Landscapes in silver and bold
- Katie merges illustrative drawing with silversmithing
- She crafts her own tools to achieve unique textures
- Her works carry the spirits of meaningful places
Through chasing and repoussé, Katie Watson transforms silver into works that reflect the textures of Scotland’s landscapes, flora and fauna. She first discovered this technique in her final year at The Glasgow School of Art, during a class with Bryony Knox. "I realised I could merge my love for drawing with metalwork, and I never looked back," she says. Crafting her own tools, Katie captures natural details with precision. Each piece begins with close observation on walks through woods, along coasts or across the hills near her hometown of North Berwick and the Isle of Arran. "My larger sculptural works often inspire smaller objects and jewellery with motifs, such as leaves, animals or textures", Katie says. Based in Marchmont Silversmithing Workshop, her studio is both a workspace and a creative haven that offers space for solitary focus. Katie’s work regularly features at Goldsmiths’ Fair and has received multiple awards.
Interview
- What do you love most about silversmithing?
- What I love is the sense of being completely in the moment. The repetitive hammering and careful focus bring a meditative flow. I seek to translate the spirit of meaningful places into silver, whether for their beauty or memories. Each strike allows me to revisit them.
- How do you use 3D in your craft?
- In some of my pieces, I use surface chasing, which keeps all decoration on one level. But I often create depth by lowering the background around elements I want to highlight, which gives the work a 3D feel. Occasionally, I flip the piece and use repoussé punches to push details out further.
- Where do you work?
- I work at the Marchmont Silversmithing Workshop, which is part of the Hugo Burge Foundation. I first came on a two-year residency and now I am the head silversmith of the workshop. Around ten of us live on the estate, most of us artists, which makes it feel like a small, close-knit creative microcosm.
- How do you balance repetition with new ideas in your work?
- Hammering has become second nature to me. To keep my practice exciting, I love exploring new shapes and objects. I might focus on candlesticks for one project and develop a wall piece for another. This constant variation challenges me and builds a diverse body of work for exhibitions and commissions.
Katie Watson is a rising star: she began her career in 2018 and she started teaching in 2022
Where
Katie Watson
