IN NORTHERN IRELAND
August Craft Month 2012
AUGUST
Craft Month 2012
Craft Northern Ireland staff: Joe Kelly Executive Director Orla McGrady Administration & Project Officer Olive Broderick Web & E-Comms Coordinator Jane Waugh Project Services Supplier
August Craft Month is supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Invest NI.
Most venues are fully accessible. However, we advise you to contact the venue in advance for your specific requirements.
Welcome Each year, August Craft Month promotes contemporary craft and the material arts in Northern Ireland and from around the UK and Ireland. In 2012, as well as promoting exhibitions, workshops, talks / seminars, galleries, shops as we do every year, our particular focus will be on makers / artists living and working in Northern Ireland – their work, their inspiration, their stories, their craft. You can read about them in our brochure and online as well as link to videos of makers at work. You can also visit our Craft Map which includes details of makers’ studios, galleries and shops around Northern Ireland which are open to the public to visit. There are lots of opportunities for all the family to get involved right across the region and we invite you to take the opportunity to connect with and experience contemporary craft by seeing, making or buying it!
Joe Kelly Director
www.craftni.org
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Belfast & Lisburn Profiles Michelle Stephens Diane Lyness
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North Down Profiles Katie Brown Alison Lowry
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Ards & Down
Profile Welig Crafts
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Armagh & Portadown
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Derry-Londonderry & Omagh
Profiles Ann McNulty Design Onion Diane McCormick
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Portstewart & Limavady
Exhibition
Profile Eamonn Higgins
Profile Catherine Keenan
Workshop
Talk
Where to Buy
AT A GLANCE Jewellery Beading & Wire Work - Nikki Terlik Carbon Fibre Components - Findhan Strain Pottery (Improvers) - Rory Shearer
7 – 9 Aug 13 - 14 Aug 7 - 9 Aug
Silver Pendants – Diane Lyness
10 Aug
Silver Bracelets – Diane Lyness
16 - 17 Aug
(work in progress) - making it 2011 makers
2 - 30 Aug
Documents of Hope – Alison Lowry
22 Aug
Framed Fossils – Gail Mahon
15 Aug
Material Worlds – Selected University of Ulster Graduates Fragile! In Transit – Project Network 3 (three) Craft Tour of Ulster Museum Retrospective – Josephine McCormick Creating a Ring – Garvan Traynor Drawing on Legacy – Helen Paisley Elemental Twitch: Muse and Mutterings – Gail Mahon Artist Talk – Gail Mahon Our people, our place, our time, our stories – David Esler Linen Diaspora
3 Aug - 7 Oct 3 – 11 Aug 11 & 25 Aug 2 – 31 Aug Aug weekends 2 – 31 Aug 3 Aug – Sat 1 Sept 30 Aug 4, 11, 18 & 25 Aug 28 Jul – 31 Aug
Larger Scale Working: potential and pitfalls – Frances Lord
15 Aug
Commissioning artists for public spaces – Frances Lord
16 Aug
Naked-Raku Workshop – Janine Parent
27 July
WHERE TO BUY
Ulster Museum Gift Shop Coppermoon NI Assembly Gift and Coffee Shop SpaceCRAFT
summer college Belfast
Belfast Metropolitan College, Millfield Campus, 125- 153 Millfield, Belfast BT1 1HS e3 Springvale Campus, 400 Springfield Road Belfast BT12 7DU +44 (0) 28 9026 5265 www.belfastmet.ac.uk
Jewellery Making: Beading and Wire Work
Millfield Campus Tues 7 – Thurs 9 Aug, 9.30am - 3.30pm Adult Entry: £75, booking essential, adults only
Learn how to make a range of jewellery using beading and wirework with Nikki Terlik. You will have the opportunity to make lots of jewellery pieces such as earrings, necklaces, brooches and bracelets.
Producing Your Own Carbon Fibre Components
e3 Springvale Campus Mon 13 - Tues 14 Aug, 9.00am - 4.00pm Adult Entry: £150. Booking essential, adults only
This practical course outlines the basics of manufacturing composite components, including carbon fibre and glass fibre through wet lay-up, vacuum bagging and pre-preg laminating. Tutor – Findhan Strain. Contact:fstrain@belfastmet.ac.uk
Pottery for Improvers
& Lisburn 2
Millfield Campus Tues 7 - Thurs 9 Aug, 9.30am - 3.30pm Adult Entry: £85, plus £10 for materials, booking essential, adults only
This course is open to those with some previous experience of working with clay. Build on your existing skills and pursue your own projects with support and guidance from the tutor, Rory Shearer.
Diane Lyness Workshops Belfast
University of Ulster, York Street, Belfast, BT15 1ED +44 (0) 28 9536 7202 d.mckinney@ulster.ac.uk www.ulster.ac.uk
Silver Pendant Workshop Fri 10 Aug, 10am – 4pm. Adult: £50 (this includes materials) Maximum number of participants 10 Concession (Senior Citizen, Student, Income Support): £45 Booking essential. Over 18’s only
Come get your hands dirty and have fun at a one day silver jewellery workshop at the University of Ulster with jeweller Diane Lyness. Each participant will be taught jewellery techniques including soldering, shaping, cutting, texturing and polishing to create a unique silver pendant. No previous experience is required and all you need to bring is a packed lunch, an apron and bundles of enthusiasm!
Silver Bracelet Workshop
Thurs 16 - Fri 17 Aug, 11am – 3pm Adult: £75, Concession (Senior Citizen, Student, Income Support): £70 Booking essential. Over 18’s only Maximum number of participants 10
Fancy making your friends envious with a silver bracelet made entirely by you? The University of Ulster will host a two day workshop with jeweller Diane Lyness who will guide you through a variety of jewellery techniques including soldering, shaping, cutting, texturing and polishing silver to create your bracelet. No previous experience is required and all you need to bring is a packed lunch, an apron and bundles of enthusiasm! 3
Michelle Stephens’ work is about textiles, but made from many materials. Her installations, wall mounted works, and small sculptural objects use wood, metal, and paint, along with woven fabrics, to explore the rhythmic nature of cloth and the way that it is made.
STEPHENS The pieces talk about textiles and their industrial origins, showing how fabric is three dimensional but also linear. She exposes the intensity of woven detail, the grid patterns on which weaving is based, but also the way in which, from a distance, the lines merge into the patterns associated with woven cloth.
For details of where to see Michelle’s work go to page 6 www.michellestephens.co.uk
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Belfast
Preview: Thurs 2 Aug 7pm – 9pm Exhibition: Thurs 2 Aug - Thurs 30 Aug Open: Mon – Fri 9.30am to 4.30pm Closed: Sat and Sun. Free entry
(work in progress) (work in progress) is an exhibition by 6 talented Northern Irish makers currently taking part in Craft NI’s making it Business Development Programme. It aims to offer insight into the individual makers’ motivations, processes and methodology. The exhibition will include finished objects, works in progress, sketch books and drawings giving a unique snapshot into the process of making. A video, produced by Adam Frew, has been commissioned to reveal to viewers the person behind the object and the physical nature of fabrication. Alison Lowry, Michelle Stephens, Katie Brown, Diane Lyness, Catherine Keenan and Eamonn Higgins will be exhibiting. Craft Northern Ireland Cotton Court, 42 Waring Street, Belfast, BT1 2ED +44 (0) 28 9032 3059 info@craftni.org www.craftni.org
Alison Lowry, Born on a Monday
MUSEUM SOUVENIR Ulster Museum
Belfast
Botanic Gardens, Belfast, BT9 5AB +44 (0) 28 90395 082/81 sue.cathcart@nmni.com or ruth.osborne@nmni.com www.nmni.com
Documents of Hope
Pate de Verre glass workshop recreating tickets and travel documents from the past. Wed 22 Aug, 10am – 4pm. Free entry, Over 50’s only. Booking essential
Beginning with a short talk on Harland and Wolff this workshop looks at travel documents from 1912 and their significance as ‘tickets of hope’ to a new and better life. Respected glass artist Alison Lowry will help you recreate one of these in glass using the technique of Pate de Verre.
