Studio 5: Bespoke + Make

Studio philosophy

What does 'bespoke' mean today in the digital age? We mean something designed for a specific person or with a specific purpose in mind. 

A bespoke piece of jewellery or silversmithing object talks to us in a significant way. The maker must draw on his or her imagination, experiences and knowledge to create the artefact rather than relying on technology.

Studio structure 
The studio encourages you to draw on your own ideas, experiences and imagination; to use your own hinterland to discover the sorts of forms, materials and techniques you need to express and develop your own original voice in 2D and 3D.  

You will learn design through the process of making. You will be guided through finding inspiration, developing your own ideas (in 2D) and then, onto creating a 3D object. 

The studio starts with the process of developing ideas by researching historical sources, using your imagination and drawing on the contemporary world. You will go on to learn the tools, craft skills and techniques for making jewellery and silversmithing objects and how ideas originating in the mind are then developed in 2D. Finally, you will hand make your own jewellery or artefacts as 3D objects.

The studio offers you the opportunity to work together on a given group brief as well as on your own individual pieces of work. It allows you to undertake presentations and exhibitions to develop your potential in your chosen field of practice. 

Participants will learn in different ways ranging from group talks, presentations and criticism to workshops, demonstrations and collaborations with other disciplines. You will develop your communication skills, as well as presenting your recent thinking on the topic by making pieces of jewellery or silversmithing objects. You will be supported in your learning with one-to-one tutorials. 

Within the studio, you will be supported in identifying content appropriate to your level. Assessment will reflect personal effort, comprehension and a range of skills relevant to a contemporary context. The knowledge and learning on this course will inform the development of your practice in the future.

Studio projects 

The studio will provide briefs for specific projects either for all levels or second or third years. However, it will provide the opportunity to exercise the learned information within a self-generated brief, with a realisation phase for making. (Please note: Sequence and order of the semester time plan could change)

• Kick-start project
• Obtaining the info; the detective work being an artefact 
• Museum of London, historical sources- research and make
• Bespoke to remember for a beloved person 
• Bespoke with or for a space or place 
• Pop up event at CAA (Exhibition practice)

Studio Project Partners

Contemporary Applied Arts Gallery.
Studio projects assisted by PhD student Peta Bush.