Norman Grant
“I’m a Highlander, and I care very deeply about the Highland heritage, and the physical character of the Highlands.This is bound to show in my work, whether consciously or not.
I can base the design of a brooch on the flower Honesty, and some people will see it as a Highland targe.”
Norman Grant, The Scotsman Newspaper, 25th May 1970.
The words that come to mind when describing the work of Norman Grant are ‘colour’ and ‘nature’ (and perhaps even psychedelic art nouveau), but as Norman said in his 1970 Scotsman interview, his Highland heritage was intrinsic to his art.
Born in Forres on 18th November 1943, he grew up in Inverness and Carrbridge before going on to study at Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen in 1961.
There he developed a love of enamels which he mostly combined with silver. The white metal enhanced the colours, and Norman’s painterly application of enamel delivered a fluid and lively effect. Nature was a core inspiration, even down to the microscopic level, where plant cells and the basic structure of nature stimulated Norman’s creativity.
By the late 1960s, a business and workshop had been established in Fife and Norman’s work was being well received, not just in Scotland, but in London too. An exhibition in Cameo Corner, Museum Street (next to the British Museum), resulted in purchases from British music icons Mick Jagger and Sandie Shaw. The exhibitions continued, becoming international, with Norman’s items continuing to be handmade albeit with a larger workforce in order to keep up with the demand. He became sought after by the prestigious British stores Liberty’s and Harrods, while in America his work was retailed by the luxury department stores Bonwit Teller & Co., New York, and Marshall Field’s, Chicago.
Norman died in 2017 but his legacy continues to be sought after, and an excellent collection of his work is preserved in Aberdeen Museum & Art Gallery.
Recommended Reading
Grant, J.P. (2021) Norman Grant: Jeweller & Silversmith. UK: The Grant Family