Final design prototype for Buy Black CountryFor the past 6 months, I’ve been working on a project for the Wolverhampton Arts and Museum Service, in partnership with Dudley, Sandwell and Walsall Museum Services. I won the commission in 2009 following a presentation and interview, responding to the brief for a limited edition, contemporary product inspired by the historic local collections aiming to celebrate the rich industrial heritage of the Black Country.
As one of three selected makers, I chose to work with the local collection of 18th century enamels at Bilston Craft Gallery and to work with local enamel manufacturer Halcyon Days, to produce limited edition brooches, so that they are, in part made in the Black Country. The products must retail for under £50, which proved to be a challenging aspect of the project.
Ruth Ball kindly helped me to produce a series of prototypes of different designs to present to the panel. This was a great opportunity to work in enamel and we had lots of fun over the two days.
As one of three selected makers, I chose to work with the local collection of 18th century enamels at Bilston Craft Gallery and to work with local enamel manufacturer Halcyon Days, to produce limited edition brooches, so that they are, in part made in the Black Country. The products must retail for under £50, which proved to be a challenging aspect of the project.
Ruth Ball kindly helped me to produce a series of prototypes of different designs to present to the panel. This was a great opportunity to work in enamel and we had lots of fun over the two days.
The final design chosen by the panel was the simplest, utilising the copper hemisphere used by Halcyon Days in the production of the lid of one of their egg shaped boxes. Egg shaped boxes also feature in the museum collection, often as nutmeg graters or bonbonnieres. The hemisphere, which will be enamelled in an ivory colour, is topped by a circular etched metal plate detailing 19th Century maps of the Black Country which I will produce in my studio.
The three ‘Buy Black Country’ products will be launched in October 2010, and will be sold at the regional museum shops, including Bilston Craft Gallery and Wolverhampton Art Gallery, as well as on the http://www.culturelabel.com/ website.
The actual brooches will have etched map imagery.
This project is a Black Country Regional museums initiative, led by Wolverhampton Arts and Museums Service and funded by MLA Renaissance.
Rebecca Gouldson is a designer metalsmith with a growing interest in enamel, check out more of her amazing work here !