The Year of the Monkey
Design
c. 2004 (made)
c. 2004 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Susan Phillips McMeekin is a British designing goldsmith and a Freeman of the Goldsmiths Company, best known for designing high-end objects for Royalty and Heads of State during a career spanning some fifty years. Originally trained in jewellery design and silver smithing at the Royal College of Art, she has applied the techniques of jewellery design to a range of luxury objects, including clocks, gold boxes, pens, handbags, lamps, tableware and objets d'art. McMeekin has been self employed throughout her career, and has designed for McCabe McCarty (now David McCarty Ltd.) since 1977. Many of McMeekin's commissions come from clients in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar. Her work is characterised by the use of gold and precious stones, Plique-à-jour enamel, and the inclusion of mechanised moving parts. She frequently includes imagery taken from the natural world and conducts extensive research into the flora and fauna of the local region before including it in her designs.
McMeekin makes extensive preparatory drawings before executing each piece. Her work includes private roughs, drawings communicating instructions to the craftsmen who execute her designs, and highly-finished gouache presentation drawings.
McMeekin makes extensive preparatory drawings before executing each piece. Her work includes private roughs, drawings communicating instructions to the craftsmen who execute her designs, and highly-finished gouache presentation drawings.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Title | The Year of the Monkey (assigned by artist) |
Materials and techniques | Pencil on tracing paper |
Brief description | Drawing by Susan Phillips McMeekin, rough design for the 'Year of the Monkey' clock, pencil on tracing paper, Britain, c. 2004 |
Physical description | Working drawing for ‘The Year of the Monkey’ clock in pencil on tracing paper. The clock consists of an adult monkey hanging from a branch with its baby clinging to it and another young monkey sitting on the branch to the left. |
Dimensions |
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Marks and inscriptions | 'DAVID MORRIS / NO / Chris Seen '12th Oct 03' (Inscribed in pencil; upper left) |
Credit line | Given by Susan Phillips McMeekin |
Production | The 'Year of the Monkey' clock was designed by Susan Phillips McMeekin for a Chinese client in Paris. |
Subjects depicted | |
Summary | Susan Phillips McMeekin is a British designing goldsmith and a Freeman of the Goldsmiths Company, best known for designing high-end objects for Royalty and Heads of State during a career spanning some fifty years. Originally trained in jewellery design and silver smithing at the Royal College of Art, she has applied the techniques of jewellery design to a range of luxury objects, including clocks, gold boxes, pens, handbags, lamps, tableware and objets d'art. McMeekin has been self employed throughout her career, and has designed for McCabe McCarty (now David McCarty Ltd.) since 1977. Many of McMeekin's commissions come from clients in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar. Her work is characterised by the use of gold and precious stones, Plique-à-jour enamel, and the inclusion of mechanised moving parts. She frequently includes imagery taken from the natural world and conducts extensive research into the flora and fauna of the local region before including it in her designs. McMeekin makes extensive preparatory drawings before executing each piece. Her work includes private roughs, drawings communicating instructions to the craftsmen who execute her designs, and highly-finished gouache presentation drawings. |
Collection | |
Accession number | E.217-2015 |
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Record created | June 17, 2015 |
Record URL |
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