Celebrating creativity (From The Argus)

Celebrating creativity

10:34am Tuesday 14th August 2012 in Celebrating Sussex By Nione Meakin

Summer is one of the busiest periods for The Sussex Guild, which represents more than 100 professional designer-makers.

Continuing its tradition of exhibiting in the county’s array of fine country houses, from August 25 to 27, the Guild marks its tenth year at Pashley Manor Gardens, Ticehurst.

Opened to the public in 1992, the gardens were developed into their current splendour by landscape architect Anthony du Gard Pashley and now offer a mix of imaginative planting and ancient trees, fountains, springs and ponds.

The craft show will take place in a large marquee in front of the manor house and will feature the work of about 40 exhibitors, including a number that are
showing for the first time.

Among the crafts on display are: textured kiln-fired glass bowls, semi-abstract porcelain bird forms, embellished textiles, wood furniture, irridescent lustreware, seamless felt vessels, textured wall hangings, paintings on silk, precious metal and gemstone jewellery, contemporary metalwork and wood-turned bowls.

The Sussex Guild was launched more than 40 years ago by a small group of craftspeople, with the notion of being “a community of mutually supporting,
individual craftspeople”. It now has around 100 professional designer-makers of fine contemporary and traditional craftwork, producing work in areas including ceramics, jewellery, metal, printmaking and textiles.

A selection committee decides who will be accepted – members must pass a vigorous assessment on the basis of design, innovation and craftsmanship. Their website lists details of many members and examples of their work.

These include: Bexhill couple Stephen and Caroline Atkinson-Jones, who have been designing and making ceramics for 24 years and have recently been
developing lustreware – the fusion of precious metals on to porcelain to form
intricate patterns and textures; Mohamed Hamid, a Lewes potter whose handthrown, brush-decorated ceramics are inspired by Islamic art, Continental Majolica and Dutch Delftware; and Silvane Frouin, a Brighton-based French jewellery designer who takes inspiration from nature, childhood and graphic design to produce whimsical pieces such as little boats floating on silver chains, dancing dolls and rings that feature 3D trains pulling out of a tunnel.
 

The Guild also has a permanent base at Southover Grange in Lewes, which is open 364 days of the year from 10am till 5pm. In addition to the shop, there is an event room where lectures, exhibitions and workshops take place. This fulfils another of the Guild’s aims – to preserve and stimulate awareness and appreciation of crafts.
 

Lunches and afternoon teas will be available at Pashley’s licensed Garden Room Cafe, where visitors can enjoy refreshments on the terrace overlooking the moat or in the Jubilee Courtyard.

The show takes place from 10am till 5pm both days. Entry costs £7.50 for adults and £5 for children over 16.

 

• To find out more about The Sussex Guild, visit www.thesussexguild.co.uk
   
• For more on Pashley, visit www.pashleymanorgardens.com