Kaylee’s featured artist – No. 2

It’s week two of my special features on the artists and makers who are part of our current exhibition here at MCDC, ‘Forming Words’. Having looked at the jewellery of Jonathan Boyd last week, I’m going to move onto the wonderful work of Buddug Wyn Humphries, whose beautiful plates and lovespoons adorn the ‘Forming Words’ walls. Buddug’s plates have excited many of our resident makers here – in particular the one featuring a Dolly Parton quote!

Buddug (which I’m told is pronounced bu-th-ig – for those of you wondering) is originally from North Wales, but is now based in London. She originally studied jewellery and silversmithing, but focuses particularly on enamel as she can combine her love of drawing with the making of 3D objects.

Her plates and lovespoons are made by melting glass onto copper, silver or steel, then layers of enamel are added, and finally Buddug writes and draws into the enamel. The quotes and words which she uses are things that both inspire and comfort her. I think a prime inspiration example is the “Anne Frank plate”, which says: “Think of the beauty still left around you and be happy”. Many visitors to the exhibition have also found “Upside Down Plate” particularly poignant – it features the lyrics to Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong’s “Dream a Little Dream of Me” – a song which is both comforting and inspiring to many.

Buddug’s plates and lovespoons are a lovely example of how traditional craft practices influence contemporary makers. This is particularly evident in the case of the lovespoons. For those people who have never received a lovespoon before, they are traditionally delicately carved wooden spoons which are presented as romantic gifts. They aren’t designed to be used as actual spoons – rather they are kept as decorative craft items.

I hope you love these works as much as I do!

You can see more of Buddug’s work: Click here , or if you’re London-based visit the shop she runs with Jessie Chorley: ‘J&B The Shop’ at 158a Columbia Road, E2 7RG.