youth@craft·design

  Skip to page content

  Home

  Resources

  Videos

  Blog index

•   Pathways
•   Manufacture
•   Marketing
•   Export

  Meet the Bloggers

•   Bianca Looney
•   Blanche Tilden
•   Cesar Cueva
•   High Tea with Mrs Woo
•   JamFactory
•   Kris Brankovic
•   Oliver Smith
•   Phoebe Porter
•   Pippa Dickson
•   Tom Moore

Meet the Bloggers

Oliver Smith

• Silversmith and metalworker, ACT
• Email: info@oliversmith.com.au
• Website: www.oliversmith.com.au

Oliver blogs about the Australian manufacturing experience in the Manufacture Blog.

Video: Oliver Smith, in the studio.

With a family background in jewellery and metalwork Oliver Smith began his tertiary studies at Sydney College of the Arts in the Jewellery and Object Design Studio. This was followed by a period of work experience with a number of significant metalsmiths in Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Germany and England.

Returning to formal study in 2000 Oliver attained first class Honours in the Gold & Silversmithing Workshop at the ANU School of Art and went on to gain his Master of Philosophy there in 2003.

Best known as a silversmith specialising in hammer techniques, Oliver has a particular interest in the process of hot-forging. His work is predominantly focused on objects for the table and is inspired by the conviviality of the shared meal.

The support of the Australia Council Maker to Manufacture to Market (MMM) Grant in 2005 has enabled Oliver to develop his stainless steel production cutlery. He began work in this area in late 2003. He says,

"Seeking to combine the beauty and warmth of the handmade with the strengths of industrial production methods, I began to investigate production techniques that were compatible with my hand making skills."

This has led to the next generation of Oliver's production designs - Arc cheese knife, Dorsal serving blade and Petal spoons. These embody a refinement in the union of industrial production and hand finishing, and will be available in retail outlets from July 2006.

"The best of craft and industry is my ideal."

Oliver's work will be part of Freestyle: New Australian design for living, a significant national and internationally touring exhibition initiated by Object: Australian Centre for Craft and Design.