Framed Fossils
Wed 15 Aug, 1pm – 4pm. Free entry Over 50’s only. Booking essential
Taking inspiration from The Age of the Dinosaur exhibition, make your own framed fossil captured in a box frame. Whether you cast a fossil or model it from clay this creative, hands on workshop with artist Gail Mahon will get you plaster casting, modeling and assembling your own personal fossil inspired piece. Catherine Keenan, Sculptural Vessel 6
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Material Worlds Belfast
Preview: Thurs 2 Aug, 6.00-8.00pm Exhibition: Fri 3 Aug - Sun 7 Oct Open: Tues – Sun 11am – 4pm Closed: Mon
A selected exhibition from this year’s graduates of the University of Ulster, Belfast, curated by Jemma Millen. The work includes jewellery, silversmithing and ceramics and features the best of Northern Ireland’s emerging artistic talent. Although eclectic and individual, the pieces reflect strong narrative sentiment combined with an understanding of materials, technique and form learned from three years intensive and specialised study.
Project Network 3 (three)
Fragile! in Transit Belfast
Preview: Thurs 2 Aug, 7pm – 9 pm. Exhibition: Fri 3 Aug – 11 Aug Open 9.00am – 5pm Closed: Sun 5 Aug. Free entry
The Naughton Gallery at Queens, Lanyon Building, Queen’s University, Belfast, BT7 1NN +44 (0) 28 9097 3580 art@qub.ac.uk www.naughtongallery.org
Ceramic artist collective Project Network 3(three) will engage with and respond directly to the notion of place, identity and culture to make an experimental and fascinating body of work for an exhibition centering on the balance between reality, fiction and perception of place. Artists will make ceramic works to fit into a prescribed box of similar format. Fragile! In Transit will travel to Northern Ireland, England, Wales, Denmark, Finland, India, Lithuania and Italy. http://projectnetwork3.tumblr.com Julie Scott, Tall Lady
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Maxwell Street Studios, 8 Maxwell Street, Belfast, BT12 5FB +44 (0) 79 2019 8018 claire@clairemuckian.com
Craft Tour of the Ulster Museum Belfast
Event: 11 & 25 Aug, 2pm - 3pm. Free entry, booking essential
The Ulster Museum is full of wonderful craft, from contemporary glass to traditional Belleek porcelain and Neolithic pottery. Explore the collection in this informative tour, which will give an insight into the makers, techniques and some of the stories behind the objects. The tour is free and will last about an hour. Booking is advised as numbers will be limited. Ulster Museum, Botanic Gardens, Belfast, BT9 5AB +44 (0) 28 9044 0000 ulstermuseumreception@nmni.com www.nmni.com Open: 10am-5pm every day in Aug
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SpaceCRAFT Retrospective
Drawing on Legacy
Belfast
Belfast
Josephine McCormick Preview: 2 Aug 6.30pm – 9.00pm Exhibition: 2 Aug – 31 Aug Open: 10.00am - 4.00pm. Free entry
A retrospective spanning 30 years work from Master-printmaker Josephine McCormick. The exhibition will showcase work made in Belfast, London, Paris and Melbourne. This exhibition coincides with the publication of a catalogue of the Artist’s extensive work. Belfast Print Workshop Cotton Court, 30-42 Waring Street, Belfast, BT1 2ED +44 (0) 28 9023 0323 www.belfastprintworkshop.org
Creating a Ring
with Garvan Traynor
Helen Paisley
Preview: 2 Aug, 6.30 – 9.00pm Exhibition: 2 Aug – 31 Aug Open: 10.00am - 4.00pm. Free entry
An exhibition identifying traditional lithographic printmaking created on an industrial scale in Belfast during the prolific shipbuilding era, focusing from 1890 – 1920. The result contextualizes local brands in poster form, using traditional stones, a technique that made Belfast globally famous. The artist, Helen Paisley, was generously assisted by an award granted by the Arts Council NI.
The Lagan Legacy Barge, Lagan Legacy, 1 Lanyon Quay, Belfast, BT1 3LG +44 (0) 28 9023 2555 info@laganlegacy.com www.laganlegacy.com
A solo exhibition of work by Gail Mahon Preview: Thurs 2 Aug, 6pm - 8pm, Exhibition: Fri 3 Aug – Sat 1 Sept
The exhibition will be a concentrated space focused on shifting planes between personal and universal notions. Mixed-media canvases, projection and sound works, ceramic and mixed-media objects and models. Centred around themes of uncertainty and restlessness, this exhibition treads the line of organic chaos and clinical beauty told through a journey of images, objects, installations and curation. Assisted by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s Support for the Individual Artist Programme.
Artist Talk by Gail Mahon
Thurs 30 Aug, 6pm – 8pm. Free entry. Booking essential
Gail Mahon talks about the first stage of her debut solo exhibition, Elemental Twitch: Muse and Mutterings.
Our People, Our Place, Our Time, Our Stories… Donegore
Every weekend in Aug (additional dates available on request), 9am-5pm Adult Entry: £200. Booking essential
4, 11, 18 & 25 Aug at 2pm. Free entry.
Donations welcomed for MacMillan Cancer Support
Discover the craft of ring making through an intensive but fun two day workshop with award winning goldsmith, Garvan Traynor. Day One will focus on the techniques required to realise a ring. On Day Two, you will use these skills to design and make your own ring. One to one intensive coaching and attention is guaranteed. All materials will be provided. Gift Vouchers available
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9b The Fountain Centre, College Street, Belfast, BT1 6ET GO UP THAT ESCALATOR! +44 (0) 28 9032 9342 info@craftanddesigncollective.com www.craftanddesigncollective.com Open: Mon-Sat, 10:30am-5:30pm Closed: Sunday. Free Entry
Elemental Twitch: Muse and Mutterings
David Esler
Belfast
Washington House, 14-16 High Street, Belfast, BT1 2BD +44 (0)28 9027 8787 garvantraynor@yahoo.co.uk www.garvantraynor.com
Belfast
A series of talks discussing how Artist, David Esler, tells stories through glass at 2pm each Saturday in August. • • • •
04 Aug: 11 Aug: 18 Aug: 25 Aug:
Culture Northern Ireland The Changing Craft of Stained Glass Stories from the Bible Telling YOUR Story in Stained Glass
There will also be live music and visiting artists. The Studio is situated in the six acre Landscape Centre which has an excellent coffee shop and is set in the picturesque hamlet of Donegore.
