JO
BOSLEY

Jo originally studied textile design at West Surrey College of Art and Design, Farnham. In 1993 she joined a weekly pottery class in East Hendred, Oxfordshire run by Pauline Thompson. She encouraged her students to develop their own style of ceramics and experiment with different techniques and clays. They visited the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford to look at examples of ceramics from different cultures such as the Minoans and the Aztecs. They also looked at Innuit design and more close to home ceramics from Staffordshire.

Jo works in stoneware crank clay, a strong, gritty clay which has a grainy, rustic appearance. She uses hand building methods, mainly coiling and slab work and finishes the pieces with slips, glazes before firing to 1240 degrees .

The pottery is suitable for indoor and outdoor use, although she advises not to let water to fill the pots in winter if leaving them outside.

JANE
BRANNEY

Jane works predominately in silver, hand crafting jewellery from her home studio. Jane aims to make jewellery that will stand the test of time and will be something that can be worn again and again.

She incorporates her love for vintage textiles into her jewellery using them to imprint into the silver to provide contrasting textures and a sense of history to her work. Interest and rich colours in the jewellery comes from adding vintage beads or semi-precious stone beads.

HILARY
BRAVO

Hilary uses a combination of papiermâché/mixed media/gesso/resin/beeswax/gold & silver leaf and all sorts of found objects. And lots of colour - intense and subdued. She paints and makes vessels and especially enjoys taking an era from history; delving into the past whilst making a series of papier-mâché bowls, plaques, platters or a collection of jewellery based on ancient faience, aged iridescent glass, frescoes from Pompeii, the moods of the Arcades of Paris, the colours in Venetian glass, the distressed paintwork on French and Cornish fishing boats or the even ever-changing atmospheres of Devon coasts, moorland valleys. She has a particular love of Capri - it’s history and it’s hidden corners.

CATRIN
DAVIES

Catrin loves doing what she does, designing and making stained glass windows to commission or exhibiting small glass pieces.

Catrin's training was initially in fine art which still feeds her work. She visited Chartres sometime in her late twenties and fell for the wondrous windows of the cathedral. Later she learnt of the spiritual significance of medieval glazing.

On a very part time basis she finally achieved a first class honours degree in 2010.

JOAN
DOHERTY

Joan Doherty trained at the Ulster College of Art and subsequently worked at Kilkenny Design Workshops in Ireland as a 'demonstration potter' and designer for the ceramics industry.

Along with Jack Doherty she set up Doherty Ceramics in Herefordshire in 1983. The ceramic wrens are modelled in stained porcelain clays. The "agate" technique of construction means that all the pieces are completely individual. Some are glazed, some not. Some are high fired, some not. All fit comfortably into the hand.

SUE
FORREST

Sue Forrest is a Freelance Designer and originally trained at Central School of Art and Design. She has exhibited in a number of exhibitions nationwide, including Textprint. Sue worked closely with the American and Japanese markets on dress and furnishing designs before deciding to become freelance and concentrate upon ties. Sue runs the business from near Brecon in Wales and counts among her clients broadcasters and television personalities.

STEVE
HAWKESWORTH

Since retiring from his work in the care sector, Steve has been developing his lifelong interest in woodwork and the various effects that can be achieved when wood is painted, burnt and carved. His subjects reflect an interest in life in and around the sea – the birds, boats, fish and local architecture.

The materials Steve uses, on the whole, are recycled or found.The timber is sourced from beaches, local woodlands in Worcestershire and he even has a large proportion of the fittings from a refurbished pub lying in the workshop ready to use.

AMANDA
HOLLINGER

Born in Pembrokeshire, West Wales, Amanda now lives just a few miles from her childhood home on the breathtaking coast of the National Park.

As a lover of art and appreciator of all things handmade, she surprised herself when, in 2000, she made the uncharacteristically impulsive decision to become a jeweller and to follow her dream of pursuing a career in the creative field. Amanda proceeded with a rather hazy business plan, no formal training but massive determination.  Nearly two decades later, with the unwavering support of her husband and lovely daughters, she works full time designing and making her own style of contemporary silver jewellery which is displayed and sold in galleries throughout Wales.

NICK AND GABI
WARD

Nick and Gabi Ward make earthenware pottery. Their work is handthrown and handpainted using stained engobes ( clay slips). They use the sgraffito technique to decorate their pots with images of birds, animals and flowers. 

They are now making a new range of splash decorated pottery available in various colours.

Nick studied at Harrow School of Art. Gabi studied at West Surrey college of Art and Design.

They work together in their stone barn in Herefordshire selling through galleries and shows. 

JOHN
WEBB

Two early meetings made a lasting impact on the way John saw pots. In 1968 he first went to a working pottery, the Taena Pottery making slipware and then later to Winchcombe to see Ray Finch.

In 1972- 73 when John had just started making pots, he helped at Michael Cardews Wenfordbridge Pottery as part of the kiln firing crew. The pots John saw there along with the people he met have stayed with him and inform much of what he is still trying to achieve.

John fell in love with the idea of the potters life and the pots themselves.He strives to achieve the beauty of traditional country pots, the warmth and intimacy of hand-made things for use in our homes.

SARA
WITHERS

Sara produces a range of exquisite but affordable jewellery, assembling her own hand crafted beads together with others collected from around the world. Her intricate work is sold at shops and galleries throughout Britain. She also exhibits at selected shows and music festivals.

Sara is the author of several books on the subject. Titles include 'Exotic Beads', 'Beautiful Beading', 'The Encyclopedia of Beading Techniques' and 'The Encyclopedia of Wire Jewellery.