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We offer several different craft learning experiences for those aged 10 and above. While we focus on teaching traditional hand skills, we do so in a way to be enjoyable to the young students.

We have a series of wood crafting classes such as wood working (making things), pyrography (burning pictures in wood) and wood carving.   Most importantly, we try to work with each individual student so all of them toi express themselves while learning a new skill.

Each child is allowed to work at their own pace to maximize their learning.  This means that each student gets very individual guidance.  As everyone knows creativity and the process of making things is very important to a child’s development.  That is why we think our classes are so important. In the past the wood working class has made boxes, decorated with pyrography, a chess set and board.

Class Dates (every Thursday):
April: 18, 25
May: 2, 9, 16, 23
June: 6, 13, 20, 27

Class Times: All classes start at 16:00 and end at 18:00

Price: £200 (Deposit: £100)

This workshop serves as an introduction to ceramics sculpture, hand-built pottery, ceramics drawing, and ceramic jewellery. It covers the technological processes in ceramics, allowing participants to appreciate the transformation of objects at various stages – from flexible, easy-to-work clay, through a dry, fragile state, to the fired, solid object, all painted with special ceramics colours, engobes, glazes, and more.

This course is designed for both total beginners and advanced students.

I would be honoured to guide you through this exciting journey and look forward to seeing you soon!

Class Dates (every Thursday – April 18, 25, May 2, 9, 16

10:00 AM – 13:00 PM

Costs: £140 (per course) + £25 materials (included up to 2.5kg clay, firing up to 5 small pieces or 2 average size).

We offer several different craft learning experiences for those aged 10 and above. While we focus on teaching traditional hand skills, we do so in a way to be enjoyable to the young students.

We have a series of wood crafting classes such as wood working (making things), pyrography (burning pictures in wood) and wood carving.   Most importantly, we try to work with each individual student so all of them toi express themselves while learning a new skill.

Each child is allowed to work at their own pace to maximize their learning.  This means that each student gets very individual guidance.  As everyone knows creativity and the process of making things is very important to a child’s development.  That is why we think our classes are so important. In the past the wood working class has made boxes, decorated with pyrography, a chess set and board.

Class Dates (every Thursday):
January: 18, 25
February: 1, 8, 22, 29
March: 7, 14, 21, 28

Class Times: All classes start at 16:00 and end at 18:00

Price: £200 (Deposit: £100)

This workshop serves as an introduction to ceramics sculpture, hand-built pottery, ceramics drawing, and ceramic jewellery. It covers the technological processes in ceramics, allowing participants to appreciate the transformation of objects at various stages – from flexible, easy-to-work clay, through a dry, fragile state, to the fired, solid object, all painted with special ceramics colours, engobes, glazes, and more.

This course is designed for both total beginners and advanced students.

I would be honoured to guide you through this exciting journey and look forward to seeing you soon!

Class Dates (every Thursday – *No session during half-term February 15th):
February: 1, 8, 22, 29
March: 7

Class Times: All classes start at 10:00 and end at 13:00

Costs: £140 (per course) + £25 materials (included up to 2.5kg clay, firing up to 5 small pieces or 2 average size).

If you are new to jewellery making, coming back after a break or a confident jeweller, this course is suitable for you. Over the six weeks you will be guided by Jude in making silver jewellery by using traditional silversmithing techniques such as sawing, filing, soldering, forming and polishing. You can choose to make rings, necklaces, bangles, cufflinks and earrings.  You will be introduced to the design element of jewellery making as well as top tips and advice on the best place to source your materials.

As this course if for all abilities and experience levels, you will work on your individual design projects and Jude will be on hand to demo each stage of making the pieces you choose. As well as your own projects, there is an opportunity to work on a group project which will look at particular techniques in more detail such as sandcasting, cuttlefish casting, gem setting, keum boo and etching.

The course fee includes the use of all tools and consumable materials. Additional costs will be for the metal for your designs and gemstones.

Please bring a sketchbook, an apron to protect your clothes and if needed, a hair tie and glasses for close-up work. As each session is 10-4pm, please bring your lunch. Tea and coffee are available at the Centre.

