WHAT’S ON
APRIL – OCTOBER 2020
Museum Tour Every Tuesday + Thursday 11am
Museum entry fees apply, no booking required
Discover the fascinating stories about the craftspeople featured in our permanent displays. Director’s Tour Friday 15 May + Friday 2 October 11am Free, with museum entrance Please reserve your place online
Join museum Director Steph Fuller for an exclusive tour of current exhibition tillage. Steph will guide guests through the show and talk about the collaboration with artist John Newling and how the commissions were developed. BSL Tour Saturday 19 September 11am Free, with museum entrance Please reserve your place online
Our British Sign Language tours offer insight into both the museum’s permanent collection and temporary exhibitions. Village Walk Pre-book – by request only
£12 including entrance fee to museum and a tea or coffee
Join one of our knowledgeable guides on a tour around the village of Ditchling. Experience the legacy of the artistic community and the landscapes that inspired their work. Contact enquiries @ditchlingmuseumartcraft.org.uk
Ditchling Village Wildlife Walk Tuesday 7 July 2pm – 4pm Meeting Point: Outside front of museum £10 inc. museum entrance
Michael Blencowe from Sussex Wildlife Trust will lead a summer walk in and around Ditchling village, looking out for the wildlife that lives here. If we’re lucky you may see the elusive Purple Emperor butterfly in the treetops, so bring your binoculars! Walk length is approx. 5km, mostly flat. In Their Footsteps app Free download
Download In Their Footsteps, supported by the South Downs National Park from the App Store or Google Play and go on a self-guided tour around the village. Group Visits We offer reduced entry for group bookings between 10 – 30 people and offer discounted rates for our tours and village walk. Email groupbookings @ ditchlingmuseumartcraft.org.uk to find out more. Collection Store Access to our Collection Store for research can be arranged by appointment only, a small charge may apply. Contact enquiries @ditchlingmuseumartcraft.org.uk
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE COLLECTION + VILLAGE
1
Cover image: Soil Book by John Newling. This page: Pressed Leaves from Nymans: A Language from the Garden by John Newling. Illustration by Molly Fuller Abbott.
Hello and welcome to our Environmental Summer programme!
This is a very special summer for us, with the showing of artist John Newling’s exhibition tillage which includes work made with leaves and soil from Ditchling itself, alongside other work exploring his interests in ecology and nature. Special events include a live performance of Newling’s Dear Nature letters in this year’s Brighton Festival, and a gala screening of the Dear Nature film at Depot cinema in Lewes. There will be objects created using natural materials by furniture maker and craftsman extraordinaire Sebastian Cox, and a display of work using natural dyeing techniques in August. Talks and events range from seasonal making to ethical textiles, exploring the climate issues facing all of us in many different ways. This links in with work we’re doing behind the scenes at the museum to improve our own environmental footprint. We’re delighted to be working with partners including the South Downs National Park and the Sussex Wildlife Trust bringing nature and culture together in new and surprising ways. Today’s climate concerns echo the first artists and craftspeople who came to Ditchling with the desire to live simply and sustainably in the rural environment. We’re part of that ongoing conversation – come along and find out more! Steph Fuller Director, Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft 2
PERMANENT COLLECTION
The picturesque South Downs village of Ditchling has lured many creatives over the years; perhaps the most notable were the group of internationally renowned artists and craftspeople who lived in the village at the turn of the 20th-century, whose work and lives are celebrated in Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft. The museum holds many of their works, forming an internationally important collection and offering visitors the rare opportunity to see these special objects and works of art and craft in the village where they were created. 100 years ago in 1920 Eric Gill and Hilary Pepler founded the Guild of St Joseph and St Dominic in Ditchling and many other artists and craftspeople followed to learn and be inspired by the approach they championed. The result was an incredible body of skilfully crafted work: Gill’s sculpture, wood engraving and lettercutting; David Jones’ paintings; Hilary Pepler’s printing and mimes; Dunstan Pruden’s silverwork; Joseph Cribb’s lettercutting and stonecarving; Valentine KilBride’s weaving and Desmond Chute’s carving. Beyond the Guild in the village were Edward Johnston’s calligraphy and typefaces, Ethel Mairet’s weaving and natural dyeing and Frank Brangwyn’s and Louis Ginnett’s paintings.
3
‘ONE OF BRITAIN’S BEST SMALL MUSEUMS’ SUNDAY TIMES
The Bear by David Jones.
Shoots II by Tadek Beutlich.
