The Build up to Craft Festival Cheltenham begins
Written: 14 January 2020
The Build up to Craft Festival Cheltenham begins
With Cheltenham's Craft Festival just 9 weeks away, we start the build up with the first of our popular 5 Favourites Series. We ask a range of experts and influencers to browse the makers from the Festival, which takes place at Cheltenham Town Hall from March 20-22. We start with the choices of Candia McKormack from Cotswold Life magazine.
Craftsmanship, I believe, should embody the continuation of a skill or tradition while also taking it forward, innovating and adapting for the next generation. Rhian, with her insistence on doing all stages of weaving by hand, is keeping the tradition very much alive – using techniques and equipment that have been carried out for many, many years – but injects her own creativity and energy into what she creates. Her love of the Forest of Dean – the mosses, trees, ferns and earth – is reflected handsomely in her work.
In true Arts & Crafts style, everything Cher of Nutmeg and Sage creates is both beautiful and useful. As with Rhian Wyman, Cher’s designs are inspired by the local landscape – this time it’s the flora of the Cotswolds – and the understated, elegant designs and soft, muted colours lend themselves beautifully to the products she sells. If you need a new mug, cushion, tote bag or stationery set, make sure it’s beautiful, and even the most mundane moments of the day might just be pleasurable!
Zoe’s another talented young designer, this time based in Chalford, near Stroud, who uses traditional techniques to create her beautiful pieces. Her craft and silversmithing awards are testament to her hard work and undeniable talent, with pieces ranging from delicate, organic forms lending themselves to exquisite jewellery, to bold, functional pieces, such as her stunning Galaxy Bowl. I’m always impressed when a designer can make a hard, unforgiving material looked effortlessly fluid, and Zoe achieves this beautifully.
I have to confess to having something of a ‘thing’ about a beautiful bag; the joy of owning a pleasingly-styled item that is not only accessory, but also something you can carry your chattels around with you is very real… and I’m certainly not alone in this! Jeremy and Carla are based just outside Cirencester and are keen to break down the mystique of their craft by offering workshops – and the results of their three-day bag courses are astonishing, with complete novices creating fabulous pieces. If you do the Facebook thing, follow them; it’s a lot of fun!
With ten years’ experience of hand making homeware and accessories, Charlotte is another designer who has used her love of the local countryside to inspire her designs. With umbrella-like cow parsley and dandelion clock heads adorning wash bags, purses, mugs, jugs, lampshades and more, her embroidery-inspired designs have an understated charm that would sit very happily indeed in a contemporary home. And perhaps most lovely of all are her hand-embroidered items that are just crying out to be touched.
Workshops at Craft Festival Cheltenham
Want to learn something new?
A trip to Craft Festival, wouldn't be complete without having a go at making yourself. The Gloucestershire Guild and New Brewery Arts have put together a tasty timetable of two hour workshops. Enjoy jewellery making, book binding, porcelain pottery, screen printing and more. Space is strictly limited and advance booking is essential BOOK YOUR WORKSHOPS NOW
Join the Team at Craft Festival Cheltenham
We need a small army of volunteers to help power our Craft Festivals. If you love craft, enjoy working in a team and having fun, we'd love to here from you. Roles include Front of House, setting up duties, assisting the children's workshops, stewarding and Being Really Friendly! CLICK HERE TO VOLUNTEER
Preparing to Sell
Are you a Maker who wants to sell more? Want to conquer Instagram? Want to plan a Marketing Campaign? Want to write a press release and approach the press but don't know where to start? Want tips on how to sell directly to the public?
Join us at Preparing to Sell on Tuesday March 3rd at Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter for a fun and friendly day of business and marketing advice. We will be joined by Craft Festival Director, Sarah James, Craft Festival Press Officer, Fran Moorhouse and Dr Kate Strasdin, Lecturer and Fashion Historian, curator and writer with over 119K followers on Instagram. CLICK HERE TO BOOK PREPARING TO SELL
