Home provides inspiration for Glasgow School of Art student from Portsoy
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A final year silversmithing and jewellery student at the world famous Glasgow School of Art has unveiled a graduate collection inspired by the coastline around his Portsoy home.
Scott Smith, who has the unique accolade of winning the 2D Silversmith of Year award at what is regarded as the jewellery Oscars in consecutive years, 2020 and 2021, now presents his “Boorachie” collection.
Using carving skills which he learned in the Scouts, and learning to appreciate the abundance of natural material available in rural Aberdeenshire, his pieces reflect the practices traditionally favoured by the ancient Scottish craftspeople who lived along the coast line.
He said: "After the first national lockdown due to Covid-19, nature and the local environment became increasingly important to me.
“The works in my Boorachie collection are handheld objects that sit comfortably both on the dining table and in the wild Scottish landscapes that shaped their designs.”
The three parts of his Boorachie collection are vessels made of cast bronze, oxidised copper, eco-silver and reclaimed wood; spoons made in cast silver, cast Bronze, eco-silver and reclaimed wood, and proposals and mock-up designs for a jewellery collection inspired by the wood chip castings that inform the vessel and spoon designs.
He has been working closely with The Smiddy in Banff on developing his work and is looking forward to continuing this creative partnership.
As Scott moves on from study to professional practice he will take up a prestigious artist in residence placement at The Glasgow School of Art which will enable him to further develop his work, and he also has a special trip to look forward to once travel restrictions lift.
Part of his prize for winning both the 2020 and 2021 Champagne Gosset 2D Silversmith of the Year award at the Goldsmiths’ Craft and Design Awards, aka the jewellery Oscars, was a trip to visit Gosset in France.
He added: “Gosset have said they would like to make my trip extra special as I didn’t get to go on the last one and they sent me a wonderful bottle of champagne in the meantime.”
It is hoped that Scott’s 2021 design for a stopper to complement and enhance Champagne Gosset’s most exclusive wine will be taken into commercial production.
To see the Boorachie collection visit gsashowcase.net/scott-smith
Related story: Student raises glass to success after winning national accolade