Way Out Sign by Edward Johnston. Omnia per ipsum et sine ipso nihil by Eric Gill, 1913. Photograph by Sara Morris.
Our permanent collection showcases the core crafts for which the village became internationally significant; direct carving; calligraphy, typography and lettercutting; weaving and natural dyeing; letterpress and wood engraving, and silversmithing, celebrating Ditchling’s unrivalled importance in the history of the Arts and Crafts movement. 4
tillage: A new exhibition by John Newling
Ecologies of Value by John Newling.
25 April – 18 October 2020
5
Human Nature Tables by John Newling.
John Newling (b. 1952, Birmingham, UK) is a pioneer of public art with a social purpose. He is known for site-specific work that explores the relationship between nature and culture and the transformative power of incorporating nature into everyday life. This major exhibition features many of his acclaimed works spanning the past 40 years of his career alongside a specially commissioned, site-specific sculpture and new works inspired by society’s need to evolve in the face of the climate emergency. Newling worked with local allotment holders and gardeners and was influenced by the history of Ditchling and the village’s craftspeople. Locally collected leaves gilded in copper, and soil made into books will form part of the exhibition. Eventually they will be returned to the local community, drawing conversations on ecological issues from garden to gallery and back again. The artist often works with gold and copper to gild natural materials in his work, transforming nature’s ephemera into a kind of currency that explores notions of time, money and value.
Newling also presents a new sculptural installation that sits seamlessly amongst the village green’s natural habitat, in a beech tree adjacent to the museum. A Letter to the Soil is a large steel text that reads ‘…so sorry…’, offering a direct apology to nature. In addition to these new commissions, Newling’s studies of the natural world and the social and economic systems of society will be displayed alongside work from Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft’s permanent collection. #tillage
tillage talk with John Newling See page 18 for more details
6
Dear Nature pressed plant by John Newling.
DEAR NATURE
Dear Nature began life as a book. 81 letters written over 81 days. Newling’s memos are personal and intimate, whilst exemplifying his strong environmental proposition. This year, the book has been developed into a film and a live performance.
DEAR NATURE
Friday 8 May 8.30pm All Saints Church, Hove £18 (purchase through Brighton Festival) World premiere of a Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft and Brighton Festival co-commission In this thought-provoking performance, composers Sally Beamish and Lisa Heute have linked a selection of John Newling’s letters to nature using a series of pieces for solo cello, the increasing length and complexity of which reflect the growth and flourishing of a seed.
DEAR NATURE: GALA FILM SCREENING AND Q+A with John Newling + filmmaker Reece Straw
Thursday 18 June 6pm Depot Cinema, Lewes £8/£6 concessions (purchase through Depot)
You can purchase the book ‘Dear Nature’ in our shop or on our online store 7
Newling worked with a wide range of participants to record each of the 81 stories in Dear Nature. The sound is married with gentle, understated footage capturing the seasons of the year. Join us for this special gala screening followed by a Q+A with John Newling and filmmaker Reece Straw.
MATERIAL FROM WILDER LAND: An exhibition by Sebastian Cox
Photography by Alun Callender.
25 April – 18 October 2020
‘I don’t think we will have truly reached modernity until we satisfy our needs from our own area of the earth and our own period of time.’
Sebastian Cox, furniture maker, designer and environmentalist believes it is our duty to go above and beyond sustainability to design and make objects in an additive, regenerative manner. Inspired by his recently completed manifesto, Modern Life from Wilder Land, this display showcases new prototypes from the Sebastian Cox workshop that actively rebuild our ecological systems to benefit biodiversity and ultimately the planet as a whole. See new and experimental work in clay, leather, hemp, mycelium and wheat.
8
WORKSHOPS FOR ADULTS Booking is essential. Book online with no booking fees at ditchlingmuseumartcraft.org.uk or call us on 01273 844744
SPRINGTIME CORDAGE + STRING MAKING with Julie Rignell Saturday 2 May 10.30am – 4pm £60 inc. materials, lunch + entrance to the museum after your session
CLAY TILES + KILN GODS with Martin Brockman + Adele Scantlebury Saturday 6 June 10.30am – 4pm £75 inc. materials, lunch + entrance to the museum after your session
Using locally dug clays we’ll start with making and decorating small pots and beads. These can go straight into a mobile kiln which Martin will be firing throughout the day. We will be using traditional skills to make and decorate terracotta tiles – whether a simple image on a single tile or a pattern that links across more than one tile. Learn and find out inspiration in the Sussex landscape. Suitable for adults and accompanying children aged 12+. 9
SUMMER SOLSTICE FLOWER WEAVING with Julie Rignell Saturday 20 June 10.30am – 4pm £60 inc. materials, lunch + entrance to the museum after your session
Using the basketry technique of twining you will learn how to make a beautiful woven sunflower from familiar plants growing in the summer border. Vibrant coloured raffia and paper twine will be available to recreate the colours of this showstopper flower. If you have previous twining experience you can make a sculptural lily from lily leaves and coloured raffia instead. Suitable for all.
