‘Christmas Celebration Day’ will take place on Saturday 7 December from 10am through to 8pm, including free Plastic-Free Workshops where attendees will be able to make Santa decorations from wood, felt and wool under the guidance of a local artist.
There will also be a plastic-free Christmas wrapping service, mulled wine and food tasting, handmade gifts, craft exhibitions, seasonal cards and decorations all coinciding with the Christmas Lights Switch On in Bovey Tracey, the market town known as ‘The Gateway to the Moor’.
Award-winning artist Astrid Keller will be leading the Plastic-Free Decorations Workshops at 10:30am and 11:45am. The 45 minute workshops are free and open to anyone aged 6 and above, children must be accompanied by an adult. Booking is recommended in advance on 01626 832223.
Visitors to the riverside-based centre will also have the opportunity to meet Guild Members Richard Shimell and Arwyn Jones, both of whom will be hosting pop up studios.
Shimell is a former journalist who turned to printmaking in 2010. He has since carved out a niche creating striking work depicting the natural landscape, particularly in capturing dramatic silhouetted trees.
Modbury-based Jones specializes in ceramics, working with a traditional pottery wheel and inspired by techniques from Spain, Portugal and the Far East. The result is stunningly elegant functional items for domestic use in the kitchen and dining room, including tea pots, oil pourers, bowls, jugs, cups and saucers.
Christmas Celebration Day will take place within MAKE 2019, a six-week exhibition running in the Jubilee Gallery from 15 November packed with contemporary crafts from over 50 of the UK’s finest makers, giving visitors the perfect chance to pick up something a bit special for Christmas.
In addition, the Riverside Gallery will host winter@devonguild, a seasonal exhibition housing members’ work in photography, ceramics, jewellery and textiles capturing the textures, colours and smells of a winter walk.
Laura Wasley, Exhibitions Manager, Devon Guild of Craftsmen said: “Christmas Celebration Day will give people of all ages a real festive treat.
“We share in the environmental ethos of our membership and visitors, and our Plastic-Free Workshops and Gift Wrapping Service gives us the chance of doing something that’s sustainable, creative and enjoyable for everyone.
“It promises to be a packed day of Christmas crafts at the Guild and we look forward to welcoming visitors old and new and perhaps sharing a mulled wine or two.”
A full exhibitor list is available on request/our website www.crafts.org.uk. Exhibitions are free entry and the Guild is open daily, 10am – 5.30pm