London: a celebration

Excited by our home becoming a focus for the world, with the national events of coming year, we were inspired to launch a show that celebrates the British creativity so abundant in London. Intimate and central, the show will allow you to get personal with Britain’s greatest designers while overlooking the river Thames. You will have the opportunity to purchase the latest handmade designer crafts from both new and established artists ...and best of all, you can visit us for FREE!

Handmade in Britain is a UK based organisation aiming to promote young and upcoming designer-makers who produce their work in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. The organisation works to promote professional design excellence through productive partnerships between the designer and the public. Following critical and commercial acclaim, this year’s event once again is destined to set a very high standard for this year’s craft events.

Handmade in Britain has created a show where buyers and exhibitors alike are sure to be inspired by quality, originality and Eco conscious ethos behind the works for sale. Featuring around 40 designers from various disciplines such as textiles, glass, jewellery, metalwork, ceramics and sculpture, these objects are not mass-produced, but personally crafted by the designer him or herself. The products they create are a result of their inspirations, influences and experiences. Each piece is handmade and reflects the interplay between designer and material to create a unique product of the highest quality.

In these days of mass produced objects where people have become strangers to the process of making, it is comforting to know that there are still craftspeople working by hand and creating wonderful, unique products such as jewellery, ceramics, textiles, furniture and other crafts.

Images (clockwise from top left)Adam Aaronson, Penny Seume, Caroline Lukehurst, Joy Trpkovic, Anne Morgan, Norman Yap.

The show will run from Thurs – Sun 10-13th May 2012

Venue: gallery@oxo is situated within Oxo Tower Wharf on London's spectacular South Bank. Overlooking the tree lined Thames river walkway, the gallery is an open and airy space with entrances opening onto both the river and the courtyard. gallery@oxo is a stunning space for showcasing exhibitors, raising their profile, and enabling them to reach out to new audiences

gallery@oxo is owned and managed by

Coin Street Community Builders.

www.coinstreet.org

Handmade in Britain Call for Entries

Handmade in Britain returns to their favourite venue for the 6th year ; Chelsea Old Town Hall. Celebrating the festive 2012, the show will start the Christmas season with designer makers from a range of disciplines showcasing their handcrafted products available to purchase or to commission.

Following from the huge success of the show in 2011 combined with the cancelation of Origin and moving the event closer to Christmas, Handmade in Britain have already be inundated with applications and are planning a bigger and better show than ever before.

The show runs from the 16-18^th November 2012.

Want to take part? Download the application pack from our website and post it along to us with CD of images. Apply online coming soon.

Deadline for applicants 30^th April 2012

Homes and Gardens Magazine

We are proud to be supported by Homes & Gardens magazine throughout 2012. Lookout for exclusive readers offers and show features .

Handmade in Britain Design Book

Handmade in Britain Design Book… Premium Coffee Table Design Book featuring 90 contemporary designer-makers from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, with illustrations of their work accompanied by a short story providing insight into how they work and what inspires them.

CRAFTS MAGAZINE SPECIAL OFFER    £19.95 NOW £15.95      BUY NOW

It’s All About London

All hearts and minds will be focused on London this summer. And in Southwark Handmade in Britain will present an exhibition representing uncompromising British craftsmanship – inspired by the city itself.

The inspiration for the show came from a few conversations with Barbara Chandler, author of the book and photography series Love London. A partnership was made and her photography will inspire our London: A Celebration.

“The book LOVE LONDON is Barbara Chandler's unique tribute to our capital. It has 180 photographs taken by Barbara Chandler over a period of over 20 years. The earliest was taken in 1986 of a rag-and-bone man with horse and cart, but many were taken in 2010, when this book was taking shape.  Then there are over 100 fascinating quotations about the capital, matched with the photographs. They range from a 15th century poem to snippets from modern newspapers and blogs.

Love London was/is a very personal view of life in the capital: its people, buildings and landscapes.”

With British artisans each representing London within their style in their own unique way, our upcoming selling exhibition will be very unique with a theme that will draw in the crowds. The designers work will not necessarily be obviously London inspired, but it will tell a story.

It is the stories behind the work that mystify and amaze the public. This is what we are hoping to capture.

An Iconic Landmark

Where else would we set up an exhibition celebrating London?

