I was delighted to be asked to write the Foreward for this greatly anticipated book on Norman Grant’s work. I was introduced to his jewellery whilst working as Curator of Decorative Art at Aberdeen Art Gallery from 2012-2017. One of my passions has always been jewellery and I was responsible for selectively acquiring pieces to augment 
the already fabulous collections at the gallery.

 

I focused on purchasing Modern jewellery from the 1960s and ‘70s with a particular emphasis on Scottish and Scandinavian makers. Norman’s work fitted the bill completely. A ‘home-grown’ silversmith, his preferred medium was translucent enamel which he combined with silver. Pop Art provided some inspiration for jewellery at this time, by shaping new concepts into brightly coloured fun pieces and there is an element of this in Norman’s work.

 

However, he was also influenced by the natural forms of the coastal landscape that he had grown up with. He studied and incorporated microscopic plant cell structures, petals, seed heads and seaweed into his early jewellery designs. Norman was highly aware of the politics of the time and his jewellery of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s was also inspired by ethnic patterns and cultural motifs which recognised the artistic inheritance of other civilisations.

 

With the generous support of the National Fund for Acquisitions, I was able to make discerning purchases on behalf of Aberdeen Art Gallery, leaving an important legacy of Norman Grant jewellery in the collection for posterity.

 

Whilst Norman’s creativity led him to work with different mediums and styles in later years, his early work is highly sought after by private collectors and public institutions and his work remains a personal favourite of my own.