Josephine McCormick, Sudarium
Leadlines & David Esler Studio 24 Donegore Hill, Dunadry, Co Antrim, BT41 2HW +44 (0) 28 9443 3733 stainedglass@leadlines.co.uk www.leadlines.co.uk 11
Frances Lord SEMINARS
Frances Lord is a consultant and curator with a background in the crafts who specialises in developing and managing public art and commissioning projects. Clients include local authorities, healthcare trusts, environmental and regeneration agencies, museums and galleries. Frances is an Artistic Assessor (craft, design and public art) for Arts Council England. www.franceslord.com
R-Space, 32 Castle Street, Lisburn, BT27 4XE +44 (0)28 9266 3179 rspace@linenroomslisburn.com www.rspaceatthelinenrooms.org.uk
Linen Diaspora Lisburn
Preview: 28 Jul, 12pm – 2pm. Exhibition: 28 Jul – 31 Aug Open: Wed – Sat, 11am – 5pm Closed: Sun, Mon & Tues. Free entry
Professor Karen Fleming (University of Ulster), who curated “Linen Diaspora”, uncovers links between the Huguenots exiled from France and flax culture in both Eastern Canada and Ireland. The exhibition of contemporary work focuses on materials and processes related to flax production that are embedded in the culture of both countries. The show was first shown at 4th Biennale Internationale du Lin de Portneuf, Quebec Canada in 2011. R-Space, 32 Castle Street, Lisburn, BT27 4XE +44 (0)28 9266 3179 rspace@linenroomslisburn.com www.rspaceatthelinenrooms.org.uk 12
Photograph by David Vachon
PLACE, 40 Fountain Street, Belfast, BT1 5EE. +44 (0)28 9023 2524 info@placeni.org www.place.uk.net
To book any of the events on this page contact Craft NI on +44 (0)28 9032 3059 or info@craftni.org
Larger Scale Working: Potential and Pitfalls @ R-Space 15 August, 2pm-4pm. Free Entry
This seminar is intended for makers who want to find out more about the opportunities and practical considerations involved in working on public art and large scale craft commissions. The seminar will include case studies, discuss the role of the artist, skills required, selection methods, making proposals, budgets and fees, artists’ contracts, matching aspirations to budgets and trouble shooting.
Commissioning Artists for Public Spaces @ PLACE 16 August, 10.30pm – 1pm. Free Entry
This seminar is intended for local authority officers, architects, interior designers and landscape architects who want to explore the benefits and practicalities of involving artists in the creative development of new buildings and the public realm. The seminar will include case studies, discuss innovative ways of working with artists, selection methods, matching aspirations to budgets and best practice in terms of embedding artists within communities.
Naked-Raku Workshop Janine Parent @ R-Space Lisburn
27 July, 10am - 4pm. Adult Entry: £25. Booking essential
Janine Parent is a ceramist from Quebec City, Canada, she specializes in naked-raku creating forms that strive for simplicity and purity. Her works are patiently and thoroughly polished before raku firing which bestows on the pieces their peaceful and harmonious character. Her finely crafted and forceful work includes both decorative art and installation. Her work has been shown in numerous exhibitions in Canada, Europe, and South Korea. Participation in this workshop is limited to people with a level of competency in making ceramics. 13
Diane Lyness is a goldsmith, maker of jewellery and small, precious things. Her work is highly skilled and traditional both in its goldsmithing techniques and in its materials: silver, gold, platinum, and gemstones. A descendent of Belfast’s legendary Lyness’s Silverplaters, metal is part of her gene pool. Her pieces are adventurous. Their forms, although floral, relate to the structural rather than the ornamental aspect of flowers; their abstract patterns based on botanical studies and the examination of the microscopic detail within the flower. Colour, too, is important in her work, and the charm of light on translucent stones.
For details of where to see Diane’s work go to pages 3, 6 and 34
LYNESS
www.dianelyness.com
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Where to Buy SpaceCRAFT
Coppermoon
Mon - Sat, 10.30am - 5.30pm. Closed: Sun
Mon – Wed & Fri – Sat, 9.30am – 5.30pm, Thurs 9.30am – 9pm, Sun 1pm – 5pm
Belfast
The Craft & Design Collective has brought together Artist/Designer/Makers from across the land to create an innovative Shop, Gallery and Exhibition Area, located up the escalator at The Fountain Centre, right in the heart of Belfast City Centre, where you can buy ‘lovely stuff’ made by hand locally. Choose from a fabulous range of jewellery, fashion and interior accessories. Owned, managed and staffed by Artist/Designer/Makers themselves. Be Original! Buy Original! 9b The Fountain Centre, College Street, Belfast , BT1 6ET GO UP THAT ESCALATOR! +44 (0)28 9032 9342 info@craftanddesigncollective.com www.craftanddesigncollective.com
Ulster Museum Gift Shop Belfast
Tues – Sun, 10am – 4.45pm Closed: Mon (except Bank Holidays)
The Ulster Museum Gift Shop offers visitors a range of unique and unusual gifts to suit all tastes, ages and pockets. Products are inspired by Ulster Museum collections and support local and national designers as well as fair trade suppliers and environmentally friendly items. Botanic Gardens, Stranmillis Road, Belfast, BT9 5AB +44 (0) 28 9044 0000 www.nmni.com/um/VisitingInformation/Shopping
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Belfast
Coppermoon have been at the forefront of promoting local art and crafts since 1992. An independent gallery bringing together a unique and lovingly created collection of fine art, jewellery, craft and accessories for you and your home 3 Wellington Street, Belfast, BT1 6HT +44 (0) 28 9023 5325 inbox@coppermoon.co.uk www.coppermoon.co.uk
Northern Ireland Assembly Gift and Coffee Shop Belfast
Mon – Fri, 10am – 4pm. Closed Sat & Sun
The New Designer Makers Initiative which showcases the goods of local Makers commenced at the beginning of April 2012 and will run for six months. The Northern Ireland Assembly worked in partnership with Craft NI in order to select goods from across Northern Ireland. The Makers are: Wove in Hove, Catherine Keenan Glass, Pageant Jewellery, JanMary Designs, Pureadorn Jewellery, JBEmbroidery, BTU Glass and Glass by Shepster.
DOWN AT A GLANCE
Artist Talk – Katie Brown
22 Aug
Textile Print Master Class – Katie Brown
25 Aug
Beginnings… - Selected SERC Students Material Mail – Heather Wilson
7 – 19 Aug 1 Aug
Passion for Pattern – Lynda Brown
29 Aug
The Golden Age of Travel- Nuala Maguire
10 Aug
Felt Making – Emma Andrews
27 Aug
Jewellery & wireworking – Nikki Terlik
28 Aug
Woodcarving – Geoff Tulip
29 Aug
Jewellery – Nikki Terlik
30 Aug
Machine Embroidery – Emma Andrews
31 Aug
Animal Aesthetics – Selected Makers
4 – 24 Aug
WHERE TO BUY Empathy Creations
Parliament Buildings, Ballymiscaw, Stormont, Belfast, BT4 3XX +44 (0) 28 9052 1137 info@niassembly.gov.uk www.niassembly.gov.uk
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Katie Brown describes her work as ‘wearable art’ – copious swathes of soft silk in confident colour, printed with graphic imagery drawn from Belfast’s urban landscape. Her pieces are created through a series of contradictions: contemporary technology with hand-process and hard-edged graphics with the romanticism of silk. Each pattern is created digitally from photography and transferred onto fabric by traditional screen-printing methods, using bespoke dyes. She takes her designs from sources not normally associated with textile printing, using images of streetlights, tower blocks and the skeletal remains of the ship-building industry, their hardness transformed by the flowing softness of silk.
BROWN
For details of where to see Katie’s work go to pages 6 and 20 www.katiebrowndesign.co.uk
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NORTH DOWN MUSEUM Bangor
North Down Museum, The Castle, Bangor, BT20 4BT +44 (0) 28 9127 1200 museum@northdown.gov.uk www.northdownmuseum.com Open: Mon – Sat 10am – 4.30 pm Sun 12pm – 4.30pm www.northdown.gov.uk/bookings
Katie Brown
Lunch Time Talk
Wed 22 Aug, 1pm. Free entry
Craft NI making it programme recipient, Katie Brown will give a talk on her practice as a textile print artist.
