the mechanical ability to solve the

in the UK. I am committed to

puzzles that chairmaking presents.

ensuring its continuity by developing

Photograph: Alun Callender

individual, characterful chairs and He will travel to Tennessee to learn how to make a 'birdcage'

mastering skills I can teach to the

armchair, including peculiarities such as false mitre joints,

next generation.”

from Curtis Buchanan, master chairmaker in the American Windsor tradition. This will help Jason to progress his own style of Windsor chair.

Kaja Upelj QEST SCHOLAR GLASSMAKING

Kaja Upelj, in the second year of her MA in

“An intensive course in kiln

Ceramics and Glass at the Royal College of Art, is an

casting and digital technology

artist with an innovative approach to glass casting.

followed by the chance to experiment with these skills

Inspired by iridescent colours in nature such as

on an internship surrounded

mother-of-pearl, Kaja has developed an original

by inspiring artists will be

technique to recreate these hues and present glass

transformative for my ideas.”

as a soft, welcoming material. The method and materials, however, are expensive and toxic.

The Corning Museum of Glass in New York is well-equipped for Kaja to develop her luminous glass process safely.

rcaceramicsandglass.com/kaja-upelj kajaupelj

hopespringschairs.com hopespringschairs hopespringschairmaking

Scholars & Apprentices 2018

Zoe Watts QEST COMPANY OF ARTS SCHOLARS SCHOLAR SILVERSMITHING

Zoe Watts is a full-time silversmith based in the Cotswolds,

“I feel privileged to be learning

intent on keeping age-old, traditional chasing techniques alive

from Rod Kelly, a QEST Scholar

with fresh, modern expression.

in 2000. Given the reduction in makers specialising in chasing,

Zoe will undertake 14 days of one-to-one training with master

I hope to offer workshops for

silversmith Rod Kelly at his South House Silver Workshop on

other silversmiths in the future.”

Shetland. She will refine her chasing and repousse work, both of which require a great deal of hand skill and time, develop her fabrication, and learn to make hand-fashioned, steel punches (tools for this specialist craft that are unique to every silversmith).

zoewattsdesigns.co.uk zoewattsdesigns

Thomas Vaughan QEST HOWDENS SCHOLAR WOOD AND METALWORKING

Royal College of Art Design Products graduate Thomas Vaughan established Object Studio, specialising in the design and fabrication of contemporary furniture

Photograph: sambarkerphoto.com

and sculpture, in 2009.

High-end work for designers and artists enabled Thomas to develop advanced craft methods that push materials to their limits and equip his workshop to realise his own

“The QEST Howdens Scholarship is an opportunity to work with experts in foundries such as East Coast Castings, New Pro Foundry and WH Rowe to design and make a collection of cast metal furniture.

I also plan to turn this experience into an exhibition and university lectures.”

designs. Having created ways to manipulate wood into complex sculptural forms, he is looking to achieve similar results in metals.

objectstudio.co.uk object_studio_london

Rosanna Bishop QEST SCHOLAR PRINTED TEXTILES

After specialising in print during her BA in Textiles at the

“I plan to combine traditional screen-

University of Brighton, Rosanna gained industry experience

printing with modern techniques,

working for Zandra Rhodes and Alexander McQueen, where

materials and tools to celebrate

Senior Designer Amy Gibson noticed her exceptional drawing

British textile heritage and innovative

skills and use of colour.

craftsmanship with provocative, timelessly beautiful print designs.”

Photograph: Bridie O’Sullivan

QEST

Rosanna requested QEST funding for the fees to complete her two-year MA in Printed Textiles at the Royal College of Art. She is developing her style as a printed textiles artist and working with the entrepreneur and business set-up team with a view to establishing her own studio.

rosannabishop.com rosannabishop_design

Apprentices

Enna Coates

Zoe Collis

QEST PF CHARITABLE TRUST APPRENTICE

QEST DRAPERS’ COMPANY APPRENTICE

WOODWORKING

PAPER MAKING

Patrick Woodward QEST GARFIELD WESTON FOUNDATION APPRENTICE HOROLOGY

Enna holds City & Guilds Level 2 Diplomas in

After a Foundation Diploma in Arts, Media and

Furniture Making and Wood Machining and works

Design, Zoe’s search for a hands-on job led to the

as a junior machinist at Sitting Firm Chairmakers,

Two Rivers Paper Company in Somerset, one of the

A 1920s, Swiss-made, pre-embargo wristwatch bought

a leading Windsor chair workshop in the

few commercial handmills in Europe.

in Cuba prompted Patrick Woodward to research the

West Midlands.

world of watchmaking and restoration as a career.

During a three-year apprenticeship, founder and

Backed by QEST and the PF Charitable Trust, she will

fourth-generation paper maker Jim Patterson will

Learning opportunities are rare, so he worked in

be apprenticed at the company to master, Dave Green.

teach Zoe all aspects of this endangered craft, from

micro-electronics before spotting an article about

He will teach Enna traditional manufacture (steam

formulating the recipe to mixing the pulp and forming

Jacob Russell, who was the youngest qualified

bending wood) and its modern evolution (lamination

sheets. Together they recently developed a drawing

watchmaker in Britain following his apprenticeship at

with veneers and resins) so she can select materials,

paper that can be used underwater.

