Research Projects

‘We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.’

(T.S. Eliot – ‘Four Quartets’ 1944)

Maria Hanson’s creative journey has so far spanned 2 decades. Her passion for Jewellery and Silversmithing has resulted in a significant body of work that challenges the boundaries of function and ornament and labels of fine and decorative art.

She respects and utilises the traditional materials and processes of the Jeweller and Silversmith, and although the work often uses abstract visual language there is always a personal narrative at play. Place, interaction and audience response have been fundamental areas of investigation.

Over the past few years her work as a practitioner has been crossing the boundaries between objects that relate to the body directly (through wearing) and objects that demand a physical interaction through use. Recent personal experiences have stimulated a more reflective and emotional engagement with the creative process, questioning the nature of objects and the function that they have in our lives.
Her most recent work relates to the role and value that contemporary craft objects play in ritual acts both within a religious and secular (domestic) context.

There is much debate about the value of craft objects within contemporary culture, which relates to issues such as consumerism, lifestyle and ecology. Maria believes that the emotional attachment engendered through the uniqueness of a handmade object can be a contributing factor in making products durable and stimulate a more intimate relationship with the user and audience.