Nature Writing with Suzanne Joinson.
Learn to make fabulous coloured and textured cordage from spring bulb foliage, including daffodils, harvested locally. An ancient way of processing plant fibre; we will cover how to dry and prepare fibres as well as learning two cordage making techniques. In the afternoon you can begin to explore how cordage can be used in basketry and other craft disciplines. Making your own string is very rewarding and can be addictive, so be warned!
NATURE WRITING: FINDING STORIES IN THE WILDS OF DITCHLING with Suzanne Joinson Saturday 27 June 10.30am – 4pm £60 inc. materials, lunch + entrance to the museum after your session
Blockheads by Jo Sweeting.
In response to John Newling’s exhibition, this creative writing workshop is inspired by local nature and explores the connections between writing, storytelling and the natural world. You don’t need to be a wildlife expert, nor do you need to have written seriously before. All you need is enthusiasm for the natural world and a willingness to explore a range of ways to bring the wilds of Ditchling alive on the page. Bring a pen, notebook and some walking boots. Workshop includes an introduction to nature writing, a short walk, writing exercises and the opportunity to share and feedback. WILD WOODCUT WORDS with Jo Sweeting,Tanya Shadrick + Louisa Thomsen Brits Saturday 11 July 10.30am – 4pm £60 inc. materials, lunch + entrance to the museum after your session
This workshop will celebrate language and landscape. It offers a chance to rekindle and work with words that evoke memorable places. Bring names and phrases you wish to share and shape with Tanya and Louisa. Jo will work to help you make a woodcut print to take home. We will also create a scroll on Japanese paper recording the group’s words to become part of the Wordhoard Project collection. No experience is necessary.
10
Booking is essential. Book online with no booking fees at ditchlingmuseumartcraft.org.uk or call us on 01273 844744
11
Papermaking by Jane Ponsford. Photograph by Michael Bodiam.
WORKSHOPS FOR ADULTS
In this workshop we will draw inspiration from the Chinese proverb ‘A book is a garden carried in the pocket’ to create a book we can use for collecting, sketching or note taking. The books will reflect the textures and colours of a summer garden. The journal will be roughly A5 and will be bound organically, without the need for synthetic glue. We will use a new material, ‘vegan leather’ to make soft and durable covers. Suitable for beginners or those with some experience. EARTHFAST: PAPERMAKING INSPIRED BY PLACE with Jane Ponsford Saturday 12 September 10.30am – 4pm £60 inc. materials, lunch + entrance to the museum after your session
Explore the local landscape through papermaking using plant material and other pulps, chalk, clay and locally found pigments. In this workshop you will learn how to make paper, experiment with texture and colour to make beautiful sheets of paper, artworks in their own right which can be bound into simple book forms. Take home new skills, handmade paper and a useful handout to help you continue papermaking.
Jewellery by Sam Reece.
GARDEN BOOK MAKING with Helen Gibbs Saturday 18 July 10:30am – 4pm £70 inc. materials, lunch + entrance to the museum after your session
BOTANICAL SILVER CLAY JEWELLERY with Sam Reece Saturday 26 September 10:30am – 4pm £60 inc. materials, lunch + entrance to the museum after your session
A chance to create a unique jewellery piece inspired by nature. Participants will begin their day taking a walk around the local area to forage for natural inspiration to work and design with. Back in the workshop you will learn how to make silicon moulds of your finds and cast them using silver clay to make truly beautiful, intricate pendants or earrings. HARVEST FESTIVAL COILED BASKET MAKING with Julie Rignell Saturday 3 – Sunday 4 October 10.30am – 4pm both days
£120 inc. materials, lunch + entrance to the museum
In this two day workshop you will learn how to make a robust functional basket from summer mown hay, bramble and other natural materials, all grown and harvested locally. Coiled basketry is a slow, meditative stitch-based basketry technique. Low tech, versatile and transferable to a wide range of plant materials, the technique is easy to master. This workshop may not be suitable for grass allergy and hay fever sufferers due to materials used. 12
EVENTS FOR CHILDREN + FAMILIES Booking is essential. Book online with no booking fees at ditchlingmuseumartcraft.org.uk or call us on 01273 844744
There is plenty to do for families at Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft. The museum’s new family trails offer a fantastic entry point into the collection for children, from toddlers to 12+ and our programme of workshops and events caters for all ages and reflects our exhibitions collection. The Cart Lodge shop + café is child (and dog!) friendly, with buggy parking, high chair access and changing facilities. The café provides tempting treats, and the shop sells fun, creative and reasonably-priced goodies. The museum is situated in the picturesque village of Ditchling at the heart of the South Downs National Park, and a gentle walk up to the top of Lodge Hill (past the duck pond) rewards visitors with spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. Various walk trails are available at the front desk.
