Artist of the Week / HSoA Annie Ruthven Taggart
"Annie teaches with a focus and dedication that is a pleasure to observe. As a professional jeweller who exhibits and sells through prestigious outlets, she is able to guide learners from the development of their ideas through to technical making skills. Her course covers a broad range of processes involved in jewellery production, giving an in-depth and varied learning experience, inspiring students to complete works to a very high standard. I can’t stop buying it!” Isabel H Langtry, Principal
1. Please tell us a little about yourself.
I am a designer jeweller based in Dulwich, working in precious metals and gemstones. I make and design collections of jewellery as well as carrying out bespoke commissioned work for clients.
I trained at Central St Martins (UAL) and Sir John Cass Faculty of Design and regularly exhibit at galleries, shows and fairs across the UK.
2. What inspires you and your work?
My designs are influenced by shapes and elements found in marine life and geological forms. Consequently, my work has a three-dimensional emphasis, exploring convex and concave sculptural structures and using patterns and textures found on pebbles, rocks and shells. I have spent many a weekend combing beaches and looking at the shores and coastlines for inspiration.
3. What does teaching mean to you?
I am very fortunate to have been teaching at Hampstead School of Art since 2005 and some of my first students still attend my Friday classes , learning new techniques and creating new designs to develop their skills even further. The wonderful thing about jewellery teaching is that the skills required in the class are very elastic, allowing complete beginners to produce designs within a few weeks, whilst stretching more advanced students to achieve more sophisticated and complex results. This allows the class to be very inclusive, engaging students at all different skill levels and aptitudes and with different design approaches.
It gives me immense satisfaction to see students arriving as novices and to help them gain skills and confidence to design and create their own pieces by the end of the term.
4. Awards
During my time as a jeweller I have received several awards from the British Jewellers Association for design and craftsmanship.
5. And finally could you tell us about the class you will be tutoring this term?
This term I will be challenging existing students to push and develop their skills further to incorporate non-metallic materials such as fabrics and plastics and explore ways of making connections other than by heating and soldering.
For any beginners joining this term, there will be a set series of projects to teach the basic skills of jewellery making including ring-making, pendant/cufflink construction and brooch mechanisms, so that students can launch themselves into creating their own projects.
To find out more about Annie’s designs visit her website: https://www.artgems.co.uk/
Jewellery Classes
