MaKe Event, 30th August cancelled

It is with great regret that we have made the decision to cancel the MaKe event on August Bank Holiday Monday this year. We have not taken this decision lightly, and we will now be focussing all our efforts on making sure the event on November 28th is a great success.  There are only a few stalls left now, so if you would like to reserve a space, phone or email for a booking form.

Thank you all for your support – we look forward to seeing you in November.

Carole and Jamie

Autumn Issue – August 2010

Your contributions are needed for the next issue of Local Craft Matters, due out on 1st August 2010.

Please send your news and information about forthcoming events to us at info@localcraftmatters.co.uk by 25th June to be sure of being featured in the next issue.

If you would like to advertise, please email us for rates etc – space must be reserved by 20th June to guarantee the space.

Any questions, email as above, or phone me on 07710 620595

Thank you

Carole

Out and About with the Summer Mag

One of the best bits about producing Local Craft Matters, is getting out and about when the new mag is published, dropping copies off and meeting all the lovely crafters in this area.  Yesterday, I was accompanied by my lovely husband Roy in his current company vehicle – known locally as ‘The General Lee’ – it’s a bright orange VW Van, with a black ’01′ written on the side! (from the Wayside Van Centre in Bletchley!).

This week I have been to the still-expanding Threads and Patches and Craftability shop in Fenny Stratford.  Upstairs is the new addition to the team – The Knitting Basket – a lovely knitting shop run by Elaine Leech who (like all of you) is keen to pass on her knowledge of knitting and crochet and has an infectious enthusiasm for her subject – go and say hello to her and start your summer knitting now!

I’ve also been up to Northampton to Magnolia Studios – a craft and pottery studio at 37 Billing Road  and met Maureen Darling again – the studio is lovely – plenty of inspiration all over the walls.  When I went over, she was preparing for a hen party who were going to be making bracelets out of gorgeous beads.  Maureen also does lots of work in silver clay – I need to investigate that more!

En route I popped into the Bead Scene at Wakefield Farm Shop, Potterspury – wow!  The beads she has in there – and buttons too!  Obviously I need to investigate that more too!

Final call yesterday was HCS Crafts in Stony Stratford – packed full of wools and stitchery.

Today I’ve been to Jay’s Crafts in Crownhill, Milton Keynes – please note her website address is www.jayzcrafts.co.uk, not .com as we had in the mag – apologies!  If you want to call Jay’s, their number is 01908 565578

There are loads of workshops and groups where you can join in and get involved/learn new skills/brush up on forgotten talents – check out the What’s On pages in Local Craft Matters.

Summer Issue out Now!!!

We’re working our way around all the outlets for the Summer Issue – please email if you would like to collect some copies for your Craft Club or Workshop.

PLEASE NOTE :-

The correct address of the AIM Gallery in Milton Keynes,  is 759 Midsummer Boulevard MK9 3BG.  It’s next to Costa – opposite Waitrose

Summer Issue

The new all colour Summer Issue of Local Craft Matters is out on 1st May – our front cover features the gorgeous silks from local weaver/spinner Maggie Stearn, you can read her news inside!

Pick up a copy at good craft shops in the Milton Keynes area, or email me for a subscription form – carole@localcraftmatters.co.uk .

If you belong to a Craft Club and would like copies for your members, email me and I’ll let you know where you can pick some up from.

There are pics and chat from the Easter MaKe event, Beading, knitting and Card-making projects, news from our local crafters, new bloggers and the usual pages of  What’s On in this area and beyond, plus much more.  It will be a busy Summer!

Don’t forget to keep in touch and let us have your news for the next issue – due out on 1st August (our deadline for your copy is 1st July).

If you would like to advertise your business, please email me for an Advertising Pack.

Enjoy

Carole

Local Craft Matters in Colour!!

Yes, exciting news – we’re really going for full colour in the Summer Issue – due out on 1st May!

