About — Joel M Smyth

Joel M Smyth is a Northern Irish designer & maker of award winning jewellery

Joel seeks to make beautiful, well designed and exquisitely crafted jewellery that brings joy to the wearer and viewers for many generations to come, all from his studio in County Down, Northern Ireland.

With roots in a family of artists and craftsmen, Joel studied at Belfast School of Art with a placement at the Art Academy of Latvia, graduating with a First Class Honours Jewellery Degree in 2021. After working with established goldsmiths, the Steensons of Glenarm, Joel started his own jewellery business in 2022.

He has exhibited, and been awarded or commissioned with international audiences, with his artworks having been exhibited across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

In addition to designing and making his own unique collections, Joel also makes wedding jewellery, bespoke designs for clients, and repairs or redesigns heirloom jewellery.

See some recent events or jewellery I have made below…

I am selling my jewellery this Friday 6th and Saturday 7th at Newtownards Town Hall! Come on down and see my jewellery in person, and peruse the many other makers pieces available. Also at Horatios Garden in Musgrave Park Hospital on Wednesday with my jewellery at their craft fair! It should be good! Hopefully see you there! #ardsart #ArdsArts #ardsartscentre #CreativePeninsula #northernireland #countydown #jewellery #ards #ardsandnorthdown #newtownards

I'm selling my jewellery this Friday 29th and Saturday 30th at Castle Ward's annual Christmas craft fair! Come on down and say hello while having a grand day out wandering the estate and the fair :) Next week I shall be exhibiting and selling my jewellery at two more craft fairs; at Horatios Garden in Musgrave Park Hospital on the 4th, and also Newtownards Town Hall on the 6th and 7th! @castleward @joelmetalsmyth #castleward #horatiosgarden #belfast #craft #jewellery #northernireland #strangford #lecale #countydown

It’s a pleasure to be part of the current Craft NI exhibition ‘ Brilliant Generations’, with my latest ‘Mournes’ collection made from sterling silver and 9ct yellow gold. The Mournes collection is now available to purchase, and, along with many other talented makers work, can be seen in CraftNI Gallery, Belfast. Here are a few photos from the opening night, and the exhibition is open until the 31st of December :) @craftnigallery @joelmetalsmyth #mournes #belfast #craft #jewellery #northernireland #craftni #mournemountains #mountainsofmourne

And we are all set up! The preview evening is complete and the the doors are open again tomorrow until Saturday! @annasmythceramics @joelmetalsmyth @tuttonandyoung #london #craftfair #irish #maker #craft #ceramics #jewellery #volvo #c30

And we’re off to the ferry! My Mum @annasmythceramics and I @joelmetalsmyth are exhibiting in London from Wednesday to Saturday this week in the marvellous One Marylebone building, for the MADE London Craft Fair by @tuttonandyoung ! Very excited for this, to God be the glory! #london #madelondon #tuttonandyoung #northernireland #ferry #c30

Repost from @cultureardsandnorthdown ⭐Creative Peninsula's Artists' Open Studios are happening this weekend!⭐ Don't miss this opportunity to take a sneak peek behind the scenes of the artist and maker! On Sat 10 and Sun 11 August, you are invited to visit some of the Artists and Makers of the Creative Peninsula who will be opening their studio doors to welcome you in. There will be a number of experiences at the studios, such as demonstrations and artists discussing their practice and inspirations - and you may even be able to have-a-go yourself. Works will also be for sale at some studios. Participating artists include: Anna Smyth Ceramics, Joel Smyth Silversmith, Christine Casey, Sarah Majury Art and Savannah Dodd. Sat 10 and Sun 11 Aug | 12pm - 4pm | FREE For more information on each studio visit 👇 https://creativepeninsula.andculture.org.uk/studios #CreativePeninsula2024 #CraftNI #CreativePeninsula #AugCraftMonth #northernirishartist #WhatsonNI #AugustCraftMonth2024 #northernirishmakers #AugustCraftMonth #VisualArtistsIreland #ANDCulture @joelmetalsmyth @sarahmajuryart

