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Metal arts celebrated with steel city gift
A SILVER and titanium drinking cup, produced as part of the Galvanize Sheffield festival, has now become the latest addition to the city's civic collection of silverware.
Silversmith Lee Simmons designed and made the vessel, called The Art of Sheffield, to depict the streets of central Sheffield "flowing out from a cup of precious metal."
The J G Graves Trust, which commissioned the piece, presented it to the Lord Mayor on behalf of the city of Sheffield yesterday – the same day artist Mr Simmons graduated with a First in metalwork and jewellery design from Sheffield Hallam University.
Mr Simmons said: "I have drawn my inspiration from Sheffield's urban landscape and important landmarks reflecting the past and the future of the city.
"My choice of materials, silver and titanium, highlight the past and present with traditional silversmithing techniques capturing the past, and modern materials and techniques such as water jet cutting titanium giving an insight to the forward thinking in the city."
Dona Womack, chairman of the J G Graves Charitable Trust, said the trust was "delighted" to have funded the piece.
She added: "The standard of the proposed designs was very high and the winning piece is truly sensational. It marks Lee Simmons out as a name for the future."
The Lord Mayor of Sheffield, Councillor Graham Oxley , described Mr Simmons' work as "stunning" and added: "On behalf of the people of Sheffield, I'd like to congratulate Lee for his craftsmanship and skill in producing such an exceptional piece of silverware."
Galvanize Sheffield, the city's month-long annual festival of contemporary metal design and innovation, runs until Sunday, December 6.
Exhibitions currently showing as part of the festival include KeyPiece at the new Sheffield Institute of Arts Gallery, based at Sheffield Hallam University. The exhibition, which runs until Saturday, November 28, brings together work and research from 10 leading metalworkers.
A display by artist blacksmiths is also set to begin at Sheffield's Winter Garden on Monday, November 23.
Artist blacksmiths make decorative and functional metalwork and sculpture. The exhibition will focus on the major collaborative projects initiated by the British Artist Blacksmiths Association (BABA) where blacksmiths from all over the world have come together to produce pieces of art.
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Friday 10 February 2012
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