Carol Mather

Since graduating from Manchester Metropolitan University, Carol Mather has received worldwide recognition for her silver sculptures. 

Carol’s love of wildlife is evident in her beautifully detailed work which can be seen in many galleries including the Sainsbury Wing of the National Gallery in London. Her work has been exhibited in Europe, America and Japan. She has also worked to commission for both public and private collections. Carol’s collection includes small scale Silversmithing objects, jewellery, decorative boxes, sculptures and paper knives. Carol’s work is made from silver that is initially textured with punches and stamps. Her work is then patinated and polished. This process enhances her work and brings it to life. She has recently been experimenting with gold powders and enamelling.


Carol’s pieces all start life as a flat sheet of silver, onto which she then pieces out the body parts, rather like a dress pattern. She then stamps the silver to give fur and texture using handmade punches. These separate pieces are then formed over small stakes, and gradually built up using soldering. This usually involved around thirty soldering’s, down to the smallest parts such as hooves and toe nails.

The final piece is then patinated (a chemical bath, which gives black, brown and petrol colours to the piece). Carol then polishes it with a small bur to give highlights, skin patterns and textures, finishing with enamel paint and gold powder. Lastly, the piece is varnished.