About
An interest in the ancient, elemental story of metals and the patterns of the natural world are woven throughout Catherine’s practice. The rich colours and textures of metals are drawn out and highlighted in her work, and she often joins various alloys so that the contrast between them creates a relationship that amplifies each. When using stones, Catherine celebrates their unusual beauty in uncomplicated designs that place the material first. Seeing jewellery as a vessel for narrative and memory, her work echoes the cosmic origins of metals and speaks of natural forces and forms – such as the warmth of the sun, layers of the earth, or the movement of water.
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Catherine was born on the west coast of Canada and lived there until moving to London in 2016. She trained as a goldsmith in Vancouver, and has been practicing since 2012. Her connection to the landscapes of western Canada continues to influence her work, alongside those of her more recent home in the UK. She currently works from a studio in Hatton Garden.
Exhibitions
Goldsmiths’ Fair, Goldsmiths’ Hall, London, September 2024
Elements Festival, Scottish Goldsmiths Trust, Lyon & Turnbull, Edinburgh, 2023
‘Wood, Metal, & Paper’ exhibition, Contemporary Applied Arts (CAA) Gallery, London, 2023
‘Awe & Alchemy’ exhibition, Association for Contemporary Jewellery Northern Ireland (ACJNI), Market Place Theatre, Armagh, 2023
Goldsmiths North, Cutlers’ Hall, Sheffield, 2023
‘Meanings and Messages’ touring exhibition, Association for Contemporary Jewellery (ACJ), various locations across the UK, 2022/2023
Handmade Chelsea, Chelsea Old Town Hall, London, November 2022
Elements Festival pop-up exhibition, Mall Galleries, London, October 2021
Elements Festival, virtual exhibition, September - November 2021
Catherine’s work is also available through Contemporary Applied Arts (CAA) Gallery, in their London gallery and online at www.caagallery.org.uk
If you would like to enquire about a particular piece, discuss a commission, or arrange an in-studio viewing please email info@catherinehartley.com
Photos by Sophie Davidson