Crafts2Fly4
Visitors to the Bristol International Kite Festival in Ashton Court (4&5 September) will have a new ground based attraction to complement all the high flying displays. The Crafts2Fly4 craft marquee will feature some 20 stalls of handmade goods and artwork by local artists and crafts people as well as offering kite decorating workshops run by The Makery in conjunction with Cloth Magazine.
In the Crafts2Fly4 marquee there will be a fantastic range of gorgeous and individual items to admire and buy including jewellery, illustrations, clothing, ceramics, textiles, toys, home furnishings, soaps, bags, photography and hair accessories. With Christmas not far away this is the perfect opportunity to buy an unusual and unique handmade gift or spoil yourself with a personal treat.
Crafts2Fly4 is the brainchild of two local designers Louise Horler and Jo-Ann Middleton. Having regularly visited the Kite Festival and exhibited at other craft events they decided that a craft marquee would be a great addition to this year's festival. As well as running the craft marquee they will also be exhibiting and selling their own goods with Louise offering a range of children's textiles and Jo-Ann her handmade teddy bears.
Craft exhibitors include:
(NB some exhibitors are attending one day only)
- Aklu-tee - Eva Kiss-Torma - hand-printed t shirts
- Coast West Organics - Barbara Langdon - organic wheat bags
- Craftasmic - wooden automata kits
- Culture Closet - Tanya Lock - jewellery
- Electro 27 - limited edition t shirts
- Encanto - Phillip Pallett - jewellery
- From Little Seeds - Emma Dibben, Helen Williams & Tom Mead - illustrations and textiles
- Get Noticed - Carol Franklin - fabric pin boards, cushions and bags
- George & Vee - Helen Smith - jewellery, bags and sari quilts
- Jo-Ann Middleton - teddy bears
- Liz Clayton & Sophie Bloxham - illustrations and cards
- Mimsical pots - ceramics
- Precious Sparkles - bags, tiaras and hair accessories
- Rainbow Makers - Children's Craft Kits
- Rock a Jewels - jewellery
- Sarah Kee - jewellery
- Sew Scrumptious & e.giraffe - children's textiles
- Strawberry Annie - Kerryanne - tutus and hair accessories
- SEWine Club - soap, vintage dresses & door stops
- Uchi - Urban clothing and art prints
- UK Event Photos - Simon Parry - Photography
Here is a sneak preview of some of the artists and craftspeople and their work
Aklu-tee
Aklübisz is a made up word it means nothing. Or more like everything. It's the name of a language which only a few know and they try to not forget it. It's a small piece of childhood. It felt good and cheering to make this tee.
Coastwest Organics
Barbara Langdon creates handmade wheat bags, filled with organic wheat grown in north Somerset, with covers made with organic cottons, velvet, hemp/cotton fleece. These come in a range of shapes and sizes for various uses.
Craftasmic
Exclusive stockists in Somerset of Tomberkits - wooden automata kits ranging from monkeys and drummers to golfers and beam engines; providing enjoyment for all ages. Craftasmic is situated in Taunton High Street and is an Aladdin's Cave for card making, scrapbooking and various hobbies.
Culture Closet
Handmade vintage and retro inspired jewellery and hair accessories. Gold and silver plated necklaces with pressed metal charms, hair flowers, bows made out of retro and recycled fabrics, tattoo inspired felt brooches.
Electro 27
Kate Milford and Ed Jones create unique, limited edition, hand printed t shirts. Each garment has been lovingly designed and hand screened to ensure every one produced is unique and is then given a limited edition number so that it can be identified and collected. Garments are supplied by a company audited by the Fair Wear Foundation for ethical working standards.
Encanto Designs
Phillip Pallett designs and produces unique items of stylish jewellery including necklaces, earrings, bracelets and brooches. He uses a range of materials including Swarovski crystals, sea pearls and silver to produce really exclusive personal items of jewellery.
From Little Seeds (Helen Williams, Emnma Dibben and Tom Mead)
Helen Williams creates birds, bags and cushions using mostly recycled and vintage fabrics. Sources include fabric sample books, curtains, dresses, upholstery fabrics, sari silks, and many more... She also produces a wide range of greetings cards for all occasions, including wedding invitations and a range of limited edition prints.
