J E W E L L E R and S I L V E R S M I T H
NAME Alan Craxford
BORN 21 November 1946, Birmingham, England
Education
1973-74
Central School of Art and Design (part-time) - studied enamelling under Pat Furse
1974-75
Sir John Cass (part-time) studied engraving under Fred Fryer and Stan Reece
1963-67
Canterbury College of Art - silversmithing and industrial design four-year vocational course LSIAD in silver plate and cutlery. The course also included jewellery and some furniture.
1957-63
Dane Court Technical High School, Broadstairs, Kent
O level - Maths, English Language, English Literature, Art and Metalwork
A level - Art, Metalwork
Industry
1970-72
Concord Lighting International, London - designed a wide range of lighting products
1971-73
Kwok Hoi Chan, Design Consultant, Amsterdam - developed lighting projects
1967-70
Rank Bush Murphy Ltd (Staff Design Unit) London - designed television, stereo systems, radios and other domestic electrical equipment
Teaching
2009 - July - retired from University teaching
2002
London Metropolitan University Director of Short Courses Jewellery and Silversmithing
1999
London Guildhall University - Senior Lecturer, organiser of new short course and masterclass programmes at refurbished Sir John Cass Centre for Silversmithing and Jewellery
1997
London Guildhall University - Senior Lecturer MA Matrix Jewellery and Silversmithing
1993
London Guildhall University - Senior Lecturer, Design Studies
BA CAS Programme
1989
City of London Polytechnic - Senior Lecturer in 3D Design, Modular Degree Design Studies
1985
Kingston Polytechnic - Furniture School Visiting Tutor
1984
Wimbledon School of Art - Part-time Lecturer Foundation Studies
1981
City of London Polytechnic - Part-time Lecturer Foundation Studies
1976
City of London Polytechnic - Part-time Lecturer Jewellery Department
1974
Brixton Centre - Part-time Jewellery Tutor
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2011 Jan / Feb
ELECTRUM GALLERY LONDON - "A Sparkling Proposal" New Collection of A3 size Paper Cuts shown
2010 March / "Desire" Richmond
British Silver Week - work shown at four venues across the UK.
Goldsmiths Fair at Goldsmiths Hall, City of London.
2009 June/ BRITISH SILVER WEEK.
Reworked Sushi and Sake Set and pair of creamers, exhibited as a table setting shown with DAVID FOWKES GALLERY, Theorsby Park, Newark.
Group of Spinning Bowls exhibited with PAYNE AND SONS, Oxford.
Sushi and Sake Set and group of other Silversmithing pieces shown with JOHN HIGGINS CONTEMPORARY SILVER in several locations.
2009 April/ May
"TRANSFORMATIONS" Solo exhibition at ROGER BILLCLIFFE FINE ART, Glasgow. 32 page colour catalogue produced available @ £6.00
Full spectrum of jewellery and Silversmithing pieces shown
2009 March/April
SILVER WITH A PINCH OF SALT, Pair of new Salt dishes for Exhibition at GOLDSMITHS HALL, work from contemporary makers shown in context of historical pieces.
2008 May
HAMLITON AND INCHES London new Bowls and jugs. Part of BSW.
2008 May
LESLEY CRAZE GALLERY Fresh Forms part of BSW 9 silversmiths
2007 Apr/May
Solo exhibition of new silver vessels at ROGER BILLCLIFFE FINE ART, Glasgow. New work involving engraved and enamelled spinning pieces
2005 Oct/Nov
ON THE CUFF, major exhibition of cufflinks, wearers and makers, Goldsmiths Hall, London.