13
Families: 2 – 5 years LITTLE MUSEUM VISITORS Fridays: 15 May, 12 June, 10 July, 11 September, 9 October 10.30am – 12pm
£6 per child or £10 for two children (accompanying adult free) Drop-in
Fun, hands-on creative sessions for the mini-visitor and parent/carer; packed full of sticking, drawing, storytelling and object discovery. Each workshop has a different theme and is run by early years’ specialists. 7+ years FORAGING FOR NATURAL PAINTS with Kirsty Lumm Wednesday 27 May 11am – 3pm £30 inc. materials (please bring a packed lunch)
Forage around Ditchling Village and the South Downs to make your own paints! There is an abundance of colour available in petals, berries and muds, and during the workshop you will have the delight of exploring these materials in an expressive way, using textures and different marks to play with the materials. The workshop will be split between foraging, mixing paints and creating your masterpiece. Families: 7 – 11 years STORY SOUNDSCAPES with Kevin Grist from SparkedEcho Thursday 30 July 11am – 1pm £20 inc. materials
Create a fun story soundscape using the museum’s collection as inspiration. You will use iPads to record voiceovers, compose backing music and add sound effects. Parents/carers welcome.
MUSEUM ENTRY IS FREE FOR UNDER 18s 7+ years DEAR NATURE CREATIVE WRITING with Suzanne Joinson Thursday 13 August 11am – 3pm £30 inc. materials (please bring a packed lunch) 11 – 16 years SURROUND SOUND EXPERIENCE with Kevin Grist from SparkedEcho Thursday 30 July 2pm – 4pm £20 inc. materials
Create an immersive surround sound experience using field recordings from outdoors, samples and synths. Try out iPads, sequencing software and microphones. 7+ years STICK LABORATORY with Simon Page Thursday 6 August 11am – 3pm £30 inc. materials (please bring a packed lunch)
Have a go at making your own 3D sculpture! We enter the ‘Stick Laboratory’ to explore ways of arranging simple sticks to create weird, wacky and wonderful structures. Experiment with making sculptures as we make and remake different structures before creating a final version to build and take home with you. This workshop gives an insight into the underlying pattern inspired processes, and rapid maquette building technique that Simon uses to design his full scale outdoor contemporary sculptures.
A fun creative writing workshop for children in response to John Newling’s exhibition. Imagine if the birds could talk to us? Or the trees had voices? Or the worms in the soil could tell us their stories? What if we could write a letter to nature and explore how we feel about our connection with the planet we live on? A creative writing workshop that will get your hands dirty in the soil and give you lots of ideas. It will involve leaves, sticks and feathers. All you need are some den-building skills and a willingness to explore how to bring writing alive on the page. Bring a pen, a special notebook and wellies. 7+ years MONOPRINTING, INSPIRED BY NATURE with Claire Burns Thursday 27 August 11am – 3pm £30 inc. materials (please bring a packed lunch)
Explore the shapes and patterns in nature, sketching what you can see in the museum garden. What else can you see when you look closely, maybe leaves shaped like letters of the alphabet or tree bark with faces in the texture. Then experiment with mono printing techniques, and create artwork inspired by your nature drawings. 14
DEMONSTRATIONS + DROP-IN EVENTS
MUSEUM DYE GARDEN TOURS Thursday 30 April 2.30pm Thursday 21 May 2.30pm Sunday 24 May 11.30am + 2.30pm Sunday 28 June 11.30am + 2.30pm Thursday 23 July 2.30pm Sunday 26 July 11.30am + 2.30pm Thursday 20 August 2.30pm Saturday 22 August 11.30am + 2.30pm Thursday 24 September 11.30am + 2.30pm Saturday 17 October 11.30am + 2.30pm Free, with museum entrance
The museum’s dye garden is a unique place where we grow plants that can be harvested for natural dyeing. Join this tour by Head Gardener Liz Pope and find out more about the garden and the process of natural dyeing. Feeling inspired? Pick up your own seeds in our shop and give it a go yourself! GROW YOUR OWN WALKING STICK CABBAGE Sunday 10 May 11am – 4pm (or until we run out of seeds!)
