Miriam has been working as a professional silversmith since 2008, creating pieces for private clients and public commissions, including the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, Eton College, New College Oxford, The Victoria and Albert Museum and the National Museum of Wales. Her work has been exhibited in numerous exhibitions internationally, including in the UK, Germany, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Finland.

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Miriam Hanid

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<h3 style="text-align: center">AN ART ESSAY</h3>
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<h4>
 <spanundefined>MIRIAM HANID is an artist
 silversmith. In 2016, she was interviewed by
 ROSALIND PEARMAIN for Heartfulness
 Magazine about her art and her motivations. Five years later, they catch
 up again to find out more about Miriam’s journey, and where her art has
 taken her.
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 <spanundefined style="color: #b98d30">Q: The last time we reflected on your work it was in&nbsp;<a style="color: #b98d30" href="https://www.heartfulnessmagazine.com/silver-and-water/"
 target="_blank" rel="noopener">2016</a>. Looking at your website, you have been so busy since then,
 continuing
 to create so many exquisite works of sheer beauty. How have you sustained
 this output?


 <spanundefined>MH: Wow, time flies! Thank you, it’s
 always nice to receive good feedback about my work! Many factors come to
 mind about how I have sustained my output, but I would say the main ones
 are rest, motivation, and beauty. While these words may not seem to be
 closely linked, they all work together for me. It is extremely difficult
 to be motivated without proper rest. Working at an optimal level, the best
 possible, work seems more like play and the end of the day comes as a
 surprise. The work is so enjoyable, and one is completely absorbed in it.
 I believe that leads to great rest.


 <spanundefined>As the days and months pass, when reflecting on my career so far, I often
 look back on the most productive times with much amazement. But I have
 found myself overlooking the times of non-doing – those necessary inner
 periods when I’m just resting, relaxing and absorbing all that is going
 on. I now know that these are the opportunities where inspirational seeds
 can poke their heads above the surface to see what the conditions are like
 for growth. If my motivation is replenished (more on that later), and I
 can nourish those seeds, I can catch many new ideas for silver pieces,
 textures, forms and patterns which then come into being.
 


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<img class="w-100" src="
 https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/silver2_6b5bd5181f.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T03:15:37.102Z
 " alt="silver" />
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 <spanundefined>Working in precious metal is laborious, particularly chasing and
 engraving, my two signature techniques. The metal demands care, attention,
 and precision at every step. Nothing can be rushed, or it ends up taking
 longer to correct mistakes.


 <spanundefined>The driving force behind any work, whether the physical sculpting of the
 silver, or planning and designing, is undoubtedly motivation. There are
 countless books on how to find your “why power,” the reason why you do
 what you do. If the mental or emotional “why” is strong, the physical work
 will fall into place and become easier. To brighten up someone’s spirit,
 to give a gift of hope, to surpass my past performance, to thank the
 universe and all the people in it for all the things I’ve learned so far,
 and to express them in a creative expression of gratitude, I find myself
 going back to my why at times of difficulty. It is hard to put into words,
 but I think this is where beauty comes in. The expression and gift of
 beauty is probably my biggest why.
 


 <spanundefined>John O’Donohue writes in his book,
 Beauty: The Invisible Embrace, “When we feel and know and touch
 the beautiful, we feel that we are at one with ourselves – because in some
 subtle and secret way, beauty meets the needs of the soul. The Earth is
 full of concealed beauty,” and all we are doing in art is revealing it
 from the depths of our consciousness – and perhaps from the universal
 consciousness.


 <spanundefined style="color: #b98d30">Q: Evidently, you continue to be inspired so much by the forces of
 nature, especially water, but we can see that you are also interested in
 many forms and patterns that you observe around you.


 <spanundefined>MH: I think the inspirations that
 attract me change and go through seasons. I feel I can always draw on
 water with its never-ending variety of forms and patterns, encompassing
 energy and movement which echoes the great flow of love all around us. I
 also like this to birth in different shapes and matters – those of
 botanical forms such as leaves, buds and flowers, wood, earth, stone and
 ice. I have realized more and more that the manner in which a subject is
 represented in any work is where the real richness lies. The clues around
 the subject, how it has been carefully and lovingly shaped and shaded, as
 well as represented or considered in the overall design, speaks volumes
 about what the artist is actually communicating with the receiver.


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<img class="w-100" src="
 https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/silver3_ver2_482d4e3e87.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T03:17:04.963Z
 " alt="silver" />
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 <spanundefined style="color: #b98d30">Q: I can see that Japanese traditional forms, such as Manga, are also
 resonant for your own work and giving you a new direction. Can you say
 more about how you came to this?


