about us
HOW IS CRAFTMASTERS DIFFERENT?
Craftmasters was set up to offer a platform for the very best of British craft.
Craftmasters is a social enterprise, which offers makers a fair price for their work. All our profits is fed back into the industry to support training in heritage craft skills, many of which are on the Heritage Crafts Association ‘at risk’ register.
Craftmasters is a small company, with no excess fat…. no real world shop, no expensive stands at trade shows or public exhibitions…. this enables us to ensure profits go where they really make a difference… to the amazing makers and technical skills training.
helen hood - director
Helen started Craftmasters having already had a long career in the design world, working first for Sir Terence Conran, then for Nina Campbell (who she credits with teaching her everything she knows), before starting her own design practice.
Encouraged by Dr Janina Ramierez, she studied History of Art as a mature student at the University of Oxford, and worked for four years in the curatorial office at The Holburne Museum in Bath, learning from the exceptionally knowledgeable Matthew Winterbottom (now at the Ashmolean). This time spent working in a museum environment, particularly on Decorative arts exhibitions including Silver: Light and Shade, Gold from the Royal Collection, Murmuration: Laura Ellen Bacon, Paul Scott: Confected, Borrowed, Blue, Gavin Turk: This is not a Pipe and Tessa Farmer: Unwelcome Visitors only served to increase her passion for applied arts over fine art - she is a strong believer that culturally they are of equal importance.
Since 2016 she has worked with British silversmiths, setting up retail opportunities and has seen first-hand the importance of Contemporary British Silversmith’s (CBS) Skills Training Programme (STP) in safeguarding heritage craft skills. For the last two years she has worked directly with CBS and South House Silver Workshop Trust, and continues to support their valuable work.
Helen is passionate about silver and the possibilities it offers in creating beautiful and lasting objects to use and enjoy. She has complete admiration for the artisan makers’ creativity and technical expertise which they combine in such magical ways. Craftmasters is all about bringing their incredible work to a wider audience and maintaining these heritage skills for the next generation of makers.
