OUR ‘EXPERT EYES‘

Design-Nation has always worked with external partners and experts, and the 20 Makers project is no exception. We are delighted to have so much input from these design and craft champions, and very grateful for their support.

Richard Abdy

Richard is the managing director of Wentworth Pewter in Sheffield, a family owned and operated business. Richard and his team have worked with many UK designers and makers on collaborative product development, including the late Miranda Watkins with whom they won an award as part of Design-Nation’s Eureka project in 2008.

Liz Cooper

Liz is Design-Nation’s development manager, and has a freelance practice as an exhibitions curator and writer, specialising in contemporary textiles and working with many arts organisations, including Design and Crafts Council Ireland, The 62 Group of Textile Artists, West Dean and Crafts Study Centre.

Simone Du Bois

Simone Du Bois is associate director – exhibitions at Design Centre Chelsea Harbour and has a wealth of experience with luxury brands for interiors, having previously been event director for Decorex International.

Preston Fitzgerald

Preston is a curator and collector of ceramics and a champion of emerging makers; he works with The Royal College of Arts postgraduate students and historic house collections; and in addition judges The Young Masters Maylis Grand Ceramics Prize with The Cynthia Corbett Gallery.

Jason Heap

Jason is the director of A Celebration of Craftsmanship, a high quality fair of handmade furniture which has been staged annually since 1995. He is also an award winning furniture maker himself and a champion of emerging talent, excellence of design and sustainable practice.

Sue Pryke

Sue is an award-winning ceramicist and product designer with breadth of experience: she has designed for high street brands such as IKEA, Next and Sainsburys, and also runs her own studio, creating elegant slipcast tableware. Most recently Sue was a judge for series three of The Great Pottery Throwdown.

Freddie Robins

Freddie is a textile artist, known for her witty and subversive machine and hand-knitted objects, working to commission and exhibiting nationally and internationally. She is Senior Tutor and Reader in Textiles at the Royal College of Art. Freddie’s work is in private and public collections including the Victoria and Albert Museum, Crafts Council, Nottingham Castle Museum, Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museum and KODE – kunstmuseene i Bergen.

Adam Thow

Adam Thow is head of commercial activities at Kew Gardens and has extensive experience of selecting and commissioning contemporary design for retail in cultural organisations. Prior to joining Historic Royal Places in 2019 Adam also worked at Sir John Soane Museum, Barbican and Southbank Centre.