Annemarie Reinhold

Silversmith

Preserving nature in silver

Annemarie seeks inspiration in the natural world
She perfected her skills with metal tutor Michael Cunningham
She was a Young Ambassador at Homo Faber 2018 in Venice

Moved by the constant flux of the natural world from growth to decay, Annemarie Reinhold uses the durable qualities of silver to preserve those fragile moments. Her passion for nature began as a child. “I’m from a very small village in Germany and I grew up surrounded by nature: near mountains and forests, and with the flowers of my grandparents’ flower shop and my mum’s Christmas wreaths.” Taking inspiration from the leaves on the trees, she started taking photos and experimenting with shapes and materials. To improve her English she moved to Ireland, and there, wanting to do something creative, she applied for a course in art, craft and design at the Grennan Mill Craft School in Co. Kilkenny, where she learned traditional silversmithing techniques.

Interview

Why was Michael Cunningham so influential?: He was my tutor at Dublin’s National College of Art & Design. He was an excellent teacher but more importantly he believed in and supported my ideas. He would understand what I wanted to make and help me get there. He is one of the reasons I’m doing what I’m doing.
What do you enjoy most about your craft?: There are so many things I love about working with metal. In nature, everything is in constant flux and by making structural forms I aspire to preserve those special moments and to capture their beauty in something that will last.
How does nature inspire you?: My interests are botanical. I find endless inspiration in trees and the whole plant world that surrounds us. This has driven me to design and create plant-like forms and more recently, to explore vegetables and fruit and translate these into precious metal.
What's your best kept secret?: How to make metal appear matt white – I like the 'whiteness' of silver – and soft. It is a process where you raise the fineness of the silver by heating the metal several times and pickling it. Unfortunately it is not that practical, and for most usable items not a very sensible choice.

Annemarie Reinhold is a rising star: she began her career in 2016