Sue Lowday is a contemporary leather and metal worker, handcrafting exquisite leather bags, wallets, belts and other goods in Bonchurch near Ventnor on the Isle of Wight.
Sue Lowday trained originally as a Silversmith and Jeweller and had been drawn to work with leather since childhood when she would buy bags of scrap leather in the haberdashery department at the large department store in Hull. After four years training at Art School in Sheffield she worked at the Sheffield Assay Office becoming Punch Controller and Keeper of the Plate Collection.
However, Sue hankered to be 'self employed', making her own designs in a studio workshop. She achieved her ambition working first with college friend Annie Barnett, setting up 'Two Jewellers' designing and making fashion jewellery for many well known High Street stores and one off silverware pieces. The workshop grew in the early days of Yorkshire Art Space in Sheffield.
When a friend offered tools for sale, Sue began to work with leather, and so began the journey of discovery combining leather and metalworking techniques forming and patterning the leather. Her works are in numerous museum and private collections.
Sue is a brother of the Art Workers Guild, a member of the The Sussex Guild, member of the Crafts Council directory of selected makers and has a Masters in Silversmithing & Jewellery.
Sue makes:
- Leather Buckle Belts
- Leather Ring Belts
- Embossed Leather Belts
- Handbags and Document Bags
- Journals
- Cases for Spectacles
- Secateur Holsters
- Key Fobs
- Pen Pots
- Reindeer
Courses
Occasionally Sue offers a series of workshops for beginners and for advanced students, in both Jewellery & Metalsmithing and Leatherwork.