Textile Print Master Class Sat 25 Aug, 10.30am - 1pm Adult entry: £5 including materials Booking essential. Over 16’s only
Seacourt Print Workshop Master Class: Craft NI making it programme recipient, Katie Brown will give a master class in textile screen painting. Using a combination of screen printing and hand painting techniques participants can create unique artworks on fabric. Suitable for beginners.
Beginnings... Bangor
Preview: Wed 8 Aug 6pm - 8pm Exhibition: Tues 7 Aug – Sun 19 Aug Free entry
This exhibition showcases the work of local makers enrolled on the ceramics night class at South Eastern Regional College. The work includes a wide range of making styles, processes and media; and clearly illustrates the diversity and talent of the makers. The exhibition is a chance to witness how this group of local artists and craftspeople have used and manipulated the medium of clay to produce a fascinating body of work. Katie Brown, hand printed silk 20
Heather Wilson, Material Mail
Ulster Folk & Transport Museum
Cultra
Holywood, BT18 0EU +44 (0) 28 90395 082/81 sue.cathcart@nmni.com or ruth.osborne@nmni.com www.nmni.com
Museum Souvenir Material Mail
Wed 1 Aug, 10am – 4pm. Free entry Over 50’s only. Booking essential
Artist and designer Heather Wilson will show you how to create a postcard by using a variety of techniques. Laser print transfer, stitch and copper are combined with your own or museum vintage images transferred to fabric and then distressed. The end result will be a 3 dimensional art piece evocative of days gone by.
Passion for Pattern Imprints of Antique Textiles Wed 29 Aug, 10am – 4pm. Free entry Over 50’s only. Booking essential
Taking vintage fabrics and embellishment as inspiration and using a selection of them to use as embossing tools, applied artist and designer Lynda Brown will show us how to recreate in porcelain a textile piece complete with buttons and ribbons, which can then be made into a delicate tray.
The Golden Age of Travel
Fri 10 Aug, 10.30am – 3pm. Free entry Over 50’s only. Booking essential
Explore the golden age of travel with textile artist and conservator Nuala Maguire. We will pay a visit to the transport museum and look at graphic design used in 1920’s travel posters and literature. Having gained inspiration from the gallery and reproductions, we will produce a bag based on designs from travel posters and steamer trunk labels using embroidery stitches, applique & embellishment. 21
LOWRY Alison Lowry’s work addresses memory and the way that fabric can become a vehicle for memory. Her sculptures explore the concept of childhood, in all its bleak impermanence. They place embroidery and lace – domestic textiles made by women for children – in the sphere of art and the conversations that surround it. Although she also uses objects associated with emotional events – birth certificates, fragments of family photographs, and children’s clothing – her core material is glass. This gives her sculpture a ghostly quality both in its translucency and in that it always seems to refer to half-formed and half-forgotten memory.
For details of where to see Alison’s work go to pages 6, 7, 51 and 54 www.alisonlowry.co.uk
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Empathy Creations
Bangor
Open: Mon – Sat, 9am - 5:30pm Closed: Sun. Free Entry 69 High Street, Bangor, BT20 5BD +44 (0) 78 0437 9989 +44 (0) 74 2858 4040 empathyc@hotmail.com www.empathycreations.co.uk
Craft Workshops
Felt making with Emma Andrews Mon 27 Aug, 10am – 4pm. £22 including materials and lunch
Something different for the bank holiday.
Jewellery & wireworking with Nikki Terlik Tues 28 Aug, 10am - 4pm. £28 including materials and lunch
Learn how to solder and manipulate wire to make necklaces, rings and earrings. An enjoyable and rewarding day.
Woodcarving with Geoff Tulip Wed 29 Aug, 10am – 4pm. £35 including materials and lunch
Geoff is an innovative woodcarver whose pieces are very individual and of the highest quality. Come along as he shares his skills and produce your own masterpiece.
Jewellery Making with Nikki Terlik
Thurs 30 Aug, 10am – 12pm. £12 including materials
Working with beads and wire you will learn various techniques to create beautiful items of jewellery.
Machine Embroidery with Emma Andrews Fri 31 Aug, 10am – 4pm. £32 including materials and lunch
You will need to bring your own sewing machine for this workshop. Emma shows and guides you through the various techniques for you to produce your own individual piece of work.
& DOWN AT A GLANCE
Against the Grain – Mark Hanvey, John Piekaar, Tony Rea, Geoff Tulip CRAFT FEST – Selected Makers
10, 11 & 12 Aug
CRAFT FEST – Selected University of Ulster Graduates
10, 11 & 12 Aug
CRAFT FEST – Workshops
10, 11 & 12 Aug
Creative Coach Tour – Selected Studios
11 Aug
Oglivy – Donna Bates ‘I Do Cartwheels’
3 − 31 Aug
Artist Talk – Donna Bates
4 Aug
Craft in the Square – Selected Makers
3 Aug
Creative Courtyards Comber – Selected Makers
4 Aug
Creative Courtyards Portaferry – Selected Makers
11 Aug
Reflections of Strangford Lough – Dympna Curran
4 – 30 Aug
Needle Felting – Dympna Curran Masterclass in Creative Weaving – Cecilia Stephens Creative Weaving – Cecilia Stephens
Preview: Fri 3 Aug 6pm - 8pm. Exhibition: Sat 4 Aug – Fri 24 Aug
‘Animal Aesthetics’ is an exhibition incorporating a range of craft disciplines including wood, textiles, metal, ceramics and glass. Featuring both established and upcoming artists and makers this exhibition will be well worth a visit. 24
18 Aug 8 Aug 11 Aug
Woodturning – Mike Miall
3 − 12 Aug
Creative Cycle – Selected Studios
3 − 12 Aug
Tiffany Glass Masterclass – Irene McBride Map Butterflies & Time Bugs – Emma Whitehead
Animal Aesthetics
3 – 25 Aug
A Medley of Traditional Crafts – Welig Crafts
5 Aug 3 − 31 Aug 3 − 5 Aug
WHERE TO BUY
Ards Craft & Design Centre Doghouse Gallery Down Arts Centre
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craft fest 2012 CRAFT FEST is an annual celebration of Craft, Applied Art and Design at Castle Ward, Strangford, County Down. Throughout the weekend:
Against the Grain Downpatrick
Preview: Thurs 2 Aug, 7pm Event: Fri 3 Aug – Sat 25 Aug Open: Mon – Sat 10am – 4:30pm Closed: Sun. Free entry
Mark Hanvey, Pith Vessel
Down Arts Centre has brought together some of the finest local crafts people working with wood - Mark Hanvey, John Piekaar, Tony Rea and Geoff Tulip, finely handcrafted boxes to beautifully turned bowls. This exhibition is not to be missed. Down Arts Centre, 2-6 Irish Street, Downpatrick, BT30 6BP +44 (0) 28 4461 0747 downartscentre@downdc.gov.uk www.downartscentre.com
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• Meet and buy work directly from the Makers at the Craft Fair • Be inspired by exhibitions In The House, In The Temple and In The Tower. • Be entertained by demonstrations and maybe have a go yourself • Get involved by booking yourself and/or your children onto one of the workshops Fri 10 Aug, 1pm – 5:30pm, Sat 11 & Sun 12 Aug, 10:30am – 5:30pm Advanced booking required only for workshops Castle Ward, Strangford, Downpatrick, BT30 7LS +44 (0)28 4488 1204 Castle Ward Estate is open from 10am - 8pm each day Entry: Normal National Trust Admission Charges Apply www.nationaltrust.org.uk/castleward Standard - Adult £6.36, Child £3.18, Family £15.90, Group £6 Gift Aid - Adult £7, Child £3.50, Family £17.50, Group N/A info@craftanddesigncollective.com www.craftanddesigncollective.com
In the House
An exhibition of Craft, Applied Art and Design inside the House at Castle Ward. Selected pieces will be exhibited in the fabulous surroundings of the Entrance Hall, Dining Room, Library, Boudoir and Saloon of the 18th Century House at Castle Ward. Castle Ward is a wonderful, slightly eccentric house, set in a beautiful estate on the shores of Strangford Lough.
