Category: British

Website: http://www.timhunkin.com Tim Hunkin, born in 1950, trained as an engineer but became a cartoonist for The Observer where he drew a strip called ‘The Rudiments of Wisdom‘ for fourteen years, which he later developed into the TV series, ‘The Secret Life of Machines‘. Tim built coin-operated machines intermittently since he was a child and… Continue reading Tim Hunkin (UK)

Website: http://www.robhiggs.co.uk/ Rob Higgs is a sculptor, automata maker and inventor. He makes mechanical sculptures, contraptions and eccentric machines using found materials such as old gears, wheels, chains and mechanical items found on old farmsteads, in boatyards and on scrapheaps. See also: BBC documentary from 2013, ‘How to build a bigger, better corkscrew‘.

Website: http://www.fihenshall.co.uk/automata/ Born in Fishguard in South Wales in 1981, Fi Henshall studied sculpture at Falmouth College of Arts, graduating in 2004. Fi works mainly in wood, old tins and small items of the sort found at the back of sheds, and has a fascination with the use to which beautifully made but now often… Continue reading Fi Henshall (UK)

Website: http://www.andyhazell.co.uk/ Andy Hazell was born “in the dull vacuum of suburban Manchester, which gave me the impetus to leave and look over the horizon”. Making small wobbly figures out of tin and wire led to residencies in schools, hospitals, colleges, factories and museums. Andy’s tin creations were used in adverts, on book covers and… Continue reading Andy Hazell (UK)

Website: http://www.fabulousanimals.com/ Neil Hardy decided to leave architecture and pursue automata making full time in 1992. He became a member of the British Toymakers Guild in 1993. Since then, his work has been exhibited around the world, including at the 2005 World Karakuri competition in Japan.

Website: http://www.happinessishorizontal.co.uk/ Dave Hall of ‘Happiness is Horizontal’ makes automata using a variety of techniques largely requiring no workshop, as he doesn’t have one. Dave’s brain insists he make them, even though he doesn’t really have the time. See also: Happiness is Horizontal Automata page on Facebook.

Website: richardhackney.co.uk on Internet Archive Richard Hackney studied Contemporary Crafts at University College Falmouth, where he developed skills in fine metal and automata construction. He discovers, hordes and transforms things into new objects of desire and intrigue. See also: Richard’s company, Autolykus – a design studio and workshop “that turns stuff into more stuff.”

Website: http://www.potatoroom.co.uk/ Gavin Glover formed PotatoRoom productions in 2011 to create challenging theatrical works that explore the mixture of puppets, acting, clowning, video, movement and dance. Gavin was previously one of the founder members of the Faulty Optic Theatre of Animation who toured their uniquely surreal puppet shows around the world. See also: Gavin Glover’s… Continue reading Gavin Glover (UK)

Website: http://www.craftco.co.uk/ron.html Ron Fuller was born in 1937 and went to Art School in Plymouth and Falmouth before studying Art and Theatre Design at the Royal College of Art. After a career in teaching he began making wooden toys for a living in 1972. Ron’s toys lie somewhere between turn of the century German mechanical… Continue reading Ron Fuller (UK)

Website: http://totalpap.co.uk/ Total Pap was formed in 1990 by Emily Firmin (of the Firmin dynasty) and Justin Mitchell. Based in Whitstable, Kent for the past 20-odd years, Emily and Justin make papier mâché automata, often in the form of wall pictures. See also: Totalpap Facebook page