CRAFTERNOON Wednesdays: 13 May, 10 June, 8 July, 12 August, 9 September, 14 October 2pm – 4pm Free
A friendly, informal once a month get together for adults. Bring your knitting, cross-stitch or whatever you might be crafting and enjoy working in an inspiring environment with friendly folk. Enjoy free tea and biscuits! LEARN TO WEAVE + SPIN with University of Brighton Textiles Students Sunday 31 May 11am – 4pm Free, with museum entrance
Try using a drop spindle or weaving using a small hand loom and take away a handmade memento from your trip. Students from the University of Brighton will guide you through the process. Stay for 10 minutes or a few hours. DITCHLING DYERS DROP IN Sunday 14 June 11am – 3pm Free, with museum entrance.
Drop in to see the Ditchling Dyers at work creating a beautiful range of colours using roots, leaves and flowers. If you are inspired there will be an opportunity to try working with natural dyes yourself and some simple craft activities suitable for both adults and children. There will be a small materials cost for some activities.
Free, with museum entrance
In John Newling’s 2011 installation Value; Coin, Note and Eclipse the artist grew more than 80 pots of Jersey Kale (Brassica Oleracea) in his Nottingham garden. The fascinating plants grow a very tall, sturdy stem (up to 10 feet high!) and are topped by a fluff of cabbage/kale leaves. Historically grown in Jersey, the fully grown stem can be dried, varnished and used as a walking stick. In this drop-in you will learn how to pot and grow your own Jersey Kale. 15
FREE MUSEUM ENTRY DITCHLING FAIR Saturday 20 June
The museum is open for free to coincide with the 708th anniversary of the Ditchling Fair! Come along and join in the fun on the Village Green.
COLOUR JOURNEYS 2 EXHIBITION Saturday 29 August – Sunday 6 September Included in your museum admission
An exhibition by artists and makers who participated in the museum’s 2019 Natural Dye course. The course was led by Jenny Dean, one of the country’s foremost natural dye practitioners. Pop along to see samples of the artists’ work and find out more about the process of natural dyeing. NATURAL DYEING DEMONSTRATIONS + WORKSHOPS Saturday 29 August + Saturday 5 September 11am – 4pm Free, with museum entrance
Join artists and makers exhibiting in Colour Journeys 2 for a lively day of workshops and demonstrations including weaving, paper activities and indigo dyeing. Papermaking, bookbinding, brush making, and spinning will also take place. Some activities include a small fee for materials.
HERITAGE OPEN DAY Sunday 20 September 11am – 4pm
Join us as we open the museum for free in celebration of Heritage Open Day and our 7th birthday since reopening!
FREE MUSEUM ENTRY
CLOTHES SWAP Sunday 27 September 11am – 4pm Free, with museum entrance
In the spirit of making changes to live sustainably we are hosting our first Clothes Swap! Donate the clothes you have fallen out of love with and find something new to take home. APPLE DAY Sunday 4 October 11am – 4pm Free, with museum entrance
Join the festivities at Ditchling Apple Day! Have a go at printing and make your own fruity prints to take away with you. There will be plenty of apple-related events to participate in and food to try on this fun-packed day in Ditchling’s calendar.
16
TALKS + EVENTS Booking is essential. Book online with no booking fees at ditchlingmuseumartcraft.org.uk or call us on 01273 844744
DEAR NATURE Friday 8 May 8.30pm
All Saints Church, Hove
£18 (purchase through Brighton Festival) World premiere of a Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft and Brighton Festival co-commission
In this thought-provoking performance, composers Sally Beamish and Lisa Heute have linked a selection of John Newling’s letters to nature using a series of pieces for solo cello, the increasing length and complexity of which reflect the growth and flourishing of a seed. The letters will be read by representatives from the local community — schoolchildren, a woodsman, a climate activist, a carpenter — as an appeal for a new state of mind for the future, rooted in hope, balance and respect.