J E Alnutt & Son with master Geoff Alnutt. The QEST

machine, assemble and finish any piece of furniture from a technical drawing.

“I am also excited to be spending time with designer Katie Walker, known for her award-winning interpretation of the Windsor rocking chair, and to understand the relevance of craft in contemporary furniture.”

sittingfirm.co.uk sittingfirm

Garfield Weston Foundation Apprenticeship means “My future is brighter with this QEST Drapers’ Company Apprenticeship. Jim is sharing his lifetime of experience and the funding enables him to meet training costs and pay above minimum wage as I learn to make beautiful rag papers for British artists.”

tworiverspaper.com

tworiverspaper

Geoff can employ Patrick and pay for his annual examinations at the British Horological Institute.

“Over three years I will master the skills to repair antique and vintage watches, including handmaking watch parts, and ultimately become a Fellow of the British Horological Institute, set up my own workshop and create my own timepieces.”

littlecogs.com littlecogs

PRIVATE VIEW Bespoke shoemaker Deborah Carré was awarded a QEST Scholarship in 1997 and received the QEST Award for Excellence at the Royal Warrant Holders Association Annual Luncheon in 2018.

learning each stage of the hand sewn process. I also learned to ride a motorbike so I could commute daily and freelanced as a PR consultant to survive financially.

How did you establish Carréducker?

James Ducker came to train as a Lobb apprentice during my second year. He worked for Lobb for many years and I worked as Atelier Carré before we founded Carréducker in 2004. As master craftsmen, our expertise lies in the hand welted construction of London's renowned West End shoemakers.

Our traditionally made shoes are designed with a contemporary aesthetic and made with tools and materials sourced from specialist businesses in Britain wherever possible.

And beyond bespoke?

Two years ago we began seeking out artisanal manufacturers in the UK to develop footwear for short, ready-to-wear production runs under the Carréducker London label. Launched via Kickstarter, we now have a range of desert boots made in Suffolk, work boots made in Derbyshire, loafers in Sheffield and slippers in Norfolk.

Deborah Carré Carréducker

How did you get into shoemaking?

I grew up on Sark in the Channel Islands.

As a child, I enjoyed making things with my hands and loved helping my Dad to polish shoes before church. An Art Foundation course at Central Saint Martins opened my eyes to design…and life…and I went on to study for a BA in Fashion Design & Marketing at the University of Central Lancashire.

Trickers helped to make my degree collection - including a pair of thigh boots for Jaye Davidson of The Crying Game that featured in Vogue Hommes International - and I was inspired by their bespoke shoemaker. It is an immensely satisfying craft, so physically and mentally demanding.

How did QEST influence your career?

I worked in marketing for eight years while taking shoemaking evening classes at Cordwainers with Claire O’Flaherty, who recommended I apply to QEST. The Scholarship paid for my training with master shoemaker Paul Wilson for four years,

Where are you based?

Our home has been Cockpit Arts, Bloomsbury since the start...a unique environment where the guidance and support has helped us to navigate the challenges of running a business.

I spoke about this recently in conversation with Cockpit Arts Trustee Bill Amberg at Makers’ Stories during London Craft Week. In the early days we were fortunate to have a workshop at Gieves & Hawkes, No. 1 Savile Row. Today, we continue to provide a bespoke service there by appointment and at James Purdey & Sons for country pursuits footwear. We have also opened our own Shoe and Leather School in Shoreditch.

How did the Carréducker Shoemaking School come about?

I’ve spent 20 years listening to hand sewn shoemaking being described as a dying craft (you know it is in trouble when US customs ask what you do and when you reply say, “oh shoemaker, I didn’t know people did that anymore”). We beg to differ. When Cordwainers stopped teaching it in 2006, James and I took up the mantle and have flown the flag ever since.

Students come from all over - Australia, Ukraine, Japan, Canada, Malaysia, the USA and Brazil - and it’s rewarding to be part of their journey. Some have set up their own shoe businesses, become shoemaking lecturers, or founded other creative businesses. Almost all continue making as a hobby for friends and family. The blog we’ve written since 2005 has also been used by people around the world. We’re thrilled when we receive letters and emails with pictures showing the shoes and boots they’ve made.

How else are you championing your craft?

We were invited to be part of Designer Maker User, the first permanent exhibition at the new Design Museum, that explores the development of modern design though these interconnected roles. Our installation features a pair of our hand sewn Derby boots, The Brunswick, the materials and tools we use, and a film of the 200 plus steps that go into their construction. It’s gratifying to be asked to exhibit one of the oldest crafts in such a dynamic environment.

We have also shown at Crafted: Makers of the Exceptional and London Craft Week.

What does the QEST Award for Excellence mean to you?

The QEST Scholarship meant so much to me when I won it, both the financial support and belief. It gave me confidence to pursue the craft as a career; repaying that investment was a driving force behind building Carréducker as a successful business with hand sewn shoemaking at its heart. Everything we do is centred around this, whether it’s our bespoke service, creating ready-to-wear, selling shoemaking tools and materials or passing on skills through our school. I am proud to be recognised for making a significant contribution to the craft and creating a new generation of makers and ambassadors for English hand sewn shoemaking. carreducker.com carreducker

Preparing the holdfast

The QEST Scholarship meant so much to me when I won it, both the financial support and belief. It gave me confidence to pursue the craft as a career.

