Aidan Breen

Salmins, Emils - duplicate

Silversmith

©Aidan Breen

A master of his trade

Aidan is inspired by his Irish heritage
He has a love of history and storytelling
His pieces evoke ancient metal work

Aidan Breen started an apprenticeship at the age of 14 years old. For the consequent seven years he worked with three different masters at M.H.Gill & Sons, on O’Connell Street, Dublin. His work follows in the footsteps of a long tradition of Irish metal work and draws inspiration from this rich heritage. His patterns and themes are unmistakably Irish, from abstract elements such as Celtic interlacing, to stories of saints crossing the seas. As a young trainee he would visit the museum to marvel at the ancient metal work, and cycle long distances to look at the details on craved stone crosses, building his visual language. His work is done with a meticulous eye for detail and a life time of skill building.

Interview

©Aidan Breen

©Aidan Breen

How did you get introduced to this craft?: It was when I was working in a silversmithing firm as a messenger boy. The foreman there knew I could draw and paint. They happened to be looking for a chasing apprentice so they offered me the job, which I was delighted to take.
What was your training like at M.H.Gill & Sons' workshop?: When I started my apprenticeship, the Gills paid for my tuition at the college of art which I attended in the evenings. I was also encouraged to make copies of pages from the Book of Kells, and try to create original metalwork in the style of Ireland’s Golden Age.
When did you set up your own studio?: After Gills, I went to work at Alwright & Marshalls, then to Royal Irish and Irish Silver Ltd. But I had always been doing bits of work on the side to supplement my income. So, in 1978 I made the decision to set up on my own which has given me more creative freedom.
What are your sources of inspiration?: Everything around me really; life! The ways that people interact, the natural world I see each day, it all feeds into my imagery. The themes of the images themselves are very influenced by my research into literature and the Irish heritage.

Aidan Breen is an expert artisan he began his career in 1961