Powys charcoal sculptor wins Wales Maker of the Year Award 2025

Charcoal sculptor Billie Ireland has won the second annual Wales Maker of the Year Award, supported by Silverlining, including a £1,000 prize awarded at a special presentation at Wentworth Woodhouse on Monday 17 November 2025.

The award, supported by Silverlining, celebrates a heritage craftsperson in Wales who has made an outstanding contribution to their craft within the previous year. It recognises a contribution that is far beyond the ordinary, either in pushing their craft to new levels, contributing to its promotion or continuation in an exceptional way.

Billie Ireland is a sculptor and sustainable craft practitioner who is radically redefining the heritage craft of charcoal making. Working at the intersection of ecology and material transformation, she converts waste paper and biomass into large-scale, beautiful carbon sculptures. Billie is using her art to spark national dialogue on climate and craft, ensuring this ancient Welsh heritage is relevant to contemporary environmental challenges.

The two other finalists for the award were Hannah Cantwell, a dedicated craftswoman committed to reviving and sharing the cultural and therapeutic benefits of traditional straw craft by delivering engaging workshops through partnerships with mental health support services and social prescribing networks, and Alan Jones, a master thatcher with over forty years experience in vernacular Welsh thatching who uses experimental archaeology and scientific methods to advance understanding of historical techniques.

Founded in 1985, Silverlining has built a reputation for innovation and excellence at its base in Wrexham, blending traditional hand skills with cutting-edge techniques to make one-of-a-kind furniture that is known for creativity and performance.

Photo: Billie Ireland, winner of the 2025 Wales Maker of the Year Award, with Stuart Westwell and Tammaso Salvadori from Silverlining. Photo by Robert Wade.