Tara Coomber

Silversmith & Jeweller

A Short Biography

b. 1975

Tara did a National Diploma in General Art & Design at the Kent Institute of General Art & Design where she decided then that metalwork was the way to go. She then went onto the School of Jewellery in Birmingham and did a BA (Hons) in Jewellery & Silversmithing graduating in 1998. Since then she got married, bought a house in Redditch and set up a workshop in 2000.

Over the years she has won numerous awards and prizes e.g. a silver grant from the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, Thomas Fattorini Prize for Excellence, The Assay Office Prize from the British Jewellers Association and the Alan Knight Memorial Award to name a few. Nominations include: Student of the Year at the School of Jewellery, the Leonardo Prize and the Silver Award at Chelsea Crafts Fair.

Her major commissions include the Ashmolean Museum Millennium Silver Commission and a silver centrepiece for Birmingham Museums and Art Galleries for the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, also in private collections are ‘Fish Slice’ for Prof. B. S. Rabinovitch (a collection of 100 silver fish & cake slices) and The Contemporary Arts Society.

Important exhibitions have been New Designers, The Silver Show with the Association of British Designer Silversmiths in London and Washington DC, ‘Celebration’ at Goldsmiths Hall, ‘The Ladysmiths’ at the Metal Gallery, Bishopsland ‘Retrospective’ and ‘Showcase’ with the Contemporary Arts Society at Edinburgh. Tara continually shows her work throughout the year at various shows and fairs around the country.

Her work has been featured locally and nationally in various newpaper articles and publications e.g. Art Review, Homes and Antiques, Homes and Property (Evening Standard, London) and Telegraph Magazine.

Personal Statement - Silverware

Tara specialises in traditional silversmithing techniques mostly using handraising to produce fluid curvaceous forms, primarily asymmetrical from one-offs to private commissions.

Inspired only by the silver itself she will sketch a line drawing from her head which in the process of becoming a form develops along the way. Its possibilities are endless, taking the object in any direction, therefore making every piece individual.

‘Tom’ Teaset

Personal Statement - Jewellery

Influenced by the organic nature of silver and gold Tara creates contemporary but classic jewellery. Simplicity is the key to her designs wanting pieces to be sensuous and sensational to touch.

For years she has been researching into chain making techniques as far back to Etruscan times to braiding today, then in a modern approach has incorporated this into her work. Pieces are fluid and playful and at the same time are meant to be worn, this movement and interaction then becomes more personal to the wearer.

Tara is constantly investigating and bouncing around ideas to develop new collections and to keep her work looking fresh and exciting.

Silver & Gold Chainmaille bracelet