RE-WILDING THE WORDHOARD AND THE FOUNDLE PROJECT – THREE WOMEN AND A CHALKSTONE Jo Sweeting, Louisa Thomsen Brits + Tanya Shadrick in conversation with Steph Fuller Friday 10 July Drinks from 7pm, begins at 7.30pm
£12 inc. entrance to the museum + a glass of wine
Join us for an evening of lively discussion with letter carver, Jo Sweeting and writers Louisa Thomsen Brits and Tanya Shadrick – an exploration of landscape and language and an introduction to their Re-Wilding the Wordhoard project. The first stage of Re-Wilding the Wordhoard – The Foundle Project – took place on the Sussex Downs where the three women coaxed words from a chalk boulder using local dialect and the language of the landscape. There will be carving on show, extracts read from writers and poets who have contributed to the project as well as images and narrative from public encounters and discussion.
DEAR NATURE: FILM SCREENING AND Q+A with John Newling + filmmaker Reece Straw Thursday 18 June 6pm Depot Cinema, Lewes
£8/£6 concessions (purchase through Depot)
17
The Foundle Project.
Newling worked with a wide range of participants to record each of the 81 stories in Dear Nature. The audio is married with gentle, understated footage capturing the seasons of the year. Join this special gala screening followed by a Q+A with John Newling and filmmaker Reece Straw.
Fibreshed.
tillage TALK with John Newling Friday 18 September
Drinks from 7pm, talk starts 7.30pm
£12 inc. entrance to the museum + a glass of wine
Using many examples from his most recent book (published in April 2020) that reviews his ecological works from 1999 to the present-day, John Newling will map a series of questions and thoughts that outline his interest in place, us and other species. At the heart of this talk will be a set of possibilities that help us better connect to our environment and ourselves; a landscape of wellbeing. FIBRESHED: SOIL TO SOIL TEXTILES, REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE AND COMMUNITY with Deborah Barker + Gala Bailey Barker Friday 25 September Drinks from 7pm, talk starts 7.30pm
John Newling.
£12 inc. entrance to the museum + a glass of wine
Farmer, Gala Bailey Barker and Director of Field + Folk, Deborah Barker explore how a fibreshed can help us create a sustainable fashion and textile ecosystem for the 21st-century. Gala and Deborah are co-founders of The Southeast England Fibreshed, an innovative and growing movement based in California that envisions the emergence of an international system of regional textile communities that enliven connection and ownership of ‘soil-to-soil’ textile processes. 18
CART LODGE SHOP + CAFÉ FREE ENTRY
Our fabulous shop + café are nestled in the restored 18th-century Cart Lodge. Browse our bespoke items, beautiful books, prints, cards, jewellery, ceramics and gifts and discover contemporary artists and craftspeople. We are currently stocking books by John Newling, alongside home and gift items inspired by the exhibition, as well as items from our recent collaboration with Cambridge Imprint. Join us for special teas and coffees, and a slice of delicious locally made cake or quiche. Entrance to the Cart Lodge is free. If you’re out in the Downs and need a pit stop, or are meeting up with friends and family, or walking the dog (we’re dog friendly!), the Cart Lodge café is the perfect place to stop and rest. All your purchases support the work of the museum.
Hardback Notebook by Cambridge Imprint for Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft £12.95
You can now browse a wide selection of our products online Ten Patterned Envelopes by Cambridge Imprint for Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft £7 19
Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft is an independent charity that does not receive any regular government or local authority funding, so we depend heavily on the generosity of our friends, patrons and supporters in order to continue our programme of exhibitions and events. Friends Join the Friends of Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft and enjoy free access to the museum. Friends receive free admission, 10% discount in the shop + café and invitations to museum private views. For details, pick up a leaflet or email friends@ditchlingmuseumartcraft.org.uk For those looking to get closer to our collection, our patron scheme, the Bourne Circle, offers the perfect opportunity to show your support. From just £500 a year for an individual
SUPPORT US
or £950 for a joint membership, you can enjoy complimentary tickets, invitations to exclusive events and much more. We welcome donations to support the museum’s essential running costs, conservation of our collection, acquisitions and exhibitions. For more information, visit our website, pick up a Support Us leaflet from the museum, or contact development@ditchlingmuseumartcraft.org.uk
VOLUNTEER Volunteers keep our award-winning museum running. We are always looking for enthusiastic and committed individuals to get involved. You may be looking for ways to gain experience in a cultural organisation, or perhaps you would just like to share your own skills and experience. If you are interested in joining our friendly team please complete the application form on our website ditchlingmuseumartcraft.org.uk
20
VENUE HIRE
Nestled right in the South Downs our award-winning museum has a variety of areas available to hire, from a light and airy workshop to our rustic Cart Lodge shop + cafĂŠ, or even the galleries themselves. We are available for parties, weddings, wakes or christenings, as well as business away days and meetings. Our rates are affordable, and we can help arrange local catering as well as providing an idyllic location for your special event. Whether you want to celebrate a special occasion or host a reception in an unusual, award-winning space, Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft is your ideal choice. Within easy reach of central London and Brighton, nestled at the foot of the South Downs in a picturesque village, this hidden gem of a museum makes the perfect venue for bespoke celebrations for up to 100 guests.
