Dorothy Hogg

Working at the V&A recently, I managed to snatch a few moments to call by the new Sackler Centre to meet Dorothy Hogg, jeweller and inaugurating artist in the Museum Residency Programme. Within seconds our words were tumbling and pouring over each other’s, laughing and sharing experiences. A lovely light large space, superb work, generous and open spirit; it felt good. I always find it stimulating to visit an artist in their place of work and Dorothy has been so enormously inventive making her temporary studio come alive. Cases of her work, samples from various projects, ideas in progress, intriguing collections, things seen in the Museum and of course all the ephemera of designing and making ‐ very buzzy. A residency of this nature will be hugely intensive: a balancing act between exploring the collections, studying with the professionals, making time to be still and take stock, developing ideas, work uninterrupted… And then of course, receive the visitors (like me) communicate ideas, educate, create projects for others to do… Many great ideas have flowed from her studio including The Chain of Talent, and a fab web project open to all: Find Make Wear. AND on top of all this, Dorothy has found time to write about it all in her fascinating blog: Jewellery Resonances! Early on in the residency, pencilled in her elegant script, Dorothy started a line of apposite quotes to which we were all encouraged to contribute. High on the walls, the graphite lines of wisdom tread silently around the studio. Here is mine that I think of often. From weaver Theo Moorman… ’it takes so long to learn to be simple, to recognise and accept what is given to us through our materials and technique.’ I imagine the six months has flown by for Dorothy. If I had one, I’d take my hat off to her. She is a total inspiration.