Since graduating from Birmingham School of Jewellery in 2015, with an MA in Jewellery and Silversmithing, Hothouse 2020 alumna Francisca Onumah set up her studio within the community of Yorkshire Artspace, Sheffield. It is from here she has developed her collection of sculptural objects and contemporary jewellery which have become a part of both public and private collections across the UK. Drawn to finding character and a human-like semblance in inanimate objects, the Ghanaian born silversmith creates ambiguous vessels and jewellery that reflect vulnerabilities and strengths through their anthropomorphic forms. Working from sheet metal, she obsessively layers different mark making techniques, hammering repeated marks as well as folding and impressing patterns onto the surface of the metal. Her approach to mark making displays a distinct tactile signature that mimics other materials such as leather, textiles and wood. Francisca's work has been exhibited at selected exhibitions and craft fairs, all over the UK and Europe, where she has gone on to win awards such as the Great Northern Contemporary Crafts Fair: Best in show, the New Brewery Arts showcase award and Precious Little Gems commission awarded by the Sheffield Assay Office.