Rupert Todd is a London and Cambridgeshire based designer, artist and craftsman. With classical training in silversmithing and jewellery and deep knowledge of cutting edge CAD/CAM technology, his Aesthetic Engineering brand creates beautiful pieces of unique metalwork. As a fine art photographer, he has also spent years working with both digital and traditional techniques.
Rupert has been working across diverse media since the early 2000’s with a focus on precious metals in three dimensions and photography for flat work. A strong background in the sciences, particularly Inorganic Chemistry and Physics, has informed his artistic process, and allowed a greater development both conceptually and practically.
In addition to creating his own pieces as a Silversmith, Jeweller, Bladesmith and Photographer, Rupert is a Director of Ursae Ltd., Wax-Masters Ltd., and teaches CAD on the Foundation and Apprentice programmes at the Goldsmiths’ Centre in Clerkenwell, London.
Rupert exhibits silverware regularly in Britain, and has also taken part in international exhibitions. He has exhibited designs and photography in Eastern Europe and the Far East as well as more locally in Britain. Rupert has judged as part of the Goldsmiths’ Crafsmanship & Design Council Awards, and some of the larger pieces he has created with his business partner Ben Ryan, with Ursae; are on permanent exhibition on the site of William Shakespeare’s house in Stratford-Upon-Avon, New Place, and at St. Andrew Holborn Church in London.
Rupert has been the recipient of a number of awards, winning the Millington Award and NFC Award during British Silver week, and a number of Goldsmiths Craftsmanship & Design Council Awards in CAD, Silversmithing and Smallworking and Model Making Design. Rupert has also won two Goldsmiths’ Company Precious Metal Bursaries, and a commendation by the Goldsmiths’ Company for the Young Designer Silversmith Award.
Following his BA (Hons) at Loughborough University, Rupert honed his craft as one of 11 smiths at the world renowned Bishopsland, in South Oxfordshire. When the Goldsmiths’ Centre was first established, Rupert was one of six designers selected for the inaugural Postgraduate Programme, under Dr. Stuart Devlin, probably the most prolific silver designer of the 20th Century. Rupert is a member and past Graduate Committee Member of Contemporary British Silversmiths.
In addition to extensive workshop experience and skill in manual metalworking, Rupert is an industry leader in Rhino 3D and Grasshopper CAD software, and works often between sculpting mesh repair and animation software. CAD and CAM techniques are also fully utilised in Aesthetic Engineering projects, with Rupert’s high resolution 3D printing, CNC milling and laser and TIG welding facilities.