Deborah Carré with QEST Garfield Weston Foundation Scholar Frankey Pinnock

Any QEST Scholars?

Alistair Raphael (2014) is amongst our alumni and Frankey Pinnock (2017) and Maud van den Broecke (2018) are currently studying with us. We hope they will continue as shoemakers in whatever aspect of the trade attracts them, manufacturing or bespoke. Frankey is teaching with us too, running saddle stitch leather goods courses.

Dover Street Derby

Our door is always open to people seeking advice and our courses - beginner and intermediate evening classes, intensive courses over one, five or 12 days and pattern making - help them to decide if being a shoemaker is for them as a career or to enjoy as a pastime.

Alumni News

QEST

ALUMNI NEWS

With the QEST alumni of active, professional craftspeople now more than 400 strong, news of their exhibitions, collections, commissions, residencies and awards would fill a QEST Magazine. The next few pages give a snapshot of the many stories of success. More can be found by following QEST and its Scholars and Apprentices on social media. qestcraft

QESTcraft

queenelizabethscholarshiptrust

COMMISSIONS & COLLECTIONS Doublebass maker Martin Penning (2003) recently finished a commission for Marshall Henry of the Symphoria in Syracuse, New York. Its design was inspired by 19th century London luthier Thomas Kennedy, who in turn took his influences from Gasparo da Saló, one of the earliest bass makers. Martin used flamed maple and tight grained Alpine spruce from a tonewood supplier in Germany. The movement of a great volume of air in this large model creates deep tones and breadth of sound, making it an ideal orchestral bass.

Ergonomics are always at the forefront of a luthier's plans and features like the neck geometry and back break make it very comfortable to play.

Photograph: Tom Hull

QEST

Doublebass by Martin Penning

mpenning-luthier.co.uk

Andrew Ritchie QC approached QEST Siegmund Warburg Scholar Benjamin Smith (2016), lawyer turned realist and classical artist, to paint a posthumous portrait of his father. David Ritchie was Professor of Surgery at the Royal London Hospital and Dean of the Medical School; the painting will hang on its main staircase. Benjamin worked with oil on linen, using traditional pigments and techniques.

“The challenge was reimagining the colours from a 1950s photograph to depict Professor Ritchie in his younger years while working at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.” benjaminsmithfineart.com benjamin_smith_fine_art

Posthumous portrait of David Ritchie by Benjamin Smith

Issue 38 Summer 2018

RAF badges carved by Thomas Sargeant

Unveiling of Benjamin Arnold’s portrait of the late John Scott

Stone carver and letter cutter Thomas Sargeant (2015) works alongside the masters he trained with for his QEST Masons’ Company Apprenticeship at The Stone Carving and Lettering Studio in East Sussex.

He has undertaken a variety of commissions for both memorial and public art, including an ongoing series of carvings depicting Royal Air Force squadron and station badges. Thomas has delivered nine to date, all on display at the central church of the RAF, St. Clement Danes - also famous as the ‘oranges and lemons’ church from the traditional nursery rhyme and is working on three more this summer.

Benjamin Arnold, QEST Hiscox Fine Art Insurance Scholar in 2013, lives and works in New York. He was commissioned to paint a portrait of the late John Scott, organist and director of music at Saint Thomas Church, Fifth Avenue from 2004-2015 and former music director of St. Paul’s Cathedral. His painting will be on display at the Church all summer before moving uptown to the Saint Thomas Choir School, where it will hang alongside those of Scott’s illustrious predecessors. “The unveiling was a delightful conclusion to a fulfilling project. The love and respect for the man and his talent has been palpable throughout the making of the painting.”

thomassargeant.com thomassargeant

benjaminarnold.com benjaminarnoldart

EXHIBITIONS Photograph: Royal Collection Trust/© Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2018

A QEST Radcliffe Trust Scholarship in 2012 provided vital funding for Zouq artist Natasha Mann’s MA in Islamic and Traditional Arts at The Prince’s School of Traditional Arts.

She graduated with distinction and was presented with the Barakat Prize for Islamic Art by HRH The Prince of Wales.

She has kept a connection with the School, returning as a tutor, and four of Natasha’s traditional Moroccan paintings and accompanying geometric construction drawings have been selected for Prince and Patron, an exhibition for visitors to the Summer Opening of the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace (until 30th September) to mark His Royal Highness’s 70th birthday. natasha-mann.com natashamann_zouaq_art royalcollection.org.uk Prince and Patron exhibition at the Summer Opening of Buckingham Palace

QEST

Alumni News

Photograph: Naill MacDairmid

QEST Garfield Weston Foundation Scholar Jamie Coreth (2012), winner of the Young Artist Award at the BP Portrait Award in 2016, has been selected again for the 2018 exhibition. This year’s entry, Mark Jackson: Broken Bodies, is a painting of Jacko, who was in the Parachute Regiment before a shattered hip ended his military career and brought forward his plans to study in Florence to become a sculptor. Jamie noticed one of his sculptures had fractures across the hips and thought this would make an apposite composition, with Jacko’s shadow cast across the legs of the sculpture. The jawbone on the floor to his left is a reference to Cain and Abel as the origin of conflict. The BP Portrait Award 2018 exhibition is at the National Portrait Gallery until 23 September.