More later

Carole

MaKe Craft Fair – Easter Monday, 5th April 2010

Make Craft Fair – Easter Monday, 5^th April from 10am – 4pm

“MaKe Craft Fairs are about local people selling their crafts,

it’s as simple as that!”

If you’re interested in crafts, and want to buy high quality handmade goods and craft supplies from local people, come along to the MaKe Craft Fair at the Madcap Theatre in Creed Street, Wolverton!

MaKe is a truly local craft show for Milton Keynes and is organised by Local Craft Matters, – Milton Keynes’ quarterly guide to local crafts, available free from most good craft shops.

MaKe Craft Fairs are not about people selling goods that other people have made, and it’s not about people coming from the other side of the country. The organisers are keen to promote the local craft scene and have sought out crafters from around the Milton Keynes area.

Crafts are having a renaissance at the moment and making things is really popular again.  The lovely, talented crafters at MaKe events are a great example of what’s going on.

Sue Stallard is offering a free two-hour beading workshop from 1-3pm, but places are limited so if you would like to do the workshop, please let us know as soon as possible to make sure you don’t miss out.

Jay’s Crafts offer card-making and scrap-booking ‘make and takes’ in the morning, and our ever-popular Local Craft Matters blogger, Kirsty New will be demonstrating her gorgeous crafts and inviting visitors to ‘have a go’ throughout the day.

There may still the potential to use extra space in the Madcap so if you know anyone who would like a stall, please ask them to contact us – details below.

Teas, coffee and cakes will be available and there is an exciting programme which will include live music from Dale May and of course lots of crafts!

Entry is just £2 – concessions and under 16 are free, so why not come along and enjoy the extraordinary talents of your local crafts people on Easter Monday, 5^th April, at the Madcap Theatre, Creed Street, Wolverton, Milton Keynes MK12 5LY from 10am – 4pm.

Phone 07710 620595, email info@localcraftmatters.co.uk or visit the Local Craft Matters website at www.localcraftmatters.co.uk for more information

Lucinda Brown – Ceramic Artist

On a humid, stormy day in July 2009, I drove through a thunder storm and the flooded country roads of North Buckinghamshire to meet Lucinda Brown, ceramic artist and owner of the Lucinda Brown Gallery in the grounds of Claydon House, Middle Claydon, near Buckingham.

It is an idyllic setting and the gallery does not disappoint – it is welcoming and full of beautiful hand-crafted work, some by Lucinda herself and some by other artists and craftspeople – all gorgeous and just asking to be bought for that special someone – or indeed for yourself!

As we drank tea in her Kitchen, I asked Lucinda about her love of clay, her work and the future.

How would you best describe your craft?  ‘My work is hand-built, with a focus on the figurative and textures.  I love faces and I want to bring my sense of serenity into the work so other people can feel it too.’

When did you become interested in your craft?  ‘On my Access to Art Course in 1994. When I first touched clay it excited me, and I knew I could sculpt faces in it, although I did find it frustrating to work with at first, I persevered and learnt how to achieve the results I wanted.

After my University course I was invited to join the Design Workers Foundation – this opportunity gave me a free Studio training in teaching, business studies and IT.’

What’s the most enjoyable?  ‘To be honest, the most enjoyable part of my work is the interaction I have with the people who buy my work.  Many of them write to me afterward, to tell me where they have placed my work in their homes – they all say lovely things and I appreciate them taking the time to do that.’

Where do you see your craft taking you in the next 10 years?  With a determined smile, Lucinda tells me, ‘In ten years, I intend to be a world-class Ceramic Artist or Sculptor.  That’s my aim.  I love creating in clay and I want to carry on developing and growing.’

Who do you take your inspiration from?  ‘My inspiration comes from many places, from nature and ancient sculptors and artists, Michelangelo, Rodin and Alfonse Mucha, also contemporaries like, Geoff Cox, Jenni Fairey and Christian Toublanc.  I have collected many pieces over the years – some by unknown artists.  I have one piece in particular, picked up in a flea market, of a young African girl – I only have to look at it to be inspired – she has lived everywhere with me.’

