After having a lovely weekend in Cardigan for #craftfestivalwales we have returned to Bristol with our pockets full of ideas, cards and new names, having met some wonderful makers demonstrating their works and showcasing their skills and craft.
Meeting and greeting lots of new and familiar faces across the weekend was such a joy. Despite not being able to stock everyone in our Flux Gallery in the future, there are plenty that we will stay in touch with, take inspiration from and tell you about over time.
Listed below are just a few pieces by some of the makers we met at Craft Cardigan which particularly caught our eye!
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Llio James is an independent woollen weaver using a traditional 'dobby' loom working in Splott, Cardiff. We loved Llio's work which was delicately crafted with traditional patterns and techniques with a modern twist. Llio is one of just a small number of weavers still practicing this mesmerising art form in the UK.
Rosa Harradine demonstrated traditional brush making skills. She also had a selection of her brushes and brooms available to purchase. They are such tactile, purposeful items, a real pleasure to handle and witness the making of.
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Verity Pulford is a glass artist based in North Wales. She draws her inspiration from nature to create beautiful glass incorporating a variety of techniques, including casting, pate de verre, etching, painting and kiln forming. We love the organic feel and lightness of Verity's glass and are delighted that she will be bring us some of her beautiful pieces in the very near future!
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On Sunday we were fortunate to visit a pop up exhibition of glass at the Seagull Gallery. Six Welsh glass makers were exhibiting, including Verity Pulford and Rachel Phillips.
Rachel Philips 'Stained Glass in Metal Hoops'. Inspired from the seas of Greece and woodlands of the uk, Rachel's stained glass works were simply stunning. Skilfully crafted in West Wales, these glass art pieces are filled with colour especially when flooded with light. We loved these pieces which really encompassed storytelling and drew us in with their bright colours and eye-catching designs.
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Justine Allison lives in rural Wales and works with porcelain clay admiring the simplicity and beauty of it and incorporating patterns and texture as well as glazes. Her works are subtle and unique creations which stand elegantly and capture the eye. One of the weekend's highlights was watching a demonstration and talk by Justine about her work and processes. What we love about Justine's pieces are their elegance and precision. The forms she manages to achieve are exquisite and we are looking forward to welcoming Justine and her works to Flux in the future!
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Alongside the main event, Justine was also part of the group ceramics exhibition at Canfas Gallery. Fellow ceramicist Paul Wearing was also exhibiting there. Paul works out of the Fireworks Clay Studios cooperative in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. His works are inspired by nature and the vessels he creates are a representation of urban and rural environments and the way he uses material and glazes represents the ideas he portrays. Paul's work are full of subtle colours and textures and perfectly represent the natural world.
We were so delighted by Craft Festival Wales, it was a well organised, family friendly, quality craft event. Not only were the makers and their creations captivating, but so were Cardigan's food and drink offerings, which we enjoyed sampling A marvellous inaugural event by the Craft Festival team!
See you next year!