‘Flourish: Continuing Professional Development for Craftspeople' at Craft in the Bay - Jan-April listings

I wear lots of different hats..... and one of them is coordinating the Continuing Professional Development series of seminars and workshops at Craft in the Bay, Cardiff.  Below are details of the latest tranche of events.  If you're interested in attending any of the sessions please do book soon.... I'm not just saying that - they really do book up quickly! Hope to see you there!

Public Art Commissions, Mererid Velios, Celfwaith
Friday 28th January 2011, 11am – 4pm

Are you keen to extend your professional practice into the realm of public art commissions but don’t know where to start or find the tendering process daunting? This workshop is designed to give you an insight into the opportunities available for craftspeople, how to construct effective expressions of interest, the interview process and different approaches to community engagement requirements.

Mererid Velios is a highly experienced public art consultant having worked for Cywaith Cyrmu - Artworks Wales before establishing her Cardiff-based consultancy Celfwaith. She has managed high profile projects across the UK, many of which are specifically involved craft practitioners. This is an invaluable opportunity to get insightful advice and individual support to tackling this rewarding area of craft professional practice.

What to bring:

· Essential: notebook and pen.

· Desirable but not imperative: a laptop would be helpful for the practical exercises. Images of your typical work that might be applicable for public art applications. If you have put together an unsuccessful public art commission proposal, you are welcome to bring it along for brief feedback from Mererid.

Cost: £45 for non members, £40.50 for members and friends of the Makers Guild in Wales


Membership of the Makers Guild in Wales
Monday 28th February 2011, 11.30am -12.15pm

Want to find out more about becoming a member of the Makers Guild in Wales? Want the chance to exhibit and sell at the Guilds prestigious gallery Craft in the Bay in Cardiff? Want to get involved with the largest maker-led craft organisation in Wales?

Laura Thomas Makers Guild in Wales member and trustee, will give a presentation on the benefits of joining the Guild. Current exciting developments at Craft in the Bay as well as the history of the Guild will be covered alongside the specifics of the new application procedure and what membership actually entails.

Cost: Free. Limited spaces, so booking is still absolutely essential.


Arts organisations supporting makers and designers in Wales
Monday 28th February 2011, 1.30pm – 4.30pm

Six of Wales’ leading arts and design support organisations will each give a 30 minute presentation on the services and support they offer makers and designers in Wales. Where relevant, membership benefits will be explained; practical support and/or facilities outlined; and grant opportunities highlighted.

· 1.30pm Arts & Business Wales – Yvette Kemble

· 2pm SATNET (Science and Art Network) & Creative Industries Research and Innovation

Centre (Swansea Metropolitan University) – Anna Lewis

· 2.30pm Arts Council of Wales – Michael Goode & Cerys Thomas

· 3pm Coffee break

· 3.15pm Design Wales – Victoria Jones

· 3.45pm Textile Technologies Project & The Shared Technology Resource Centre (Coleg Sir

Gar) – Liesel Taylor

· 4.15pm Fibre Art Wales – Laura Thomas

What to bring: notebook and pen.

Cost: Free, but a donation of £3.00 to cover afternoon refreshments would be appreciated. Limited spaces, so booking is still absolutely essential.


Press coverage for crafts, Nicola Wilkes, interior design journalist, Western Mail columnist and editor of Wales at Home. 
3rd March 2011, 11-1pm

This workshop is designed to give you an insight into what the press is looking for from craftspeople: how to generate press interest, the “dos and don’ts” of writing and sending out your press releases and the kind of photographs publications are looking for.

Nicola Wilkes is a respected interior design journalist, columnist for the Western Mail, editor of lifestyle magazine and directory Wales at Home, and freelance PR consultant with clients including Melin Tregwynt, Leekes, Cardiff Design Festival, Momentum and Made By Hand. She will present ‘The Infectious Effect: how to make the media work for you’ which will offer valuable tips and insights to creative crafts professionals on how get to market with the help of the media.

NB: this is the rescheduled December 2010 seminar that had to be cancelled due to ill health and adverse weather conditions.

What to bring: notebook and pen.

Cost: £20 for non members, £18 for members and friends of the Makers Guild in Wales


3d mapping workshop, Dail Behennah
Saturday 9th April 2011, 11am – 4pm

This workshop will explore lateral approaches to making through a practical 3d mapping exercise, which all makers regardless of discipline will be able to benefit from. You will encouraged to experiment with unfamiliar materials, discover new methods of joining components and new ways of realising ideas. The emphasis will be on self directed discovery, rather than prescribed teaching of techniques.

This is a rare treat to be taught by Dail Behennah, who is an internationally regarded maker, renowned for her elegant willow structures that epitomise a thoroughly atypical approach to her craft.

What to bring: materials will be provided but please bring some materials typical to your discipline which you would be happy to share with other participants.

Cost: £50 for non members, £45 for members and friends of the Makers Guild in Wales

To book on any of the courses, please phone Craft in the Bay on 02920 484 611 or email cpd@makersguildinwales.org

warp+weft exhibition on tour to Craft in the Bay, Cardiff

Maelstrom by Lucy McMullen. Hand woven quadruple cloth in Shetland wool and wire

The warp+weft exhibition that I curated for Oriel Myrddin is now officially on tour!  I have just spent the day installing the show at Craft in the Bay, Cardiff, before it opens tomorrow evening at 6pm (please do come along if you are in the area!)

The gallery space at Craft in the Bay is completely different from Oriel Myrddin and so there is a very different visual dynamic. Its been great to rearrange the show accordingly to make new links between work, and to hang some pieces differently too.  Also, as its a bigger space, I have been able to make some additions to the show which I didn't have space for at Oriel Myrddin. Of particular note in the above work by Lucy McMullen.  This was created to mark the launch of ASF Shetland, and is a truly extraordinary piece of work from both an aesthetic and technical perspective.  Three panels of hand woven quadruple cloth unfold to create an extraordinary whirlpool structure.


Kase by Nuno

Another addition is 'Kase' by Nuno. This beautifully translucent woven cloth, has been devore printed post production - a paste is applied which selectively 'burns out' certain fibres leaving the overlapping circles pattern.
We also have two new pleated neckpieces by Ann Richards, and a second framed work by Ann Sutton so if you saw the show at Oriel Myrddin its very worthwhile to see the show in its new format at Craft in the Bay.

As mentioned, the show opens tomorrow evening at 6pm, and then continues to the 20th February.  I'll be giving a free gallery talk on the 22nd January at 2pm.  There are also two weave workshops running to coincide with the exhibition - Silk Inlay Weaving with Sue Hiley Harris on 29-30th Jan and Woven Passementerie with Jessica Light on the 5-6th Feb. Both workshops only have a couple of spaces left, so please book soon if you want to attend.