Repost from @cavalierofinn Some of the winners from the show Reaction @craft.ni celebrating some of the best of Irish Craft as part of #augustcraftmonth2024 with @dccireland It was a pleasure to be invited to judge alongside Sam @bluecoatdisplaycentre with @kimmawhinney @ulstermuseum and we were so impressed with how all the shortlisted artists responded so creatively to the brief ‘Reaction’ Pictured here Caitlin Murphy @caitlinmurphymaker Joel Smyth @joelmetalsmyth Stuart Cairns @stucairnsmaker Maya Todd @mayatoddstudio Celine Traynor @celinetraynorjewellery This show shines a light on the talent in Irish Craft with the work of emerging makers sitting alongside artists already at the top of their game. Teachers and former students, even a mother and daughter side by side in an exhibition beautifully curated by the team at Craft NI Gallery in Belfast. Thank you to Katherine McDonald and team for your generous hospitality. It was a great day ending with a busy Private View #craftni #augustcraftmonth #dccireland #irishcraft #craftprize #belfast #northernireland #craft

Repost from @craft.ni 🎉 We’re pleased to announce the five prize winners of this year’s August Craft Month Exhibition, 'Reaction'! This year, 'Reaction' was was judged by special guest judges Juliana Cavaliero from renowned contemporary gallery Cavaliero Finn, London and Samantha Rhodes who leads Bluecoat Display Centre in Liverpool, a regional craft hub and beacon for contemporary British craft. At the opening, Juliana and Samantha awarded this year’s guild prizes, for which Craft NI are particularly grateful to the former Guild of Northern Ireland Designer Makers (The Guild) who gifted a legacy gift for the development and promotion of the craft sector in Northern Ireland. 🌟 The prize winners are: Overall Winner, 1st Prize – Stuart Cairns, 'Witch Vessel' Emerging Makers - Joel Smyth, 'Reaction' and Caitlin Murphy, 'Window' Highly Commended Makers – Celine Traynor, 'Destruction Construct' and Maya Todd, 'Cubed' A huge congratulations to the winners and to all of the talented makers who have taken part in this year’s exhibition! 👉 'Reaction', the 2024 August Craft Month Exhibition will be on display at the CRAFT NI Gallery until 31st August. Make sure to stop by and explore this unique exhibition celebrating work from some of our most talented crafts makers. Design & Crafts Council Ireland Cavaliero Finn Bluecoat Display Centre Discover Ireland Discover Northern Ireland Visit Belfast Belfast City Council Arts Council of Northern Ireland August Craft Month Joel Metal Smyth Stuart Cairns Artist. #CélineTraynor #CaitlinMurphy #mayatodd #augustcraftmonth2024 #MakeSeeBuy #craftniexhibitions Photography credit: Brian Morrison

Repost from @bluecoatdisplaycentre Lucky to be invited to Belfast by @craft.ni for the final selection of ‘Reaction’ The 2024 August Craft Month exhibition @craftnigallery . It was a difficult choice from an incredible shortlist of work by Northern Irish craft makers but my fellow judge Julianna from @cavalierofinn and Craft NI Director Katherine McDonald and her brilliant team made it an inspiring day. Congratulations to the commended makers @stucairnsmaker @mayatoddstudio @celinetraynorjewellery and the emerging makers @caitlinmurphymaker and @joelmetalsmyth plus all the other exhibiting makers. @augustcraftmonth24

Repost from @craft.ni 📣 Joined by the Design & Crafts Council Ireland, August Craft Month launched at the Craft NI Gallery, Belfast on the 1st August with the opening of 'Reaction', Craft NI's August Craft Month exhibition celebrating work from some of our most talented crafts makers. In attendance were special guest judges Juliana Cavaliero from Cavaliero Finn, London and Samantha Rhodes from the Bluecoat Display Centre, Liverpool, who awarded this year's Guild Prizes, made possible by a legacy gift from the former Guild of Northern Ireland Designer Makers. This year's prize winners include, Overall Winner Stuart Cairns, Emerging Maker Prize Winners Caitlin Murphy and Joel Smyth, and Highly Commended Winners Céline Traynor and Maya Todd. 📆 We look forward to a month-long celebration of craft across the island of Ireland! This year August Craft Month returns with a packed programme of over 400 events from workshops, exhibitions, open studios and festivals to allow audiences to immerse themselves in local craft. There is something for everyone, of all ages, and all levels of expertise. 📌 Visit www.augustcraftmonth.org to find out what's taking place this August. Featured in the image from left to right: Suzy O'Keefe, Design & Crafts Council Ireland, Katherine McDonald Craft NI Director, Joel Smyth, Caitlin Murphy, Céline Traynor, Stuart Cairns, Kim MaWhinney, Senior Curator of Art at the Ulster Museum and Craft NI Chair, Juliana Cavaliero and Samantha Rhodes. Photography by Brian Morrison Design & Crafts Council Ireland CRAFT NI Gallery Cavaliero Finn Bluecoat Display Centre Discover Ireland Discover Northern Ireland Visit Belfast Belfast City Council Arts Council of Northern Ireland Joel Metal Smyth Stuart Cairns Artist. August Craft Month #CélineTraynor #CaitlinMurphy #mayatodd #augustcraftmonth2024 #MakeSeeBuy #craftniexhibitions

