I believe that music, dance and creativity should all be part of everyday life, not just as a passive audience but something you do. In some ways I feel recording whilst it has given us all easy access to great music has maybe cut the link from live performance and just doing it. The internet seems to be breaking down…
Look at these beauties that arrived int he post today. George Lailey was known as the last bowl turner. He worked at the small Berkshire village of Bucklebury and before Kate Middleton was probably the most famous person form the village. He made bowls up to his death in 1958. Lailey’s lathe and tools are on display at the Museum…
Sorry these are all sold now. I am keeping an email list of folk that want them, no commitment and no guarantee when they will be here but I’ll send you an email as soon as the next ones are in stock. I have been forging my own hook tools and spoon knives for 20 years but never made them…
Clogmaking is in the press again even making the Radio 4 Today program this morning. The story as reported goes like this, there is a resurgence of interest in Welsh clog dancing but not enough clogs. There is only one clogmaker left in Wales and the craft may die out, there is even a clog amnesty to get people to…
I just found these images and fell in love The French artist/sculptor Hubert Duprat gives caddis fly larvae gold to build their tubular cases with, they are so beautiful. Here is the artist discussing his work, he describes the caddis project starting at 2.30. I like the way he describes it as a collaborative project with himself as the architect…
I am very proud of my daughter Jojo who has been doing some really great spoons recently. Jojo learnt to use a knife at a very young age, this is Swedish master carver Wille Sundqvist teaching her and Ollie some carving techniques when they were 6 and 9 years old. Fast forward 10 years and here she is in typical…
My Space in the telegraph today, if you click on the image it comes up big enough to read
Do Americans do shrove tuesday? I remember years ago going to Mardi Gras at New Orleans but do you eat special stuff to eat up the eggs, milk and fat that you are going to give up for lent? or like us eat the goodies and then not give up? Anyway we do pancake day and this one is special…
When I started teaching wooden spoon carving I would allow people to “go free with the wood” just teaching them basic technique and letting their imaginations run wild. They made crap spoons but were happy. After a while I decided for my foundation beginners course I had to restrict the options and teach in a much more methodical way in…
Derrick West has the sea running through his veins; at 84 he is Britain’s oldest working fisherman. “I have no plans for retirement. I’m not interested in sitting around watching TV; that’s when you start to go downhill.” A third generation whelkman, Derrick has fished oysters, cockles and whelks along the Kentish coast for over 67 years. Today his family…
