https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3072-3870
Stephen studied at the Royal College of Art (1999-2001) MPhil ‘CAD/CAM and the Jeweller, Making with New Technology’. Other studies includes a MA Design (University of Brighton), including a semester at Rhode Island School of Design, USA, a BA Hons 3D-Design (West Surrey College of Art and Design) and a foundation (Hastings College of Art).
Stephen has worked at Birmingham City University as Head of the Institute for Jewellery, Fashion and Textiles at, having joined in 2017 as Head of School of Jewellery, where he authored a successful ‘Queen’s Anniversary Award for Higher Education’ in 2019. Previously he was also Head of Department of Jewellery and Silversmithing at Edinburgh College of Art (2008-17) and Post graduate Design Research co-ordinator at eca / University of Edinburgh (2014-17). He has been BA Hons Course Leader of Metalwork and Jewellery and Sheffield Hallam University 2004/08 and taught across a variety of Further and Higher Education courses at the South Coast College Hastings (1990-2014).
Stephen leads the Drawing Threads Cluster, a group that explores the boundaries of existing studio-based practices and asks how overlapping, yet distinct, disciplines can bring new understanding of a subject’s shared material craft heritage. His
2019- 2018, ‘FERROcity- Iron in the city' Exhibitions. Co-curators: Bottomley & Turrell exhibited the praxis of twenty-two contemporary artists respond in their work to one common element, iron. Supported by the Bavaria state Mineralogische Staatssammlung, München, during International Jewellery Week, 2019. The show was invited to Shanghai (Nov/Dec 2019) after Beijing’s International Jewellery Biennale, (Oct 2019) where it was one of three invited exhibitions in a purpose-built pavilion.
2016, 'Like a Rolling Stone'. Exhibition and publication. Co leads: Bottomley & Cross. Funding from the Italian Cultural Institute Edinburgh, 5k, 2016 Year of Italian Innovation, Architecture & Design, three Italian and seven UK Goldsmiths. Publication and exhibitions workshop that invited ten international contemporary jewellery makers to visit the geological sea/landscape of North Berwick, Scotland and respond to themes of relocation, transplantation, camouflage, identity and materiality in the works they made.
2015, Network & Conference 'The Adorned Afterlife Network' (P.I,) 2015 University of Edinburgh’s Challenge Investment Award, 8.5K. A network of international multidisciplinary researchers from Jewellery, Archaeology, Forensic Anthropology, History and Museology to examine hidden objects of adornment through a case study of the NMS Rhind mummy.
2012, ‘Unsung Heroes’ Exhibition and Oral archive. Co-investigator. A permanent display at the Royal Edinburgh Infirmary and oral archive interviews with Edinburgh Pelican nurses, Heritage Lottery Funded £22k. A partnership project with: NHS Lothian, Lothian Health Services Archives, Edinburgh College of Art and Innovative Crafts, supported by NHS Lothian Endowments, the Heritage Lottery and the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh Volunteers.
2008, TECHTile, Solo Exhibition and Publication. Bottomley PI, Funded by Sheffield Hallam University, the Fortny Museum and Venice and Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia.
These recorded outputs were returned in the 2008 RAE by Sheffield Hallam University, the 2014 REF by the University of Edinburgh and 2021 REF by Birmingham City University.
Craft practice based + led research in Contemporary Jewellery, Enamel & Metalwork. Research that extends the traditional boundaries of heritage skills, explores new audiences through new technologies or by developing interdisciplinary approaches to making and
Yitong Zhang, A Contemporary Investigation into the Poeticity of Metal Art Language
Sheng Zhang, Form, Space & Light: the transformation from concepts of architecture to the creative practice of contemporary jewellery and silversmithing
Caiyang Yin, Viral versus Longevity: A Comparative Study and Creative Practice of Contemporary Jewellery Incorporating the Cultural Dissemination Strengths of Internet Memes.
Catia Lamerton Viegas Wesolowska ‘The Site-specific porcelain enamel murals in architecture and the work of Stefan Knapp (1921-1996)
Dr Wanshu Li, 2023, ‘Exploring the potential of UV-reactive materials as body adornment through performance art’.
Dr Gordon Hamme, 2019, ‘An exploration of the educational, business, craft and experiential strategies needed for the development of successful UK artisan silversmiths’. 2019
Dr John Grayson, 2018, ‘Revealing (lost) craftsmanship of South Staffordshire Enamels’
Dr Beth Legg, 2013 ‘Materiality of place: an investigation into the makers approach to material and process as a reflection of place within Northern European contemporary jewellery practice