21
COMING SOON
SHOJI HAMADA: A Japanese Potter in Ditchling 24 October 2020 – 18 April 2021
100 years ago, Japanese master potter Shoji Hamada and his great friend and collaborator Bernard Leach visited the village of Ditchling. They had set up a pottery together in St Ives, Cornwall with a traditional Japanese climbing kiln, the first to be built in Europe, and were both involved in the foundation of the Mingei folk-art movement in Japan. Their trip to Ditchling, where they visited the Guild of St Joseph and St Dominic and Ethel Mairet, had a profound effect on Hamada, who felt this was a new way of
combining life and craft in a seamless whole. When he returned to Japan he decided to leave Tokyo and look for a similar rural location to base himself, leading eventually to his move to the small town of Mashiko from where he went on to be a significant influence on the development of the studio pottery movement of the 20th-century. This exhibition explores the influences and connections between Ditchling and Japan through the work of Hamada, Mairet, Frank Brangwyn and more. 22
VISIT DITCHLING The Bull A 16th century inn, featuring beautiful contemporary bedrooms, chefs sourcing fresh ingredients from the kitchen garden and beer from their own brewery. Voted the best pub in Britain and only a two minute walk away from the museum. 2 High Street Ditchling BN6 8TA 01273 843147 thebullditchling.com
The Green Welly In the heart of the village the Green Welly is the ideal place to stop and enjoy a good coffee, tasty breakfast, healthy lunch or afternoon tea and home baked cakes. Cyclists, dogs and walking boots welcome. Reservations possible. 1 High Street Ditchling, BN6 8SY 01273 841010 thegreenwellycafe.co.uk
Jane Hopkinson Bags We offer an extensive range of handmade leather bags. Come and see where the bags are made, smell the leather as you walk through the door. Open
Tuesday – Friday 10am – 5pm Sat by appointment only 2 Turner Dumbrell Workshops Dumbrells Court Road Ditchling BN6 8GT 01273 844336 janehopkinsonbags.co.uk
23
VISIT DITCHLING The Jointure Studios B&B A private apartment for two overlooking the secluded garden of our historic village home, formerly Sir Frank Brangwyn’s workshops – comfortable and stylish with breakfast brought to your door!
11 South Street Ditching BN6 8UQ 01273 841244 jointurestudiosbandb.co.uk
The Nutmeg Tree Recently refurbished Tearoom set in the heart of Ditchling. Morning coffee, all day breakfast, lunches, afternoon tea and cakes. Dogs welcome, courtyard garden, cycle park. Open Mon – Fri, 8.30am – 4.30pm Sat & Sun, 8.30am – 5pm
6 West Street Ditchling BN6 8TS 01273 842708
Pruden and Smith Goldsmiths, Jewellers See craft in action in the village today, take a tour of the jewellery workshops and gallery located on Ditchling Crossroads. Unusual contemporary designs in gold, platinum, diamonds and gemstones. The Crossroads, 2 South Street Ditchling BN6 8UQ 01273 846338 prudenandsmith.com
24
VISIT DITCHLING Ridgeview Wine Estate World Class sparkling wine, crafted with passion and dedication. “Winemaker of the Year” winners in the International Wine & Spirit Competition. Ridgeview is open daily 10am – 4pm (tours by appointment). Fragbarrow Lane Ditchling Common BN6 8TP 01444 242040 ridgeview.co.uk
The White Horse Situated in the beautifully picturesque and historical village of Ditchling and across from Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft, The White Horse offers a wonderful place to eat, sleep and drink whilst overlooking the beautiful South Downs. 16 West Street Ditchling BN6 8TS 01273 842 006 whitehorseditchling.com
Nestling happily in the South Downs, Ditchling is a peaceful and fascinating resting place for walkers, cyclists, travellers and art lovers – both from near and far.
