Sophie
METALSMITH & RESTORER
Sophie Harris is a Self-employed metalsmith with specialism in conservation and restoration (Ba(hons) Pg Dip) As a member of the Heritage Crafts Association her current aim within the vast specialism of metalworking is to become a traditional coppersmith, a profession that has been around since the chalcolithic period 3500BCE. There are only approximately 5 fulltime working coppersmiths in the UK this is how she is combining her love for making with conservation and restoration. After working as a Metals Conservator at the Victoria & Albert Museum and Freelancing around the UK within the conservation professions as well as Contemporary Art Foundries. she was able and ready to move back to her homeland of the Forest of Dean to work on a very prestigious exhibition based in Venice. On completing the exhibition, she felt as though it was time to start her own business of Bespoke Metalwork and Restoration, two years into being a sole trader she has decided that it needs a slightly different direction more into the concentrated heritage craft.
Since developing her own profession as a Metalworker alongside this she’s read a myriad of books on self-sustainability, foraging, preserving and conserving produce from the land. To create more of an essential love where she was based in Bullo Pill, Newnham on Severn. This has developed into something more than just a hobby, it has started to become a way of life and made her more aware of what she wants to achieve, as one of many life goals. By developing her love for the land and transforming unused space into hives of raised beds for a vast selection of fruit and vegetable throughout the year. By doing this she learning to become a great lover of grafting, taking cuttings and seed production, along-side feeding the insect to pollenate the land. By combining metalsmithing, gardening and self-sustainability one of her new projects is to make Copper alloy and ferrous garden tools and equipment created using traditional methods. The earth inspires her to create her work and art to generate profit
For the past 6 months she has been employed by Camphill Village trust to work in The Grange Village as part of the land crew (bank workshop assistant). Having previous experience with various crafts has given her the knowledge to work with Pottery, Cookery, Gardening and Organic farming with the People We Support. On the farm she’s learning about biodynamic gardening and its huge benefits, caring for their animals and learning about organic farming. Their way of living has given her a great lead into the world of self-sustainability and a realistic way of life.
www.sophieharrisrestoration.com