Silversmith Cara Murphy receives Royal Warrant

Congratulations to QEST Scholar Cara Murphy who has been granted a Royal Warrant of Appointment to Her Majesty Queen Camilla for silversmithing.

“Receiving my letter from Buckingham Palace on the day we opened our Silver Generations exhibition made an already emotional occasion truly unforgettable,” Cara shared. “It is a real privilege to receive a Royal Warrant for my work, and I hope it shines a light on silversmithing and Northern Ireland craft as a whole.”

Cara trained at Glasgow School of Art and the Royal College of Art, before establishing her own silversmithing practice in Northern Ireland creating silverware for both private and public commission. She has taught at Belfast School of Art and for Contemporary British Silversmiths, and her silver tableware is represented in many national and international collections.

In 2022, she received QEST funding to study with three master craftspeople — Angus McFadyen, Malcolm Appleby and Jane Short — focusing on engraving techniques to enhance the organic patterns she creates on the surface of her silverware.

She has also won numerous awards for her work including the Heritage Crafts Northern Ireland Maker of the Year 2024, Royal Dublin Society Irish Craft Bursary 2021 and RDS Award of Excellence and California Gold Medal 2012. 

_{Portrait of Cara Murphy by Ross Murphy}