Handmade Chelsea: an oasis of handmade luxury this November.
Luxury. It sometimes feels like a distant memory. Unwitting victim of the collateral damage of our modern era. Artists painstakingly crafting pieces of exquisite beauty, and customers and artisans planning unique commissions, a thing of the past.
But not so fast. It only seems this way. In an arid climate where “instant gratification” and “one size fits all” appear to rule triumphant, oases of creativity and luxury can still to be found: precious places where age-old traditions are honoured and beauty can be seen, held and purchased. One such oasis, Handmade Chelsea, materialises every November in the heart of London’s iconic King’s Road.
For nearly two decades, Handmade in Britain has been a standard-bearer for British craft: protecting, nurturing and promoting the very people who keep artistry and luxury alive. With clockwork regularity, over 100 of the UK’s finest designer-makers from all across the British Isles – representing jewellery, furniture, woodworking, textiles, sculpture, art, glass, ceramics, metalworking, enamelling, fashion, homewares and more – descend on London’s King’s Road for Handmade Chelsea. Housed in the beautiful surroundings of Chelsea Old Town Hall, those thirsty for beauty and craftsmanship drink deep.
One could be forgiven for assuming that an organisation devoted to preserving timeless British craft would have its eyes firmly fixed on the past, however this is not the case. Handmade in Britain not only supports established talent but underpins those designer-makers who will in time represent, and then bequeath to the next generation, the gift of exquisite British making. In the 2024 show alone, a dedicated area will focus on early-career makers, with the addition of a cohort from the New Ashgate Gallery Rising Stars 2024 and the next generation of heritage craftsmen and women from prestigious Building Crafts College.
Handmade Chelsea is a place to honour the past, appreciate the present and support the future of British craftsmanship.
With a Private View on the evening of Wednesday 6th November and three public days running from the 7th-9th November, Handmade Chelsea will be the place this autumn to immerse oneself in luxury, to buy original works and to commission unique pieces.
In the spirit of our great making forebears, the likes of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, William Morris, Christopher Dresser, William de Morgan, Bernard Leach, and the legion of unsung heroes of British craft, here is a soupçon of what Handmade Chelsea 2024 has to offer:
Timber Robot Studio
Philip Gay, a New Ashgate Gallery 2024 Rising Star, is the maker behind Timber Robot Studio, a furniture practice creating impactful pieces, which explore the themes of duality, tactility and balance. Often using contrasting timbers and textures and mixing materials, his work sits in the overlap between art, design and craft.
Maya Selway
Maya Selway is a fine jewellery designer exploring the intersection between tradition and modernity. Her exquisite designs push the boundaries of traditional goldsmithing techniques, resulting in a modern-classic aesthetic that is uniquely hers.
Yoshiko Manns
A member of London Potters, Yoshiko is originally from Japan, a country with a rich history of exquisite ceramics which has directly influenced our present-day UK Studio Pottery tradition. Trained in the UK, her simple forms, utilising crystalline glazes, are elegant and beautiful additions to any space.
www.yoshikomannsceramics.co.uk
Alex O’Connor
Based in Cornwall, Alex O’Connor came to silver from a Fine Art and Sculpture background. Accordingly, her silverware merges an inherent understanding of form, composition, balance and surface with the specific disciplines of contemporary craft. Alex exhibits regularly both in the UK and internationally and has work in private collections.
Nowshin Prenon
Nowshin is a multidisciplinary artist, specialising in woven textile design. As a textile designer her work focuses on storytelling through the utilisation of material and process. She creates stunning hand-dyed and hand-woven artworks, with an emphasis on the relationship between colour and form.
Charlotte Smith
Charlotte Smith incorporates the hugely time-consuming technique of enamelling into her stunning jewellery. Charlotte’s work belies the time and effort it takes to make and the resulting pieces, effortlessly beautiful. Charlotte is a 2024 New Ashgate Gallery Rising Star.
Macmaster Furniture
Alex MacMaster produces sinuous, beautifully crafted lighting and furniture in the Worcestershire countryside. He is renowned for his stands at all the Royal Horticultural Shows, regularly garnering five gold stars. Many of Alex’s extraordinary pieces are inspired by flora, and his lighting can be adapted for use indoors and out.
The long tradition of handmade luxury lives on in the UK. It may be pushed to the margins in our modern, fast-paced and disposable world, but it thrives in the hands of extraordinary people, and under the watch of Handmade in Britain. Come and meet over 100 outstanding designer-makers for yourself this November, each and every one of them looks forward to welcoming you.
Tickets, both VIP and Standard Entry, can be purchased now from the Handmade in Britain website, and visit www.handmadeinbritain.co.uk for more details.
This is a Sponsored Post with Gentlemans Butler teaming up with Handmade to support our artisans and crafts.