Crefft & Print

Based in her studio on the south Wales coast in Penarth, the natural environment of her surroundings is very much her inspiration.

Anne enjoys silver’s potential for texture and her ranges explore the relationship of look and feel in the materials she uses. This is what makes her reticulated silver surfaces unique: each marks a precise moment in which she withdraws her flame from part-liquefied silver. Once she has perfected these surfaces, Anne off sets them with strong lines. She forges a relationship between organic texture and a simple geometry, rather like the placing of a formal structure in a natural landscape. Anne is a member of the Association of Contemporary Jewellery and the Makers Guild in Wales.

Ceri Williams is an artist living in North Wales and works from her studio in Llandudno. She is an artist particularly interested in sculpture, the human form and portraits. She has studied Art at Llandrillo College in North Wales, including life drawing, portraits, pottery, sculpture and fine art.
Ceri has been working on her new artistic venture of creating sculptures from wool using a needle felting technique. She enjoys creating all sorts of characters from the old to the young, fantasy figures and realistic people. She calls her creations ‘Bobl Bach’ this is translated to ‘Little People’. She has been working on these for the past couple of years and uses her skills of clay sculpting and life class to create the features and figure. Ceri prides herself in the use of natural materials to create her sculptures.

Using Wensleydale. Masham and mohair locks for hair. They are sorted and hand dyed. The head and hands are sculpted from finest merino wool using a single barbed needle, known as needle felting. Some of her work incorporates wire sculpture, which is made in a unique way. Ceri uses rich textiles and fabrics, including velvets, cotton and silk. Ceri is particularly interested in capturing the humour, character and interaction between people within her work.

All pieces are original and one of a kind.

Originally from Bedford, Claire is working in Llangollen, North Wales. Trained at North Wales School of Art and Design, Claire works with kiln-formed glass, using colour and form to create the desired response from her work. Her influences are in abstract art specifically the work of Kandinsky, Matisse, Picasso and Mondrian. She creates contemporary wall pieces, home ware, jewellery and other decorative works and using her own palette of colour, produces a range of tones that make each piece completely unique.

Clarrie Flavell studied applied arts at N.E.W.I, graduating in the summer of 2002. Specializing in metalwork and mixed media, she moved to Glascoed, Abergele later that year, and set about building a workshop called ‘Blue Earthworm’ where she could continue her work. Drawing inspiration from the coastline, Clarrie creates unique muscle shell rings, using oxidization to mimic the natural patina and colour of the shells.

I originally trained at Liverpool Art School, (now LJMU) and graduated with a BA Hons in Graphic Design and a PGCE in Art and Design. After a 25-year career as an Art teacher and sessional lecturer, I currently work as a practicing artist. My work primarily draws inspiration from the rugged and windswept foreshores and estuaries around Wales and Cornwall, and the untamed landscape of Snowdonia, Cumbria, the Peak District and moorland areas. I set out to interpret landlines and textures created by changing tides and weather as the land is constantly reshaped and reclaimed. The fleeting effects of light on colour impacts strongly on my work in felt. Work begins with drawings and colour references on site, and developed back in the studio using British and Norwegian pure wools, flax, linen, hemp and silks. The use of pure natural fibres, using traditional and ancient felt-making methods, connects the artwork to the land it seeks to embody.

Elin is an artist from Machynlleth who makes prints using Collograph and Linocut. This series is based on the landscape around her in the Dovey Valley. The work derives from her appreciation of the rural way of life, traditions, the Welsh language, Welsh culture and the beauty of the landscape surrounding her which is an integral part of her life.

A completely self-taught artist, Elizabeth Ingman has worked in education for over 20 years. Her overriding passion, however, is painting. Her studio is a kitchen table in her home in Penmaenmawr.

Ingman’s artistic preoccupation is the juxtaposition of the formal rigidity of Welsh blanket design with the contrasting organic curvature of the natural world and, specifically, the kitchen larder. Tessellation versus voluptuousness. Combining these familiar shapes and objects with saturated colour, Ingman’s works are both cosily familiar and chromatically bold celebrations of our culture.

Gary crafts decorative and functional stoneware ceramics which are strong and durable for everyday use. Each piece is hand-built and finished with unique and textural glazes.

The scale of work ranges from tiny pinch pots to large sculptural pieces. His influences are many and varied and are distilled into small edition groups of work.

Although functional in form, his pieces also work as stand-alone decorative items.

I simply paint the world around me, the land, still life and every day situations.

I believe in creating original pieces and seeing the world afresh, simply reacting to what is in front of me. I am interested in colour and shape within the land, as well as the vast history and culture we have here in North Wales which is embedded in to the slate quarries and surrounding mountains.

Although some works seem figurative, I am constantly pushing boundaries and taking risks, sometimes producing abstract works, shifting between different methodology and approaches, keeping myself interested and engaged.

