Stephen Bottomley

Orbit

 

The exhibition presents the works of Stephen Bottomley, many years’ lecturer at artistic Academies. In opinion of the artist the body is the unifying theme of all jewellery, ancient or modern, contemporary, art or fashion. This collection represents one journey around that universal theme.

 

 

Initially Stephen Bottomley focused on soft non-precious metal, hard resistant metal, bright precious metal and dark oxidised metal. Over the past decade he has worked increasingly with enamel- a combination of metal, ceramic and glass.

 

 

Vitreous enamel on metal is a ‘fire art’ that stretches back over 4000 years. At its heart is the fusion of glass, metal and ceramic onto metal under heat often in excess of 800 degree Celsius. The result is simply magical; a hard, glassy, corrosion resistant material that has also combined with the strength of the base metal. Though the form of this base metal can vary for thousands of years it has typically been on thin sheet metal so it can expand and contract at a compatible rate.

In the 21st Century aerospace industry has redeveloped familiar metals with intricate highly uniform structures that allow for the totally even and dependable exchange of heat and energy. This innovation has lead to a modern reinvention of familiar base metals like copper through new material science as super efficient ‘heat exchangers’ for space rockets and aircraft engines. These metals operate under the most challenging environments that has informed my recent research into the stable fusion of diamond dust, sprinkled like star dust in the creation of jewellery inspired by space age”.

Stephen Bottomley, 2014, Edinburgh, Scotland

 

 

Stephen Bottomley

B. in 1967 in Norwich, England

                                  

EDUCATION:

·         1999-2001 Royal College of Art – MPhil RCA

·         1998 Rhode Island School of Design (USA) – graduate metal programme

·         1996-98 University of Brighton – MA

·         1986-89 West Surrey College of Art and Design in Surrey (UK) –  BA Hons 3D-Design metals

·         1984-85 Hastings College of Art (UK) – BTEC Foundation

 

ACTIVITIES:

·         2008 Edinburgh College of Art –  head of Jewellery and Silversmithing

·         2005-2007 Association for Contemporary Jewellery (ACJ) – the chairman for the national Association for Contemporary Jewellery (ACJ)

·         2004-2008 Metalwork and Jewellery at Sheffield Hallam University leader

·         Hastings College of Art, University of Brighton and the Surrey Institute of Design –  lecturer for thirteen years

·         1990 Brighton – establishing of his first studio

 

RECENT SOLO EXHIBITIONS:

XI 2012 – Retrospective  Scottish Gallery Edinburgh (UK)

VI-VII 2010 – Outer Circles Inner Circles, Hidden Space Gallery, Seoul (The Republic of Korea)

VII-X 2008 – Tech-tile, Solo-show, Hove Museum and Art Gallery, Brighton (UK)

IV 2008 – Full Circle, Solo show, Gallery Studio Fusion, London (UK)

XII 07– III 08 – Tech-tile, Solo-show, Museo Fortuny, Venice (Italy)

VI-VII 2008 – Tech-tile, Solo-show, Hove Museum and art Gallery (UK)

V 2000 – Solo Show, The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh (UK)

III-XII 2000 – Reliefs, Solo Show Gallery V&V, Vienna (Austria)

II 2000 + X 1999 – Applied Technology, two person show, Hove Museum +The Foyer gallery, Surrey Institute of Art & Design (UK)

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS:

XI 2013 – Heart of the heat, The School of Jewellery Birmingham (UK)

XII 2013 – Cutting edge, Best Digital Designer invited Int Exhibition, Seoul (The Republic of Korea)

XI 2013 – Connect, SOFA Chicago (USA)

IX 2013 – Beijing International Jewelry Biennale, (invited artist), (China)

VII 2013 – Alchemy 2, Enamelist Society exhibition, Newport, Kentucky, Cincinnati (USA)

IV 2013 – Design for Coexistence, Best Digital Designer invited International Exhibition (The Republic of Korea)

III 2013 – Diving for Pearls, Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh (UK)

VIII 2012 – Cominelli Foundation Award exhibition, Cisano di San Felice del Benaco, (Italy)

VII 2012 – Badges and Buttons - Waistcoats and Vests: Velvet da Vinci Gallery, San Francisco: The Society of Contemporary Crafts in Pittsburg (USA)

V-VII 2012 – Heat Exchange: Shemer art gallery, Phoenix, Arizona (USA),  Kunstmuseen der Stadt Erfurt, Galerie Waidspeicher, (Germany), Museum Voor Vlakglas, Ravenstein (The Netherlands)

III 2012 – Enamel- A Renaissance - Galerie Handwerk, Munich (Germany)

XI+X 2011 – Surface and Substance, Int. contemporary enamel jewellery,Ruthin, Wales +  Electrum, London (UK)

VIII 2009 – Gioielleria contemporanea Italiana, Padova (Italy)

IX-X 2008 – Treasury of Digital Form, Galerie Handwerk, Munich (Germany)

IX 2008-I 2010 – Playing with Fire, touring exhibition; The Devon Guild of Craftsmen (20 IX – 8 XI ‘08), Shire Hall Gallery, Stafford (15 XI ‘08 – 4 I ‘09), 20-21 Visual Arts Centre, Scunthorpe (28 II – 9 V ‘09), Rhyl Arts Centre (6 VI – 18 VII ‘09), Bilston Craft Gallery, Wolverhampton (5 IX – 31 X ‘09), Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum (14 XI ‘09 – 10 I ‘10)

XI 2007- II 2009 – Enamel experience; Museum der Arbeit, Hamburg; Velvet da Vinci, San Francisco; Nat. Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis; Soc. for Cont. Craft, Pittsburgh: Uni. of East Carolina; Kent State University, Ohio.

IX 2005 – The Watkins Era, Contemporary Applied Arts, London (UK)

VI 2004 – Jewellery Unlimited, Bristol Museum and Art gallery (UK)

XI 2001 – L'immagine del Gioiello / The image of jewellery, Alternatives gallery, Rome (Italy)

III 1999 – Schmuck ‘99, International jewellery showcase, Munich (Germany).

 

 

Open: 25th April –31st May, Tu-Su: 11.00 a.m. – 5.00 p.m.

Place: Copper Museum, Partyzantów 2

 

 

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