Craft Academy Full Day Workshop – Bespoke ceramic dog and cat sculptures with Ros Ingram

Bespoke ceramic dog and cat sculptures – Thurs 31st Oct 2024 – 9:30am

This class offers a unique opportunity to create an individual piece of clay art, capturing the essence of your very own beloved pet, or favourite breed of dog or cat.

During this full-day workshop you will have quality time to enjoy modelling with the professional support of Ros to achieve your goal, using high quality materials and fail safe techniques.

Under Ros’ guidance you will:

Learn about different clay types.
Create a sculpture of your pet approximately 20cm tall.
Use tools to add textures and make marks.
Decorate your pet with ceramic slips and stains.
Obtain lots of individual help, with the opportunity to ask all your questions.
Have your finished piece fired at Ros’s studio and posted back to you, within 30 days.

IMPORTANT NOTE: You must bring photographs of your chosen pet to the class, in a seated position from all angles. These can either be printed photos or digital ones on your phone or tablet.

This workshop will take place at our 31st October – 3rd November Birmingham NEC show which includes access to: The Creative Craft Show, Sewing for Pleasure Winter Edition and Simply Christmas!

Full day Academy Workshops include:

Lunch and refreshments throughout day.
All materials, equipment, firing and postage costs.
Complementary ticket to visit the main show on another day.

Important Note:

This class is suitable for beginners over the age of 16.

Meet the Tutor

Ros Ingram

Born in Stratford upon Avon, Ros Ingram trained in ceramics and print at Wolverhampton University. Ros runs ceramic workshops on a regular basis in Warwickshire. She has exhibited worldwide, currently showing at a number of galleries in the Cotswolds, Cornwall, and Germany. As well as undertaking commissions, Ros also works as a visiting artist in residence creating permanent ceramic installations and recycled art projects. One of her projects working with young children was on display at the National Gallery, London. Recently The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust commissioned Ros to create five unique ceramic murals of each iconic property for permanent display in her hometown.

Craft Academy Full Day Workshop – Festive Willow Reindeer with Rachel Harwood

Willow Weaving – Sunday 3rd Nov 2024 – 9:30am

Join Rachel on a fabulous full day Willow Weaving workshop and learn how to sculpt your very own 4ft reindeer ready to take home and decorate for the festive season.

The day is broken down into segments to make it fun and achievable and everything you need is included.

An apron is provided, but we suggest that may want to wear old clothes too.

This workshop will take place at our 31st October – 3rd November Birmingham NEC show which includes access to: The Creative Craft Show, Sewing for Pleasure Winter Edition and Simply Christmas plus sister shows Cake International and Bake International

Under Rachel’s guidance you will:

Learn how to build a large body framework.
Try out a variety of weaving techniques.
Gain in-depth knowledge of how Willow sculptures are created.
Find all about the lifecycle and processing of willow.
Gain advice on aftercare.
Obtain lots of individual help, with the opportunity to ask all your questions.
Learn all about the tools and how you can progress your weaving skills at home.

Full day Academy Workshops include:

Lunch and refreshments throughout day.
All materials and equipment required.
Complementary ticket to visit the main show on another day.

Important Note:

This class is suitable for beginners over the age of 16, but a degree of hand strength is needed.

Meet the Tutor

Rachel Harwood

Drawing on her experiences of wildlife and nature, Rachel uses British grown willow from Somerset to create sculptures for the home and garden. Connecting with the natural environment is her passion and she tries to capture the movement of nature in her sculptures. Rachel loves to teach, passing on her practices and inspiring people on the use and beauty of natural materials to reconnect with the natural world.

Craft Academy Full Day Workshop – Gemstone Set Garden Ring with Tracey Spurgin

Gemstone Set Garden Ring – Friday 1st Nov 2024 – 9:30am

Join Silver Clay Master Artist and Tutor, Tracey Spurgin, as she guides you through the fabulous techniques of creating fine silver jewellery.

In this brand new full-day workshop you will create a beautiful and elegant gemstone set garden ring. While this day is aimed at beginners, it will also appeal to those seeking to elevate their basic silver clay skills to new heights. The only thing participants should remember to bring is reading glasses (if they use them) or an Optivisor for close detailed work; a notebook and pen is also useful.

Under Tracey’s guidance you will:

Measure your finger to calculate and account for shrinkage of the metal clay during firing
Add textures
Form a flat band ring on a ring mandrel
Pre-fire refinement
Set fireable gemstones
Make additional leaf embellishments
Learn firing methods and procedures
Polishing and finishing techniques

Full day Academy Workshops include:

Lunch and refreshments throughout day.
All materials and equipment required.
Complementary ticket to visit the main show on another day.

Advisory Note:

Suitable for ages 16+.

Meet the Tutor

Tracey Spurgin

Tracey Spurgin is a qualified Senior Art Clay instructor having completed courses with Artclay World UK. She has trained to the highest level with some of the world’s leading metal clay artists & tutors. With more than 20 years’ experience, Tracey teaches in her own studio in East Yorkshire as well as travelling extensively in the UK and internationally to deliver courses, workshops and master classes in colleges, museums, galleries and shops. She has also been a guest designer on Jewellery Maker TV.

Tracey loves to challenge herself and work on projects that she considers to be almost engineering in clay. Hinges and lockets and threaded vessels are something that fascinates her. So she will spend days, weeks and months on troubleshooting problems and ideas until she finds a solution. She is passionate about sharing her discoveries and the joy of metal clay.

IN THE MEADOW – Layer, Paint and Stitch with Wendy Dolan ALL DAY MACHINE EMBROIDERY MASTERCLASS

This Masterclass is inspired by the Meadow Flowers Project in Wendy’s book ‘Layer, Paint and Stitch’, during the day you will learn how to layer natural fabrics and trimmings, stitching them down with freehand machine embroidery to create a textured background. Fabric paint will then be applied to the layered surface before stitching into it creating a meadow of flowers and grasses. Enjoy learning how to ‘draw’ with your machine and develop skills, which you can put into practise on your own machine at home.

Under Wendy’s guidance you will:

Select some natural textured fabrics and arrange them on a background of calico.
Learn how to set up your machine for freehand embroidery and stitch the fabrics in place using white cotton thread.
Add natural/white flower trimmings for additional texture.
Use fabric paint to colour the background layers.
Have a short sewing practise creating foliage and flowers, and then you can enjoy stitching into your design with coloured threads, incorporating coloured sheer fabrics as you work.

Your beautiful flower meadow will come alive before your eyes, as you gradually build up the design.

Full day Academy Masterclass tickets include:

Lunch and refreshments throughout day, all equipment and materials including: fabrics, trimmings, paints, threads and any other consumables.

Academy workshop tickets also include a Complementary ticket to visit the main show on another day.

Important Note:

Suitable for all levels of ability over the age of 16 years.

Meet the Tutor

Wendy Dolan

Wendy is an experienced artist, tutor, and author inspired by landscapes, architecture and natural forms. She exhibits, lectures and teaches workshops nationally and internationally. Her wide-ranging work includes wall hangings, pictures and garments.

She is the author of the Search Press bestselling book ‘Layer, Paint and Stitch’, which covers stitching, layering and painting techniques and gives helpful tips throughout, as well as projects to create your own stitched textile designs.

Advisory Note:

Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable