Teaching pottery and wood turning, and creating unique ceramic, wood turned and silk gifts & art
Proud sponsors of the “Once Upon A Norfolk” Facebook group
SUMMER ARTISAN FAYRE
SUNDAY 4 AUGUST 2024
An Event Showcasing Talented Artisans & Raising Funds for the Norfolk & Waveney Mind Charity
We are so happy that our fundraiser for Mind, the Spring Artisan Fayre - and the first of many - was even more successful than we hoped it would be.
We are thrilled with the lovely, positive comments from the talented artists who had faith in and attended this event, and the numerous encouraging and fabulously supportive remarks made by the visitors who attended in their droves on the day. You'll find artist and visitor reviews and see photos of our Spring Artisan Fayre HERE.
​
​
SUMMER ARTISAN FAYRE
SUNDAY 20 AUGUST 2024
Thank you to our artisans & our visitors - you all made this happen!
After the massive success of our Spring Artisan Fayre in April - check it out here - Simon and I were a little trepidatious about our Summer Artisan Fayre because, despite all the effort we put in to market and advertise our event, we had concerns that it might have been a one hit wonder or that everyone would be on their summer holidays .... and so we are thrilled that our Summer Artisan Fayre fundraiser for Norfolk & Waveney Mind was another great success!
We are overwhelmed by the lovely, positive comments from the talented artisans - familiar & new alike - who helped us celebrate this event, and the numerous encouraging & wonderfully supportive remarks made by the visitors who attended in their masses on the day.
​​​
We were heart-warmed by the generosity and support shown both in buying raffle tickets to win the beautiful prizes which had been created and donated by each and every one of our wonderful artisans, as well as the donations and purchases from the pop-up Fanoggins Bakery.
A big thank you to all our artisans who donated a piece of their work - made with skill and love.
And a HUGE thank you to Dee, our lovely, bubbly front of house, for welcoming all our visitors with a smile and helping us to clear up at the end! ​
​
Thank you also to those artisans and also lots of our loyal followers and customers who went above and beyond to help share the event information on their social media platforms, put out posters and fliers and generally help us to create our high-end artisan charity event.
​
It was lovely to meet the Deputy Mayor of Kings Lynn, Andy Bullen, and his wife too. Andy spoke about how wonderful it is to see such a high-end event in a Fenland village. Looking forward to working further with Andy as we have some other ideas in the pipeline.
​​
ALL the event profits are going to Norfolk & Waveney Mind, a charity that Simon and I hold dear to our hearts and for whom we've fundraised in the past - and we've managed to generate a fantastic £800!
​​​​​​
​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
​​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
Our next Artisan Fayre is on
SUNDAY 20 OCTOBER (Autumn Artisan Fayre)
​
Artist Feedback
A wonderful collection of Fenland & East Anglian artists, creators & makers who are selling their work and demonstrating their crafts. All profits are going to Norfolk & Waveney MIND, a charity close to our hearts.
Simon & I here at Blended Monkey are sponsoring the Summer Artisan Fayre to showcase some of the amazing local Fenland & East Anglian artists, creators & makers, while at the same time raise funds for Norfolk & Waveney MIND, a worthy charity that we have fundraised for in the past.
​
Join us at Upwell Hall on the Norfolk/Cambs border - New Rd, Upwell, PE14 9AB - from 10.00 am until 4.00 pm on Sunday 4 August to experience a great selection of local makers, creators & artists.
Some will be demonstrating their crafts (including needle felting, paperclay sculpting, stone carving, mosaic art, Powertex art, surface pattern design, willow weaving, silversmithing, loom weaving and pyrography).
We also have some fabulous WORKSHOPS for you to book or drop-in to including ARTISAN LOOM WEAVING with the lovely Rosie from Mays Wonderfully Woven, PYROGRAPHY with the fabulously talented Tic Challis and MOSAIC ART with the inspiring mosaic artist Carolyn Ash.
Click on the links below to book each workshop or experience.
​
We'll also be visited by the Deputy Mayor of Kings Lynn, Cllr Andy Bullen, who will be meeting our artisans and discovering more about their crafts.
​
ENTRY IS FREE and there is ample parking at the hall. Yummy locally-made snacks & cakes from Fanoggins Bakery will be available and there are tables & seating provided.
​
All event profits (stallholder fees, food income, raffle tickets) are going to Norfolk & Waveney MIND, a charity close to our hearts, which provides advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem.
​
We spend a lot of our time offering creative therapy workshops to people who are suffering with poor mental health, recovering from brain trauma, or who generally need to get away from the pressures of everyday life and immerse themselves in something creative and relaxing.
​
We hope you can join us!
WORKSHOPS & ATTRACTIONS
Most of our artists will be demonstrating their crafts throughout the day, but we also have some scheduled workshops & services that you can pre-book by clicking on the links below
Mosaic Coaster Making
Carolyn from the fabulous Green Room in West Acre is offering the chance to pre-book your 1-hour creative mosaic coaster decorating workshop for just £10.00 or you can take your chances and see if you can drop in on the day!
