Kilkenny maker announced by Design & Crafts Council Ireland for London's Collect Fair

A selection of Ireland’s master craftspeople, including a Kilkenny maker, will feature at Collect 2024, the leading international fair for contemporary craft and design.

Local maker Gráinne Watts will exhibit at Collect with her pieces titled ‘Floating Vessel’ and ‘Oval Wall Form’.

Gráinne works with porcelain and stoneware clays and use layers of vibrant under glazes and slips to create interesting surface detail and uses various techniques such as throwing and hand-building, to create her sculptural forms and vessels.

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2024 marks the 20th year of Collect taking place at Somerset House in London from Friday, March 1 to Sunday, March 3.

To celebrate this landmark anniversary, Design & Crafts Council Ireland’s (DCCI) exhibition features work by 23 Irish makers, all from DCCI’s PORTFOLIO Critical Selection, who have participated in Collect over the last 20 years. DCCI, supported by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, is working in collaboration with the Department of Foreign Affairs, Craft NI and Crafts Council UK to bring this spectacular exhibition of work to London. Collect 2024 offers collectors an opportunity to acquire new, museum-quality handcrafted artworks from some of this century’s finest craft talent.

Commenting on the launch of Collect 2024, Rosemary Steen, CEO, Design & Crafts Council Ireland said,

“Design & Crafts Council Ireland is delighted to work collaboratively with the Department of Foreign Affairs, Craft NI and Crafts Council UK to bring our finest master craftspeople to Collect in London for the 20th year. Partnering with the Department of Foreign Affairs has been instrumental in aligning our efforts with the broader objectives of the Global Ireland initiative, ensuring that the design and craft sector’s cultural and creative reach extends globally. Collect provides Irish designers and makers an opportunity to celebrate the range of design and craft on an international level. Bringing them to Somerset House in London is the perfect opportunity to showcase their work to international collectors on a leading world stage. I would like to extend my congratulations to all the makers involved this year”.

 Adding to this, Tom Watts, Head of Design, Design & Crafts Council Ireland, said,

“Collect 2024 is an exciting opportunity for makers and exhibitors to share their work at an international level. This fair has selected some of the finest craftspeople and designers of Ireland and we are delighted to bring them together for the 20th year in London.”