In the Temple and In the Tower
An exhibition of Ceramics, Jewellery/ Silversmithing and Textiles by recent Graduates from the School of Art and Design at the University of Ulster selected by the Craft & Design Collective. The Craft & Design Collective has also selected a recent Graduate from each Craft Discipline to be a CRAFT FEST Artist-InResidence in the Temple and in the Tower.
CRAFT FEST Workshops Email info@craftanddesigncollective.com for details of available workshops and demonstrations.
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The work of Welig Crafts, a partnership between Clive Lyttle and Elaine Burke, is based on the closeness of art and the land. Their raw material is willow, grown and harvested at home, and transformed into functional and decorative objects. Willow basketry is traditional to Northern Ireland and they are custodians of that heritage. Similarly their bentwood furniture continues a deep-rooted way of making linked to the ethos of sustainability. But, while they produce comfortingly familiar pieces, some of their work is far from traditional, expanding the repertoire of willow and hazel into unique and sculptural forms.
For details of where to see Welig Crafts’ work go to pages 34 and 54
CRAFTS
www.weligcrafts.com
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Craft in the Square Newtownards
Fri 3 Aug, 11am – 4pm. Free entry
'Ogilby'
An Exhibition by Donna Bates of ‘I Do Cartwheels’ @ The Space, Ards Crafts Newtownards
Exhibition: Fri 3 Aug – Fri 31 Aug Open: Mon - Thurs 9am – 5:15pm, Fri & Sat 9am – 5:30pm Closed: Sun. Free entry
Donna Bates & John Piekaar, ‘Ogilby’
creative peninsula
The Ards Peninsula Fri 3 Aug - Sun 12 Aug
The Creative Peninsula is Northern Ireland’s premier art and craft Open Studio event. Book a workshop, studio coach tour or take a take a creative cycle trip. Visit the annual Exhibition, the open air ‘Craft in the Square’ and ‘Creative Courtyards’ or many of the Open Studios throughout the Borough. For further information on all events taking place, pick up a Programme from Ards Crafts, or visit the event website. Ards Crafts, 31 Regent Street, Newtownards, BT23 4AD +44 (0) 28 9182 6846 www.creativepeninsula.info www.ardscreates.com ards.crafts@ards-council.gov.uk www.ards-council.gov.uk
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Creative Coach tour ‘Made in Ards.......... make and view’
The Ards Borough
Sat 11 Aug, 9:30am – 5pm Adult Entry: £20 inc Light Lunch Booking essential. Over 18’s only
‘The Creative Coach’ visits craft studios and galleries throughout the Ards Borough, taking you on an exciting, inspiring journey with the opportunity to get involved in the ‘art of making’. ‘Made in Ards’ is about local craft and the story behind the work. This tour gives you an insight into this with a clay workshop in Comber and woodturning demonstrations in Portaferry as well as much more to view and buy!
This exhibition features a collection of new designs and restoration projects by I Do Cartwheels including the recently launched 'Ogilby' armchair, designed with local cabinet maker, John Piekaar. I do Cartwheels is a furniture and products design studio, based in Comber, with a passion for design and traditional craftsmanship. The Strangford Collection is one new collaborative series of furniture and products. This exhibition is interactive and will challenge you to get involved.
A talk by Donna Bates of ‘I Do Cartwheels’ @ The Space, Ards Crafts Newtownards
Sat 4 Aug, 11am – 1pm. Free entry
I do Cartwheels is a furniture and interior design studio, based in Comber, which aims to create furniture which is both functional and beautiful. Donna Bates will be discussing her projects in conjunction with her exhibition in ‘the Space’, Ards Crafts, Craft and Design Centre.
‘Craft in the Square’ is an open air tented event featuring a host of Artists and Makers, showcasing and selling their work, giving demonstrations and chatting about what inspires them to be creative. Kids Craft in the Square gives young people the opportunity to explore a variety of creative techniques with local artists (Suitable for Children aged 6 years upwards). This year’s event also features an Art on the Rails and live music throughout the day. Conway Square, Newtownards
Creative Courtyards Comber & Portaferry Comber: Sat 4 Aug, 10 am – 5pm Portaferry:Sat 11 Aug, 10am – 5pm Free entry
‘Creative Courtyards’ are a new feature of Creative Peninsula 2012 and follow on from the highly successful open air ‘Craft in the Square’. Comber Courtyard and Portaferry Courtyard (outside the Loft Gallery of the Tourist Information and Visitor Centre) are hosting various Artists and Makers throughout the day. There will be demonstrations, the opportunity to buy as well as to find out more about the inspiration behind their work. Comber Courtyard, 5 High Street, Comber, BT23 5HJ Portaferry Courtyard, The Stables, Castle Street, Portaferry, BT22 1NZ 31
Dympna Curran
Dympna Curran @ the Loft Portaferry
‘Reflections of Strangford Lough’ an Exhibition
Sat 4 Aug – Thurs 30 Aug. Free entry Open: Mon – Sat 10am – 5pm, Sun 1pm – 5pm
Born along the coast of Strangford Lough, Dympna has always admired its outstanding beauty and in this exhibition she uses the art of Felting to capture the amazing colours of the dancing sunlight and the shimmering ripples found on the ever changing surface of this beautiful Lough.
Needle Felting Workshop Sat 18 Aug, 11:30am – 1:30pm Adult Entry: £10. Concession (Child, Senior Citizen, Student): £10. Over 18’s only. Booking essential
In this workshop, Dympna Curran will guide participants through the technique of Needle Felting to produce a finished 3D piece to take home. Workshops are limited to 8, all materials provided. The Loft Gallery, Portaferry Tourist Information and Visitor Centre. The Stables, Castle Street, Portaferry, BT22 1NZ +44 (0) 28 9182 6846 ards.crafts@ards-council.gov.uk www.ards-council.gov.uk
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Cecilia Stephens @ Bishops Mill Portaferry
Masterclass in Creative Weaving
Wed 8 Aug, 10am – 4pm Adult Entry: £40 inc Materials, Refreshments and Soup. Bring your own sandwich! Over 18’s only. Booking essential
This masterclass in creative weaving will explore further the techniques of weaving, using a simple frame. Suitable for those with previous knowledge of weaving. An enjoyable, creative day!