Workshops will be held at 11.00 am, 1.00 pm and 2.30 pm.
Email Carolyn here.
​
​
Artisan Loom Weaving
Rosie from Mays Wonderfully Woven invites you to try your hand at loom weaving.
This 1 - 11/2-hour immersive loom weaving workshop costs just £15.00 and you can pre-book by emailing Rosie here or take your chances on the day and drop in.
Workshops will be held at 10.30 am, 12.00 pm and 2.00 pm.
​
Pyrography
Tic will teach you how to pyrograph your own coaster!
This approx. 1-hour workshop costs just £15.00 and you can pre-book by emailing Tic here or take your chances on the day and drop in.
Workshops will be held at 11 am, 1.00 pm and 2.30 pm.
​
​
​
Artisan Gin Distillation Demo & Talk
Millie from Willow Tree Gin will be giving demonstrations & talks about how their artisanal gin is created!
These approx. 15-minute talks are being held at 10.45 am and 2.15 pm.
​
​
ATTENDING ARTISTS & DEMONSTRATORS
The list keeps on growing! So check in regularly to see additions.
CHRISTINE PIKE, MA
Artist & Sculptor
I make work that tells stories. From tap-dancing mice to otherworldly beings, my sculpture spans a wide range of subject matter and scale, with one central theme: a joyful appreciation of nature and our relationship to it, viewed through the lens of folktales & myth.
I exhibit throughout the UK & Europe and hold an MA from Norwich University of the Arts.
I work in paperclay, jesmonite, and mixed media, and teach workshops throughout the UK in paperclay sculpting.
​
Christine will be demonstrating her craft on the day.
​
​
CAROLYN ASH
Mosaic Artist & Designer
'Look up close and you will see a little piece of you is me'
I create artworks exploring the idea of making new memories from recycled and broken mosaic tesserae, paint & mixed media.
A finished piece weaves thoughts & encapsulates a unique period of time.
Inspired by nature,
its patterns and the psychology of colour therapy. I use the 'Opus Vermiculatum' method of mosaic
which allows for more organic and detailed compositions.
Commissions are welcome. Mosaic Workshops are facilitated at my studio at The Green Room in Norfolk.
I am also involved with local collaborative community & school projects.
​
Carolyn will be demonstrating her craft on the day & holding WORKSHOPS.
KAREN HENDRY
Embroidered Paper Collage
After many years working as a professional designer, I returned to my creative past and began experimenting with ways to combine my two passions - art and embroidery. Pushing boundaries and exploring creative possibilities, I now use paper to paint, print, cut and glue and then needles and threads to stitch.
Some artworks utilise today’s technology to ‘cut and paste’ vintage needlework and combine them with my own embroidered papers. This enables the preservation of the originals whilst showcasing the skills of previous generations of women.
“My artwork celebrates the beauty of handmade. By layering and connecting the past and the present, I create designs that are a joyful celebration of colour pattern and texture”.
My creative work will be available as original framed and unframed artworks, prints, greetings cards, gifts and homewares.
Karen will be demonstrating her craft on the day.
CAMBRIDGE PEN TURNING
BY PAT & CARRIE
Pen Turner
Handcrafted pens made by myself, Pat Carter, using historical wood sourced from all over the world, with a history.
Each one of these historical pens has a story, it will come in a handmade engraved box. Also hand cast resin with items embedded in them i.e. watch parts, gold/silver leaf, pine cones, olive wood, genuine shredded money, abalone shell plus much more.
I also make perfume dabbers, needle holders, pill and compact boxes, letter openers, razor handles (no blades) etc.
I 3D-resin-print my own stands and occasionally sell them if requested. We try to recycle as much as we possibly can and very little is wasted. We use reclaimed church floorboards to make most of our pen boxes. I am very passionate about what I make and love to tell each customer how their item came about.
​
SEMPERART GLASS
BY JUNE MASSEY
Fused Glass Artist
After a lifelong love of glass I was thrilled to have the opportunity to make a small fused glass coaster nine years ago and decided to pursue what I thought would be a hobby.
After several courses, a great deal of research and a lot of experimentation with different types of glass, processes and fusing temperatures (including a lot of trial and error, which is all part of growing my art) I felt that it was time for me to take the leap and spend more time exploring the art that I love. It was one of my finer and more inspired decisions!
I now design and make the fused glass pieces in my studio at home in Cambridgeshire. Every piece is unique and has a character of its own.
For me, glass can be both beautiful and functional, so I make a range of products to use, to look at and to enjoy.
One of the greatest pleasures as an artist is to encourage people in my workshops to tap into their creative skills and use the materials in innovative ways; the results are amazing!
SARAH HEATHER ART
Artist
Raised in rural Suffolk, I now live and paint in the Fens.
My work is all about the energy in mark-making and the feeling it evokes for the viewer. Excitement, happiness and fun are the key elements to my intuitive art.
