Every month, we bring you an update about what’s new and exciting at Cockpit. From stunning products to intriguing projects to inspiring brand partnerships, here are the latest developments from our makers.
Katharine Coleman's work acquired by Stourbridge Glass Museum
Katharine Coleman MBE is the foremost glass engraver working in Britain today, and Stourbridge Glass Museum recently acquired her Palindrome Bowl for their permanent collection.
Engraved nearly twenty years ago, a palindromic sentence meaning ‘Wash my sins not only my hands’ can be read forwards and backwards in Greek around the bowl, both inside and out, due to the unique properties of the clear glass. The bowl was originally intended for a private chapel as a piscine or holy water stoup.
Nicci James's 'Unusuwul' new project
Since joining Cockpit on the 2023 Haberdashers’ Award, Nicci James has been spearheading an incredible project establishing partnerships between UK wool growers and brands in order to transform underused British wool into high-quality products.
UNUSUWUL — a partnership with British Wool, South East England Fibreshed and UAL — aims to reduce reliance on synthetic blends and imported wool, support local farmers by creating new revenue streams and promote circular economy principles with fully compostable, zero-waste materials.
Don’t be sheepish — learn more about the project here.
Step into Isabel Castro Jung's mesmerising world at Open Studios
As a multidisciplinary visual and performance artist, Isabel Castro Jung’s transcendent work is impossible to categorise.
From her ‘Jawful Embrace’ (pictured above), which constitutes a pair of slab-casted stoneware sculptures representing an enlarged stag beetle’s jaw structure — originally part of the project Emerging From the Rubble, exhibited at Staffordshire St Gallery — to her limited edition ‘Heart and Brains’ slip-cased porcelain sculptures, her studio is a must-visit during Winter Open Studios.
A monumental new series from Richard McVetis
Richard McVetis‘s practice centres on drawing and process, particularly through the meticulous medium of hand embroidery. His work delves into ideas of repetition, exploring how subtle variations within repetitive actions express both sameness and difference.
In this new body of work, created for the 10th anniversary of Future Heritage, Richard expands the intimate, hand-crafted scale of his miniature forms into something monumental, embracing the sculptural, architectural and functional possibilities of textiles.
See the work on display during Winter Open Studios — book your place now.
Alma Sophia's Hidden Treasures
It’s all in the name for Alma Sophia‘s newest body of work. ‘Hidden Treasure’ — inspired by the artist’s grandmother Rosalie, a.k.a. Nana Roro, and her drawer of hidden treasures (which Alma would sneak in to her room to try on) — is an homage to little girls searching for treasure at the bottom of the sea.
At the heart of the collection is the ‘Rosalie’ ring (pictured bottom centre), a deeply personal piece made using inherited diamonds from Nana Roro. Gems emerge from the cube-like structure, like treasures revealing themselves to the wearer.
Homo Faber Guide recognises Cockpit Makers
Homo Faber Guide is a European map of the most significant artisans, makers, designers, curators and collectors of high-quality handmade pieces. This autumn, the Michelangelo Foundation for Creativity and Craftsmanship have recognised several Cockpit makers and added their profiles to the guide.
From contemporary artist Elizabeth Kent to ceramicist Anne Athena, be sure to check out the new additions to Homo Faber Guide 2024.
An in-person version of The Cockpit Edit is coming to Winter Open Studios
Don’t miss our first-ever Cockpit Edit exhibition, featuring exciting new work from makers including Eleanor Lakelin, Amber Khokhar, Vanessa Hogge, Castro Smith and more.
Book your tickets for Winter Open Studios here.
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