Michael McCrory
Blessington Cottage, 22 Ballynahinch Street, Hillsborough, Co. Down, BT26 6AW, N. Ireland
T: (0044) 028 9268 3014 e-mail: michael@michaelmccrory.com
web: www.michaelmccrory.com
Education:
1961-65 Belfast College Of Art (Undergraduate)
1965-67 Sir John Cass College of Art, City of London Polytechnic (Postgraduate)
Qualifications:
College Diploma - Silversmithing (Special)
National Diploma in Design (NDD) - Silversmithing (Special)
City and Guilds - Silversmithing
Full Technological Certificate (FTC)
Previous Employment:
1967-70 Part-time Lecturer in Silversmithing and Jewellery, Belfast College of Art
1970-90 Senior Lecturer in Silversmithing and Jewellery, Ulster Poly. /University of Ulster
1990-96 Head of School of Fine and Applied Arts, University of Ulster
Present Position:
In 1996 he was granted early retirement from the University of Ulster. Since then he has
returned to work in his craft discipline of silversmithing.
Membership:
Crafts Council of Ireland Portfolio (juried selection)
Crafts Council of Ireland Register of Professional Craftworkers
CraftNI, C3-Collecting Contemporary Craft
Awards:
2008
2005
2002
2000
1990
Exhibitions:
2011
2011
2010
2010
2010
2009
2009
2009
2009
2008
2008
2007
2007
2007
Awarded a Support for the Individual Artist Programme from the Arts Council of N.
Ireland
Awarded a Support for the Individual Artist Programme from the Arts Council of N.
Ireland
Awarded a Major Award from the Arts Council of N. Ireland to develop his work
Awarded a Visual and Creative Arts Award from the Arts Council of N. Ireland to
purchase equipment
British Design Council Award for designing and making the prototype for a device to stop
cross infection of contaminated injection needles.
“Irish Craft Port Folio 2011”, Farmleigh Gallery,Dublin, Ireland
“Irish Craft Port Folio 2011”, NCG, Kilkenny, Ireland
“Objects of Light”, Danish Museum of Art & Design, Copenhagen, Denmark
“Irish Craft Portfolio 2010”, NCG, Kilkenny, Ireland
“Irish Craft Portfolio 2010”, Farmleigh Gallery, Dublin, Ireland
“Designers & Makers 2009”, F.E. McWilliam Gallery, Banbridge, N. Ireland
“White Christmas”, Naughton Gallery, QUB, Belfast, N. Ireland
“Design Collection 2009”, Roger Billcliffe Gallery, Glasgow, Scotland
“Silver with a Pinch of Salt”, Goldsmiths’ Hall, London, England
“Portfolio”, Bluecoat Display Centre, Liverpool, a joint Crafts Council of Ireland and
Bluecoat Display Centre exhibition.
“You’ll Never Walk Alone”, National Craft Gallery, Kilkenny, a joint Crafts Council of
Ireland and Bluecoat Display Centre exhibition.
“Method in the Making. Making Changes: Contemporary Craft in Northern Ireland”,
OBG, Belfast, N. Ireland
“Method in the Making. Making Changes: Contemporary Craft in Northern Ireland’’,
Millennium Court Arts Centre, Portadown, N. Ireland
“Made in Northern Ireland: A Dynamic of Change”, The S. Dillon Ripley Centre,
Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, USA
2006
2005
2005
1999
1998
“Silver Connections”, a Crafts Council of Ireland touring exhibition, Island Arts Centre,
Lisburn, N. Ireland, Flowerfield Arts Centre, Portstewart, N. Ireland and the NCG,
Kilkenny, Ireland which features the work of one family, Michael McCrory, his wife
Deirdre McCrory, enameller and printmaker and their daughter Cara Murphy, a
silversmith.
“Art of Dining”, Ireland Fund of Japan, Tokyo, Japan
Silver Cake Slice, Prof Rabinovitch collection of Fish and Cake Slices now on permanent
exhibition at the V&A Museum, London, England
“Cutlery”, Goldsmiths’ Hall, London, England
”Silver and Tea”, Goldsmiths’ Hall, London, England
Major Public Collections:
National Museum of Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
Arts Council of N. Ireland
V&A Museum, London, England
British-Irish Intergovernmental Council, N. Ireland
Ulster Museum, N. Ireland
Lisburn Museum, N. Ireland
Commissions:
2011
2008 - 2009
1998
1997
1996
1990
The British Embassy in Dublin purchased Michael's 'O Water Jug' for Queen Elizabeth II
to give to President Mary McAleese on the occasion of the Queen's state visit to Ireland in
2011.
Commissioned to make a silver and gold Ciborium for the Parish of Limavady
Commissioned by Prof Rabinovitch, from the USA, to design and make a silver cake
slice/lifter, having seen my work in the catalogue from the ”Silver and Tea” exhibition at
Goldsmiths’ Hall. This design is reproduced in his book “Contemporary Silver”,
commissioning, designing, and collecting. The book illustrates the work of 34 British
Silversmiths and 29 American Silversmiths. This collection is now held in the V&A
Museum, London.
My wife Deirdre and I were commissioned to make the Presidential Heraldic Shield of
Mary Robinson for Dublin Castle. I made the shield and Deirdre enamelled it.
Commissioned to design and make two Staves for the University of Ulster.
Commissioned to design and make the Mace for the University of Ulster.
Professional Activities:
2008 - 2009
Judge for the Crafts Council of Ireland Craftsmanship Award at Showcase Ireland.
1987-1996
Crafts Council of Ireland Management Board.
1997-2002
Crafts Council of Ireland Management Board.
1999-2000
Appointed by the Crafts Council of Ireland as the Consulting Mentor to Ceárta Inneona,
Blacksmithing and Forging Skills Course in Belmullet, Co. Mayo
1999
I was appointed as the external silversmith advisor to the Scottish Office on the design for
the new Mace presented by the Queen to the Scottish Parliament.
1978-96
External examiner for Silversmithing and Jewellery BA (hons) and MA courses in
England and Scotland.
1993
Proposed and helped setup the University of Ulster that the University Permanent
Collection of works of art from its graduates and staff, past and present.
1993
Member of the team from the University of Ulster and Craftworks, which organised the
Eurocraft Programme that placed 12 craft, graduates from N. Ireland with established
craftworkers in Denmark for a six-week placement. Visited Denmark twice - once to find
the placements and then to visit the craft graduates in their placements.
1991-92
Proposed and set up the Wider Horizon Programme for Craftworks which placed 14 Irish
Metalworkers and Jewellers in Canada for a six-week placement. Visited Canada (east to
west) twice - once to find the placements and then to visit the craftworkers in their
placements.
Statement of Artist/Designer/Craftsman Philosophy:
Silverware to me has to be aesthetically pleasing, with a sculptural visual strength. My
designs are founded on a balance of line, form and proportion, which harmonize with the
detail in the tactile finished pieces.