2 weeks to go! Katie Honnor from madebyhandonlinecom choses her 5 Festival Favourites
Written: 24 May 2018
The Craft Festival is my favourite event of the year and, as always, choosing just five favourite exhibitors from such an exciting list has been very difficult!
I love contemporary jewellery. My taste is quite varied and I’m looking forward to seeing so many of the jewellers exhibiting at the Festival this year. Emily Thatcher’s covetable designs are immaculately finished. She selects such interesting, richly coloured gemstones and sets them perfectly in sculptural forms made from beautiful combinations of precious metals. Her work is truly special.
Soft leather, simple and organic shapes and a range of both classic and bold colours, make this collection very appealing and contemporary. I especially love the yellow Alice Messenger Bag.
Juliet Macleod’s ceramics drew me in as soon as I saw her display at Made London a couple of years ago. Maybe it was her sea inspired colours or the elegant shapes…probably both! Her decoration is somehow free and perfectly controlled at the same time, and I love the secretive rims of contrasting bright colours she sometimes adds, which makes her work glow. I’m very glad that she’ll be at the Festival this year.
Peter’s furniture is made from sustainably and freshly cut unseasoned 'green' wood. I love the wonderfully tactile forms (whether lamps, tables or chairs) as they so beautifully and respectfully capture the elegance of the trees they came from! Peter’s furniture is all made to such a high quality and he also runs courses and workshops in Devon.
I’m picking Ken for the simple (important) reason that his cups make me smile! A cheerful, perfectly made cup with character is a very special thing, and Ken’s are big enough to wrap your hands around and add a bold splash of colour to the day.
You can see lots of Festival makers (and more) at madebyhandonline.com
Risk Makers: A Maker Space by madebyhandonline.com
We are delighted that curated craft website, madebyhandonline.com has brought together a group of leading makers to challenge, collaborate, and take and make risks with their work. The first stage of this exciting project is being launched at The Festival with an exhibition and an interactive display space that will also provide materials, tools and guidance for visitors to take part in collaborative play. The exhibition and activities will be presented in a beautiful yurt from Yurts for Life.
Festival visitors are invited to be the first to see the exciting collaborations developing between these exceptional makers.
Come and meet the makers, explore their creative processes and share ideas with them and the madebyhandonline team. You can also watch demonstrations, including one with Dionne Swift who will be sharing her techniques and discussing the importance of drawing as a crucial way to enable risk taking in her textile work.
Visit the madebyhandonline blog to find out more about the development of this project and the makers taking part.
Enter our Pipers Farm Competition and win a Family Favourites Box & Festival Tickets
Founded in 1989, Pipers Farm, based in Cullompton, Devon, is a destination for meat that is produced sustainably and in harmony with nature. They passionately believe in producing wholesome natural food that has been grown with respect for nature. We are delighted that we can offer you the chance to win one of their Family Favourites Boxes and we will include 2 Weekend Festival Tickets. The Competition closes at Midnight on Friday May 25th
CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE PIPERS FARM COMPETITION
BOOK YOUR WORKSHOPS
With over half of our workshops sold out, please book your workshop places NOW!
You can choose from a wide variety of workshops from jewellery making, willow weaving, stonecarving, printmaking, book binding, needlefelting and more.... They last 2 hours and are just £18 each.
CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR WORKSHOPS
THE BRODSKY QUARTET IN BOVEY TRACEY
Don't miss the ultimate warm-up to our Nourish Festival and book your tickets for The Brodsky Quartet in June. We are honoured and delighted that Internationally renowned classical ensemble, Brodsky Quartet are performing in Bovey Tracey beautiful Parish Church over the Craft Festival weekend on Saturday June 9th at 7.30pm