Is there another unconnected craft you would like to learn Why?  ‘I’ve always wanted to learn to work in glass – I love to see glass – stained glass, pieces of coloured glass hanging in windows or sculptures.’

Lucinda sells her work to various galleries around the country.  Locally, you can find Lucinda’s work either in her own Gallery, or in At Home Dot Com (Berkhamsted), Obsidian Art (Stoke Mandeville) and Ice Twice (Olney).

Contact Lucinda at the Lucinda Brown Gallery (1pm – 5pm, Saturday to Wednesday), Claydon House, Middle Claydon, Bucks.  By phone on 01296 733894  or by email at Lucinda.brown@uwclub.net

Website www.lucindabrowngallery.co.uk,

Mark Compton – Ceramic Artist and Potter

Mark Compton is a ceramics artist and potter, based at Westbury Farm Studios, Shenley Wood, Milton Keynes.  He uses his own hand made moulds to produce unique pieces of work, extruding handles and spouts from his own hand made dyes.

Mark’s sources of inspiration combine the natural world of plants with machinery, suits of armour and aircraft, following his interest in engineering and manufacturing.  He looks at the shapes coming from the processes of construction, merely alluding to these shapes and forms in his work.

In the past, Mark has used salt to glaze his work and is now working to develop new glazes to enhance the finished pieces.  He hopes people will not only enjoy looking at his work but will also take pleasure from the amusing and witty shapes he has created.

I met Mark at his new studio in Shenley Wood, and he talked about his craft – how and why he was first inspired and what he will be working on in the future.

Your first inspiration?

Mark was first gripped by the pottery bug on a school trip to the pottery factories in Stoke, at the age of 13.  Mark says, “I was fascinated when I saw all the processes involved in turning a lump of clay into a finished piece of work.  I was already interested in all things mechanical, but after that trip the pottery became much more of a passion to me than engineering.”

How and When did you learn?

“I learnt the basics at school, then took a series of jobs, but decided to go to Epsom School of Art and Design in Surrey.  I then worked in pottery factories for a while, gaining more skills before I went back to college, in Cardiff this time, to complete my MA in 1991.  I was lucky enough to be taught by such inspirational characters as Mick Casson, Peter Starkey and Geoffrey Swindell.”

What’s the most enjoyable aspect of your craft?

“I use a technique which involves using salt in the kiln to glaze the work.  The end result is rather haphazard, but with skill and experience it is possible to achieve some control– the placing of each item within the kiln and the timing of each stage in the process is crucial to the final appearance of each piece.

The temperature within the kiln is raised to 1280°C, and after a certain time has elapsed salt is thrown in through the chimney of the kiln.  The salt causes a reaction within the kiln and so the pieces of clay are ‘glazed’.

The most enjoyable aspect of all this, is that when the kiln door closes and the processes begin, there is always the thought that ‘nothing can survive what is about to happen in there’, but when the door opens again, there inside the kiln are several perfect pieces of work – it’s a marvellous feeling.”

How do you see the world of ceramics developing?

“Pottery is slowly becoming recognised as an art form as well as a craft.  More artists are now using clay in installations – as a part of the creative process, rather than just as a material.  This shift in attitude was very clear, when ceramics artist Grayson Perry won the Turner Prize in 2003.”

Who inspires you now?

“I continue to be inspired by my three tutors in Cardiff, but also love the work of traditional potters such as Richard Batterham and Wally Keeler, and people like Neil Brownsword, Takeshi Yasuda and Adrian Saxe – all producing exceptional work.”

What are you working on now?

“This is quite an exciting time for me – as it is not possible to have a salt-glaze kiln in my new studio,  I am currently working to develop a completely new range of glazes – the finished pieces will be available soon.”

Do you have any workshops planned?

“Yes, I hope to run some workshops from the new studio at Westbury Farm Studios in Shenley Wood, Milton Keynes – details will be on the website soon.”