Classes will run from  Monday the 30th of October to the 27th of November.  All classes will start at 10 am and run unti 4:00 pm with one hour for lunch.  Note all prices include tools, incidental costs (consumables such as sawblades, polishing compounds, solder, gas, borax, pickle etc.) however the price of the metals is not included)

In this course, Ernest will help students of all levels from complete novices to experienced restorers. All types of projects are possible (We do suggest you send a picture of the object if this is your first class with the school). All materials can be provided by the school (although a charge may apply). Ernest will carefully walk the student through every step of  the entire process of restoring their selected project.  Imagine the great feeling one gets from developing the hand skills needed to turn a warn piece of furniture into a thing of beauty.

With over 15 years experience running a very successful restoration business, Ernest is active with ICON (International Conservation) and he has a PhD centered around 18th Century  English and French Furniture.  This means that Ernest has proven himself to meet their very high standards in the restoration of antiques.

Price: £275 (Deposit: £100)

Class Dates (every Friday except during school holidays):
September: 8, 15, 22, 29
October: 6, 13, 20
November: 10, 17, 24
December: 1

Class Times: All classes start at 9:30 and end at 12:30

We offer several different craft learning experiences for those aged 10 and above. While we focus on teaching traditional hand skills, we do so in a way to be enjoyable to the young students.

Our primary courses are the very popular ‘metal work’ (which is jewellery making but for some reason boys do not like it when it is called jewellery making!)  But we also have a series of wood working classes such as wood working (making things), pyrography (burning pictures in wood) and wood carving.   Most importantly, we try to work with each individual student to all of them to express themselves while learning a new skill.

Each child is allowed to work at their own pace to maximize their learning.  This means that each student gets very individual guidance.  As everyone knows creativity and the process of making things is very important to a child’s development.  That is why we think our classes are so important. In the past the wood working class has made boxes, decorated with pyrography, a chess set and board.  In the jewellery making … excuse me …metal working class students have made everything from a pencil holder to a ring with a stone – and everything in-between!

Class Dates (every Thursday):
September: 14, 21, 28
October: 5, 12, 19
November: 9, 16, 23, 30

Class Times: All classes start at 16:00 and end at 18:00

Price: £200 (Deposit: £100)

Practical Leather Conservation Course for Historic Leather.

Tutor: Theo Sturge ACR

Overview

This course is intended for experienced conservators/restorers and students of conservation. A considerable knowledge of conservation is assumed. It is not intended for those without prior experience.

An introductory course to some of the techniques more commonly used in leather conservation. The course will include theory and practical experimentation. The course will aim to provide participants with a range of techniques for use on a wide variety of leather artefacts.  In this course, the student will gain PRACTICAL skills in the conservation of historic leather.  In addition to learning the different types of ‘leather’ the student will learn about how to restore the colour to leather, to make small repairs, how to gild leather and many other practical skills.  The details of the four day course are provided next.

Topics to be covered include:

• Methods of repair, including the choice of repair materials and adhesives, with hints and tips on getting the best results. Repair materials including leather and woven and non-woven fabrics will be considered.
• Gap filling with Beva 371, leather, Japanese tissue paper etc.
• Surface finishes and dressings.
• Cleaning.
• Humidification to allow reshaping.
• Dying leather and toning in areas of damage to match the surrounding colour.
• Leather working techniques. To include skiving with an English knife, basic saddle stitching with two needles, and skived joints.

Make a piece of gilt leather.

The following is an outline of the programme.

Day one. Tuesday Morning

• Introductions.
• Case study.
• What goes wrong with leather.
• Leather as a material. Some basic properties which can affect its use in conservation.
• What is gilt leather?

Afternoon

Introduction to practical exercises. The leather working skills – sewing and skiving – are not programmed for a specific time but can be fitted in when you have a little spare time.

Practical session:

• Start making your gilt leather by applying silver leaf.
• Make Beva 371 filler.
• Prepare Beva 371 on Reemay.

• Prepare Lascaux dispersions on Reemay for solvent reactivation tomorrow.
• Look at the identification of leather samples.

Day two. Wednesday Morning

• Case studies
• Adhesives used for leather.