Please contact for full CV
Education
2025 - Course in Pavé setting, Goldsmiths Centre, London
2022 – Course in Claw and Rubover Setting, Niall Paisley, Goldsmiths Centre, London
2017-2021 – Bachelor of Arts with First Class Honours in Ceramics, Jewellery and Silversmithing, Belfast School of Art
2019-2020 – Diploma in International Academic Studies, with Distinction, BA Metal Design, The Art Academy of Latvia, Latvijas Mākslas akadēmija (LMA) (Erasmus Plus Placement)
Awards & Achievements
2024 - Emerging Maker Award 2024 - Craft NI Gallery, Belfast
2024 - Accepted onto the ‘Go Succeed’ Programme by Ards and North Down Borough Council
2022 – Shortlisted for Future Makers 2022, DCCI
2022 – Tyrone Guthrie Residency, funded by Ards and North Down Borough Council, attended January 2023
2022 – Goldsmiths Craftsmanship & Design Council Craftsmanship & Design Awards, Bronze Award in the category of Conceptual Jewellery 3D Design
2021 – Shortlisted for Future Makers 2021, DCCI
2021 – Craft NI Emerging Maker Award
2021 – EDGE Excel Award, Belfast School of Art
2019 – Competed in Worldskills UK, Birmingham, Jewellery sector, Highly commended
2018 – Goldsmiths Undergraduate Summer School, Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, London
Private Metalwork Commissions
2020, 2023, & 2024 – Commissioned by the Northern Ireland International Organ Competition to design & make one medal for the ‘Dame Gillian Weir Award’
2022 – Shortlisted for the ‘Arts & Business NI Awards 2022 in partnership with Forestside’
2019 – Commissioned by Ulster University to design & make 12 Trophies for the ‘Excellence Awards’
Exhibitions of My Designs, Artwork & Jewellery
2024 - Exhibited at ‘Banan’ - Saudi International Hand Crafts Week 2024, Saudi Arabia
2024 - Exhibited at MADE London
2024 – Part of Creative Peninsula 2024, Newtownards Town Hall & Bangor Museum (August 2024)
2024 - Work exhibited by Texaco Children’s art Competition, Strule Arts Centre, Omagh
2023 - Ulster Folk Museum Traditional Craft Fair (August 2023)
2021, 2022, & 2023 – Part of Creative Peninsula 2023, Newtownards Town Hall & Bangor Museum
2022-2023 – ACJ ‘Meanings and Messages’ Touring Exhibition, UK
2022 – Goldsmiths Craftsmanship & Design Council Craftsmanship & Design Awards exhibition, Goldsmiths Hall, London
2021 – Group Exhibition ‘Arrival’, Craft NI Gallery, Belfast
2021 – Part of ACJSNI ‘Pinned 2’ Exhibition, R-Space Gallery, Lisburn
2021 – Group Exhibition, ‘A celebration of four newly graduated makers!’, Ards Arts Centre, Newtownards
2021 – Group Exhibition, ‘Re-New’, Craft NI Gallery, Belfast
2021 – Part of the Association of Contemporary Jewellers (ACJ) open members exhibition, Online
2019-2020 – Group exhibition - Jewellery, LMA Third year show, LMA, Latvia
2019 – Group exhibition, Glass art, LMA semester show, LMA, Riga, Latvia
2019 – Group exhibition, Metal design, LMA semester show, LMA, Riga, Latvia
2019 – Work exhibited as part of a collection, 20th International High School Arts Festival, Tokyo
2019 – Group exhibition, ‘The Dinner Party’, The Loft Gallery, Portaferry
2019 – Group Exhibition ‘Uncommon Objects’, Duncairn, Belfast
2019 – Group exhibition, VOID, Ulster University Belfast Christian Union, Belfast
2017 – Texaco Children’s Art Competition, Nationwide Touring Exhibition, UK and ROI

Joel M Smyth is a Northern Irish designer & maker of award winning jewellery

Curriculum Vitae