You can get some idea from the pictures here, that Mark’s work is unique and fascinating – to see more, or to contact Mark, check out his website at www.markcomptonceramics.co.uk

Mark Compton is a ceramics artist and potter, based at Westbury Farm Studios, Shenley Wood, Milton Keynes.  He uses his own hand made moulds to produce unique pieces of work, extruding handles and spouts from his own hand made dyes.
Mark’s sources of inspiration combine the natural world of plants with machinery, suits of armour and aircraft, following his interest in engineering and manufacturing.  He looks at the shapes coming from the processes of construction, merely alluding to these shapes and forms in his work.
In the past, Mark has used salt to glaze his work and is now working to develop new glazes to enhance the finished pieces.  He hopes people will not only enjoy looking at his work but will also take pleasure from the amusing and witty shapes he has created.
I met Mark at his new studio in Shenley Wood, and he talked about his craft – how and why he was first inspired and what he will be working on in the future.
Your first inspiration?Mark was first gripped by the pottery bug on a school trip to the pottery factories in Stoke, at the age of 13.  Mark says, “I was fascinated when I saw all the processes involved in turning a lump of clay into a finished piece of work.  I was already interested in all things mechanical, but after that trip the pottery became much more of a passion to me than engineering.”
How and When did you learn?“I learnt the basics at school, then took a series of jobs, but decided to go to Epsom School of Art and Design in Surrey.  I then worked in pottery factories for a while, gaining more skills before I went back to college, in Cardiff this time, to complete my MA in 1991.  I was lucky enough to be taught by such inspirational characters as Mick Casson, Peter Starkey and Geoffrey Swindell.”
What’s the most enjoyable aspect of your craft?“I use a technique which involves using salt in the kiln to glaze the work.  The end result is rather haphazard, but with skill and experience it is possible to achieve some control– the placing of each item within the kiln and the timing of each stage in the process is crucial to the final appearance of each piece.
The temperature within the kiln is raised to 1280°C, and after a certain time has elapsed salt is thrown in through the chimney of the kiln.  The salt causes a reaction within the kiln and so the pieces of clay are ‘glazed’.
The most enjoyable aspect of all this, is that when the kiln door closes and the processes begin, there is always the thought that ‘nothing can survive what is about to happen in there’, but when the door opens again, there inside the kiln are several perfect pieces of work – it’s a marvellous feeling.”
How do you see the world of ceramics developing?“Pottery is slowly becoming recognised as an art form as well as a craft.  More artists are now using clay in installations – as a part of the creative process, rather than just as a material.  This shift in attitude was very clear, when ceramics artist Grayson Perry won the Turner Prize in 2003.”
Who inspires you now?“I continue to be inspired by my three tutors in Cardiff, but also love the work of traditional potters such as Richard Batterham and Wally Keeler, and people like Neil Brownsword, Takeshi Yasuda and Adrian Saxe – all producing exceptional work.”
What are you working on now?“This is quite an exciting time for me – as it is not possible to have a salt-glaze kiln in my new studio,  I am currently working to develop a completely new range of glazes – the finished pieces will be available soon.”
Do you have any workshops planned?“Yes, I hope to run some workshops from the new studio at Westbury Farm Studios in Shenley Wood, Milton Keynes – details will be on the website soon.”
You can get some idea from the pictures here, that Mark’s work is unique and fascinating – to see more, or to contact Mark, check out his website at www.markcomptonceramics.co.uk

Patchwork Pals

PATCHWORK PALS NEWS  -  Moda & Makower fabrics arrive all the time and notions from the Clover range and many others are always in stock.

The wadding at Patchwork Pals is 100% cotton, 100% polycotton and yes, 100% Bamboo.

Courses are run most days for all abilities and they are happy to discuss any special needs you may have.

Call in to PATCHWORK PALS, at Leighton Buzzard Garden Centre, Hockliffe Road, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 9NX

Telephone 01525 371444,

email sales@patchworkpals.co.uk

web:  www.patchworkpals.co.uk