Artifex London Limited was established by Ben Galloway and Stephen Camburn in 2002.
Stephen Camburn (who left the company to establish a home and business in France in 2009) was responsible for pioneering the use of translucent onyx and high value marble in furniture design and home decoration in the UK. He was one of the very first people to introduce fledgling glass-laminated stone and lightweight stone products to architects and interior designers in London. He was a regular visitor to international trade shows such as the industry-leading International Stone Fair, ‘Marmomac’, in Verona and possessed a keen eye for new and innovative stone products. One such example was a glass-laminated panel encasing slices of brightly coloured agates, which the company christened ‘Tutti Frutti’. The product was utilized to stunning effect by designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen in the Inc Bar in Greenwich, London in 2002.
Ben Galloway originated the concept of Glass Inlaid Marble a new technique for combining marble and glass in a translucent panel in 1998 after a visit to Venice and the glass-blowing island of Murano. Glass Inlaid Marble was first seen in the UK in 2001 with the opening of Eclipse Bar on London’s New Kings Road in five wall-mounted panels to abstract designs by contemporary artist, Alan Halliday and in 2006 formed a key ingredient in the multi-million pound refurbishment of the InterContinental, London Park Lane.
Between 2002 and 2009 the company supplied translucent stone products for many prestigious architectural and decorative projects. In 2010, following the recession, it was forced to regroup and reassess its manufacturing arrangements and supply chain. In 2011 the company was restructured and important new partnering arrangements established with leading manufacturers in Europe and China. In 2013 Marian Ogundairo joined the company as development director and the company began to experience renewed growth and success.
In June 2016 Artifex London teamed up with Translucent Creations to form a collaborative arrangement. Translucent Creations, owned and operated by Sean Parker, (an experienced and highly regarded specialist in the field of translucent stone technology and lighting), not only offers translucent stone but a number of synthetic products which closely resemble the ‘real thing’ and which offer a very genuine and less costly alternative. The partnership is a significant development for Artifex London in terms of the scope of product and services it can now offer its clients.
At the time of writing, (December 2016), the company is celebrating the first 6 months of this partnership and is excited by the opportunities that lie ahead.
