Craft Focus - Jun/Jul (Issue 67)

8 craft focus industry news EDDING WINS AWARD AT THIS YEAR’S LONDON STATIONERY AWARDS edding was presented with a prize for best new art and craft product at this year’s London Stationery Awards. The presentation took place at the London Stationery Show in April at the Business Design Centre, with the company’s Colour Happy Big Box scooping the top prize. With its innovative design and packaging, the product features 20 brush pens and a colour mixer, which allows the user to create up to 190 different shades. The contemporary box is both practical and good-looking, and delivers a host of applications within a handy desk tidy. For more information, go to the website, edding.com/colourhappy RIVER COTTAGE LAUNCHES NEW CREATIVE COURSES River Cottage cookery school is launching three new creative courses at its famous South West headquarters. Artist and stationer Harriet de Winton will be leading Watercolour Botanicals and Modern Calligraphy from September, providing participants with an easy introduction to these mediums. During a busy morning of theory and practical guidance, students will paint a watercolour wreath featuring their favourite plants and flowers. After a delicious River Cottage lunch, the afternoon will be spent exploring calligraphy trends, and learning basic techniques with a dip pen nib and ink. Once mastered, guests will try their hand at copying a lower and uppercase alphabet and numbers and punctuation, before progressing to joined up letters to make words and phrases. To finish, everyone will create a chosen phrase or quote in their own personal free style. In October and November, students can attend a Willow Deer Workshop with Katherine Miles, learning how to make a beautiful three-foot creature to be displayed in a home or garden. Katherine is well known in the South West, and her life-sized animal sculptures are displayed in stately homes, private gardens and as interiors design pieces. The workshop is suitable for beginners with no previous experience, and all materials are supplied, including locally sourced willow. Guests are advised to bring along their favourite secateurs and to wear old and comfortable clothing. To find out more, visit rivercottage.net GLOUCESTERSHIRE GUILD UNVEILS NEW FESTIVAL The Gloucestershire Guild of Craftsmen has announced that it will be presenting a new contemporary craft and design festival this year. Taking place at Rodmarton Manor from 5 th -9 th September, Crafts Alive will feature more the work of more than 30 guild members, who will sell handicraft work across a range of disciplines. There will also be a programme of workshops, a sculpture show in the beautiful gardens, talks and demonstrations, physical theatre performances and films shown in the chapel. A selection of the Manor’s rooms will be furnished by Charlotte Abrahams, and there will also be lots for children to do. For information, visit guildcrafts.org.uk