Celebrating outstanding skills, details & creativity, this event brings together.
People within place alongside pieces of work from each designer for sale and for commissions alongside and a piece designed around ‘Hope’.
James Thomas Project Lead for the event says - ‘This is a curated presentation of incredible people, their work, with an event based upon an underlying meaning of substance and skill that is presented within a space promoting the outstanding craft people of Hastings, East Sussex.
The idea to bring together the skills that form heritage crafts, came with the stark reality that these skills are endangered, are disappearing from the education system, from business being replaced with advanced technology and manufacturing and whilst this must happen it’s also time to protect and promote those skills that are delivered with a real sense of need and purpose within society.
The Observer building is the ideal canvas for a presentation of this incredible body of work crafted locally and shown within a space creating a harmony across color, material and finish.
James Thomas – Business & Design Consultant
The event will bring opportunity to the makers, the sharing of skills and will continue to break down barriers enabling more people to see the broader skills we have in Hastings. We will also showcase a series of works from students at East Sussex College BA (hons) course that focuses on craft & design, Hasting’s campus bringing future craft makers to the event with guided tours on the Saturday. Education of skills is key to ensuring that we limit the number of craft skills that fall onto the endangered list and that skills continue to be imbedded within the education curriculum.
Rowan Corkhill says – ‘I’m excited to be part of Hastings' vibrant creative community, not only as a maker but also as a studio provider, facilitating creative spaces for makers to thrive. This weekend is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the talent of local artists and designers, exploring how different materials can be shaped, transformed, and crafted into unique pieces. It’s inspiring to see such a rich diversity of creativity come together, and I’m thrilled to share my work in this dynamic environment’.
Rowan Corkill
Visual Artist, educator, and studio provider at Blackland’s and Common Mormons studios
The event will take place on Saturday 24th & Sunday 25th May, at the Observer building a cooperative organization who have worked hard to reimagine the building once the offices and print works for the Hastings & St Leonard’s Observer newspaper, the building was given new life by local, skilled people.
The skills showcased at the event include weaving, furniture making, ceramics, metal work, leather work, embroidery, patchworking, and hat making to name a few alongside a diverse number of disciplines.
Gwen Orr, Events manager for the Observer Building says - ‘We are honoured to be able to present the Hastings Craft weekend by James Thomas at The Observer Building, a historic building that has been bought back to life by an incredible team of creators. The Hastings Craft weekend will showcase incredible craft makers, their products within the ground floor space offering space to purchase and commission whilst enabling those visiting the FREE event to view this incredible building’.
Gwen Orr, Events Manager Hastings Observer Building
The event in Hastings will follow on from London Craft Week, launching with a Private View on Friday 23rdMay, 6pm onwards which is being supported by ROSA Magazine & High Weald Wine Estate, who are also supporting London Craft Week providing sparkling wine to celebrate the occasion. The event will be advertised across a variety of local and national sites showcasing those taking part and pieces of work to increase engagement for the event whilst promoting the craft persons of Hastings for its specialist craft offer. Nationally the picture seems bleak with more crafts entering the critically endangered list but within East Sussex we have many skills that are keeping the skills alive, with several bursaries and larger businesses with a focus on apprenticeships, training we hope East Sussex will long continue to be a beacon for craft and heritage craft.
Hastings Craft Weekend has an incredible partner in ROSA (review of Sussex Arts) magazine, a platform for the arts and culture community of Sussex. ROSA will host the private view on Friday 23rd at the Observer Building, to its readership and a wider audience including business and national press.
‘ROSA is delighted to partner with Hastings Craft Weekend, an exciting new project which brings together a seriously talented group of Hastings makers. Our latest magazine features Hastings artist Alexi Marshall as cover artist, and we know that the town is a centre for excellence across the art and craft spectre’.
Jessica Wood, Publisher ROSA Magazine, Director Sussex Craft Week.
We have been able to gain support from a variety of different organisations including, Crafts Council, Heritage Crafts and 1066 country marketing, alongside support from London Craft week who deliver their yearly event the week before and have a strong handful of Hastings Individuals taking part alongside the Hastings Craft weekend including Jazmine Miles Long, Carola Van Dyke and Catalin Filip.
James says ‘the visits to each of the studios have offered an incredible insight to the person behind the product, the stories that they share and personal insight into who they are as people has been incredibly insightful and humbling. We hope that we can bring this emotion to life within the space so that authenticity comes through’.
Craft Makers:
Alexi Marshall
Adam Kester - Bird & Branch Turnery Co
Claire Whelan - Whelan's Weaving
Christopher Hughes - Ink and Clay
Emma Harding - EH Mosaics
Nikki Haigh - Uniform Jewellery
Katie Boccaccini Meadows
Catalin Filip - Melo Clay
Rowan Corkhill
Claire Buckley
Bekky May
Debbie Quargnola - Tala Home & Living
Mark Thomas - Makermark
David Bracher
Holly Dawes
James Torble - Loose Fit Furniture
Scot Garrett - Garretts World
Rachel Karasik - RK Ceramics
Jo McAllister
Amy Leake - Woodmungler
Tara Mcdonald - Botanical Dye
Bethan Smith - Mudimakes
Melanie Laslett - Laslett England
Jane Fryers - Jane Fryers Millinery
Katja Seaton
Rachel Trewin - Liv and Flo
Ellen Rose Svenningsen - Svenningsen Studios
Elena Blank
Julia Gurr
Jazmine Miles Long
Kasia Hamilton