Mark Jackson: Broken Bodies by Jamie Coreth

A QEST Hedley Foundation Scholarship in 2013 provided funding for Flett Bertram’s MA at the Royal College of Art where she specialised in mixed media textiles. She moved to Paris to be an embroidery and weave designer for Lesage, a prestigious house known for its traditional work in Haute Couture. All work is done by hand and Flett designs by making swatches rather than through drawing. She is also a keen illustrator. As a personal project, Flett combined illustration and embroidery samples gathered during her time in the fashion industry for a summer exhibition at the Primavera Gallery in Cambridge. flett-bertram.com flett_bertram

jamiecoreth.com jcoreth npg.org.uk

Issue 38 Summer 2018

Photograph: Andy Pilsbury

At the turn of the 20th century, the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham was alive with over 30,000 workers. Today, just a few hundred makers remain. Many are self-employed or work in micro-companies, but together they represent one of the last manufacturing strongholds in Britain - 40% of all jewellery made in the UK originates here – and Europe’s largest concentration of manufacturing jewellers. This historic square kilometre in the heart of the city is undergoing redevelopment to create a new community and hub for creative industries. Whilst bringing about positive change, this is creating a challenging environment for the remaining craft businesses that earn the Jewellery Quarter its name and reputation and rely on the network of skills in the area.

QEST Johnnie Walker Scholar Craig Struthers (2017) and Dr Rebecca Struthers, bespoke watchmakers in the Quarter, worked with photographer Andy Pilsbury to raise awareness and give a voice to the talented craftspeople – last-of-their-kind to new apprentices – in centuries-old heritage firms to start-ups who are working to ensure the Jewellery Quarter remains synonymous with British manufacturing excellence. The exhibition, We’re Still Here, ran at the Argentea Gallery in July. strutherswatchmakers.co.uk strutherswatchmakers Craig and Dr Rebecca Struthers, Struthers Watchmakers

A solo exhibition of headpieces by Deirdre Hawken at the Halcyon Days store in The Royal Exchange coincided with the run up to Royal Ascot. Deirdre studied couture millinery with Rose Corey, milliner to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, for her QEST Scholarship in 1999. Her work features in collections at the V&A Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and Kyoto Costume Institute. The eight hats on display at Halcyon Days, typical of Deirdre’s fascination and playfulness with food, included pods of painted leather borlotti beans and bright yellow lemons with segments of fresh silk. deirdrehawken.com deirdrehawkenmillinery

Nasturtium headpiece by Deirdre Hawken

Alumni News

AWARDS The Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council Competition, now in its 110th anniversary year, promotes excellence in craftsmanship in silversmithing, goldsmithing, jewellery and allied crafts in the UK. The only peer reviewed awards in the industry’s calendar, judges include QEST Scholars Zoe Harding FIPG (2004) and Elizabeth Peers (2012). The 2018 Awards Ceremony at Goldsmiths’ Hall celebrated 45 winners from around 900 entrants, including six QEST Scholars.

In the Special Awards, Jabot Arrow Pin and Bow brooch by Jessica Poole (2009) won the Boodles Award for ‘an exclusive piece of jewellery elegantly designed and beautifully made’ and a Silver in Jewellery Craft. Jessica received a second Silver in 3D Craft Setting for her Trumpet Rings and Bronze for the brooch.

Wayne Meeten took home four Awards, most notably Gold for Silversmiths in the Design section for 3D finished pieces. His winning piece, Spirit of Energy, was a commission from a client for a centrepiece that reflected the wonders of the sun. Wayne, QEST Pamela de Tristan Scholar (2014), is a master of the expressive qualities of silver and his originality, artistry and skill were all evident, with sunrise, sunrays, sunset and aurora borealis all captured beautifully.

Jabot Arrow Pin and Bow brooch by Jessica Poole

Spirit of Energy by Wayne Meeten

QEST Dengie Crops Scholar Naomi Nevill (2016), a specialist in vitreous enamelling, collected five Awards, including Silver in Jewellery Design for A Piece of Eden. There were two options for Enamellers and Enamel Painters to encourage both traditional techniques and those who explore and seek fresh visual qualities and striking aesthetics. Naomi was successful in each with Reversible Birds of Paradise Necklace and Enamelled Butterfly Necklace.

Fractal Undulating Vase, electroformed by Ryan McClean (2013), resulted in Gold for Technological Innovation. In the Modellers category, Wally Gilbert won Bronze for his trio of wax models. They began as a commission for a single unicorn, but after research to make

Photograph: Richard Valencia

QEST

A Piece of Eden by Naomi Nevill

Fractal Undulating Vase by Ryan McClean

Issue 38 Summer 2018

Beasts by Wally Gilbert

Twisted Floral Vase by Manasi Depala

the creature convincing and finding out about their symbolic meaning, he became fascinated and carved three Beasts. He had them cast into bronze in Philadelphia by friends he made through his QEST Scholarship in 2001.

In the Junior Awards, Manasi Depala (2016), a contemporary silversmith based in Leicester, won Gold for Chasers and Silver for Silversmiths with Twisted Floral Vase that she made during her QEST Clarins Scholarship with Rod Kelly (2000) at his workshop on Shetland. jessicapoole.co.uk wvmstudio.com nnjewellery.com ryanmccleansilver.co.uk wallygilbert.co.uk manasidepala.com craftanddesigncouncil.org.uk

In 1926, The Goldsmiths’ Company decided to begin a collection of modern silver to improve design and craftsmanship in the industry.

