Speed Craft - Six Designer/Makers, Six Crafts, Six Makes to take home

On Saturday 27th April I was one of the Designer/Makers who took part in Speed Craft an event organised by Debbie Bryan who runs Debbie Bryan Studio and Shop.  If you are ever visiting Nottingham I highly recommend you pop in for a visit especially if you are looking for a handmade gift for someone special.  She stocks work from many, many talented Designer/ Makers.

The event was held at the Galleries of Justice which is just down the road from the shop and this was to be the second event I had taken part of.  I travelled in with the lovely Katie Almond.  We had a lovely journey in and chatted excitedly about our coming workshop day which comprised of six activities provided by six designer/makers working in different mediums.

I decided to share my "Forget me Not" flower that I had designed to support the Stroke Association.  I have seen first hand what a stroke can do to a person.  My mother experienced many mini strokes which went un-noticed.  Gradually over a few years she lost the power of communication; first her speech, then her writing and finally the simple hand gestures, thumbs up and down.

Forget-me-Not Flower

Speed Craft is a great way of experiencing craft disciplines that you wouldn't normally access, giving you a 30 minute taster of each.  At the end of each time slot Debbie Bryan rang a hotel call bell and participants would then move tables to start the next activity.  As you can imagine the excitment in the room was positively crackling.  Apart from myself the other designer/makers there included:-

Katie Almond, ceramacist, provided an activity that involved making a colourful plaque from a ball of clay. This involved rolling out the porcelain clay chosing a shaped template for the plaque shape, then adding texture or lettering using various tools and paper cut out, followed by painting it to the colour of your choice.

Stevie Davies whose medium of choice is glass.  Her table was arranged to include a line of old cigar tins each included the materials that were needed for the 30 minute session; wire, glass and beads.  Each person was allowed to take there tin with them which I felt was a nice touch.

Nicki Dennett shared her skills as an illustrator and printmaker. Her activity involved gelatine printing.  I noticed that there was plenty of re-cycled and reclaimed papers available to produce prints along with new papers.  Nicki gave participants the option to draw freehand or use a print provided.  I think writing backwards proved to be the biggest challenge.  http://www.nickidennett.co.uk

I was thrilled that two of my favourite jewellers were going to be there;  Judith Brown and Alyse Powers.

Judith Brown provided an array of beads, wire and safety pins.  At the end of the session, each group came away with either a pair of earrings or a brooch.  The image below shows a button she created for the Button Project.

Ayls Power proved quite a noisy opportunity.  Her table had tins stacked full or ephemera, clock faces, beads, old broochs etc also mini anvils to hammer your message on.

It was a wonderful day, I am sure I enjoyed it as much as the participants.  It was the extra touches that made the day worth while; never ending supply of tea or coffe and a selection of homemade biscuits and cakes made by the lovely Jo who works at the shop. Would love to get my hands on that lovely coconut cake/biscuit.

I'm happy to say that there will be another Speed Craft event later in the year, not sure which Designer/Makers will be there but if you decide to go be assured that you won't come away empty handed.

Here's a peek into the November event.