The land is very important to me, and I want to continue exploring the great outdoors. I simply react to the land where I was born and have been brought up in, trying to capture a moment in time through a creative process.

Hanna Liz graduated from Plymouth College of Art with a degree in jewellery and silversmithing. Shortly after graduating the brand Hanna Liz Jewellery was created.

Making contemporary Sterling Silver and brass jewellery by hand and finding inspiration within the landscapes, cityscapes and maps of Wales.

Shapes found within these sources are combined with various experimentation methods until the correct layering and patterns are achieved. Structural necessities are often incorporated into these geometric linear designs to create a final product.

Holly draws inspiration from nature and the English countryside, its natural stone and the texture of the landscape.  Holly casts gold and silver into twig forms, producing them into fine brooches, earrings and bangles. Many of her pieces contain traditional semi-precious stones but Holly is happy to use beach pebbles as if they are precious stones, she often opts for unusual shapes and cuts.

She also has a range of cast silver and gold earrings, brooches, and cufflinks employing her signature, reticulated (melted) surface texture.  Necklaces are individually made in the same way. Each tubular bead, round or facet sided is softened and almost made to look organic by this process. Holly combines these with semi-precious stone beads.

Jenny Rothwell works with anodised aluminium and silver to create this light and colourful range of jewellery. Each piece is a unique interpretation of her mountain and coastal walks. This collection is inspired by her explorations of the Eryri (Snowdonia) and Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacon) National Parks.

John and Dawn Field have worked together in West Yorkshire since graduating in the late 1980’s.

Over the years John and Dawn have developed a number of ranges of jewellery, working both together and individually. They have a shared passion for making things and being creative. Recurring themes in their jewellery are asymmetry, contrasting metals and richly coloured gemstones.

For the Asymmetrical range, stencils, designed by John and Dawn, are rolled into silver, then, rather than making matching partners, one earring will have a vividly coloured stone and the other will have some brass decoration.

John lives and works in both in North Wales and Crete where he presently exhibits his artwork.

John has over many years developed a deep and sustained interest in visual aspects of the natural sciences, especially geology and arboreal morphology. His work is multifaceted, encompassing oil painting on pieces of native woods, relief collage using Japanese paper and gouache and intaglio printmaking.

The recent paintings evolve from interpretations based on the organic abstractions he sees in nature (tree growth and geology). Using oil paint and gold leaf and working on organically shaped pieces of local native wood (wind falls), he builds up these paintings in layers of colour emulating nature’s processes of growth and timelessness. The wood grain, spalting and shapes inspire him to develop these works based on the environment the wood came from.

This collection is the result of a long period of experimentation with black stoneware clay. My aim is to create pieces that reflect the inherent qualities of the clay itself, and to form and decorate using the minimum of tools, so that the finished piece can reflect the material and the maker. I use just my hands to shape each piece from a flattened sheet of clay, then apply slip (liquid clay) decorative designs with a natural sponge over torn newspaper stencils and resists.

The motifs are influenced by textile designs and artwork from the early 20th century, while the forms have echoes of Cycladic and Minoan votive pottery. While there are recurring shapes, motifs and colours in my work, each piece is entirely unique in its form and decoration.

The work is fired to 1185 degrees Celsius in an electric kiln over a period of 12 hours. Pieces bear my maker’s mark of a swallow impressed into the base.

In the inlaid work have echoes of eastern influence. Forms are hand built and feature abstract organic plant-like decorative motifs in white stoneware clay which is inlaid into black stoneware clay before the first firing.

I studied Ceramics at teacher training college.

I feel that my love of clay shines through my paper forms. I am often reminded of what I have learnt through working with clay in my present chosen media- paper and card. I use recycled newspaper, photocopy paper and cardboard tubes. Then wax crayon textures and watercolours. My style and inspiration continue to evolve and I love how this creative flow gives another rich layer of meaning to my life.

Lesa’s collection of ceramic tableware examines issues of balance and space. Combining heavily textured ceramic body with delicate interchangeable porcelain vessels that nestle into the slabs. This allows the client to have the choice of building up his or her own collection of work, making each collection as unique as the client.

Originally, I trained as a jeweller and silversmith at Birmingham School of Jewellery. About fifteen years ago I was asked to lead an art project in a primary school as part of an artist in residence programme. The medium was to be mosaic, and that was when I was captivated and moved from metalwork to using glass and ceramic tiles.

My techniques have grown out of my early gem-setting skills, using small pieces of coloured stained glass, glass tiles and drops and large quantities of mirror tiles to create decorative embellished two-dimensional surfaces.

Inspiration for my mosaic designs comes from my interests in East European and historic embroidered textiles, where brightly coloured silks are stitched against dark backgrounds. From this comes my use of brightly coloured glass set within black grout. It creates an additional graphic line around the tiles.