By naming the silversmiths acquired, the Company helped the profile of the maker and the collectability of their work. The Modern Collection numbers over 1,000 pieces today, with up to 10 items added annually. In April, QEST Scholar Kayo Saito (2016) delivered her commission, The Blossom Necklace, accompanied by its drawing. Kayo's work is influenced by plants and organic forms. Inspired by flowers about to open, she applied layers of hammered texture to turn the metal into a soft, tactile surface for irregular, ripple-edged petals - organic, delicate and ephemeral.

The Blossom Necklace by Kayo Saito

Kayo will exhibit during week one of Goldsmiths' Fair 25th-30th September 2018, alongside other QEST Scholars including Ryan McClean, Louise Parry, Hazel Thorn, Ruth Tomlinson, Zoe Watts. Manasi Depala will exhibit in week two from 2nd-7th October. kayosaito.com kayosaitojewellery goldsmithsfair.co.uk

QEST

Alumni News

CAMPAIGNS

Photograph: Paula Moore

Francesca Levey, QEST J Paul Getty Jr Charitable Trust Scholar (2016) and metals conservator, has been photographed by Paula Moore for a social media campaign that focuses on emerging heritage workers. Paula is striving to make heritage visible, accessible and engaging by showing young, pioneering conservation professionals and their craft in a new light.

Francesca, who has established her own practice specialising in arms and armour, also recently presented a mini-documentary on mail making with restorer Nick Checksfield at Caerphilly Castle.

Francesca Levey cleaning a silver military figurine

Naval officer’s sword before and after treatment

flmetalconservation.com flevey talkinculture

Photograph: Basilio De San Juan for Brora

Scottish cashmere house Brora places great importance on British manufacturing and craftsmanship. Its latest campaign, Meet the Wearers, features QEST Finnis Scott Foundation Scholar and sculptor Poppy Field.

She sculpts in the tradition of the Old Masters, working from life under natural north light, modelling in clay and casting in bronze.

Poppy is pictured in her studio at the Florence Academy of Art, midway through her graduation piece, Everything is Now. Her second year of study here was made possible by QEST (in the accompanying interview she lists the QEST Scholarship as her proudest achievement) and the final year through a Leverhulme Trust Study Abroad Studentship. Upon graduation this summer, Poppy was awarded the Florence Academy of Art's inaugural Graduate in Residence prize for sculpture and is delighted to be remaining for another year.

Poppy Field in Brora’s Meet the Wearers campaign

poppyfieldfineart.com poppy.field

QEST

My QEST

MY QEST

skills are at the heart of Johnnie Walker whisky making and we invest in a healthy number of apprenticeships in both disciplines every year – our whisky wouldn’t exist without them. stevetomlincrafts

DR NICHOLAS MORGAN QEST Trustee Head of Whisky Outreach, Diageo Addressee, John Walker & Sons

Which QEST Scholar would you most like to commission?

Commissioning is an enjoyable and illuminating way to support QEST Scholars that I would encourage anyone to consider. I now have a pair of Carréducker Tor Boots, two wonderful Mia Sabel (2010) watch straps and very soon a jacket – one fitting to go - made by QEST Johnnie Walker Scholar Jennie Adamson (2016) with tweed from the Islay Woollen Mill. It’s not just buying something. The whole idea of having something made for you, whether it is a dry martini at Dukes or a bespoke watch strap, is about becoming thoroughly engaged with the process. And when you drink that drink (Tanqueray, very dry, one olive) or wear the watch, it is invested with all that care and attention. Personal details too.

One of the watches belonged to my cricket-playing father, so Mia made the new strap from cricket ball leather produced by Clayton & Sons in Chesterfield. I love the discreet glimpse of red and the simplicity of the perfectly placed, single hole to fasten it.

Commissioning is an enjoyable and illuminating way to support QEST Scholars that I would encourage anyone to consider.

How did you become involved with QEST? My first encounter was through Diamond Jubilee by John Walker & Sons, a special edition Scotch whisky presented by more than 60 craftspeople to celebrate the occasion and raise funds for QEST. It has been a pleasure to work with the annual QEST Johnnie Walker Scholars since, supporting their creative endeavours and on trips to Scotland to experience our craft. Spending time with them, and the many other QEST Scholars and Apprentices I have met since becoming a Trustee last year, is a privilege - the powerful combination of talent, passion and commitment is truly inspiring. johnniewalker.com nicholasjmorgan Which recent work by a QEST Scholar or Apprentice has caught your eye?

In April, green woodworker Steve Tomlin (2013) won the inaugural Heritage Crafts Association (HCA) Marsh Endangered Craft Award for a practitioner of one of the 62 crafts identified as most at risk on the HCA Radcliffe Red List of Endangered Crafts. Steve, a spoon carver and scything tutor, is learning to make Devon stave baskets from records at the Museum of English Rural Life and time with Mark Snellgrove (the only remaining teacher - there are no full-time makers). Seeing the picture of his first attempt, I think my father had one, originally my grandfather’s, in his greenhouse. The Red List is an important piece of research and needs action like this to secure the future of crafts at risk. I am pleased to see coopering (spirits) and coppersmithing (stills) as ‘currently viable’. These traditional

My main weakness is for buying guitars. I have a number – a mixture of very old and modern – all of which I like to play. I have thought for some years that the ultimate indulgence would be to have a guitar made for me.

