Crafting at Firstsite

IMG_20160510_113803531 IMG_20160510_144332375 Tuesday, saw my first class being taught at the much discussed (if you live in Colchester anyway) Firstsite, a £ multi million Arts Centre for Colchester, currently featuring an Andy Warhol exhibition, amongst others. The venue is a fabulous space and just perfect for teaching. Pete, Kirstin and Rosie made some fabulous pieces from silver clay, which once fired is pure silver. We explored different ways to fire and each student worked on their own ideas for design, creating unique, fabulous pieces. Looking forward to teaching my next class at Firstsite on 21st June – Encaustic art this time!

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Craft at FSC Flatford

Flatford mill sml

6th- 8th May saw me teaching my first residential craft weekend at FSC Flatford Mill, during the weekend we explored the wonders of enamelling on copper – fusing glass to pre cut blanks and firing at temperatures of 750 degrees C and higher. Some wonderful items of jewellery were made.
Enamelling flatford mill 16 sml

On the second evening we looked at applying silver clay paste to a specially chosen leaf from Flatford Mill (no plants were harmed in the selection of the leaves), the paste was applied in several layers and then fired the next day once properly dry – it is a wonderfully effective way of recreating nature’s wonders into wearable art.

silver leaf sml
On the second day of the class we worked more with silver clay, creating our own moulds, applying texture, using cutters and generally just having a lovely time. Once fired the binder burns away and you are left with a pure silver pieces. Thank you Flatford Mill for the lovely food and accomodation (I had my own bathroom with clawfooted bath!) and thank you Theresa, Nina, Lorena and Valerie for being such a creative and friendly group of students. I hope to see you again at Flatford Mill next year.

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