Rago Auctions

Paul Preston, or the “Red Mole,” as he calls himself, was born in Leeds and originally practiced architecture before embarking on a far less traditional career. After just two years, he put down his protractor and began diving in the waters around Lands End searching for crawfish and recovering non-ferrous metals from wrecks. Preston then developed an interest in jewelry after seeing the work of artist and sculptor Breon O’Casey. He taught himself how to craft jewelry and, feeling no pressure to create commercial work, built a reputation as a distinctive contemporary jeweler. Preston’s work is inspired heavily by natural themes, especially birds and fish, and incorporates elements of fantasy from cartoons, books, and poetry. He continues to create unique pieces from his West Wales studio and his creations are in many private and public collections including the Victoria & Albert Museum, London.