For now, I find myself following the Instagram feed of Tom Sands (2014), who is making some of the most responsive, custom acoustic guitars in the world at his studio in North Yorkshire. One day. carreducker sabelsaddlery jennie_adamson tom_sands_guitars Whose apprentice would you like to be?

Childhood memories of trips to the Stratford-upon-Avon Mop Fair every year have stayed with me, along with a love of fairgrounds and their art.

Amy Goodwin (2016) is a purist. She grew up with a travelling fairground, immersed in its visual language. This is evident in the wagons she painted recently for Giffords Circus, with all the signwriting undertaken by hand.

Amy, who like me is also a historian, is at the halfway point in her PhD enquiry supported by QEST to trace the stories of generations of showwomen. She is working to construct an archive and tell their stories through authentic, crafted signs. In collaboration with fellow QEST Scholar Emily Juniper, she has presented an exhibition of her research into one character, Martha. This entailed making 528 folds across 48 printed sheets and testing a hanging system with threads that brings to life beautifully the depth and complexity of her findings. The folded works on paper series of all five of her subjects is on display at Dingles Fairground Heritage Centre in Devon until the end of September. a__goodwin junipersees

Issue 38 Summer 2018

Amy Goodwin signwriting for Giffords Circus

Photograph: Victoria Baker Photography

CarrĂŠducker London Tor Boots

Luthier Tom Sands

Steve Tomlin’s first Devon Stave Basket

Hand-stitched, bespoke and fitted watch strap in cricket ball leather by Mia Sabel

Islay tweed jacket by Jennie Adamson

QEST

Events

EVENTS

Milliner Jane Fryers

A CELEBRATION OF CRAFT In March, The Earl of Snowdon hosted the third annual QEST fundraising dinner at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Moët & Chandon Champagne and Johnnie Walker, Tanqueray and Gordon’s cocktails were served under the spectacular V&A Rotunda Chandelier as guests wandered around meeting the 24 QEST craftspeople showcasing their skills.

The Victoria and Albert Museum, the home of ‘manufactures’, was the perfect setting to showcase the importance of British craftsmanship.

It was great to see so much generous support and enthusiasm for QEST from so many people. British craftsmanship has a bright future.

–Lord Snowdon

There were conversations about the intricacies of basket weaving with QEST D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust Scholar Annemarie O’Sullivan (2016), milliner Jane Fryers (2005) was both wearing and displaying her colourful, fish leather hats, and Libby Kates (2015), head woven designer at Dash + Miller, worked at a hand loom.

Through in The Raphael Gallery, guests were welcomed

by Master of Ceremonies Christopher Biggins and QEST Chairman Nick Crean. Lance Patterson, CEO of principal sponsor Penhaligon’s, spoke about the values shared by QEST and his 147-year-old brand that relies on and is proud to support British craftsmanship.

Thomas Merrett was invited to tell the story of his QEST Garfield Weston Foundation Scholarship that enabled him to study figurative sculpture at the Florence Academy of Art. During the evening, he also completed a torso sculpture in clay for the auction conducted by Hugh Edmeades. The lot sold twice: once to be cast in bronze, another in resin.

Also in the live auction, bidding was strong on a willow stag head by Bob Johnston, one of the first five wrist watches to be made with QEST Johnnie Walker Scholar Craig and Dr Rebecca Struthers’ in-house movement,

Sculptor Thomas Merrett

Issue 38 Summer 2018

a tour of the Royal Opera House with Dame Darcey Bussell and an outing on The Queen’s Rowbarge Gloriana for 20 guests, arranged by Lord Sterling.

Further lots made by QEST alumni, luxury goods, bespoke tours and masterclasses and a silent auction combined to raise over £100,000 towards supporting the education and training of more talented and aspiring craftspeople.

Woven designer Libby Kates

Basketmaker Annemarie O’Sullivan

Lance Patterson, CEO, Penhaligon’s

ROYAL WINDSOR HORSE SHOW The CHI Royal Windsor Horse Show celebrated its 75th anniversary in May. While Britain’s best dressage riders Charlotte Dujardin and Carl Hester were on winning form in the ring, 14 QEST alumni gave top-class demonstrations of British craftsmanship over five days in the Castle grounds. QEST Worshipful Company of Saddlers Scholar Clare Barnett (2013) travelled from her Bearhouse Saddlery in Hampshire with QEST Alborada Trust Apprentice Joanna Murphy, in her first year of training with Clare.

Other makers working in the Royal Warrant Holder Association & QEST Pavilion included cordwainer Adele Williamson (2016), braidmaker Jacqui Carey (2005) and five 2017 Scholars: fine artist Anton Cataldo, stone carvers Lily Marsh and John Sutcliffe, enameller Harry Forster-Stringer and leatherworker Candice Lau.

