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Unique Engraving Event Held Locally
In its second year, the national Hand Engravers Association held a unique event in Grantully in mid June on the invitation of Malcolm Appleby who has been in business for forty years.
It was a great opportunity for sharing professional ideas within our craft, as well as for communicating what we do to a wide range of outside parties.
The event was a three day workshop for engravers and metal smiths with the general public invited to join on Saturday 14 June for a creative seminar featuring some of the UK’s best known craftsmen.
Craftsmen attended from all over the England and Scotland, including Sussex, Surrey, Kent, Derbyshire, London, Orkney, Inverness, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, and all over Perthshire. Members of both the Hand Engravers Association of Great Britain and the Association of British Designer Silversmiths took part, including established designer makers. Also present were representatives from Hamilton and Inches (Ruraidh Malcolmson), Sutton’s Tools, the Scottish Goldsmiths Trust, Gray’s School of Art, and the Edinburgh College of Art, together with a wide range of younger craftsmen.
Day one, as well as a huge amount of interchanging ideas, featured Sutton’s Tools, represented by Mahesh Parekh, with demonstrations from Harry Forster Stringer. On day two there were around twenty craftsmen with a wide range of experience and craft skills.
There were engraving demonstrations from Malcolm Appleby, Jane Short (see above), and others with all participants invited to have a go. Physiotherapist Helen Henderson gave advice on repetitive strain and how to avoid engraver’s injuries.
The final day was a wider event, and we were joined by a further twelve representatives from varying craft backgrounds and art schools. The day included slideshows and open discussions, as well as short talks by Sandra Martin of the Perth Museum and Art Gallery on the work of David MacGregor; up and coming silversmith Max Warren, who discussed his latest work; and Hand Engravers Association founder-member Chris Rowley on the various projects currently being undertaken.
Other highlights included the opportunity to see Malcolm’s extraordinary house, which was crowded with treasures at every turn, and a rather eccentric few rounds of “Millennium Celebrity Mole Hill Frisbee Quoits - The Engraver’s Championships” - a chaotic game of Malcolm’s invention, from which Peter Rowland came away the undisputed Orkney champion.
After the formal three days, Malcolm, Jane Short and Max Warren were joined by Callum Strong, Malcolm’s young trainee for a very productive Sunday session, with Max continuing on well into the next week.
It was a hugely successful event, and looks likely to be the first of many. Our thanks to all those who took part, and special thanks to Sutton’s Tools, The Scottish Goldsmiths Trust, The Inches Carr Trust, Perth Museum, T.H. March and Perth and Kinross Council for making it all possible. But above all to Malcolm Appleby and his wife Philippa for their great generosity and inspiration.
For further information, contact Chris Rowley (01732 833 176), Alan Craxford (02085202903 or alancraxford@freeuk.com), or Malcolm Appleby (01887840484 or swapp@dircon.co.uk).
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