Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair 9th-12th October

The Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair begins this Friday at the Old Granada Studios in Manchester, the preview evening is Thursday. There will some 150 makers ranging from jewellry and textiles to ceramics and glass, and I’m really excited to be taking part.

I will be exhibiting new baskets made from willow worked on stoneware bases, so combining two loves.

Stoneware crank base with inlaid and sponged slips, buff and self dyed buff willow

Stoneware crank base with inlaid and sponged slips, buff and self dyed buff willow

Fitchwork and border with dyed and buff willow

Fitchwork and border with dyed and buff willow

I’ve been dyeing willow with fibre reactive dyes, I like the inconsistency of not being able to dye the whole length of the rod.

Stoneware base impressed with doily, coloured with slips and glazed

Stoneware base impressed with doily, coloured with slips. oxide and glaze

 

Dyed and buff willow on stoneware base decorated with glazes

Dyed and buff willow on stoneware base decorated with glazes

The one above alternates the dyed and buff rods, but in some baskets the arrangement is less formal.

I’m also excited and thrilled that Uppercase Magazine have invited me to be featured in the January issue. Uppercase Magazine is a quarterly Canadian publication – a magazine for the creative and the curious, and a rare joy in these digital times. Uppercase have very generously donated a year long subscription towards the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair’s Charity Prize Raffle – be sure to enter!
And hope to see you at the Fair!

 

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