Emma Dibben's quirky and colourful food illustrations are inspired by time growing her own fruit and veg on her Bristol allotment. Clients include her distinctive work for Waitrose Food Illustrated.
Tom Mead is a freelance illustrator who favours the surreal or otherworldly side of art. Inspired by names such as Dr Seuss, Koji Morimoto and Alberto Cerritino. Tom is a traditional artist using pencil, paper, brush pens, marker pens and then a not so traditional computer for digital rendering. Currently he is designing album covers, t shirts, posters and a load of prints and also writing his first book on dark folk tale adaptations which he hopes to be released in the midst of winter.
Get Noticed
Carol Franklin creates fabric memo/pin boards, cushions and peg bags as well as book marks, heart door hangers and shopping tote bags.
George & Vee
Handmade jewellery made from Turkish ova lacework and crochet. Also fair trade leather handbags and accessories including quilts and scarves made from recycled saris.
Happy Holistics
Organic skin care made with 100% Peace, Love and Respect for Mother Nature Handmade with finest natural and organic ingredients, Products or ingredients never ever tested on animals, Fair trade ingredients wherever possible, Recycled packaging and containers.
Liz Clayton & Sophia Bloxham
Liz Clayton creates illustrations using traditional media such as watercolour, gouache, ink and printmaking. Her work includes prints, greetings cards, bookmarks and other illustrated goodies. She is known for her bright, vibrant and fresh use of colour, which jumps from the page and brings her images to life.
Sophia Bloxham's illustration work is mainly composed of traditional collage and mixed media, which is then photographed showing emphasis on the relief effect of the artwork. She is inspired by colour, patterns, texture, ornamental objects and embellishments. Sophia particularly enjoys illustrating food for packaging and also designing greetings cards.
Mimsical pots
Miriam McMahon is a self-taught potter, originally from Ireland, now based in Somerset where she creates affordable art for the home and garden. She works in stoneware and earthenware, using coiling, slab building and hand-building techniques to make colourful and decorative, but useful ceramics for the home and garden. Colour and shape are equally important in her work, which reflects the natural world - stylised flowers, plants, birds and fish feature largely in her designs, which also draw on influences from early islamic pottery, oriental painting, celtic decoration and art nouveau design.
Miss Cuppy Cakes
Precious Sparkles
Handmade jewellery, hair pieces, tiaras, accessories and eco friendly bags.
Rainbow Makers
Creative craft kits for children, ideal for those rainy days or even on a long plane or train ride. All hand cut and stitched and at a price children can afford with their own pocket money. Rainbow Makers bring a splash of colour to those rainy days.
Rock a Jewels
Stunning and individual jewellery made by Lucy and Lizzie. All jewellery is unique and one offs. Lucy and Lizzie Bailey design and create jewellery using Freshwater pearls, Swarovski Crystal and Semi-precious beads.
Sarah Kee
Handmade jewellery using semi precious stones, vintage beads, recycled materials, sea glass, leather, silver and gold.
Sew Scrumptious & egiraffe:
Louise Horler of Sew Scrumptious makes individual, stylish textile gifts for little boys and girls all made from the most gorgeous retro fabrics. All tried and tested on her own children! She makes funky bibs, baking bags, activity bags designed to keep little people quiet, tooth fairy cushions and hair clip tidies. Perfect for presents.
egiraffe - specialise in new retro American designer fabric and aim to bring something a little different into the home. Made in Bristol, each item is unique, taking pride in attention to detail and using the best quality fabric. The style is kind of Cath Kidston with an edge!
Strawberry Annie
Strawberry Annie make tutus, hair bows, tutu tiaras, fairy hair, pillowcase dresses, bottle cap necklaces and flip flops.
Uchi Clothing
Taking its name from the Japanese word for "home" and "family", the uchi Clothing Co creates timeless designs on quality urban garments. uchi is inspired by urban environments, some classic tracks (and some not so classic), a little Japanese culture and positive meanings. Its mission is to reflect the artforms and artistry with passion and integrity; to continuously evolve the culture and to uphold the original HipHop philosophies of peace, unity, love and having fun.
Ukeventphotos
Simon Parry, principal photographer is inspired by the beautiful land and seascapes of Somerset and the surrounding counties and is working to create a library of landscape images of Somerset and the South West. These are sold as limited edition prints, framed or as large canvases.