This May, the venue that London: A Celebration will quietly live inside, will be a reason to visit in its own right. Situated within OXO Tower Wharf, the Gallery@OXO is a stunning space for inventively exhibiting design. Glass walls open on to the tree lined Thames River Walkway setting the perfect backdrop for a contemporary craft show.

It will be the antidote to the traditional fair; bright and airy, the space desires creative displays and creative designers. 

The show will run from 10^th to the 13^th May 2012 deadline for the Call for Entries is 31^st January.

Please email us for more information:

Natalie – admin@handmadeinbritain.co.uk  

Piyush – info@handmadeinbritain.co.uk

Lest we forget where our heart belongs, Handmade in Britain returns to Chelsea for the 6^th year in November.

With a fiery new team this year’s show will be bigger and better than ever. Planning for the show has already begun – we are working on ways to support and promote British designer makers, and have some big surprises planned for you all this year. With an in depth promotion schedule already in place, Handmade in Britain will undoubtedly be the must visit Contemporary Craft Fair of the year.

Call for entries deadline 30^st April. Please contact Natalie admin@handmadeinbritain.co.uk or Piyush info@handmadeinbritain.co.uk for more information.

Application packs available to download from our website.

2011- A Retrospect

As the end of 2011 comes closer we at Handmade in Britain would like to take this opportunity to say a huge thanks to everyone involved in this year’s events, from exhibitors and sponsors; to followers and fans, for participating and making 2011 a success, we couldn’t have done it without you.

We look forward to some wonderful things happening in 2012 but first we look back at some highlights from the year we have had.

Our first design book:

Handmade in Britain – Appreciating contemporary Artisans

2011 has seen the launch of our first ever design book containing over 90 contemporary designer-makers from England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.Top of Form Working in a variety of materials from precious metals to clay, wood, and more, these artisans approach their work in a sustainable and eco-conscious way.  Each designer-maker’s work is illustrated and accompanied by a short essay providing insight into how they work and what inspires them.Bottom of ForTop of Form With over 200 illustrations, Handmade in Britain is both a guide for people interested in buying handcrafted products as well as a resource for art and design students. Buy Now

Bottom of Form

2011 Show Talents

Zoe Hillyard, an exhibitor at our Bath show in June, was the designer everyone was talking about, her fabulous images were just so good we had to use them in our promotional materials and she quickly became one of the many stars of the show. “Handmade in Britain in Bath has proved to be a good launch pad. Much positive feedback from the public, some significant sales and a couple of exciting collaborations initiated. The assembly rooms made a beautiful venue and I was amongst lovely company.”

Showing at both Bath and Chelsea, Nick Page’s work shone through as a stand out designer this year. One to watch for the future his work which incorporates his background in sculpture had many heads turning.

“Salvaged objects and materials have a history which gives them an inherent character right from the start. It always seems a pity to throw away something interesting or beautiful, just because it has broken or outlived it's original function. With a bit of imagination, much of what is headed for the landfill site can be turned into something new and desirable. It also means you are likely to end up with something unique and something of a talking point”

And not forgetting the lovely Deryn Relph, whose magnificently coloured textiles brightened up the cold autumnal days at Chelsea Old Town Hall.

“I'm often asked how I choose the colours for a collection, or where my designs come from - so I thought I'd show you how my  designs develop! I'm always collecting inspiring images, taking photographs and collecting bits and bobs.  I've got some pinboards in my studio where I start putting ideas together.  My current collection, 'Buttonbox' based on the button box that used to belong to my Nanna - so there's lots of memories and nostalgia in there too!”

Congratulations to all three and everyone else who had successes at our shows this year.

Handmade does YouTube

November 2011 saw the launch of the Handmade in Britain YouTube channel. Working in collaboration with Daniel Broom, we got some great footage of our Chelsea show in a video montage. Many of our exhibitors created videos for their own websites, in addition to interviews with Lee Ripley from Vivays Publishing at our book launch and our very own Creative Director Piyush Suri.

2012 Events

The first of our 2012 events will be the launch of London: A Celebration, at the celebrated Gallery@OXO in May. We are pleased to announce our new venue for a unique selling exhibition showcasing some of the talented British Designer-makers, each celebrating London in their own unique way.

