It's been a while!

The trickiest part of running a small business, is the juggling of many, many hats... there's always lots to do and as much as we try to keep you up to date with the exciting things we have been up to on social media, our blog has slid lately! We promise to get back into a regular update here too though.

So what’s been happening in our wonderful creative hub? Well, first up, we have completely transformed our ceramics offering. After Henry moved his studio back home it meant we could utilise the space as a full time teaching room for all things clay! Our wheel throwing tutor is local potter and teacher, Karl Greene. Karl is currently with us all day on a Monday bringing you wheel throwing workshops in the morning and practise sessions in the afternoon, which are perfect for anyone who wants to work on their throwing skills or practise specific techniques. Karl, or one of our support potters, will be on hand to offer help.

The afternoons, in the main room at the front of the building, are all about hand building techniques, from slab building, coiling and pinch pots, the theme changes weekly so keep an eye on the website.Can’t make a Monday? We have that covered, with some weekend workshops in hand building ceramics with the lovely Jan from Muddy Hag these will be added regularly with different themes and hand building techniques.

Our regular band of tutors are continuing to bring a mix of firm favourites and new projects. Andrea Wright will be back over the next few months with more amazing silver smithing. Whether you are a beginner or want to expand on your knowledge her workshops have something to suit all abilities.

Our sign writer extraordinaire Wayne Tanswell is back in January, sharing his 40 years plus of experience. This workshop is an absolute treat!

Mikaela from Illuminate will be bringing her wonderful cyanotype workshops back in the spring to show us how to create these camera less images.

We recently hosted a pin hole camera workshop with photographer, college tutor and local legend, Mike Klencher. We learnt how to transform an empty drinks can into a fully functioning camera and the results were mesmerising. We will definitely be adding new dates soon.

Our stained glass weekends continue to be extremely popular, the last two dates this year are fully booked but we have spaces in January, February and March. We are making plans to run a ‘follow on’ workshop for everyone who is desperate to continue their learning in this ancient craft. These workshops will include more technical designs and kiln fired glass painting to add detail to your final piece. All details on these sessions will be on the website and social media soon!

We have also been busy with the fused glass

workshops, garden flowers have definitely been the favourite, selling out as soon as we can add them. A brand new edition was fused glass bird sculptures which created some amazing results!

Helen Maxfield is back with reduction Lino printing and Lino Christmas cards, both are now fully booked but we will be planning more dates for the new year.

Our beautiful etching press is also going to have a busy new year, we are chatting to a few wonderful artists about bringing you etching, mono printing and more botanical printing with Evelyn Polk.

We are continuing to offer art workshops too, we will have new dates soon for pastel drawing with the wonderful Teresa Seal and watercolour techniques with Debs Burrow. Debs is with us next in November with a creative water colour wreath workshop, perfect for designing your own Christmas cards!

Mike Klencher is also with us next month as part of the brand new Ipswich Book Festival. We are thrilled to be hosting a couple of free workshops over the weekend of the festival where mike will be showing us how to create laperello or concertina books.

Anything brand new you ask? Well yes, we do! We have a couple of very exciting new workshops coming soon. First up is jewellery enamelling with Sara Barker. We have been trying to bring you some new jewellery techniques for a while now and as Sara has recently stood down as a 3d process and materials lecturer at Colchester Institute to focus on her own work, we jumped at the chance to have her bring her amazing skills to share with you! A date in early November has been set and will be live on the website soon.

Next up is Stone Carving with Antonia Hockton. We have been trying to persuade Antonia to run a workshop with us for years! Her conservation works as well as her commitments as an artist with commissions and exhibitions makes it hard for her to carve out a bit of time (see what we did there?) But finally we have a plan for the new year, keep an eye on the website and social media.

We are also chatting to Joe from Token of the Forest about some wood working workshops so there really will be something for everyone.

Our little pop up Christmas Market is going to be a little different this year. We are going to run it on a Thursday afternoon/evening on December 4th, linking up with other independents who stay open for late night shopping. We love running this event as its a great opportunity for our tutors to show you all of their amazing work and for all our creative friends to get together. Please do support them by coming along. As ever we will have some mulled wine and festive food to share too! We will post all the details on social media soon.

So that’s the update!! Promise not to leave it so long next time, hope to see you with us at Stoke Bridge Workshops very soon.