Get Creative

Join us for a three-hour session of mostly self-guided figure drawing with professional art model The Arty Poser. There will be a variety of poses throughout the session to give you lots of different angles to experiment with and enhance your observation and drawing practice.

These sessions are open to both hobbyists and professional artists. The model will be nude, so this is not open to children, the minimum age is 18+.

Special offer of £60 for block booking of three sessions. Please contact Craft Gallery to book.

Learn to make your own chicken or pheasant to roost at home or in your garden. These characterful random weave sculptures are a good introduction to working with willow. Suitable for beginners.

Please wear clothes that you are happy getting a bit grubby and full shoes that cover your toes.

Do you have an old stool, chair or ottoman that needs some new life breathing into? Here you will learn how to upholster an item of your choice. Lesley will be on hand to help at every stage and will have a full range of upholstery tools and materials for you to use. All you will need to bring is a piece of furniture and the top fabric.

This workshop will start by looking at how you, as a writer, can identify the themes / forms that are closest to your heart. It then goes on to explore the idea of bones as representing the structure of a piece of writing - prose and poetry - and will discuss the link between content, form and structure. (The day will be designed to be more fun that perhaps that sounds!). Led by local writer Sue Wilsea, participants will be encouraged and supported in a friendly and unchallenging atmosphere.

Two for £55; Friends and Patrons £30 - Please book at the Craft Gallery

Join embroidery artist Jessica Grady for a colourful and creative day exploring fantasy floral designs using embellishments and hand stitch. You will be working on your own fantasy floral artwork which will be framed up in a colourful embroidery hoop at the end of the workshop.

Jessica will show you how you can utilise a range of mixed media materials to create your design including recycled sequins, painted washers and sponges, as well as more traditional beads, buttons and embellishments.

All these elements will be added to your textile background with simple hand embroidery stitches, which will also add some decoration and pattern to your design. Techniques explored within the workshop include folded and pleated sequin petals, beaded flower stamens, twisted wire vines and folded flower buds.

Everyone will create their own unique fantasy floral design, and Jessica will provide lots of 1:1 assistance, inspiration and ideas to help you create your own textile artwork.

This workshop is suitable for all abilities, whether you are a complete beginner to stitch, or someone who would like to explore techniques and try something new!

Create a Wire Chandelier for the Garden with Anna Roebuck. Learn various wire forming techniques and create a wonderful chandelier for your garden or as indoor decor for your home. The chandelier is designed for use with LED tealight candles (these are not included in the price, but Anna will recommend a couple of options of where and what to buy).

The workshop is suitable for anyone and is a nice way to learn basic metalwork skills. Please note though, wirework can be tiring on your hands, so do bear this in mind if you have any issues with hand strength.

You’ll get a handout to remind you of how to do the basics as well as suggestions for suppliers so you can make more at home.

The workshop is with Anna Roebuck, who began to develop wire flowers in response to a Remembrance day commission and has since gone on to explore making different types of flowers, bees and now dragonflies out of wire.

Inspired by the work of abstract expressionist Helen Frankenthaler, Hannah Turlington has created this workshop to bring together creativity and intuition.

This workshop will teach you how to make a lampshade using fabric that you have painted and stitched into. It will allow you to experiment and combine two, very different, processes to create the fabric for a finished lampshade to use in your home.

There is an opportunity to experiment prior to creating your final lampshade and have some encouragement and guidance from Hannah.

Designed for both beginners and those with prior experience of stitching.

Butterflies, bees, dragonflies & flowers- be inspired by the colours & shapes of nature to create your own original stained glass hangings.

You will learn all the techniques needed to create your own original stained glass works including cutting, foiling & soldering. Follow a design provided or be supported to achieve your own designs. At the end of the workshop you will have at least 2 original works to gift or keep. Suitable for beginners or those with previous experience.

Make a wraparound leather journal with a strip of leather used to hold the book closed. Choose from a range of coloured threads and choice of paper for your pages.

The oldest books were put together using the same techniques as you will learn on this course and your final journal will be perfect as a gift or a keepsake for yourself.

Join Sue Kershaw on this workshop and create a 22cm square garden mosaic plaque using Sue’s designs or bring along your own design. There is an exciting wide choice of materials and colours to select from. Sue will explain how to cut tiles and what works best to create a dynamic mosaic with movement and flow.

Friendly, fun and informal.

Do you have an old stool, small dining room/bedroom chair or ottoman that needs some new life breathing into? Here you will learn how to upholster an item of your choice. Lesley will be on hand to help at every stage and will have a full range of upholstery tools for you to use and materials to purchase. All you will need to bring is a piece of furniture and the top fabric.

Please note we advise you have previous upholstery experience as it can be difficult to complete a project in one day.

These willow sheep or pigs are full of character and a great extension to random weaving with willow. Alison will guide you to make a large scale 4-legged animal in willow. Some experience preferred.

Please wear clothes that you are happy getting a bit grubby and full shoes that cover your toes.

Have you ever thought of writing your life story, either to publish as memoir or simply to hand down to children and grandchildren? Or perhaps you’ve wondered about the sometimes tricky relationship between fact and fiction that a writer has to negotiate. This workshop will look at memoir / autobiography. Most importantly it will explore, through a series of exercises and triggers, how you can use your own personal experience to write creatively in whatever form you prefer.

Two for £55; Friends and Patrons £30. Please book at the Craft Gallery.

Join Agnis Smallwood at The Ropewalk for an absorbing weekend of spinning and weaving. On the Saturday we will learn to make our own yarns using drop spindles as well as explore the Museum and learn more about how rope would have been produced on site.

Then on the Sunday we will use the yarn you have spun as well as having the opportunity to use lots of colourful commercial yarns to create your woven outcome using a table loom. You will be able to incorporate a range of techniques and weave structures as well as combining your hand spun yarn with additional yarns in a range of different colours, textures and fibres.

Participants will be guided throughout the weekend, through group demonstrations as well as one to one support. Please note that some dexterity is required for this weekend. The workshop is suitable for beginners, all equipment and materials are provided for use during the two days. Participants are welcome to bring along additional yarn/fibre to use within their project if they wish but this is not essential as plenty of yarn will be available to use.