Simon Day LSDC

Simon grew up beside the River Thames in the City of London, where he often found treasures hidden in the muddy river bed. His proximity to the city’s old watchmaking district inspired a lifelong fascination with early English watches and their makers.

In contrast, his profound love of the natural world has always drawn him away from the busy city to explore the beauty of the English countryside and its’ ancient monuments.

His work seeks to combine these two opposing realms of the city and nature, of the outer physical and inner spiritual universe. For him the perfect representation of the universe has always been the sphere, with metal providing the necessary precision and enduring brilliance.

Simon created his first collection of precious metal spheres soon after leaving college in 1990. However, demand for his jewellery soon took over and he spent many years creating fine jewellery on Eel Pie Island in west London. Then in 1997 a fire destroyed his entire studio. While he was rebuilding his studio he was introduced to a Tibetan Buddhist teacher with whom he began to study Buddhism. It’s profound understanding of the mind and phenomena quickly becoming central to his life and work.

In 2007 he realised his ambition to live in the countryside, establishing a new workshop in a remote retreat centre in southern France, where he made jewellery for the Buddhist community and restored precious metalwork from the Himalayan region. For over a decade he travelled the world with his teacher, creating jewellery and studying traditional metalworking techniques with artisans in Nepal and Sikkim.

In 2018 he returned to the UK and set up a new studio in London. Here he began work on a collection of precious lockets, which combined his love for old pocket watches and ancient Buddhist amulets. These then created a bridge between his jewellery and sculptural metalwork. He completed his first collection of metal spheres in 2019.

Whilst the world is on currently on hold, Simon is busy working on his second collection of spheres.

Education

• 2007 & 2015 - Nepal & Sikkim. Studied traditional engraving, repoussé and wax modelling
• 2004 - CADCAM training course, Birmingham
• 2004 - 2005 - Westminster Kingsway College. Level 3 Certificate in Delivering Learning
• 1984 1988 - London Metropolitan University/ Sir John Cass School of Art. BA (hons) 2:1 Jewellery, Silversmithing & Allied Crafts
• 1983- 1984 - Wimbledon School of Art. Foundation degree Design & Applied Arts

Professional Experience

• 1990 - present Simon Day Jewellery & Metalwork. London. Jeweller, silversmith and sculptor
• 2020 - present Jewellery Teacher - part-time. Sutton College, London
• 2007 - 2019 - Jeweller & Silversmith. Languedoc, France. Creating fine jewellery inspired by Buddhist art. Exhibited in Europe, the USA & Australia. Established a workshop restoring and reproducing ancient metal artefacts from the Himalayan region.
• 2004 - 2007 - Senior Jewellery Designer. Simon Harrison Ltd, LondonDesign of fashion jewellery for leading UK fashion brands including Vivienne Westwood, Paul Smith, Monsoon, Turnbull & Asser.Created models using traditional hand modelling techniques and CAD
• 2003-2004 - Visiting Jewellery Lecturer. San Francisco State University Jewellery Design Course
• 1992 - 1994 - Jewellery Teacher. City Literary Institute, London
• 1988-1990 - Assistant to the Art Director. Garrard, The Crown Jewellers, London

Exhibitions

• 2004 - 2015 - Gallery Of Jewels, San Francisco
• 2001 - 2005 - Tibet House, New York
• 1998 - 2019 - Zam - London, Paris, New York, LA, Berlin, Sydney,
• 1995 - 1996 - Ally Capellino, London
• 1995 - 1996 - Jigsaw, London & Tokyo
• 1994 - 1997 - Browns, London
• 1991 - 1996 - Electrum Gallery, London
• 1991 - 2000 - Lesley Craze Gallery, London
• 1991 - 1996 - Dinny Hall, London
• 1991 - 1996 - Jess James Gallery, London
• 1990 - Goldsmiths Fair, London

Commissions

1996 - Created wedding rings for the “Bride of the Year Award”

1995 - Designed and made trophy for Kodak’s “Amateur Photographer of the Year” Award.

Awards

• 2000 - Retail Jewellery Magazine’s “Jeweller of the Year Award”.
• 1994 - The Guild of Painters and Stainers “Award for Fine Art”.
• 1988 - British Jewellers Association “Award for Outstanding Jewellery”.

Memberships

• The Society of Designer Craftsmen, London
• Goldsmiths’ Centre, London
• Contemporary Applied Arts, London
• Art Jewelry Forum, USA
• Crafts Council, London