Black Swan Artisan Shops - Handmade Fayre

Hello, its Angela here,

I'm just popping in to invite you to the Black Swan Artisan Shops - Handmade Fayre.

For those of you who don't already know I have one of the studio/Artisan shops in the Black Swan in Frome.  If you don't find me in either Millie Moon, Frome or Wells, you will generally find me here drawing on my sewing machine, getting creative or with a cup of tea in hand chatting away. 

The Handmade Fayre is an event I have been co-organising (may explain why I've been so scatter-brain recently!) along with Rachael Ann Bird, who has the studio next to me and is a talented Goldsmith. The Handmade Fayre is to be held on the first weekend of September - Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd September 10am - 4.30pm within the Round Tower and Artisan corridor.

It's the first of its kind and will take the form of a mini art exhibition combined with craft stalls 
Ceramicist Jo Lucksted  (some may know her as Jo, ceramic button workshop tutor) will be showing and selling her work along with Ceramicist Julia Davey, Printmaker Kerrie McNeil, Painter Madeleine Town, Papercut Artist Jessica Palmer, Illustrator and Maker Julie Ball, Painter Caroline Walsh Waring, Printmaker David Birks, Printmaker Katherine Care, Textile Maker Suzanne Leather and last but by no means least Glass Artist Stella Wain. Admission is free so do visit and chat with the artists, be enticed. 

The artisan shops Villa Rosie, Rachael Ann Bird Goldsmiths, myself of Little Studio Red, and Anja of Knopf Designs will also be open. Do come by and see what I get up to besides teaching workshops - I'm the one with the blue door.

http://www.blackswan.org.uk/news_events_Detail.php?Black-Swan-Artisan-Shops---Handmade-Fayre-46

Minotaur, Jo Lucksted

Jo Lucksted - local Ceramicist

The lovely Jo has been doing ceramic button workshops at Millie Moon for about two years. Every workshop books up very quickly and people love making the unique and individual buttons. We also sell her beautiful buttons in both shops, the Alphabet buttons always popular. All the ceramic buttons are washable and look great on those hand knitted cardigans, cushion covers or decorating a bag. The most recent addition are the buttons created for the Royal Jubilee. Hand painted Union Jack flags and crowns, a beautiful and unusual souvenir. 

In

Workshops

In her button making workshops Jo shows you a range of techniques which you can mix and match to make your own buttons or decorations. No previous experience is required, just bring an apron and any textured items such as lace, jewellery or leaves to impress into the clay to produce something totally unique and personal. 

    Course costs cover all equipment and firing charges.

The images below are from a recent Ceramic button workshop held in our Wells shop. The group made a fantastic range of buttons! 

 Here is a selection of their work

For Spring 2012, Jo is bringing a new workshop to Millie Moon. On Saturday 5th May Jo is going to run a ceramic jewellery workshop, giving people a chance to create beautiful ceramic jewellery for themselves or as gifts. Here are some samples of the Jewellery. Places are very limited on this workshop so book quick. 

    Jo has her own studio/shop on Town Street, Shepton Mallet.

From here she produces amongst other pieces, figurative ceramic sculptures reflecting themes of religious and mythological influences.  She has also recently ventured into working with textiles, producing wall hangings and cushions that tap into current interior design trends.

"Growing up in Somerset has provided me with a wealth of inspiration-my main body of work (that is to say the figures of angels, kings and queens) was directly influenced by the sculptures in Wells Cathedral.

Even as a teenager going to school in Wells I appreciated the history in my environment and often visited the Cathedral where I could handle the carvings and stonemasonry.

I also grew up in the village of Doulting where as a child I used the church and graveyard, woods and St. Aldhelm's holy well as part of my playground so on reflection it's no surprise that my work contains religious and nature inspired themes." 

Jo currently has work exhibited at: 

Latitude50 - St.Ives, Ginger Fig Gallery - Taunton, Rostra and Rooksmoor Gallery - Bath, Gallery on the Wey - Upwey, Blue Moon Gallery - Tunbridge Wells, Pelham House Gallery - Cowes, The Guild - Somerton, Serena Hall - Southwold,Cambridge Contemporary Arts - Cambridge, Heart Gallery - Hebden Bridge

Jo is a member of Somerset Guild of Craftsmen

Source www.jolucksted.com

 Jo also sells her ceramics in on etsy and folksy http://folksy.com/shops/joluckstedceramics/   http://www.etsy.com/shop/jolucksted