 <spanundefined>MH: I have always loved oriental art,
 from the time I studied it in my A levels and the influence it had on Art
 Nouveau, to coming across beautiful woodblock prints and books, such as
 The Grammar of Chinese Ornament, which has many visual motifs
 which excite me and subconsciously feed into my work.
 


 <spanundefined>When writing my latest blog post, “<a
 href="https://miriamhanid.com/?p=1866">Oriental Inspired Works</a>,” I
 explored pen and ink Manga with a natural theme after my creative
 communication assistant, Emma, suggested I look into it. I came across
 many striking examples of exquisite mark making, which I found very
 inspirational. I can see these feeding into my use of hand engraving,
 which uses a series of lines to create different visual effects on
 silver.


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<img class="w-100" src="
 https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/silver4_33cc7e896c.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T03:18:03.638Z
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 <spanundefined>Q: Recently, there were some lovely BBC TV programs by the art
 historian James Fox about Japanese art. He pointed out how Japanese
 artists and craftsmen show a reverence and care for the materials they
 shape; for example, saws and planes are pulled rather than pushed across
 the wood by a master carpenter. They revere
 
 
 <spanundefined>the spirit of the material they are working with, demonstrating the
 beauty of the humble and everyday object. I was wondering, do any of
 these strike a chord with you, too?


 <spanundefined>MH: I haven’t seen this series, but
 will definitely watch it. It sounds fascinating and seems a very natural
 way to work with the materials, which are so precious to us as
 craftspeople. Reverence and care are also very important to me when
 working with a precious metal – listening to it by observing the signs of
 stress and tension, and respecting these whilst being aware that the metal
 can be worked to its limit if treated with respect.
 


 <spanundefined>The Flower of Love Tumbler was a piece where I tried to stretch the metal
 a bit further than normal, and I’m very pleased with the result. I plan to
 continue in this way, refining as I go, and hopefully pushing more
 boundaries. There comes a point where it takes great motivation and vision
 to keep going. It is easy to stop and settle for what the piece may be at
 that moment, but I feel staying true to one’s own vision is important.
 This might equally entail knowing when to stop.


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<img class="w-100" src="
 https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/silver5_117e54b291.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T03:18:53.583Z
 " alt="silver" />
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 <spanundefined>Q: You mention the significance of simplicity.
 


 <spanundefined>MH: This has become an element in my
 designs all by itself. Looking at my work, one may think that it is far
 from simple, however, an object can be meticulously worked by hand and
 also be simple in design. That is what I aim to achieve, not adding
 anything unnecessary other than the inherent theme which runs through the
 piece. Many of my pieces are quite busy, yet I aim to imbue each piece
 with a unified feeling so that the piece is inherently harmonious.
 


 <spanundefined>The chasing or engraving often follows the same trajectory of the initial
 shape of the silver piece, and they work in tandem with its nature rather
 than having a different flow. I feel this is the same for simple living,
 and it is one of the great insights of Heartfulness – to be plain, simple,
 and thus in tune with nature. For example, as the sun rises, we also rise;
 as it sets, we rest. We are in harmony.


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<img class="w-100" src="
 https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/silver6_aaee12b833.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T03:19:48.087Z
 " alt="silver" />
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 <spanundefined style="color: #b98d30">Q: Are there any pieces you have been making that are most valued by
 you?


 <spanundefined>MH: Yes, the Cascade Loving Cup,
 which was my major commission for 2020 and was delivered in October, in
 between the lockdowns in the UK. A commission for the Clothworkers’
 Company of London, the cup evokes a swirling piece of cloth and is deeply
 chased with draped fabric and yarn fibres. The piece took 800 to 1000
 hours of chasing, working the metal from the inside and outside in order
 to achieve the depth. I collaborated with a fellow silversmith, Jenny
 Edge, who developed the design of the handles and made them. Working
 together resulted in this key aspect of the design, and a much more
 dynamic piece than I could have achieved on my own, particularly as
 Jenny’s specialty is anticlastic raising, by which the inner curves of the
 handles were formed. It meant she could bring a movement and synergy to
 the handles which complemented my chasing. The turned wooden models and
 maquettes made by my father, an engineer, also greatly help the
 realization of my designs.
 


