'The Christmas Present' Exhibition

Flowerfield Arts Centre will host an exhibition of unique craft gift items ideal for Christmas, made by some of the north coast's best makers.  Come along to 'The Christmas Present' to buy turned wood, glass jewellery, pottery, prints, scarves, bags and much more!  See photos of their work below.

Special opening evening from 7-10pm Wednesday 4th December.  Meet the makers and have a glass of mulled wine.  And a pottery demonstration by Adam Frew.

Open late (10pm) on Thurs 5th, Fri 6th, Tues 10th, Wed 11th and Thurs 12th December.

Adam Frew Ceramics

Louise McLean Baskets

Billy Henry Turned Wood

Helen Perry Textiles

Jennifer Stewart Crochet

Catherine Keenan Glass

Pen Jones Print

Jacki Sleator Felt

Lesley Frew Jewellery

Kirsty Martin Plastics

Matt Pothecary Glass

Helen Walshaw Hats

Merve Jones Print

Robert Spotten Jewellery

Scott Benefield Glass

Natasha Duddy Glass Jewellery

Christmas Craft Workshops

Christmas Craft Workshops

Make something special for the festive season – a gift for yourself or a loved one

 To book a place call Flowerfield Arts Centre: 028 7083 1400

November 30 - 10am to 4pm (one hour break for lunch)

Christmas jewellery workshop

Tutor Diane Lyness

Make your own jewellery with a festive theme in this exciting workshop in the company of talented tutor Diane Lyness. Students will get the chance to make their own pendant or a pair of earrings, either as a treat for yourself or a gift for a loved one. Each participant will be taught some traditional jewellery making techniques such as piercing, soldering, rolling, annealing and filing, enabling them to design and make a beautiful piece of jewellery to take home. The fee for the workshop includes the cost of the silver for the day’s tuition, and there will be additional chains available for sale at the workshop, to match the pieces of jewellery created on the day.

Maximum 10 students

Fee: £45 (includes materials costs)

December 7 - 10am to 4pm

Making Glass Beads for Jewellery

Tutor Catherine Keenan

Make your own glass beads for unique Christmas gifts in this special workshop. Students will be guided through the very basics how to turn on the torch, getting familiar with the tools and the workspace, as well as guidance on the health and safety implications. Students will then be shown how to make a round bead, and the tutor Catherine Keenan will explain some ways of applying pattern and experimenting with form to make your beads more unusual.  Suitable for beginners but more experienced students will be shown advanced techniques.

Maximum 6 students

Fee: £35

December 7 - 9am to 5pm

Hot Glass - Lost Wax Casting

Tutor Alison Lowry

On day one we will look at 'lost wax casting': the process of creating a positive form in wax, investing the wax shape in a plaster mix and steaming the wax out. This plaster 'negative' is then placed into the kiln filled with glass. When fired this will create a 3D shape in glass. This class is open to all levels: no experience with glass is necessary, although may be advantageous. All materials will be supplied.

Maximum 8 students

Fee: £55

December 14 - 10am to 4pm

Make Yourself A[t] Home: Paperclay workshop

Tutor Rachel Dickson

In this workshop, you will be constructing a house using porcelain paperclay. We will explore a range of handbuilding techniques, and ideas of drawing as a ‘plan’ before the making. Other processes for decoration will include mono-printing, mark-making, drawing into clay and exploring texture. Your ‘home’ can be used to explore ideas of identity, memory, family, history, stories and will be personal to its maker, and we will have created a small village by the end of the day.

Maximum 8 students

Fee: £35

Busy August Craft Month Ahead!

August isn't far away and once again, along with Craft NI, we will be celebrating Craft Month.  We have put together a great selection of classes in glass, ceramics and jewellery making, with a variety of classes lengths, 1 day, 2 day and 4 day classes.

Spaces are filling up fast so give us a call to book your place! 028 7083 1400
All prices below include materials.
For more info visit Flowerfield's website.

Lampworking: Glass Beadmaking for Jewellery
Tutor: Catherine Keenan
Length: 2 days
Dates: 9-10th August
      or 23-24th August
Time: 10am-4pm each day
Cost: £90

Make your own glass beads by melting glass rods on a flame torch!

Beads made at a recent workshop

Pottery Masterclass: Throwing in Porcelain

Tutor: Adam Frew

Length: 4 days

Date: 13-16th August

    or  20-23rd August

Cost: £120

Spend 4 days working with one of Ireland's leading potters!

Adam's masterclass in 2012

Glass Casting: Lost Wax and Box Casting

Tutor: Alison Lowry

Length: 2 days

Date: 16-17th August

Time: 10am-4pm each day

Cost: £130

Learn experimental and sculptural techniques in glass casting.

Alison Lowry's critically acclaimed glass work

Glass Fusing with Personalised Decals

Tutor: Natasha Duddy

Length: 1 day

Date: 19th August

Time: 10am-4pm

Cost £45 

Try this new technique of permanently etching a personal image onto glass.

Glass Fusing for Beginner and Intermediate levels

Tutor: Natasha Duddy

Length: 1 day

Date: 27th August

Time: 10am-4pm

Cost £45 

Have a go at fusing glass!