2004 Sept
LOOKING OVER MY SHOULDER, Lesley Craze Gallery, 20th anniversary exhibition
2004 Feb
COLLECT at the V A Museum. Work including new neckpiece in 18ct gold, Pink Tourmaline, oxidised silver presented by the Metal Gallery
2003 Oct
ART AS A JEWELL at the Metal Gallery, Mount Street, London W1. Two new
Madala Brooches in 18ct yellow and white gold. Set with white and yellow diamonds respectively
2003 May
LOVE STORY Goldsmiths Hall, London. Precious materials romance
weddings. Client loaned their collection, some new work
2002 May-Sept
EUROPEAN TRIENNALE OF JEWELLERY 2002 Chateaux Seneffe, Belgium
2002 Oct
Solo Exhibition at ROGER BILLCLIFFE FINE ART, Glasgow, Catalogue
2001 July
THE BRITISH ARE COMING at Elleard B Heffern Inc., Saint Louis, Miss, USA
2000 Feb
SILVER 2000, Crafts Council Shop at Victoria and Albert Museum
1999 Dec
CONTEMPORARY BRITISH SILVER, Lane Crawford Department Store, Hong Kong
1999 Nov
One Man Exhibition, OXFORD GALLERY, Oxford, full-colour 16-page catalogue
1999 May
THE ART OF CUTLERY, Goldsmiths Hall, London, new Sushi and Sake sets made in sliver, gilt, ebony and maple - catalogue
1998 Nov
Objects of Desire, Roger Billcliffe Fine Art, Glasgow
1998 May
Tea and Silver, Goldsmiths Hall, new teaset in silver and ebony exhibited, extensive coverage in catalogue
1996 Feb
Hilde Leis Galerie, Hamburg, Germany
1995 Aug
Herbst Messe, Frankfurt, Germany
1994 Nov
What is Jewellery? Exhibition curated by David Poston. Jewellery from the point of view of the wearer. Crafts Council Gallery, London
1994 Aug
Chain Reaction Exhibition of contemporary chains by leading makers, Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh.
1993 June
One-Man Exhibition, Electrum Gallery, London. Show of new work, hand engraved and carved in gold and silver, together with precious and semi-precious stones
1993 Mar
The Eye of the Heart Cecil Collins memorial exhibition at Central St. Martins, London Institute, Kingsway, London
1993 Oct
From Paper to Platinum A review of contemporary British Jewellery at Leslie Craze Gallery, Clerkenwell, London
1992 May
British Goldsmiths of Today, Goldsmiths Hall, London
1991 June
Twentieth Anniversary Exhibition, Electrum Gallery, London
1990 Oct
Chelsea Comes to California - Orange County, California, selling exhibition organised by the DTI and Crafts Council
1986
Precious Elements An exhibition of contemporary British jewellery, Usher Gallery, Lincoln (one of my Mandala brooches used on all the publicity material for the exhibition)
1985
ALAN CRAXFORD - Jeweller, VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM, one-man exhibition in the JEWELLERY GALLERY.
NB - ELECTRUM GALLERY, London. ROGER BILLCLIFFE GALLERY, Glasgow - I am one of their regular gallery artists.
GOLDSMITHS FAIR I am a regular contributor over last 16 years
THIS IS A TYPICAL LIST OF COMMISSIONS
REFER TO THE COMMISSION SECTIONS OF THE SITE FOR THE LATEST WORK.
Note all my commissions are for private clients -
2004 Dec
Dress ring, 18ct white gold. Olive baguette Tourmaline hand carved shank
2004 June
Two Hand Knitted Chains. One 18ct green gold, one in oxidised fine silver, 22ct gold, 18ct green gold
2004 May
Pair cuff links, 18ct white gold, sapphires, hand engraved spiral design
2004 April
Dress Ring, 18ct white gold, Baguette Rubellite Tourmaline
2003 Nov
Pendant, 18ct white gold, hand carved, set with coloured diamonds.
Tanzanite, brilliant cut. Suspended from heavy hand knitted chain in oxidised silver, white gold clasp.
2003 Dec
Pair sun moon earrings, 18ct yellow and white golds, pear cut sapphires.
2003 Sept
Necklace in 18ct green gold hand engraved drop set with amethyst suspended from hand knitted chain in 18ct green and 22ct yellow gold
2003 May
Pendant for man, Tanzanite cabochon carved white 18ct gold, oxidised fine silver handmade chain.
2003 Feb
Dress Ring in 18ct white gold setting, pink brilliant cut spinel. 1.50cts
FebPair Earrings in 18ct yellow gold, square blue/green Tourmalines. Finely engraved heart shaped earrings with stones set on the diagonal, dropped to hang free below the ear lobe
2002 Nov
Dress Ring. Platinum set with radiant cut pink Diamond 0.28cts. Shank hand engraved.
2002 Oct
Dress Ring 18ct white gold, set with cushion cut fine Tanzanite 7.18cts.
2002 June
House Martin Ring 18ct green gold, set with oval chequerboard cut purple red Garnet 8.33cts. Shank hand engraved with House Martins on the wing.
2002 April
Pair Earrings to make a suite with Black Tulip Necklace. Silver, 18ct gold, square diamonds, field hand engraved with spiral design of tulip buds
2001 Dec
Dress Ring 18ct yellow gold, set with brown fancy Diamond 2.65cts. Shank hand engraved with spiral sun design