Silver Birch Beaker (2018)

Inspired by the Scottish woodlands of her childhood and the open skies of the Peak District where she often roams, Suzanne Berry’s work explores the balance between nature and humankind. Through the process of walking and foraging she reveals a sense of place and explores her evolving relationship with the landscape. Each resultant piece is both a reflection of self and a literal memory of a place and her time spent there.

Suzanne Berry’s practice involves gathering natural ephemera such as seed pods, twigs and tree bark to create a rich collection of source material. These tactile items are subsequently manipulated with wax and transformed into intriguing silver and bronze objects which are both functional and sculptural.

Berry was inspired to create a collection of spoons after moving to Sheffield in 2017. The Hope Spoon was made from an oak tree twig found whilst walking in Hope Valley, Derbyshire. This spoon is textured with a surface pattern, its form suggesting the spoon’s bowl may have grown from the twig itself. The Rannoch Chestnut Spoon was created from a chestnut shell and tree bark which Berry found whilst walking in woodland close to her family home in Scotland. The sculptural quality of the chestnut shell and bark creates an object which is at once playful, beautiful and intriguing.

This grouping of Berry’s work will extend Sheffield’s Designated Metalwork collection, complementing historic examples by makers such as Ramsden & Carr whilst reflecting contemporary practice in the city. Berry’s work also has synergies with the Ruskin Collection cared for by Museums Sheffield, which was originally created to inspire the workers of Sheffield and encourage people to engage with the natural world.

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