Creative Weaving Workshop Portaferry
Sat 11 Aug, 10am – 4pm Adult Entry: £40 inc Materials, Refreshments and Soup. Bring your own sandwich! Over 18’s only. Booking essential
This creative weaving workshop is suitable for all levels of skill and explores the techniques of weaving, using a simple frame. Bishops Mill, 9 Abbacy Road, Portaferry, BT22 1HH +44 (0) 28 4272 8364 nickolas.stephens@virgin.net
Woodturning Classes
with Mike Miall, Glenkeen Chairs and Woodturning Portaferry
Fri 3 – Sun 12 Aug, contact studio for details Adult Entry: £30 per hour. Booking essential
Taster workshops and classes available for beginners and improvers or to address specific techniques and individual requirements. Glenkeen Chairs and Woodturning, 12 Dunevly Road, Portaferry, BT22 1NB +44 (0) 28 4277 2418 mikemiall@supanet.com
Creative Cycle
Fri 3 Aug - Sun 12 Aug. Free entry Further details available at www.creativepeninsula.info
Why not get active as well as creative! Using the Strangford Lough Cycle Trail Route 99 / 20 – visit local craft studios, craft centres and art galleries throughout the Ards Borough. Visitors from Belfast and Dundonald can join the Strangford Lough Cycle Trail from the Comber Greenway (beginning Titanic Quarter). It is recommended that you have an Ards Visitor Map and accompanying Creative Peninsula Brochure. Cycle Route and information from www.cycleni.com
Masterclass in ‘Tiffany Glass’
with Irene McBride, Discovery Glass Comber
Sun 5 Aug, 9:30am – 5pm Adult Entry: £95 inc Refreshments and Light Lunch. Booking essential Class limited to 4 students
Have you ever wanted to create a truly unique mirror in glass to match your decor? This one day class with Glass Artist Irene McBride of Discovery Glass provides the opportunity to learn the necessary skills to design and make a ‘tiffany’ style mirror in beautiful glass. Expert tuition, tools, equipment and light lunch included in price. Suitable for beginners. Please bring an apron or overall. Discovery Glass, 3 Killinchy Street, Comber, BT23 5AP +44 (0) 28 9187 0181, +44 (0) 77 3696 7292 irene@discoveryglass.co.uk www.discoveryglass.co.uk
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Map Butterflies and Time Bugs Saintfield
Mon - Sat 11am – 5pm. Closed: Sun. Free Entry
Hand stitched on fine Irish linen, Emma Whitehead’s work uses vintage maps, vibrantly coloured pure silk threads, recycled jewellery and watch movements to create Butterflies and Bugs - the finished products incorporate origin, place and geography as beautifully displayed artwork, reminiscent of the heyday of the Victorian bug-hunter. Top Floor Art, 92 Main Street, Saintfield, BT24 7AB. +44 (0) 78 2857 0837 emma.atthebarn@btinternet.com www.facebook.com/topfloorart
A Medley of Traditional Crafts @ Welig Studios Near Portaferry
Event: Fri 3 Aug – Sun 5 Aug inclusive Open: 11am - 4pm daily. Free entry
A range of traditional skills will be demonstrated including basketmaking, rush seating, greenwood turning and rustic chair making. A visit to the new Welig Crafts studio will not disappoint, there is a little something for everyone if you have an interest in traditional crafts. Take in the demonstrations, visit the willow beds and hazel coppice to see the raw materials for basketry, chair making and bodging work, or just take a stroll around the smallholding. The Shed Studio, 63 Cloughey Road, Nunsbridge, Portaferry, BT22 1NH +44 (0) 28 4277 1542 / +44 (0) 77 3260 0907 info@weligcrafts.co.uk www.weligcrafts.co.uk
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Where to Buy The Space, Ards Craft & Design Centre Newtownards
Mon - Thurs 9:15am - 5pm, Fri & Sat 9:15am – 5pm. Closed: Sun
Established in 1995 by Ards Borough Council as a showcase for local crafts, Ards Crafts offers a rich array of crafts from creative ceramics and decorative pottery to stylish woodturning, textiles, jewellery, mixed media and glass. Ards Crafts also offers a wedding list and corporate gift service. 31 Regent Street, Newtownards, BT23 4AD +44 (0) 28 9182 6846 ards.crafts@ards-council.gov.uk www.ards-council.gov.uk www.ardscreates.com
Doghouse Gallery Comber
10am – 5pm Thurs, Fri & Sat until 1 Sept Closed: Sun, Mon, Tues & Wed
See and buy quality craft and applied art – the good stuff, handmade by real people who care about what they produce. 97 – 99 Mill Street, Comber, BT23 5EG +44 (0) 28 91 871 261 info@doghousegallery.co.uk www.doghousegallery.co.uk
Down Arts Centre
& PORTADOWN
AT A GLANCE
Made in Northern Ireland – Selected Makers Felt Making – Jacki Sleator The Art & Craft of a Luthier – George Lowden Lowden Guitar Exhibition Be a Guitar Hero Workshop Between Art & Industry – Roisin de Buitler, Neil Brownsword & Molloy and Sons
1 − 31 Aug 17 & 18 Aug 10 Aug 1 Aug – 31 Aug 11 Aug 4 – 29 Aug
WHERE TO BUY
FE McWilliam Gallery
Downpatrick
Mon – Sat 10am – 4:30pm. Closed: Sun
Based in the beautiful old Town Hall, Down Arts Centre sells quality craft including that by making it craft business in residence, Diane Lyness Jewellery. 2-6 Irish Street, Downpatrick, BT30 6BP +44 (0) 28 4461 0747 downartscentre@downdc.gov.uk www.downartscentre.com 35
Eamonn Higgins, a sculptor working mainly in steel, draws his inspiration from his Northern Irish heritage. The natural landscape is reflected in his use of animal forms while his figurative sculptures explore the social and historic complexities of contested rural communities.
Although his understanding of steel as a material has its roots in his training in traditional blacksmithing, he now uses contemporary tools and techniques to work the metal itself: deconstructing the steel by melting and burning it with plasma cutters and oxy acetylene guns; reforming it with welders and heat.
HIGGINS
For details of where to see Eamonn’s work go to page 6 www.eamonnhiggins.co.uk
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ST PATRICK’S TRIAN
The Art & Craft of a Luthier
Armagh City
Preview: Fri 10 Aug 7:30pm Fri 1 - Fri 31 Aug. Free entry
A centre for creative practices 40 English Street, Armagh, BT61 7BA Open: Mon – Sat 10am – 5pm Sun 2pm – 5pm +44 (0) 28 3752 1801 christine.donnelly@armagh.gov.uk www.armagh.co.uk
Made in Northern Ireland Summer Craft Exhibition
Wed 1 Aug – Fri 31 Aug. Free entry
Made in Northern Ireland summer craft exhibition brings together for the first time an exciting mix of craft designer makers based in Northern Ireland. The exhibition in the Rotunda Gallery at Saint Patrick’s Trian Centre for Creative Practices showcases a range of work including textile, lace, glass, stone work and iron sculptures which emphasize the hard and soft elements of craft materials which blend beautifully together.
Felt Making with Jacki Sleator
Event: Fri 17 & Sat 18 Aug, 10am – 4pm Entry: £40.00. Booking essential. Over 18’s only
A leisurely 2 day workshop building up skills as the course progresses. On Day 1 participants will learn to make a simple floral corsage, followed by a small purse with flap. On Day 2 work will commence on a clutch bag with flap (no handles), decorative features will be added. This workshop is suitable for beginners and people with felt making experience – tuition will be suitable for each individual’s experience. 38
Lowden Guitar Exhibition ‘To make Lowden Guitars you need a team of craftsmen with “talent for focus and an eye for detail” plus a passionate commitment to no compromise’ (George Lowden) The Lowden Guitar brand made in a small factory in Downpatrick, Co.Down has become a global name in the music world. This exhibition charts the history and making of Lowden Guitar models through the years with wonderful images and examples of the workmanship involved in creating these unique and beautiful instruments.