QEST Kirby Laing Foundation Scholar John Sutcliffe (2017)

rwhs.co.uk

Saddlery Apprentice Joanna Murphy (2017) and Master Clare Barnett with QEST Chairman Nick Crean

QEST

Events

EVENTS

LONDON CRAFT WEEK

London Craft Week returned to the capital for its fourth edition in May 2018. The festival brought together over 200 established and emerging makers, designers, brands and galleries from around the world for five days of city-wide events showcasing exceptional craftsmanship.

Mario Sierra and Karen Hay-Edie of Mourne Textiles

Lora Avedian at HOWE 36 Bourne Street

QEST Rokill Scholar Mario Sierra (2016) of Mourne Textiles was invited to represent Northern Ireland alongside London Craft Week founder Guy Salter at a Downing Street reception hosted by Prime Minister Theresa May on the eve of London Craft Week. The evening celebrated the UK's Creative Industries, which contribute £92 billion to the UK economy and provide work for more than two million people across the country.

On the opening day, QEST and The Heritage Crafts Association gathered 20 accomplished craftspeople for Making It! at Carpenters’ Hall on London Wall. Wood turner and sculptor Joey Richardson, who learned to cast her wooden forms in glass on a QEST Carpenters’ Company Scholarship in 2012, presented alongside sculptor and QEST NADFAS Scholar Jessica Wetherly (2015), and Clare Pattinson (2014) with a collection of the automata

and mechanical creations that she makes as Turner Handel Traditional Toys. Other heritage craft skills on display included leatherwork, basketry, letter cutting and spoon carving. Following the open house, John Makepeace OBE gave a talk on the making of the bog oak Master’s Chair for The Worshipful Company of Carpenters. An evening reception brought a wonderful day to a lively conclusion as QEST & HCA guests interacted with the talented makers they support.

David Snowdon hosted an event at the LINLEY showroom in Belgravia on the art of experiential retail. Scott Simpson, QEST Ambassador, welcomed guests and introduced the custodians of four luxury brands for a discussion with author and journalist Nick Foulkes on how they bring sensory appeal to their clients. Laurent Feniou, MD of Cartier, talked about the role of sight; Nick Crean,

Photograph: Daisy Tempest

Issue 38 Summer 2018

Frank by Jessica Wetherly

Nick Crean, Celia Bosch, Nick Foulkes, Laurent Feniou, Scott Simpson and David Snowdon at LINLEY

Chairman of QEST and Co-owner of Prestat Chocolates, spoke on taste; Celia Bosch, Global Marketing Director, Penhaligon's gave an insight into smell; and David Snowdon, Founder and Chairman of LINLEY fine furniture, explored touch. Three QEST Scholars silversmith Wayne Meeten, luthier Tom Sands and watchmakers Craig and Rebecca Struthers - were invited to exhibited their crafts alongside a demonstration of LINLEY marquetry, Penhaligon's fragrance profiling and a Prestat chocolate tasting.

QEST alumni featured in other events too. Multidisciplinary artist Lora Avedian set up a studio in HOWE at 36 Bourne Street to create pieces using the store’s leathers, new and vintage textiles, trimmings Medusa by Aurora Pettinari York and wallpapers. Embroiderer and textile artist Aurora Pettinari York worked with architecture practice Atelier Y A O to present Rhapsody on Wheels, an exhibition inspired by Greco-Roman mythology that travelled to three venues: Kallos Gallery, Sans Pere and William Morris Gallery. Over at the National Army Museum Graham Ashford showed the importance of armour, how it is made to its evolution over time.

There is still time to enjoy An Elixir of Letters by The Lettering Arts Trust at The Chelsea Physic Garden until 31 October. The exhibition is inspired by plants grown in the Garden that are ingredients in wines, teas, cordials, beers and herbal brews. During his research for Olive Branch, Wayne Hart (2011) discovered a Corsican proverb ‘olive flowers in June, olives in the hand’ about an early bloom leading to a bountiful harvest. He carved these words into a stone sphere using a free style of lettering to direct flow around the work and a deep cut to create a strong contrast of light and shadow. Thomas Sargeant’s piece Husk is a Purbeck green marble cedar seed made to stand where the first cedars of Lebanon to be planted in Britain once grew. londoncraftweek.com londoncraftweek heritagecrafts.org.uk linleylondon letteringartstrust.org.uk Olive Branch by Wayne Hart

Supporting Excellence

QEST

About QEST

In British Craftsmanship QEST is the charity of the Royal Warrant Holders Association, established in 1990 to celebrate the 90th birthday of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and the 150th anniversary of the Association by supporting excellence in British craftsmanship.

QEST sustains Britain’s cultural heritage by funding the training and education of talented and aspiring craftspeople through traditional college courses, vocational training, apprenticeships or one-on-one training with a master craftsperson. This helps to ensure the continuation of craftsmanship within the UK, enhancing and nurturing essential crafts skills that make a vital contribution to Britain’s cultural identity and the economy.

the selection process and support, 93% of the QEST Alumni are still working in their craft today - many acknowledged leaders in their field - and passing on their skills to the next generation.

Funding is available to individuals for Scholarships (£5,000 to £18,000) for a specialist course or training and to businesses (in particular smaller companies) to employ Apprentices (up to £18,000 over 2-3 years).

The charity, however, is only able to support around 10% of applicants and relies on the continued generosity of supporters to maintain and grow its far-reaching, vibrant network to promote excellence in British craftsmanship.

