Hebden Bridge jeweller turns his attention in tackling plastic pollution with new sculpture

Jeweller Toby Cotterill has turned his attention to the problem of plastic pollution for a new sculpture featuring a series of solid silver crab claws.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The Hebden Bridge-based artist was invited by the Leeds Craft Centre and Design Gallery to link with ceramicist Anna Whitehouse for a new sculpture inspired by the natural world.

Featuring a distorted, porcelain hand sanitiser bottle armoured with the tiny silver claws, the piece is aimed at highlighting the increase in damaging single-use plastics and man’s impact on the environment.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Cotterill, whose solo work is also on display at the centre, took part in the gallery’s first Meet the Maker event of the year at the weekend where visitors were able to browse through the artists’ sketchbooks containing early ideas for the work.

Jeweller and silversmith  Tony  Cotterill  from Hebden Bridge  with his silver insect  pendantJeweller and silversmith  Tony  Cotterill  from Hebden Bridge  with his silver insect  pendant
Jeweller and silversmith Tony Cotterill from Hebden Bridge with his silver insect pendant

He said: “Anna and I share similar inspirations, and despite using different materials it feels like our pieces have evolved from the same place.

“We have both created individual collections for the exhibition, but for the collaboration we swapped objects to combine in each other’s work and only saw the end result just before the exhibition opened.”

The exhibition at the Craft Centre and Design Gallery, in the Headrow, continues until October 30.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

* Support your Halifax Courier by becoming a digital subscriber. You will see 70 per cent fewer ads on stories, meaning faster load times and an overall enhanced user experience. Click here to subscribe

Related topics: