Meet Harriet

Who would have thought that the simple act of finding lovely small things would grow into The Metal Press collection?

I’ve always been a bit of a jackdaw. It’s the shape or colour of something that draws me in. I pick it up, have a closer look and marvel at it. When I find something I’ve never seen before, I rush to find out what it’s called. My mother, Madeline, had books about the natural world around us, and I still turn to them. I’m so glad she passed on her love of discovery.

From a find to a piece of jewellery

I’ve worked in modelmaking and the creative industries all my working life, so making tiny moulds and copies is familiar to me. Even so, every now and then something presents a real challenge. In the beginning it was all quite experimental. It took time to work out how to take a mould from something delicate and keep the original intact.

That matters especially when the thing someone has found belongs to them. Finds now come from all corners of the world, and the collection is still growing. If you’ve found something you’d like to show me, I’d love to hear about it. Some pieces are too delicate to cast, and keeping the original safe always comes first.

I also draw and make shapes that echo something I’ve found in nature. Working with the laser feels a bit like printmaking, which I love doing from time to time.

When I have time to play

I sometimes play with the things I’m casting and make something more sculptural. Mussels on rocks, birds’ nests, frogs and love spoons are the sorts of things I make when I have a little time to play.

What I love about The Metal Press is the simplicity of it. It’s just the celebration of a beautiful thing.

Harriet Addyman

Ask Harriet about a find