33. Finding Form with Alex O'Connor

In this episode, I chat with award-winning silversmith Alex O'Connor about the winding path that led her from sculpture to silver—and from the Isle of Wight to the far west of Cornwall and the rugged landscape of West Penwith.
In a hugely engaging and very honest chat, Alex shares how her autistic thinking and aphantasia (inability to voluntarily visualise mental images) shape her highly tactile, refined work, and why she describes her creative process as an act of distillation. She discusses forging a new direction later in life, the evolving definition of success in a creative business, and the importance of taking a punt—even when things don't go to plan.
Topics include:
• Finding home in Cornwall and inspiration in the landscape

• Studying fine art at Kingston and discovering a love for materials

• Reframing failure and redefining success after a difficult debut at Goldsmiths Fair

• How aphantasia influences her process—and why she calls herself an "editor" of ideas

• Her upcoming Quest Scholarship qest.org.uk/apply/scholarships and what she hopes to learn in Shetland with Rod Kelly rodkellysilver.co.uk

• The art (and strategy) of running a creative business and other silversmiths and creatives she admires, including: David Clarke mister-clarke.com; Grant McCaig instagram.com/grantsmccaig ; Ndidi Ekubia adriansassoon.com/artists/66-ndidi-ekubia; Rauni Higson raunihigson.co.uk; Jessica Jue jessicajue.com; Ute Decker utedecker.com

You can see Alex's work at: alexoconnorsilver.co.uk and @movingmetal