BBC2 February 2nd

Special thanks to Christopher Payne, curator and furniture expert who appears regularly on the Antiques Roadshow, for his interest in our glass, as from his collection, a ‘beautiful bowl’ will appear on the BBC  ‘Priceless Antiques Roadshow’, BBC2 Feb 2nd at 6.30pm

Cropton Bank

Sundays walk, with the kids, was around the bottom and then up Cropton Bank.

Stephen took this pic looking back towards Rosedale.

See the colours of the fallen trees’ branches change as it touches the ground.

Garth Clark – Palace and Cottage

This an inspiring podcast from the American Craft Council Conference in October 2009 “Creating a New Craft Culture”.

Garth sets a cat amongst the ACC pigeons, indeed amongst all long established Craft Instutitions and asks some powerful questions and makes some keen observations.

There too, were many good comments from the floor challenging makers to rethink their role in looking after themselves, and not waiting for ‘mom & pop’ (the established craft institutions) to do it for them.

Perhaps for too long, makers have hoped that their relative councils will somehow help to make life just a bit easier, but in reality for the vast majority, the councils have succeeded in marginalising craft further from main stream consumer culture, abandoning, confusing and undermining a craft language that may have helped people new to craft to connect with its values, creative, cultural, social and economic, and therefore, fewer people have confidently purchased craft

As a maker who works to fill my ‘rice bowl’ as well as working to fund the ‘spirit’ work, Garth Clarks words have a particular resonance.

Have a listen here and many of the other podcasts are also very interesting for those of us interested in the politics of craft and the future of craft.

Thank you Mr Clark.

Stephen Bayley

like very much what Mr Bayley has to say about making things….. but I would !

read the full article here

let it snow ………..

Pics of a New Years Day walk and images  of the studio showing just how beautiful and  cold it is. I know this is turning into a weather blog again, but still the novelty of walking out to enjoy proper weather, stunning contrasts in light &  landscape, making good food and keeping warm by an open fire….. well its a feast for the eyes and soul.

Still Snowing / Happy new year !

Yep, still snowing, still icicles, still sledging, still making stews, still putting another log on…. still taking pictures…. still trying to stop playing in the snow and start playing at work again. The time is nearly right, as the deadlines for some great shows loom large.