Between Art & Industry
Between Art & Industry
Portadown
Preview: Sat 4 Aug 3pm. Exhibition: Sat 4 Aug –Sat 29 Sept
Co-commissioned with National Craft Gallery, Kilkenny this thought provoking exhibition examines the decline of the traditional craft industries in the UK and Ireland. Featuring work by Roisin de Buitler, Neil Brownsword and Molloy and Sons the exhibition travels to MCAC in August in time for August Craft Month, the exhibition will be accompanied by a series of interesting talks and events as well as a beautiful publication. Millennium Court Arts Centre, William Street, Portadown, Co.Armagh, BT62 3NX. +44 (0) 28 3839 4415 Open: Mon - Sat, 10am - 5pm. Closed: Sun. Free Entry info@millenniumcourt.org, www.millenniumcourt.org
IMAGE REQUIRED
An Evening with George Lowden and opening of the Exhibition Fri 10 Aug, 7.30pm. Booking essential
George Lowden, founder, director and Luthier of the Famous guitar company will officially open the exhibition and give a talk on the history and craft behind the making of this wonderful instrument. If your lucky you might even get the chance to play one of these famous guitars and get a demonstration from the master craftsman himself.
‘Be a Guitar Hero’
Sat 11 Aug, 11am – 1pm, Child entry: £8.00 Suitable for age 9 - 12 years Booking essential
Design and craft your very own rock star guitar. Choose from a range of guitar shapes and sizes or even create a new design and embellish your guitar with rhinestones, studs and stickers and then string and tune your instrument. Children attending this workshop can be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Hands on workshop which requires lots of cutting out, painting and gluing.
Where to Buy FE McWilliam Gallery Banbridge
Opening Hours: Mon – Sat 10am – 5pm, Closed: Sun
Crafts at the F.E. McWilliam Gallery & Studio linked to the Tourist Information Centre, displays beautifully handcrafted products made by talented designers and makers of jewellery, ceramics, fashion accessories, interior products and gifts, all showcased in a truly unique setting. FE McWilliam Gallery, 200 Newry Road, Banbridge, BT32 3NB. +44 (0) 28 4062 3322 femcwilliam@banbridge.gov.uk www.femcwilliam.com 39
Ann McNulty’s ceramics practice encompasses the useful and the sculptural. Her tableware is simple in form, white-glazed, with abstract decoration. These are practical pieces, their stoneware surfaces robust and their disciplined forms inviting the simple physicality of daily use. Her adventurous sculptural forms, in contrast, are made using raku, a firing technique that allows a sense of play and during which the work, removed from a hot kiln, is allowed to cool in a closed container of smouldering woodshavings. They are statement pieces, their bright and lustrous glazes standing out against a matt-black surface, distinguished by strong geometric patterns
McNULTY
For details of where to see Ann’s work go to page 56 www.annmcnultypottery.com
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‘You Make My Monday’ Thatch Cottage in the Craft Village
Derry-Londonderry
Mon 6-27 Aug. Free entry
Come and take part in four inspiring craft workshops at the Craft Village Thatch Cottage, every Monday throughout August Craft Month. Make your Monday a creative one!
-LONDONDERRY
Thatch Cottage, The Craft Village, Shipquay Street, Derry, BT48 6AR +44 (0) 28 7136 5151 Derry City Council elaine.griffin@derrycity.gov.uk www.derrycity.gov.uk
& OMAGH
13 Aug
Origami - Naomi Fleury
20 Aug
Clay - Deirdre O’Callaghan
27 Aug
Spirit of the Celts – Loose Thread Quilters, Turning Point & Cwilt Cymru Family Art Day – Loose Thread Quilters
Mon 6 Aug, 1pm – 4pm. Free entry
Knitting for beginners, join experienced knitwear designer Michelle McCarroll (MICHI) to learn the basics from casting on, to casting off and tips to getting started on your own knitting project! Come along and get inspired this summer. Limited to 12 spaces To book a space or for further information email: michi@michi.ie
Embroidery
with Louise Kelly
Mon 13 Aug, 1pm – 4pm. Free entry
Discover the beauty of hand stitched embroidery and join Louise Kelly in creating some detailed work, using interesting fabrics and threads to create your very own embroidered picture. Limited to 12 places.
Origami
with Naomi Fleury
Mon 20 Aug, 1pm – 4pm. Free entry
Learn to fold some beautiful origami models using simple techniques demonstrated by Naomi Fleury (Japanese Papercraft). This relaxed session is open to all so drop in and try this wonderful traditional Japanese skill.
6 Aug
Embroidery - Louise Kelly
with Michelle McCarroll
To book a space or for further information email: louise.c.kelly1@gmail.com
AT A GLANCE
Knitting - Michelle McCarroll
Knitting
For further information info email: naomifleury@eircom.net
3 − 25 Aug 18 Aug
Clay
with Deirdre O’Callaghan Mon 27 Aug, 1pm – 4pm. Free entry
Michelle McCarroll, Knitted Dress
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A fun taster session to throwing on the wheel! Ever wanted to have a go at throwing and gets your hands a little dirty? Join experienced potter Deirdre O’Callaghan (DOC POT) in a drop in session and have a go at throwing some shapes and learn a new skill.
For further information email: info@docpot.com 43
Design Onion, a studio that creates furniture and other architectural features, recognises that commissioned work is built up in layers, generated by a conversation between designer and customer. Its founder, Ronan Lowery, specialises in one-off pieces. Aware that furniture can be an emotive topic, he talks to the client, incorporating their feelings into the design brief. But within this dialogue, the designer has a clear voice.
ONION Working in solid woods, plastics, metal and glass, his curvaceous pieces strike a balance between function and grace. Possibly inspired by his love of mathematics, everything is in its proper place.
www.designonion.net 44
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Best known for her large scale public artwork, Diane McCormick also makes smaller ceramic objects, sophisticated variations on familiar themes: the container, for example, or the wall-tile. The Byzantine elements within her work come from a fascination with the iridescent surfaces of lustre glazes, the visual depth of which is built up in layers and through repetitive firings.
McCORMICK
She is interested, too, in combining the discipline of printmaking with that of ceramics, often incorporating words and poetry within pieces inspired by the natural world: the intimate movements of beetles or the migration of swans.
For details of where to see Diane’s work go to page 56 www.dianemccormick.co.uk
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Strule Arts Centre Omagh
Strule Arts Centre, Townhall Square, Omagh, BT78 1BL +44 (0) 28 8224 7831 info@struleartscentre.co.uk www.struleartscentre.co.uk Open: Mon - Sat, 10am - 5pm. Closed: Sun
Spirit of the Celts
Loose Thread Quilters with Turning Point and Cwilt Cymru present Fri 3 Aug – Sat 25 Aug
Loose Threads (Northern Ireland), Turning Point (Scotland) and Cwilt Cymru (Wales) combined to make Spirit of the Celts following their success in The Festival of Quilts 2007 when they won 1st, 2nd and 3rd places respectively. The theme was chosen to embrace myth, legend and any other aspect of cultural history which might inspire the individual artist. Previously shown in Birmingham and Scotland and soon to travel to Wales, this is a unique opportunity to see the work of 26 artists demonstrate this craft form within a modern idiom.
& LIMAVADY
AT A GLANCE
Making Glass Beads for Jewellery – Catherine Keenan Feltmaking – Nicola Farrell Ceramics Masterclass – Adam Frew
Family Art Day Omagh
Sat 18 Aug, 11am – 3pm. Free entry
Watch quilt making in progress, with a variety of both hand and machine techniques on show and handling samples available for folks to get up close to. Loose Thread Quilters have been promoting the art of patchwork, appliqué and quilt making through the work of both traditional and contemporary fabric artists since 1996. The membership is drawn from across Northern Ireland and covers a wide range of abilities from beginners to tutors of the craft, but all are united by a common love of colour and fabric.
