SHAF Arts Trail: Fiona Cocks

Fiona Cocks is one of 60 artists opening their studios for the SHAF Arts Trail.

She will be exhibiting a selection of her work, including her sea glass and flower collections.

WHAT IS THE SHAF ARTS TRAIL?

The South Hams Arts Forum (SHAF) is a lively, actively engaged association of artists and craftspeople from across the region. Over the past decade, SHAF has regularly staged a number of exhibitions in the South Hams, and is glad to announce that the annual Arts Trail has this year been extended to include the Half-Term week and will run from October 14th – October 29th in most venues.

SHAF membership is extremely diverse, so while some artists create in purpose-built studios, others produce their work at the kitchen table. Consequently, the Arts Trail will lead visitors to some artists working in their home studios – as is the case for Fiona – and to others exhibiting in galleries and exhibition halls.

Found objects, such as sea glass, can be set and made into lovely pieces of jewellery

At each venue, visitors will find artists happy to discuss their art-form, explain the processes involved and provide the opportunity to view, appreciate and buy unique pieces of work.

Following the Arts Trail also gives visitors an unusual opportunity to explore the glorious South Hams as they map their route and discover more and more artists’ venues (as well as cream tea venues).

Meet Fiona Cocks

Fiona has been working as a Metalsmith since graduating from Sheffield Polytechnic in 1987.

After her daughter completed a Foundation in Art and Design, Fiona has set up a business from our Devon home with their combined jewellery interests.

Fiona has lived in Devon by the coast all her life and, since a little girl, she has been collecting beach finds. This has influenced her work today, often using these finds either for mould making and casting, or for incorporating shells and, in particular, sea glass into her jewellery.

Fiona is fascinated by the weathering process sea glass has undergone after decades of being pounded by the sea, the smoothness and the frosted look gained, and the recycling of our pollution!

A few years ago, Fiona took up surfing which has further influenced her work. Having seen first-hand what our pollution is doing to our seas, this has encouraged Fiona to use as much recycled materials and packaging as she can in her work.

Jewellery Making Workshops

Fiona also runs workshops!

You can learn to make jewellery using traditional techniques: texturing, soldering, piercing, drilling, stamping, stone setting, casting, colouring, forming, hot and cold enamelling, anodising aluminium, etching, and hand engraving.

Fiona holds her courses in a well equipped metal working workshop at Bigbury Mint in Ermington. There are five-week workshops for beginners leading on to more advanced techniques, or taster one-off workshops.

Taster workshops might result in your making a silver bangle or silver ring.

FROM THE BROCHURE, PAGE 25

SHAF Arts Trail brochures are available in libraries, information centres and many other places in the South Hams. There are 18 SHAF Arts Trail venues, each with one or more artists displaying their work and available for you to see them at work, and to answer your questions.

In case you can’t get you hands on a copy, here are the details for Fiona Cocks’s venue in Ermington – and the opening times.

This venue is being hared by three artists: Fiona Cocks, Jackie Gale and Sue Stewart.

HOW TO CONTACT FIONA COCKS

You can contact Fiona by email at f.cocks@blueyonder.co.uk or call her on 07986 253666 or visit the A & F Jewellery Facebook page. 

INTERESTING IN JOINING SHAF?

Visit the SHAF website for more details.