“London being a big melting pot of culture is known for its diversity and sense of free expression which is a huge source of inspiration for many artists of different cultural backgrounds. The show prior to Queens Jubilee and Olympics will mark the beginning of the festive season and will bring together selected designer-makers showing their own take on London through their work which will be available to purchase or to commission.”

Thinking of exhibiting? You can download an application pack here.

A return to Chelsea

Handmade in Britain will return to Chelsea next year for the sixth time. The show will exhibit talented designer makers from a wide variety of backgrounds, expect to see your favourite exhibitors along with new emerging young talent.

New for Chelsea 2012 we will be dedicating the stage area to new and graduate designers within their first two years of business. The area will be sponsored by outside business’ keen to help support fresh talent on their entry to the industry.

Thinking of exhibiting? You can download an application pack here.

Have you been to our show before? What would you like added to the show? we are always looking to make each show bigger and better than the last, so comment; tweet; email in and let us know.

We would like to say another special think you to all the visitors of our shows, it is you that keeps British craft alive and this is something that we appreciate very much.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 

from everyone at Handmade in Britain.

Handmade in Britain, Chelsea 2011 Highlights

Handmade in Britain returned for the 5^th time to their most favourite venue Chelsea Old Town Hall, London (27^th – 30^th October 2011).

Despite the financial crisis, which still grips our country, the right people walked through the door and not only bought but also commissioned several designers for Christmas gifts. General footfall remained the same as 2010 however turnover for our designers increased by half which is excellent news for everyone. We received an excellent feedback from the visitors this year for the standard of the work at the show. 

The Handmade in Britain book made its launch at the 2011 Chelsea show creating quite a stir amongst exhibitors and visitors alike. Vivays publishing did a fabulous job and sales of the book helped promote business for all involved.

This year the show was supported by Applewood Cheese who provided their delicious cheese for the visitors, causing quite a stir and Partridges in Kings Road who provided mouth watering canapés  for the private view evening guests. Additionally this year we were also sponsored by Unique Produce, a brand new e-commerce website that allows small producers of traditional or unique products and produce to reach out to UK customers by selling their products on the Unique Produce website and having the products and produce shipped directly to the customer.

For those of you who could not attend the show this year, here are some visual highlights from the private view evening.

If you attended our show, please let us know what did you think of the show as your feedback and continued support is extremely valuable to us.


For your diary :

London: A Celebration - 10th-13th May 2012 -  Gallery@OXO

Chelsea 2012 - 16th- 18th November 2012 - Chelsea Old Town Hall

The Future Is Bright

Call us optimistic about the future of British crafts, but in this world of mass-production we see a growing trend towards hand-crafted design as people are re-educated about sustainable and locally manufactured, hand-crafted items. It is comforting to know that there are institutions like the Crafts Council and many other craft and design events running in the UK who support and promote the makers to develop their ideas and market themselves to a wider audience. Even the designer-makers view the future of craft and design with great optimism and believe their passion and the quality of their work will build a legacy, valued by others for years to come.

With this in mind we have compiled a list of up and coming designer makers, who we think have a great future ahead;

Chris Edwards - Silversmith - Stand-out Metalware and Jewellery inspired by a career creating the weird and wonderful for the film and T.V. industry. Exhibiting at Chelsea Old Town Hall this weekend on stand HIB12

Handmade in Britain; Inspired by the World

With just six days to go before our Handmade in Britain show launches itself in Chelsea Old Town Hall once again, we have been thinking about how influences from around the world give an extraordinary extent to the diversity of work that forms British craft. With paraphrases from our new book Handmade in Britain, launched at our Chelsea show next week, below are a few examples of the diversity of cultural influences in British design;

Ferri Farahmandi – Ceramics – Raised in a typical Persian family in Iran, Ferri was surrounded by a creative environment and loved exploring multiple media but was mostly excited by clay. Art was not discouraged for Ferri; however, the priority was to gain an academic education followed by marriage and family. After moving to England and raising her children a world of artistic possibilities were opened to her. She began to study a degree course in ceramics at Westminster University. Later she started working in stoneware and porcelain clay. Ferri’s creations are heavily influenced by nature and organic forms. Her work explores issues of freedom and the restrictions of society in human lives. You can see her work at stand HIB47.