Afternoon.

• Mould your gilt leather or decorate with punches.
• Try different adhesives and repair materials. Adhesives include: Lascaux acrylic dispersions, Evacon-R, Beva Film, solid Beva 371 and starch paste. Also, solvent reactivation. Repair materials include: Leather, Reemay, Japanese paper and silk.

Day three. Thursday Morning

• Case studies
• Repair materials. Colouring leather. Gap filling.

Afternoon

• Finish adhesive trials from yesterday.
• Dying / colouring leather.
• Varnish your gilt leather.
• Gap filling with solid Beva 371 – including Russia leather and a hole in crocodile.

Day 4. Friday Morning

• Case studies.
• Cleaning.
• Humidification and reshaping.
• Consolidation.
• Treatment of red rot.
• Finishing leather – dressings, in-painting etc.

Afternoon.

• Repair a hole in a piece of damaged, coloured leather and reinstate the lost colour using two different methods. Insert an inlay if wished and time available.
• Repair a split in some sheepskin as might be found on a flying jacket.
• Optional: Strip line your gilt leather for mounting on a frame.
• Optional: Paint your gilt leather if time allows.

Note: a sandwich lunch is provided to all students.

Tutor: Theo Sturge ACR FIIC. Theo is the UKs most experienced practising leather conservator. In 2000 he established the Sturge Conservation Studio which specialises in historic leather. He teaches internationally. theosturge@leatherconservation.co.uk. 0044 (0) 1604 717929. www.leatherconservation.co.uk

Dates:

From Tues 28th –  Friday 31st May 2024, from 9:30 – 16:30

Price (note all prices are in pounds)

• Full price – £520.00 per person
• Icon Member – £485.00 per person
• Deposit – £200.00 per person

We will accept a deposit to hold the spot. The full fee must be paid at the start of the class.

Please fill in the form and click ‘Proceed’ to book your place on the course.

We offer several different craft learning experiences for those aged 10 and above. While we focus on teaching traditional hand skills, we do so in a way to be enjoyable to the young students.

Our primary courses are the very popular ‘metal work’ (which is jewellery making but for some reason boys do not like it when it is called jewellery making!)  But we also have a series of wood working classes such as wood working (making things), pyrography (burning pictures in wood) and wood carving.   Most importantly, we try to work with each individual student to all of them to express themselves while learning a new skill.

Each child is allowed to work at their own pace to maximize their learning.  This means that each student gets very individual guidance.  As everyone knows creativity and the process of making things is very important to a child’s development.  That is why we think our classes are so important. In the past the wood working class has made boxes, decorated with pyrography, a chess set and board.  In the jewellery making … excuse me …metal working class students have made everything from a pencil holder to a ring with a stone – and everything in-between!

Class Dates (every Thursday):
April: 20, 27
May: 4, 11, 18, 25
June: 8, 15, 22, 29

Class Times: All classes start at 16:00 and end at 18:00

Price: £200 (Deposit: £100)

Students learn traditional upholstery (not modern – foam) by working on their own prized objects.
In this exciting course, Kat will help students of all levels from complete novices to experienced upholsterers. All types of projects are possible everything from simple drop in seats to complex buttoning using only tradition techniques hair and stitched seats with webbing and springs.

We urge all students  to send a picture of the object if this is your first class with the school at least 2 weeks before the start of the term for cost evaluation. As in all craft he skill and experience level of the student will guide what is an acceptable project.

All base materials can be supplied by the school (although a charge may apply at the end of the course at a discounted price – an estimate of the material costs can be provided once a photo of the piece is received). The top cover can also be ordered through the tutor (students will receive a 10% discount on fabric orders.)

Tools will be provided by the tutor for the duration of the class however if students do want to purchase tools, they, can order them through the tutor at a discount.

Please note that as precautionary measure we suggest that everyone to wear mask in the school!

Class Dates (every Monday):
April: 17, 24
May: 15, 22
June: 5, 12, 19, 26
July: 3, 10, 17

Class Times: All classes start at 09:30 and end at 12:30

Price: £319 (Deposit: £100)

Booking: https://www.chairs-etc.com/book-online