Harriet Appleby - Artist Feltmaker

Info:  I graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University in 2001 and Goldsmiths College, University of London in 2003. The blurring of edges, both materially and philosophically, is a recurrent theme of my work: the misty horizon, where land and sky, sea and sky, merge, are reflected in the fuzziness of felt, the merging of fibres, the merging of wool fibres and silk chiffon, and ultimately, the fusion of art and craft.

Hastingwood Basket Works

Info:  Was established in 2002, as a family business drawing on 20 years experience as a basket maker. Having trained and worked in Europe and in the UK, we feel that the style of basket making we offer is quite unique in character. Our aim is to offer beautiful custom made wicker baskets at affordable prices. It's great to have something made just the way you want it.

We are one of the few members of the Basket Makers Association to be selected as a professional maker and to feature in the trade directory of the organisation. In 2007 the Craftsman Magazine ran an article about the business. We are members of the UK Basket Makers Association and the Scottish Basket Makers Circle.

I Dress Myself

Info:  Specialises in screen printing T-shirts and art prints by hand using high quality water based inks. We offer a printing service to clients across the UK. We collaborate with artists to produce limited edition T-shirts, art prints and other goodies, which are on sale in our online shop. Join our mailing list to receive regular updates and the chance to pre-order limited edition prints.

We offer an eco-friendly screen printing service and print T-shirts and posters. We work with organisations large and small, in both the public and private sectors, providing a complete screen printing and management service from concept through to finished article.

Our ethical and environmentally-friendly stance means a lot to us. Our sustainable approach has helped to grow our business and hope that our progress will help to inspire other businesses to take a strong ethical and environmental stance too.

Jambohut

Info:  All the products are fairtrade. 50% of our net profit is used to preserve and conserve wildlife. We are a fairtrade accredited retail and wholesale importer into the UK.

Complete no quibble guarantees on all our products. Our goals coincide with the Make Poverty History Campaign. Jambohut has just been appoved by the IFAT Board of Directors and is now a full member of the global network of Fair Trade Organizations. IFAT’s mission is to enable producers to improve their livelihoods and communities through fair trade. Something we support 100%.

Jane Rose MA

Info:  Is an island-based artist with a passion for beachcombing. She recently moved from the Isle of Tiree to the Isle of Colonsay, a small island off the West coast of Scotland. The manmade beach litter assemblages she creates are her personal response towards the large quantities of detritus that she finds washed daily along the tideline on the islands beautiful coasts.

Jane is fascinated by the variety of objects she collects, but horrified that so much ends up in the sea causing harm to wildlife and pollution of our seas not to mention the spoiling of the beach environment. The purpose of her work is to encourage the spectator to reflect upon these issues and at the same time, hopefully, raise an awareness of this problem.

Jane Runchman - Jewellery Designer / Maker

Info:  Her jewellery is inspired by her clients. She produces portraits in 3 D; individual pieces of art which conjure up the essence of the wearer.

Jane Runchman's jewellery takes its lead from the beauty in nature. Like a sculptor, she absorbs and takes delight in notions of space, colour and light and embodies this into her work. She is fascinated with how jewellery makes you feel and invests her jewellery with that special notion. Each piece is a sensuous evocation of the person it was designed for.

Her jewellery allows you to have your own individual object of art. That special place of beauty which you have inspired.

Jenny Crisp - Basket Maker & Willow Grower

Info:  My baskets are constructed from rods of willow, grown in my own willow bed. There are hundreds of types of willow, however not all will work. I have chosen to grow rare varieties that are not commercially available. Annually, depending on variety, one rod can grow from two to fourteen feet in length. Each family of willow has its own character, some are dense, others pithy. They can be straight or wrigley, hard or soft. This gives me a wide choice for construction and an abundance or rich and natural colour.

The technical complexities of the craft are perhaps not immediately apparent. Just as a weaver has to select the correct yarn to create a fabric suitable for a particular garment, so the basket maker has to choose the correct willow to suit the construction and technique necessary to produce a particular form.

My twenty five year involvement with the complete process, from the very first planting to the final stages of making gives me an awareness and understanding of the link between making a functional object from an indigenous material. I try in my approach to be both forward looking and innovative, whilst at the same time retaining a respect for the sound and established traditions of my craft.

Joe Hogan Baskets

Info:  He has been making baskets at Loch na Fooey since 1978, and in that time has earned a reputation for making strong, durable baskets of the highest quality. The colours in these award winning baskets are those of the natural willows that are grown at Loch na Fooey.

Joe also makes indigenous Irish baskets such as the creel. These are available to order and are described in his book, Basketmaking in Ireland, published by Wordwell in 2001.