Recent work has focused on what I describe as mosaic floristry, using the garden as my inspiration, with sinuous trailing lines and floral shapes bursting with colour. A commission to create a series of floral garden stakes to decorate a garden to be opened to the public led me to create and extend my garden series, everlasting flowers bringing colour to a border or conservatory.

Lisa Reeve is a contemporary landscape artist located in Conwy, North Wales. Her distinctive artistic style captures the intricate details, textures, and contours of the stunning Welsh landscape. Beginning with original line drawings, Lisa translates her art into digital prints, offering a unique and expressive representation of the beauty that surrounds her in Wales.

Inspired by and made from our local landscape and seas. Lonn creates beautiful hand-thrown functional ceramics which feature natural materials foraged from Wirral and Wales. These materials celebrate the environments from which they come and quite literally embody the very essence of place.

Foraged clay is mixed with commercial clay to make each and every piece. The glazes that Lonn has crafted himself, utilise mussel shells foraged from Wirral beaches, and various rocks and minerals collected from the Welsh mountains as some of their raw materials. These natural materials quite literally connect each of his pieces to our wonderful corner of the world!

The process of gathering and preparing these materials is incredibly labour intensive and time consuming. Crushing, grinding, milling and drying each material takes weeks using Lonn’s upcycled homemade equipment (including a repurposed treadmill!). For Lonn, each material is precious, hard fought for, and cherished on a whole new level.

The glazes themselves are the culmination of extensive experimentation driven by Lonn’s background in the sciences – his degree is in chemical engineering. The results are the wonderfully rich, colourful, tactile and sometimes drippy glazes that adorn his work.

Sustainability is key to Lonn’s practice. His studio and kilns are powered by soalr panels. He uses only ethically sources cobalt colourants, and foraged materials wherever possible.

“I am constantly amazed that using only my hands and a few tools you can create something beautiful
from basically a pile of sticks and natural materials. It’s simple yet beautiful connection with nature which has endless possibilities”.

Basketry is an ancient craft used in many world cultures to produce functional objects to support their
daily life, however, the techniques in basketry can also be used to create forms that incorporate and
reflect our natural environment. Maggie creates a range of baskets inspired by the colours found in the
natural landscape of the coast and mountains near her home on Ynys Mon.

The willow Maggie uses is either coppiced from community land here in North Wales or purchased from the Somerset levels, Rush grows in fresh flowing rivers such as the river Ouse and Nene and is harvested in the summer. Other natural materials used are gathered while walking her two Labradors along the beaches and woodlands close to her home.

Margo Selby is a British artist and designer working in woven textiles. Her work is characterised by its geometric construction in colour and sits at the intersection of art, craft and design. Alongside her handwoven art practice, Margo oversees the work of the Margo Selby Studio designing for industry partners and the production of a wide range of textile applications.

Colour is the impetus of Margo’s work, the effects of colours in combination, the relationship between colour and woven thread – and the impact of colour in a design. Although Margo’s approach is experimental, weaving is an extremely methodical practice. There is a close affinity between Margo’s weaving, graphic design and architecture, in that they are all precision disciplines.

I’m a print and pattern designer specialising in textiles, homewares, stationery and editioned prints.

My designs are inspired by nature and often begin with photography and sketched ideas, which I develop into repeatable motifs using different mediums including drawing, painting and various printmaking techniques.

I manipulate these motifs into repeat patterns digitally for a range of home textiles and other printed products. I enjoy seeing how far I can take an idea, right through from original research, photography and drawing to hands on printmaking, final digital manipulation and product development.

I studied Textiles and Pattern Design at university, before working for a digital textiles manufacturer in Manchester for several years. I started my own business in 2017, and since 2019 I have been part of the Grounded Printmakers collective at the brilliant Hot Bed Press print workshop in Salford, working closely with other creatives and organising exhibitions together across the North West. I share a studio and shop space at Manchester Craft and Design Centre.

Nobuko graduated from School of Jewellery, Birmingham, and now works from her workshop in Birmingham’s historic Jewellery Quarter.

Strongly inspired by geometric and natural forms, Nobuko’s approach is truly “wabi-sabi”, she explores a combination of geometry and nature to create something unique from these apparent opposites.

Nobuko often uses of gemstones combined with gold and silver. She also uses wax casting and wax carving, together with highly skilled traditional fabrication methods.

Norman Eames has a professional background in engineering and studied Mechanical Engineering at Salford University. Based in Rochdale, Lancashire Norman is inspired by the materials he works with. He loves to create beautiful effects utilising the versatility of the resin in combination with the contrast of aluminium, and he enjoys experimenting with the infinite variety of colour.