 <spanundefined>The Mountain Incense Burner is another commission that I look back on
 with particular joy. After my Union Centrepiece was exhibited in the
 “Masterpieces of British Silver: Highlights from the Victoria and Albert
 Museum” in Hong Kong, a client who saw it asked me to design and make an
 incense burner. I really loved researching the mountainous terrain, the
 flora and fauna of rural Chinese landscapes in order to design the chasing
 on this piece. It is one of my most intricate pieces to date, and took
 considerable time to create. It remains one of my favourites.
 


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<img class="w-100" src="
 https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/silver7_9ca66b96ee.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T03:20:40.219Z
 " alt="silver" />
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 <spanundefined style="color: #b98d30">Q: I see that you have also been hosting interns. How did you find
 that?


 <spanundefined>MH: It was a great summer of 2019,
 and looking back I value it even more! I really enjoyed the vitality,
 determination and enthusiasm of my two young students, Sana and Julius,
 from Paris and Vienna respectively. They asked to come and learn
 silversmithing and chasing from me, in two-month and one-month
 internships. Their aptitude and curiosity to learn and apply the
 techniques to their own work was really refreshing, and I really enjoyed
 having them in the workshop. We made a road trip to see the master
 engraver, Malcolm Appleby, in Scotland, and had a great time at a hand
 engraving symposium there. I have many fond memories of creating,
 designing, experimenting and sharing.


 <spanundefined style="color: #b98d30">Q: How does Heartfulness affect your work?


 <spanundefined>MH: I would say that the practices of
 Heartfulness enhance my connection to my work, and transform it from
 something merely physical into a day-to-day and lifelong passion and
 personal practice. This cannot be put into words, but I would attempt to
 describe the process by saying, “If Heartfulness were not there, I would
 not be able to see in order to create.”


 <spanundefined>The inspirational people I’ve met through Heartfulness seminars and
 groups in the UK and around the world form a network of creative
 connections with beauty of spirit as a running theme. The exceptional
 talent and enthusiasm for their work of many Heartfulness practitioners –
 whatever form that work may take – has inspired and nurtured me throughout
 my career and life so far.
 


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<img class="w-100" src="
 https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/silver8_424632ff61.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T03:21:32.494Z
 " alt="silver" />
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 <spanundefined>
 I should also say something about the times I find it difficult to carry
 on, when I feel depleted, tired, lacking in vision or clarity, or just
 can’t see the point of my work anymore. It’s my own regular Heartfulness
 practice that always reveals a helpful insight about the situation. That
 daily silent time with my Self brings forth new inspiration, energy,
 resources, and clarity. It supports my adventure in life generally, which
 then undoubtedly influences my silversmithing practice with a fresh
 perspective. This cannot be underestimated. It also confirms that without
 rest, motivation and beauty, I question whether any of my work would exist
 in the way it does today.


 <spanundefined>I found this quote, which is from The Creative Fire by Clarissa
 Pinkola Estés: “Because there must be a decline and a time of utter
 stillness, creativity can never be paradisical. It can never be utopia
 wherein it just flows and flows and flows with no maintenance, with no
 waiting periods. In everything manifest, there is vibrancy then decline
 followed by restoration.”


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<img class="w-100" src="
 https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/silver9_fac883be14.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T03:22:21.725Z
 " alt="silver" />
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 <spanundefined style="color: #b98d30">Q: What next?


 <spanundefined>MH: The effect of the current
 pandemic has marginally reduced my commissions, so, whilst working on
 various silver projects at a more relaxed speed, I have enjoyed exploring
 new techniques, working on a building conversion project with my father,
 spending more time supporting Heartfulness practitioners through various
 online programs and virtual meditation sessions, reading and gathering new
 inspiration.
 


 <spanundefined>I have also been having a slower pace of life, which, as I mentioned
 earlier, is very necessary.&nbsp;Thankfully, I have been fortunate to have
 consistent income from my work, which is very encouraging. My next project
 will be a Roses Beaker, as part of a collection of four beakers on the
 theme of the four nations of the UK – a concept which my client is
 commissioning from four different silversmiths. The climbing roses will be
 chased in my usual style and softly gilded with gold fading out from the
 centre of each flower.


 <spanundefined>In the long term, my husband and I have always dreamed of setting up a
 center where people can come to retreat from their busy lives, learn
 silversmithing and experience the rural beauty of Suffolk. It would be a
 creative sabbatical and a retreat from technology. I’m looking forward to
 seeing what unfolds in the years to come and to exploring how we can bring
 this project into being in order to provide a space where interested
 people can slow down and open up the ground for inspirational seeds to
 grow.

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<h4 style="text-align: center">
 <spanundefined>
 Interviewed by ROSALIND PEARMAIN
 
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Miriam Hanid

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