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Crafts CouncilLearningCraft careers

How Chris Cox became a creative director at Cox London

We spoke to Chris Cox about his route into the craft sector



    • Nicola and Chris Cox. Image: Alun Callender.

    What I do

    We are sculptors, designers and makers of unique decorative furniture and lighting for homes of wealthy and discerning clients worldwide. Our business, Cox London, produces everything we design in our own London workshops and we market and sell our designs from our own London showroom.

    Jobs in craft

    • Sculptors and painters (fine artists)
    • CAD technician
    • Foundry technician
    • Metal fabrication technician
    • Design Cost estimator
    • Patination Technician: specialist finishing such as gilding, lacquering, painting etc
    • Electrical technician: specialist wiring
    • Creative directing
    • Marketing
    • Sales manager
    • Production manager
    • Logistics manager
    • Art Handler
    • Interior designer
    • Art dealer

    • Dada Sofa, Cox London. Image: Alun Callender.

    Why craft?

    I always loved making from an early age. My uncle went to art school and I saw him draw when I was 10 and wanted to follow his footsteps.

    What I studied at school

    A-levels: Art, English Lit. and Classical Civilisation. All have stood me in good stead.

    What I studied after school

    I wanted to go to Art school so art was an obvious choice, and I knew that to read and write about my artistic practice would be useful. Classics was great inspiration and an intro to ancient art and literature. Important you enjoy your choices.

    At school I took every extra-curricular art and craft practice I could. Outside of school and in the holidays, I was taken to classes like life drawing and pottery. I also helped to restore antiques in the family business from a young age, from stripping paint to waxing surfaces. I was also exposed to a lot of design at home. After school, I did a one-year art foundation and a three-year BA hons in fine art. After University, I did a four-year apprenticeship with a London metalwork restoration company.

    After my A levels, I trained for eight years in total. During this time, I used every bit of spare time I had to make pieces at home.


    • Lighting and Furniture, Cox London's VIP Lounge at Collect 2020. Image: Alun Callender

    My career path

    Four years working for a top London metalwork restorer meant I not only learned my practice, but when I collected and delivered the pieces we worked on. I saw the galleries and how the sold their pieces, I saw the homes of the purchasers and the things they loved to buy and how they lived with them, and I saw how interior designers bought and placed things for these clients. An invaluable insight to our business from start to finish.

    Important decisions

    Earning and learning in a job that furthered my craft process skills and knowledge of genres, eras, styles and tastes. Seeing the homes where craft is bought, collected and displayed.Carving out our own business and saying yes to every challenging job that came our way and learning more in the process - sometimes finding our limits!

    Putting every penny back into the business to buy equipment and eventually our own premises to work from (The greatest investment).


    • Cox London Workshop. Image: Alun Callender.

    Challenges

    Studying fine art was a great three years but we were left to our own devices as far as craft process goes, there was very little teaching of processes.

    In my first year of work, I learned so much more than I had in three years at art school: Silver and lead soldering, threading, lathe operation, metal polishing, lacquering, patinating, gilding and wiring.

    The first couple of years of work in London were financially challenging. I was on minimum wage and just able to afford my rent and bills but not much else. I shared a house to keep over head down. But in that job, I honed my craft and won skills for life, found my direction. Invaluable!

    My advice to you

    As a craftsperson or artist, the highest accolade you can receive is to be purchased and placed, sought after and collected. Never be shy about selling your work, it enables you to make more work and eventually afford to be more ambitious with materials: large scale, more valuable materials etc.

    Download resource
    • How Chris Cox became a creative director at Cox London.pdf (808kb)Download

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