visitditchling.co.uk WAL K | CYCLE | BUS | R A I L 25
WORKSHOPS + EVENTS CALENDAR Book online at ditchlingmuseumartcraft.org.uk or call us on 01273 844744 APR
Thur 30
MAY
Sat 2 Springtime Cordage + String Making 9 Fri 8 Dear Nature (live performance) 17 Sun 10 Grow Your Own Walking Stick Cabbage 15 Wed 13 Crafternoon 15 Fri 15 Director’s Tour 1 Fri 15 Little Museum Visitors 13 Thur 21 Museum Dye Garden Tour 15 Sun 24 Museum Dye Garden Tour 15 Wed 27 Foraging for Natural Paints 13 Sun 31 Learn to Weave + Spin 15
JUN
Sat 6 Wed 10 Fri 12 Sun 14 Thur 18 Sat 20 Sat 20 Sat 27 Sun 28
Clay Tiles + Kiln Gods Crafternoon Little Museum Visitors Ditchling Dyers Drop In Dear Nature (film screening) Ditchling Fair Summer Solstice Flower Weaving Nature Writing Museum Dye Garden Tour
JUL
Tues 7 Wed 8 Fri 10 Fri 10 Sat 11 Sat 18 Thur 23 Sun 26 Thur 30 Thur 30
Ditchling Village Wildlife Walk 1 Crafternoon 15 Little Museum Visitors 13 Re-Wilding the Wordhoard Talk 17 Wild Woodcut Words 10 Garden Book Making 12 Museum Dye Garden Tour 15 Museum Dye Garden Tour 15 Story Soundscapes 13 Surround Sound Experience 14
AUG
Thur 6 Stick Laboratory Wed 12 Crafternoon Thur 13 Dear Nature Creative Writing Thur 20 Museum Dye Garden Tour Sat 22 Museum Dye Garden Tour Thur 27 Monoprinting, Inspired by Nature Sat 29 Natural Dyeing Demos
14 15 14 15 15 14 16
SEPT
Sun 5 Wed 9 Fri 11 Sat 12 Fri 18 Sat 19 Sun 20 Thur 24 Fri 25 Sat 26 Sun 27
Natural Dyeing Demos Crafternoon Little Museum Visitors Earthfast: Papermaking Inspired by Place tillage Talk BSL Tour Heritage Open Day Museum Dye Garden Tour Fibreshed Talk Botanical Silver Clay Jewellery Clothes Swap
16 15 13 12 18 1 16 15 18 12 16
OCT
Fri 2 Sat 3 – Sun 4 Sun 4 Fri 9 Wed 14 Sat 17
Director’s Tour Harvest Festival Coiled Basket Making Apple Day Little Museum Visitors Crafternoon Museum Dye Garden Tour
1 12 16 13 15 15
Museum Dye Garden Tour
15
9 15 13 15 17 15 9 10 15
26
SAINT MARGARET’S CHURCH
THE WHITE HORSE
B2112 TO BRIGHTON
B2116 KEYMER ROAD TO HASSOCKS RAILWAY STATION
B2112 TO THE COMMON
VILLAGE GREEN
A273
THE BULL B2116 LEWES ROAD VILLAGE HALL
B2112 PYECOMBE
A23 TO BRIGHTON
Volunteer Volunteers keep our award-winning museum running and we are always on the lookout for more enthusiastic and committed people to get involved. Interested? Apply on our website or ask at the front desk.
ART+CRAFT A23 TO LONDON
Access We are fully accessible for wheelchair users. Please note there is no on-site parking at the museum, however disabled parking is available at the back of the museum. The museum is fitted with a hearing loop, and guide and hearing dogs are welcome. Visit our website to stream our free audio guide provided by VocalEyes. Our toilets and baby changing facilities are gender neutral.
DITCHLING MUSEUM OF LODGE HILL LANE
Admission prices Adult £8 with gift aid (£7 without) Concessions £7 with gift aid (£6 without) Under 18s Free Friends of Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft Free National Art Pass Free, suggested donation £5
Pin, like, tweet, share, support… On social media as @museumartcraft We would love to keep in touch! Please visit our website to join our mailing list for up to date news and events. Pressed Plant from Nymans: A Language from the Garden by John Newling.
Tuesday – Saturday 10.30am – 5pm Sunday + Bank Holidays 11am – 5pm
PB
Opening times
How to find us Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft is located in the village of Ditchling just 10 miles north of Brighton in the South Downs National Park. The nearest train station is Hassocks which is 45 minutes from London on the Brighton line. The station is 1 mile from the museum
DB
Contact us Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft Lodge Hill Lane, Ditchling East Sussex, BN6 8SP 01273 844744 enquiries@ditchlingmuseumartcraft.org.uk ditchlingmuseumartcraft.org.uk