Tim Chadsey – Furniture– Born in Toronto, Tim came to England to study photography and worked as a still life photographer for 25 years. On discovering the beauty of wood, during one of his photographic assignments for a furniture company, he found his passion and turned his creative focus to furniture making. He worked for England’s finest designers before setting up his own workshop in 2008. His design sense, the essence of which is simplicity and elegance, is influenced by the colour and grain of the wood. You can see his work at stand HIB06.

Naomi Singer – Glass –After moving to Cornwall Naomi Singer sees its influence in the colours that evolved her work. Naomi combines both traditional and modern warm glass techniques, along with digitally manipulated images to create unique glass pieces.  Even though her tableware is commercially successful, her heart lies in creating big statement wall panels, and sees her panels getting bigger and bigger in the future. You can see her work at stand HIB56

Aran Illingworth -Textiles–Aran’s love for antique & unusual fabrics is represented in her textiles. Originally trained as a nurse she pursued design after her son began nursery and obtained a first class degree in Applied Arts. Aran uses textiles as a medium to express her connection with undervalued women in Asian society and so her work inspires a powerful and emotional response. The colours are clearly influenced by Asian culture in addition to the dire social conditions that persist in Asia and although she is not a feminist her work has a certain feminist sympathy underlying within it. You can see more of her work in our book that will be launched in Handmade in Britain.

Amma Gyan – Fashion – Wear me, be you. Classic designs reinvented in collection of handmade

leather bags and inspiring moulded leather jewellery that challenges the perception of precious. Her latest work is constructed to illustrate freedom and movement, challenging the perception of how leather is used as a jewellery form and the concept of what is precious. See more of her work on stand HIB44.

Daphne Krinos – Jewellery - Creating original and striking pieces of jewellery in precious metals and translucent stones. Daphne moved to London from Greece to study jewellery design, despite being told ‘not to waste time on such a frivolous area’.  Attracted by odd and unusual shapes, Daphne clearly represents her love of cities buildings, scaffolding, bridges and all sorts of structures in various states of decay, in her work. See her work at stand HIB 17

Melanie Rye – Interiors/Furniture- With inspiration drawn from anywhere and everywhere, Melanie loves pattern and colour and spends much of her time sourcing fabrics in antique and vintage shops. Her impressive assortment of patterned fabrics is utilised and combined with antique furniture, which she upholsters to give character including lamps, chairs, screens and home accessories. Using modern trimmings in her work is “extraordinarily post-modern”, capturing the essence of anti-minimalist aesthetics.

Handmade in Britain will be on at Chelsea Old Town Hall from 28th-30th October, and will exhibit over 70 designers of contemporary craft. At the show we will launch our first ever book containing over 200 illustrations and featuring over 90 designers. 

We look forward to seeing you there.

EXHIBITOR BATH 2011: Silver Kitsune

Silver Kitsune designer maker Heather Fox's Sumptuous Silver range takes inspiration from drawings of nature and then translates the drawn line into silver, with just a subtle Japanese influence, she then started to add colour into the equation and the Colour Feast Collection was born.  Heather has taken a touch of inspiration from nature, added in a spot of texture and mixed with a splash of colour to creat a playful collection that is a Colour Feast for the eyes.  The coloured pieces are laser cut powdercoated steel set in white precious metal

Floral Fancies takes inspiration from the other two collections, a spot of colour and a touch of texture.  The floral design is hand pierced in either white precious metal or guilding metal with just a few pieces flocked in bright pinks and subtle greys 

Silver Kitsune also offers a Personalised Pieces collection of jewellery that is precisely that, personalised. Whether you want a necklace just like Carrie from Sex in the City or you just want to wear your name on your wrist this collection is for you.

See Silver Kitsune during the Handmade in Britain Show on STAND HIB 3 

Buy Tickets for the show HERE

EXHIBITOR BATH 2011: Algan Arts

Algan Art's designer Gail Kelly creates hand printed designs on linen to create art work perfect for any wall space, all designs, including the limited addition range are framed in natural wood. Algan Arts prints can also be found on greeting cards, giving someone special that extra special gift. 

Gail qualified from the University of Ulster with a B.A. Honours in Fine Art Printmaking and an M.F.A. from Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, U.S.A.

She returned home to Ireland from America in 1992 and now lives in the countryside near Belfast.  Gail's original prints have been exhibited widely both at home and abroad and are included in many public and private collections.

See Algan Arts during the Handmade in Britain Show on STAND HIB 3 

Buy Tickets for the show HERE