Kiln packed for fusing

Silver Jewellery: Make a Bracelet

Tutor: Diane Lyness

Length: 2 days

Date: 30-31st August

Time: 10am-4pm each day

Cost: £70

Learn the basics of jewellery techniques to create your own one-off silver bracelet!

Diane Lyness' 'Strangford Range'

Jewellery from Recycled Plastic Bags

Tutor: Lesley Frew

Length: 1 day

Date: 31st August

Time: 10am-4pm 

Cost: £40

Create a unique, colourful piece of jewellery from recycled plastic bags.

Large Necklace by Lesley Frew

     

Hot Glass at Flowerfield

Over the next few weeks there will be quite a bit of hot glass activity happening at Flowerfield Arts Centre.

Renowned american glass blower Scott Benefield will be bringing his portable furnace to the Arts Centre in order to offer workshops to University of Ulster students and also for 5th and 6th form students of local schools to view glass blowing demos. This will take place from Wednesday 17th -Friday 19th April.

On Saturday 20th April from 11am-3pm there will be public glass blowing demos by Scott and Catherine Keenan. This is a rare opportunity to see the process of manipulating and blowing molten glass.

Scott glassblowing at Flowerfield last year

For the first time resident artist Catherine Keenan will be teaching a night class in lampworking. This is due to start on Tuesday 16th April and run for five weeks, from 6.30-9.30pm every night.  This course will allow her to help students get a firm grip on making beads and also learn and experiment with form and pattern application. Fee: £82, £77 concession

She will also be teaching a one day class on Saturday 4th May from 10am-4pm.  Students will learn how to make a basic bead and also a variety of colour and pattern techniques. Fee: £55

For more information or to enrol on either lampworking class contact Flowerfield: 028 70831400

Lampworking class

Open Studio/Craft Sale

Date: Saturday 1st December

Time: 11am-5pm

If you are looking for some interesting Christmas present bargains, look no further than Flowerfield Arts Centre on Saturday December 1st. On that day resident craft artists Adam Frew (ceramics) and Catherine Keenan (glass) will be selling some of their beautiful pieces directly from their studios. Also taking part will be a number of Adam and Catherine’s friends, specially invited craft artists – so there will be many opportunities to pick up a perfect Christmas gift or something unusual for your own home. There will also be glass lampworking demonstrations on the day, and all are welcome to attend – the event will only run on Saturday December 1st, from 11am to 5pm. 

Drawing by Adam Frew!

Summer Ceramics

Resident potter Adam Frew taught several courses throughout the summer.  Flowerfield Arts Centre runs a very popular month long programme of classes for children during the school holidays.  Adam taught ceramics to a group of 8-11 year olds.  Their project was to create a ceramic model inspired by the original georgian building here at the centre.  The results were very imaginative and impressive!

He also taught two four day master classes.  The focus was on throwing on the potter's wheel.  Students had the opportunity to work in porcelain and the pieces were later gazed and fired using Adam's techniques.  All of the students surprised themselves with the progress they could make in just 4 days, and everyone went away with a lot of nice pots!!

'Flowerfield House' ceramic pieces by 8-11 year olds!

Adam's master class

August Craft Masterclasses

Resident artists Adam Frew and Catherine Keenan will be teaching several masterclasses in August, offering the opportunity of learning techniques from these experienced makers.

 

2 Day Glass Beadmaking Classes

 

-7th+8th August

-28th+29th August

10am-4pm each day

Tutor: Catherine Keenan

Glass maker Catherine Keenan will teach the unique process of making a glass bead on a gas fueled lampworking torch.  Learn how to work with the molten material, ways of achieving different shapes and how to apply a variety of patterns.

Maximum 6 students.

Fee: £85 (includes materials)

 

4 Day Pottery Masterclass 

 

21st-24th August

10am-5pm each day

 

Tutor: Adam Frew

 

Work with Adam Frew, a talented young potter who throws pots of bold dynamic quality. As part of his workshop, participants will have the chance to make their own energetic pots on a wheel under Adam’s guidance.  The first workshop advertised for this August has already filled up, so book quickly to get a place!!

Maximum 6 students.

Fee: £110 (includes materials)

To book contact Flowerfield Arts Centre on 028 70831400  or email: info@flowerfield.org

Film of Scott Benefield Glassblowing

Scott Benefield's glassblowing demonstration at Flowerfield Arts Centre on Sunday 3rd June.

Film by resident potter Adam Frew

Glassblowing Demonstration

Last Sunday Scott Benefield and Andrea Spencer arrived at Flowerfield Arts Centre with their portable electric furnace and 'flat-packed' studio!  With in a very short space of time the pottery room here was converted into a fully functioning glassblowing studio, with furnace, bench, glory-hole and marver.

The event kicked off at 2pm, firstly with a short lampworking demonstration by Catherine Keenan and then with Scott and Andrea explaining the process of blowing to an enthralled audience.  It was a rare opportunity to witness blowing molten glass in Northern Ireland and for many people it was the first time they saw the process up close.

First gather from Scott's new furnace

Onlooking crowd as Scott marvers the glass

Scott shaping the glass as Andrea blows

Andrea bringing a punty

Opening the vessel

Making a lip on a jug

Andrea making a handle

Putting the handle on

Finishing the beer mug!

Resident artist Catherine Keenan gathering

Shaping the bubble

Furnace going home!