Course: BA (Hons) Silversmithing & Jewellery
My Story:
Catherine found that after working in different roles including being Graphic Designer, Photography Technician and Administration Assistant, she wanted to look for a new project and decided that returning to Education could be the perfect fit. Having always been creative, finding the Silversmithing and Jewellery degree meant she could use her passion for art and design in a new medium and most importantly to Catherine, she could study locally.
Catherine said: “Living in the county of Cornwall and wanting to have the chance to study nearer to home, I chose the University Centre Truro & Penwith as it offered just that, working alongside with the University of Plymouth who would be the awarding body for my degree”
“The highlight of my time studying on my course was having the opportunity to work with different metals and understanding various techniques to obtain the best of your designs. I enjoyed working with Pewter sheet or liquid form used for casting and developing an idea with the chance to enter the Pewter Live 2022 competition.”
“The best things about the University Centre are the facilities available and the support from all staff, this included not only the tutors and support staff in your own area but as a whole”
“The lecturers helped me with encouragement and support to get the best out of me with my ideas and pushing further to get a professional result. They helped me to see things differently and not to look at face value but the wider picture.”
“They say that age is no barrier, I am a happy 60 plus and retirement does not exist, in fact a new chapter has opened and I will be working for myself, making, designing, selling, entering more competitions, especially Pewter Live, and above all having fun doing it all”
“My advice to anyone looking at the Silversmithing course would be that it does involve commitment to succeed. You must have a reason as to why you may want to take the path of expressing your artistic talent in metal. If, like me, you have used your artistic talent in other ways but want to express yourself in a different medium, then this course will certainly do it for you. Be prepared to get the best out of all aspects of the course and you will be surprised which of the paths will take you, Jeweller, Silversmith or both”
Catherine enjoyed success in her time at the University Centre when she achieved the runner up award at the Pewter Live competition in 2022, the award-winning entry was inspired by the ‘Harts Tongue Fern’ and made from folded pewter sheet and textured to mimic the fern.
Commenting on her award Catherine said: “All the entries were of a high standard and to have been chosen to receive the runner up prize was a wonderful surprise.”
As a Student Ambassador during her time at the University Centre, Catherine also helped at events such as Open days, Graduation and Royal Cornwall Show and was awarded ‘Student Ambassador of the Year’ at her 2022 Graduation Ceremony.
Since graduating, Catherine is focusing on continuing her metal work and currently has a show case of her work at the Bear in Mine’d Museum, Camborne.