There are many ways to get involved and help raise these much-needed funds. To find out more, contact Deborah Pocock on 020 7798 1531 or deborah.pocock@qest.org.uk

Since 1990, the Trust has awarded over £4 million to more than 440 craftspeople of all ages and backgrounds in at least 130 skill sectors, from rural to cutting-edge craft and conservation. Testament to

SPECIAL EDITIONS

QEST MAGAZINE

Pledge a donation from the sales of an existing product or specially created item, perhaps working with a QEST Scholar or Apprentice. This enables use of the QEST logo to illustrate the support for British craftsmanship.

Advertise in the bi-annual QEST Magazine, which spreads the word about the work of QEST, its craft alumni and supporters.

The Cambridge Satchel Company QEST Collection is available in all stores (Brighton, Cambridge, Edinburgh, London and Oxford) and at cambridgesatchel.com.

Issue 38 Summer 2018

I am halfway through a three-year architectural leatherwork apprenticeship at Bill Amberg Studios. Drawing on the age-old disciplines of casemaking, saddlery and bookbinding, I am learning to make wall panels, flooring, handrails, desks, seating, doors and boxes, and have been fortunate to be involved in making leather curtains for a new gallery at Westminster Abbey. This training has been made possible

by QEST and Allchurches Trust.

I am grateful to be gaining the knowledge and skills to make and repair leather for churches and old buildings when I graduate.

Matt Jacques, QEST Allchurches Trust Apprentice (2016)

QEST FUNDRAISING GALA DINNER

SPONSOR A QEST SCHOLAR OR APPRENTICE

Support the annual QEST fundraising dinner, A Celebration of Craft, at the Victoria and Albert Museum on 13th March 2019 as a sponsor, book a table or donate lots for auction.

Contact events@qest.org.uk

The minimum donation for a named Scholarship is ÂŁ15,000 and for an Apprenticeship ÂŁ18,000 (typically over three years).

Other donations will be allocated to general grant funds and recognised on the QEST website and in the QEST Magazine.

LEGACY

Remembering QEST when making a will means that vital craft skills can be handed down to successive generations.

CONTACT QEST

020 7798 1535 or info@qest.org.uk justgiving.com/QEST

QEST

Book

A CELEBRATION OF BRITISH CRAFTSMANSHIP Decorative artist Melissa White (2007) is one of over a hundred QEST alumni who will feature in A Celebration of British Craftsmanship, a book of remarkable photographic portraits by Julian Calder with accompanying craft stories

by QEST Magazine editor Karen Bennett.

It will represent a journey of thousands of miles around the country, from a Cornish coppersmith to silversmiths on Shetland, willow and glass artists in Northern Ireland to a gem carver in Norfolk. The QEST Scholars and Apprentices have been pictured at their work benches, places of inspiration, and with the tools, materials and finished pieces that define their practice.

The conversations have revealed a wealth of skill and knowledge, respect for traditions and an abundance of innovative spirit.

The result is a glimpse into the vibrant, richly storied world of British craftsmanship today, apprentices to masters, that QEST has supported and nurtured since 1990.

A Celebration of British Craftsmanship, designed by Prof. Phil Cleaver of et al design consultants, will be published by impress-publishing.com in October 2018 and sold to raise funds for QEST. Price and stockist information will be confirmed in the autumn.

To register your interest, email info@qest.org.uk

Melissa White, decorative artist and QEST Scholar 2007, photographed by Julian Calder

Donors, Supporters & Sponsors Thank you to the Royal Warrant holders, livery companies, trusts, foundations, brands and individuals who generously support QEST. The 29th May 1961 Charitable Trust

John Walker & Sons

The Alborada Trust

The Kirby Laing Foundation

Allchurches Trust

Launer London

Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation

Lock Hatters

The Antiques Dealers Fair

The London Art History Society

The Arts Society

MoĂŤt et Chandon

The Ashley Foundation

Parker Pen Company

The Aurelius Trust

Penhaligon's

Lady Carole Bamford

The Pennies Foundation

Bendicks (Mayfair)

The PF Charitable Trust

The Battersea Power Station Foundation

The Pilgrim Trust

The Blagrave Trust

The Radcliffe Trust

The Cambridge Satchel Company

The Robertson Trust

CHK Charities

Royal Warrant Holders Association

The D'Oyly Carte Charitable Trust

Sleepeezee

The Dulverton Trust

The Stanley Picker Trust

Donald Russell

Tanqueray Gordon & Co

Jenifer Emery

Thomas Fattorini

Ernest Cook Trust

The Worshipful Company of Arts Scholars

The Edith Murphy Foundation

The Worshipful Company of Broderers

The Finnis Scott Foundation

The Worshipful Company of Carpenters

Garfield Weston Foundation

The Worshipful Company of Cordwainers

The Gosling Foundation

The Worshipful Company of Drapers

The Hedley Foundation

The Worshipful Company of Leathersellers

Heritage Crafts Association

The Worshipful Company of Pewterers

The Hobson Charity

The Worshipful Company of Saddlers

Howdens Joinery

The Worshipful Company of Turners

The John Apthorp Charity

The Wren Press

John Lyon's Charity

Q E S T. O R G . U K

JUSTGIVING.COM/QEST

S-chair by QEST Howdens Scholar Tom Vaughan (2018) at Object Studio. Photograph: sambarkerphoto.com