7 – 8 & 28 – 29 Aug 18 Aug 21 − 24 Aug
Jewellery from recycled plastic bags – Lesley Frew
11 Aug
Pate de Verre – Alison Lowry
25 Aug
Hand Made – Rachel Dickson, Andrea Hayes, Alison Lowry, Firebox Ceramics & Welig Crafts
3 Aug − 1 Sept
The Creative Peninsula – Selected Makers
3 Aug − 1 Sept
Basket Making – Welig Crafts
24 Aug
WHERE TO BUY
Flowerfield Arts Centre
www.loosethreadquiltersni.co.uk
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Four-day Ceramics Masterclass with Adam Frew
Tues 21 Aug – Fri 24 Aug 10am - 5pm daily Adult entry: £110 Booking essential. Over 18’s only
As part of his workshop, participants will make their own energetic pots on a wheel under Adam’s guidance. Numbers are restricted to 6 people so book early as demand is high. Bring a packed lunch.
flowerfield arts centre workshops Portstewart
Flowerfield Arts Centre, 185 Coleraine Road, Portstewart, BT55 7HU +44 (0) 28 7083 1400 info@flowerfield.org www.flowerfield.org Open: Mon - Fri, 9am - 5pm Sat 10am - 1pm Closed: Sun
Making Glass Beads for Jewellery with Catherine Keenan Portstewart
Fee: £85. Tues 7 Aug & Wed 8 Aug, 10 am – 4pm & Tues 28 Aug & Wed 29 Aug, 10am - 4pm Booking essential. Over 18’s only
Day 1: The basics: Turning the torch on, familiarisation with tools and workspace; Making a round bead; Pattern application and experimenting with form Day 2: Refining technique: Practising techniques from day one; Working towards a completed jewellery piece, ie. necklace, earrings, bracelet. Students should bring lunch, something to tie your hair back with if your hair is long - and a bottle of water.
Feltmaking
make a felt bowl with Nicola Farrell Event: Sat 18 Aug, 11am - 4pm Adult entry: £35 Booking essential. Over 16’s only
Learn how to create a three dimensional bowl from wool in this practical workshop. Suitable for beginners and those with some feltmaking experience. Participants will make a three-dimensional felt bowl using the 'enclosed resist' technique. This involves building up layers of wool on both sides of a flat plastic 'resist'or template. They will then practise manipulating the form into shape by hand. 50
Jewellery made from recycled plastic bags! with Lesley Frew
Sat 11 Aug, 11am – 4pm Adult entry: £35 Booking essential. Over 16’s only
An exciting workshop, creating amazing jewellery with Lesley Frew. The process for making beads is cutting the plastic into strips and wrapping it round a skewer, pinning it into place and then using a heat gun to seal the plastic together. When beads are strung into a bracelet or necklace, then a hand stitched flower is added using the technique of heat fusing (using an iron) to the piece.
Pate de Verre one day workshop with Alison Lowry Portstewart
Sat 25 Aug, 11am – 4pm Adult entry: £45 Booking essential. Over 18’s only
In this exciting workshop, crushed glass is combined with glue and pressed into moulds to form thin walled glass vessels. In this fun, hands-on class, participants will produce their own unique 3D vessel or form from scratch. The design, mould making and glass packing will all be covered on the day with demonstrations and individual instruction. No previous experience is necessary, just a willing and enthusiastic attitude! 51
Catherine Keenan’s sculptures deal with positive emotion. Their forms are both abstract and comfortingly human in shape; their colours are happy and bright. They are domestic in scale and invite the hand as well as the eye.
keenan And yet the apparent simplicity of the work, in all its fairground jollity, belies the sophistication with which it is made. The colour is layered within the blown glass forms and then lathe-cut to form lenses so that the viewer looks at the glass, but also through it.
For details of where to see Catherine’s work go to pages 6, 16 and 50 www.catherinekeenanglass.com 52
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The Roe Valley Arts & Cultural Centre, Limavady
24 Main Street Limavady, BT49 0FJ +44 (0) 28 7776 0650 information@rvacc.co.uk www.roevalleyarts.com Open: Mon-Fri, 9.30am - 5pm, Sat 10am - 2pm. Closed: Sun
The Creative Peninsula
Preview: Thurs 2 Aug, 7pm - 8.30pm Exhibition: Fri 3 Aug – Sat 1 Sept. Free entry
Creative Peninsula is Northern Ireland’s premier art and craft Open Studio event. Facilitated by Ards Borough Council the event is a collaboration between Ards Tourism, Ards Crafts and Ards Arts. RVACC invites you to share in the celebration of creativity with this stunning exhibition of select arts and craft produced in the Ards Peninsula, something for the Limavady Borough to now aspire to!
Hand Made
Preview: Thurs 2 Aug, 7pm - 8.30pm Exhibition: Fri 3 Aug – Sat 1 Sept. Free entry
This stunning crafts exhibition features the work of five contemporary makers, spanning ceramics, glass, textiles and wood. Invited artists are Rachel Dickson, Andrea Hayes, Alison Lowry, Firebox Ceramics, and Welig Crafts.
Basketmaking
with Welig Crafts
Fri 24 Aug, 10am - 5pm. Adult entry: £45 Booking essential. Over 17’s only
Complementing our Hand Made Exhibition, this one day course is a great beginning if you are interested in learning the ancient art of basketmaking. Clive Lyttle from Welig Crafts will guide you through the tools, materials and construction of a frame basket. Commonly found throughout Northern Europe in one form or another, using a pre-formed willow hoop, you will learn to insert the ribs and weave, producing a finished beautiful basket for you to take home. All materials and tools are provided. Places limited to 8
The Sustainable Craft Award In 2012, Bell Architects and Craft Northern Ireland developed the Sustainable Craft Award to recognise makers and designers at an early stage in their careers whose work demonstrates a commitment to a better future for all – whether environmentally, ethically, socially or culturally. The inaugural Sustainable Craft Award was presented at the University of Ulster’s graduate prize-giving ceremony in June. The award was won by UU textile graduate Lauren Scott whose unique animal series is constructed from recycled finds.
WHERE TO BUY Flowerfield Arts Centre
Opening Hours: Mon – Fri 9am – 5pm, Sat 12pm – 4pm. Closed: Sun
Possibly the oldest arts centre in Northern Ireland, Flowerfield Arts Centre is certainly one of the most innovative and exciting. Embracing the rich northern craft tradition the retail outlet offers work by talented makers. Glass, ceramics, textiles or jewellery, Flowerfield sell original pieces for the discerning customer. Visitors are welcome to browse and visit the galleries and makers studios. 185 Coleraine Road, Portstewart, BT55 7HU , +44 (0)28 7083 1400 info@flowerfield.org, www.flowerfield.org 54
Lauren Scott, Forget me not
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BBC Craft Traditions BBC Northern Ireland will screen Craft Traditions, a series of four programmes first broadcast in 2006, celebrating the passion and skill of local craftsmen and women who are dedicated to making hand-made objects in a world dominated by mass production. The series covers clay, iron, stone and wood. Look out for ceramicists Ann McNulty, Diane McCormick, Peter Meanley and Eleanor Wheeler.
BBC2 ~ 7pm Thurs 2nd Aug Thurs 9th Aug Thurs 16th Aug Thurs 23rd Aug
Craft Map Visit Craft NI’s online map of featured craft makers and artists, studio workshops and craft outlets in Northern Ireland. The map will help you explore contemporary craft across Northern Ireland – SEE IT, MAKE IT, BUY IT. For more information visit www.craftni.org
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With thanks
www.craftni.org
Official online media partner Design by imagezoo-design.eu Portraits by Adam Frew Disclaimer: All information in this guide has been provided by the individual promoters and Craft NI has made best endeavours to ensure its accuracy. Responsibility for all aspects of the events listed lies with the individual promoter. Events are free unless otherwise stated. Each entry has full details online at www.craftni.org Craft NI advises that the details of individual events should be verified in advance of visits by contacting the promoter.