Upholding the chain
- Anna is the only woman crafting chainmail at scale in the UK
- She is driven by an interest in medieval history
- She values the physicality of the making process
Anna Rennie is a Cornish silversmith and chainmail artisan who came to her craft as a mature student. A lifelong passion for arts and crafts led her from an initial career in clinical chemistry to studying silversmithing at Truro College and later advancing her skills at Bishopsland. Today, Anna has two distinct strands in her practice: traditional silversmithing with a focus on hammered vessels, and chainmail crafting. "I make utilitarian pieces for the historical re-enactment world, and wearable jewellery," says Anna. She is the only woman in the UK making chainmail at this scale, championing a feminine perspective to the craft. She was bequeathed her late father’s workshop, where he handcrafted leather upholstery for classic cars. Her great-grandfather was a jeweller for Queen Victoria.
Interview
- What sets you apart in your field?
- I am the only woman who makes chainmail on the scale that I do it. There is me and three craftsmen in the UK. I am championing the feminine aspect, creating an awareness for other artisans. My work is not just about military and armour.
- What materials do you work with?
- With silversmithing, I use fairtrade silver which is a beautiful metal to work with. The re-enactment industry requires utilitarian metalwork, so I mainly use steel. But when I incorporate chainmail in jewellery, I use steel, gold, brass and maybe a recycled diamond to be less utilitarian and more modern.
- What draws you to making drinking vessels?
- I like seeing the form evolve from start to finish. From a silver flat disc, my hands hammer it into the final form. I like to push the metal to its limits. Silver cups are lovely to hold and to drink from.
- What are your influences?
- The Arts and Crafts movement plays a part as it was all about doing 'by hand', like William Morris, Charles Ashby, and the Glasgow Girls, the unsung heroes. I look at Pre-Raphaelite paintings, at the vessels, the jewellery, and even the little folds of robes.
Anna Rennie is a rising star: she began her career in 2018 and she started teaching in 2016
Where
Anna Rennie
