Functional art borne from a bygone age
IN our previous Craft Creations feature, we spoke to Nick Taylor of Alfie Dog Rings (inset).
As well as making fantastic items of jewellery from old sterling silver coins and cutlery, he also creates unique pieces of functional art, such as beautiful lamps from pre 1940s brass fire hose nozzles, old engine parts and even power tools!
Nick explains more: “After coin rings I’d been looking to explore my creativity further.
“I guess I’ve always had an innate passion from a young age to understand how things work, from remote control cars and planes to restoring and cus- tomising motorbikes.
“I now reside in the peaceful foothills of Snowdon, with the freedom to express myself and let the creativity flow, and I’m in a position where I can create my own designs from forggotten objects otherwise destined for landfill and up cycle them into bespoke functional pieces of aart.”
Nick also experiments with different materials, such as plywood, to make unusual, quirky furniture and beautiful mirrors.
“I’ve turned this otherwise boring sheet material into bespoke furniture using a technique I’d previously learnt in Spain, where I lived for 10 years and where I met some creative eccentrics and learnt that crea- tivity isn’t taught, it’s something that flows with practise and time. I’d been rattling slogans and logos around in my head for a good year until one day it hit me, “Everything Taylor Made” it’s the perfect brand name for what I do!
“All my Everything Taylor Made work now comes with its own identity number featuring the year it was made and the item number.
“I started on social media sites advertising my talents, and progressed to attending local craft fairs. Now the Soulful Living Lifestyle shop in Beaumaris stock my rings and Echo Beach, also in Beaumaris, stock my other unique creations.