Homo Faber Fellowship:
Séamus Gill & Claire Mooney
Silversmithing - Ireland

Master Artisan: Séamus Gill, silversmithing, Irish

Fellow: Claire Mooney, Ulster University, Irish

From engineering to silversmithing, discover the duo breathing new life into a traditional Irish craft.

One of only a handful of silversmiths remaining in Ireland, Séamus Gill is a master of his craft. He creates exceptional pieces of silversmithing, as well as a range of sculptural silver and gold jewellery. Additionally, Séamus works in bronze, translating the skills of silversmithing to larger scale sculptural works. Fellow Claire Mooney is an aspiring silversmith based in the Mourne Mountains in Northern Ireland. Rural life and landscape have a strong influence on her practice, explored through the use of texture, form and material. Graduating from Ulster University, Claire has a particular interest in metal spinning, listed as an endangered craft on the Heritage Crafts Red List.

Claire:  How did your craft journey begin?

Séamus: By accident, I was planning on studying marine engineering but I failed to secure a ship line sponsor. I heard about a craft school nearby in Kilkeny and thought it would be nice to learn a craft to have a hobby for when I went to sea. I fell in love with silversmithing. Meeting Peter Donovan and learning from him had a big impact on my decision to pursue it as a profession.

Séamus: What sparked your interest in silversmithing?

Claire: I, too had planned to study something else, structural engineering, but I fell ill during my A-levels. So, I decided to take a year out and enrolled on an art foundation course. When I discovered the metalworking department and workshop, it opened up a whole new world. I instantly loved the environment, all the tools and watching everyone work in the open space made me very curious. So, I stayed and undertook the metalworking course for three years.

Claire: How long have you been based in your workshop?

Séamus: I’ve been in my workshop in The Design Tower in Dublin for 30 years. Before that, I was in the same building, just in the basement. It’s an 1850s building full of character which houses the workshops of many craftspeople, designers and artists. We’re a community, we get to share tools and our passion for our individual crafts and arts connects us.

Séamus: You’re based in the Mourne Mountains. How does the rural landscape influence your practice?

Claire: Spending time away from home made me appreciate my surroundings more when I moved back. It’s now ever present in my creations. I like to tell the stories of Irish heritage, folklore and the rural landscape through my pieces. I recently recreated a traditional stone wall in jewellery pieces.

Claire: What is your preferred technique?

Séamus: My speciality is hammerwork. I use a lot of different techniques, from anticlastic raising to fold forming, following a sequence to create a piece. It’s a bit like a jigsaw puzzle.

Séamus: What is your favourite technique?

Claire: Metal spinning as it’s very challenging, so I decided to make my final year piece using the technique. Under the expert guidance of the master at university, I created a piece which captured the organic look of wild vegetation.

Claire: Why do you think silversmithing has dwindled in Ireland and how can it be revived?

Séamus: Demand for silverware has changed. Up until the 1960s the Church was instrumental in commissioning silverware. More recently it was sought after for wedding presents, but this has been going out of fashion, as has entertaining at home with beautiful dinnerware sets. I think we need to constantly rediscover traditional crafts and find new uses and forms which appeal to today’s clients. This is why I mainly focus on creating collections of jewellery and sculpture. It will be up to your generation to continue to find new ways to revive and reinvent traditional Irish silversmithing techniques.

Séamus: Have you worked on co-creations before?

Claire: I supply my metal spinning skills – I work on commission to a set of specifications and then send the work to be completed. I have collaborated with fellow students on past projects, I preferred this as it gave me an opportunity to contribute my own ideas and be involved in the creation of an object from A-Z, so the whole process is more collaborative.

Claire: What is the main reason you applied for the Fellowship?

Séamus: I am aware of how difficult it is to learn silversmithing techniques and I believe the Fellowship offers an exciting opportunity to be able to pass on my skills to your generation.

Séamus: What is your dream for your future?

Claire: To make a thriving livelihood from silversmithing and reach a level where I, too, can one day pass on my knowledge and skills. I also have many pieces sketched on paper which I dream of making.

Séamus Gill and Claire Mooney are one of the 21 selected established artisan and fellow duos taking part in the first edition of Homo Faber Fellowship.

Discover more about the programme on michelangelofoundation.org