The Norman’s range of contemporary jewellery is handcrafted from resin and incorporates aluminium details. The flow patterns derived from alternating layers of blended colours, interrupted by obstacles of chiefly aluminium sections, produce a highly decorative, contoured effect, which is very original. Norman mixes an extensive range of exciting and unusual colours, which are polished to give a lovely smooth, glossy finish with a high shine.

Created from resin with aluminum. Chains, findings and earring wires are sterling silver. Bangles are adjustable, handmade from textured, polished aluminum. Ring bases are adjustable, aluminum or sterling silver, and cufflink pads are silver plated. Each piece is unique and therefore no two items are identical, so there will always be some variation in pattern. Your jewellery will be unaffected by contact with perfume, lotions etc. Maintain shine by polishing with a soft cloth when required. Keep separate in a jewellery box or bag to avoid scratching.

Paul’s career has always been immersed in the world of furniture design and making, starting with a Masters Degree in Furniture Design.

This led to further opportunities to work for larger scale businesses, designing and manufacturing upholstery and cabinet product ranges for the main UK furniture retailers such as Marks and Spencer, John Lewis, Next and key independent stores.

Paul’s underlying ambition however, was to eventually return to artisan design and his attendance at a creative green woodworking course in 2018 ignited this desire.

Green woodworking is a very rewarding process allowing Paul to hand shape freshly cut timber before gently drying out the moisture. Paul uses a draw knife and spoke shave on a shave horse, often outside in the forest, and leaves the makers marks intact to give texture and character to each piece.

Steam bending is an ancient process where timber is held in a steam box in which it softens and becomes pliable. This allows Paul to then create sculptural, flowing forms without the need for glue or laminating.

Autumn leaves decoupage is a process unique to Paul products. Inspired by the beauty of autumn leaves, Paul developed a process to press, dry and then apply the leaves to a flat surface such as a table top or clock face. He gently sands back the surface to highlight the vein structures and colours producing a unique pattern on every piece.

I work mostly with clear acrylic using the optical qualities of the acrylic to compliment my use of colour, pattern and texture. The making techniques include cutting, grinding, and shaping using both machine and hand tools to achieve the basic shapes. I also bend some of the shapes using heat and formers. To re-polish the surfaces I use wet and dry paper followed by buffing on a wheel and a final hand polish.

I have always loved working with colour and texture, always trying to put some of what I see around me into my work without being too obvious, and also being concerned with producing desirable work that will be enjoyed. Each piece is hand made by me and while I can closely repeat my designs no two pieces will ever be exactly the same and are unique and original to me.

Ruth makes original screenprints and collages from a studio near Bala, North Wales.

The prints are all made by hand, using Fabriano watercolour paper. This surface has a silk-like quality and holds the colour beautifully. It’s also acid free, which means it doesn’t fade or discolour.

Each design is made in a small edition. The prints are individually numbered and signed. Once an edition is sold out, Ruth adapts some of the images for her range of greetings cards.
Ruth trained as a textile designer in Liverpool and Birmingham, after which she worked as a freelance designer and illustrator. Clients have included Ikea, Sainsbury’s, Waterstones and Marks and Spencer. She has worked extensively with Tate, writing and illustrating 3 children’s books and a designing a range of toys, clothes and tableware. Her prints focus on plants, gardens and animals with a nod to mid-century design. There is a strong illustrative style, with bold colours in contrasting layers.

Sarah Ross-Thompson is a Fine Art Printmaker, specialising in hand-inked collagraphs.

Based on the South West Coast of Scotland looking out over the Irish Sea towards Belfast. Sarah draws inspiration from her surroundings and the scenery she encounters on her travels.

Sarah constructs her collage printing plates using materials such as string, salt, corrugated card, porridge oats and lichen. She then uses the vibrant colours of oil-based etching inks with the highly textural nature of collage printing blocks to create her prints.

Satoko is a Jeweller lives and works in North Wales in the UK. She studied metalwork in Japan and after over a decade of teaching experience in Japan, she moved to the UK in 2012 as a researcher position at the Glasgow School of Art. Since then, she has turned her focus to her own practice, developing her own style of Jewellery.

She was introduced to engraving in 2015 and was immediately attracted to the way the engraved lines catch the light. When her engraved Jewellery is worn, the light is reflected by the movements of the wearer giving a beautiful natural sparkle.

She realized that the engraved lines also relate to fine weaves in textiles, especially silk where the light catches the fibres and makes the fabric glow. Satoko has translated this onto metal with beautiful and unique effect.

The Moonlit Press is an independent lifestyle brand, handcrafting functional homeware, joyful jewellery and thoughtful gifts from their studio in the heart of Snowdonia.

Andy is an illustrator and Emma is a designer, maker with a background in stationery. The Moonlit Press is a where our creativity collides to make things we genuinely love, with the hope they bring a little joy to others too.