My authentic self comes through on the canvas as does a sense of joy and aliveness. I convey the beauty of the places that inspire my art, through a vibrant but considered colour palette, all enlivened by my use of textures. From the chaos layers underneath to a final flourishing finish, my works are a perfect reflection of my true authentic artistic self and my paintings and drawings bring joy to anyone who sees them.
TIC CHALLIS
Woodworker & Pyrography Artist
(Awaiting text)
​
Tic will be demonstrating her craft on the day & offering workshops.
Pre-book (awaiting links)
WILLOW TREE GIN
BY MILLIE ALSTON
Artisan Gin Distillers
I joined Willow Tree Gin following my career driven love of fine dining and beverages. I have grown a real passion for the art of distilling and all elements of the gin making process.
I am following in the footsteps of Mary Vincent who started Willow Tree Gin back in 2017; Mary's passion for experimentation with food and drink traces back to her parents living and working in Nigeria. Mary's father was a keen cook and loved, in particular, creating recipes using unusual herbs and spices.
​
My favourite elements of work include hosting our gin making courses, experimenting with a variety of botanicals and educating people on the distillation process as well as the history of gin.
Willow Tree will be giving talks & demos on the day.
MAYS WONDERFULLY WOVEN
BY ROSIE MAY
Traditional Hand Weaver
I am a traditional hand weaver based in Stilton, Cambridgeshire. I work with natural materials on traditional wooden looms to handcraft a selection of joyful woven pieces.
I design all the fabrics myself, meticulously mapping out the warp & weft. Each pick is woven by hand, absolutely nothing is automated. I focus on creating sustainable, conscious, & practical products that avoid waste and utilise my hand-woven fabrics and wonderful genuine vintage haberdashery.
Rosie will be demonstrating her craft on the day & holding WORKSHOPS.
FATBOB CRAFTS
BY TONY & SORAYA
Leather Artist
Fatbob Crafts was created with the aim of keeping traditional skills at the core of the business, so every item is 100% crafted by hand using age old techiques and hand tools,
Most of my products are produced from premium vegetable tanned leather. Vegetable tanned leather is a hide that has been processed using bark, roots & leaves from trees such as oak which are high in tannins to produce a tanned piece of leather.
Each piece starts life as a blank piece of leather which is hand cut to the appropriate shape & size, then a design may be handtooled onto it & dyed using premium leather dyes & acrylic leather paint. After another 24hrs the piece is then hand saddle stitched using waxed cord & then treated to a minimum of 3 coats of beeswax balm & a finish coat to protect the piece.
FEN MILL CRAFTS
BY SUE & LYNDA
Mixed Media Sculpture
We are certified tutors trained in Powertex. Powertex is an environmentally friendly mixed media product which can be used as a fabric hardener, paint and glue making it a must have mixed media projects.
We host workshops on an individual basis or in groups of up to four people at our cabin in Chatteris.
Where possible we use natural fibres & recycled clothes, as well as other household objects, to create our decorative pieces.
No previous experience with Powertex is necessary to join one of our workshops.
​
Fen Mill Crafts will be demonstrating their craft on the day.
CRAFTY CATS
BY EMMA
Recycled Copper & Gem Stone Jewellery Artist
I make handcrafted sustainable and hardwearing bespoke jewellery, using recycled copper wire and recycled beads and gemstones.
I create something new from old that you can adorn again and again.
I try my very best to use ethically sourced crystals from reputable buyers and sellers.
Creating unique wearable art that will stand up to time and can be passed down to generations. Putting love and meaning into all my pieces. No one item is the same.
Workshops are coming, so keep your eyes peeled for dates and venues, so you too can experience the joy of creating something unique for you.
ANNIE BROWN
Felt Artist
Using the fleece from my wool-only flock of rare breed sheep, I make my needle felted paintings.
The different breeds of sheep offer me a choice of textures and colour.
I also hand-dye the wool, enabling me to obtain the exact colours I like to use in my work.
Although my background is in Fine Art, I am self-taught in needle felting. This has lead me to experiment with materials and techniques not conventionally associated with dry felting.
My work is often very delicate.
My inspiration comes the landscape, the nature within it and the transient beauty of each season.
Living on the Cambridgeshire Fens has influenced my work, as has living by the sea in Kent previously.
​
Annie will be demonstrating her craft on the day.
SARAH MADSEN
Jewellery Designer & Fine Artist
I studied at Central St Martins College of Art & Design and graduated with a BA Hons in Jewellery Design. (I had every intention of being a fine artist but fell in love with this craft as well.)
With my Jewellery, I aim to bring quality and design together, to produce carefully crafted jewellery work of heirloom and artistic merit.
I feel extremely proud to be part of the importance of keeping this craft and skills ongoing in the U.K. I mainly work to commissions plus teach private workshops from my studio.
​
Sarah will be demonstrating her craft on the day.
​
FANOGGINS BAKERY
Local Bakers
You won't go hungry at our Summer Artisan Fayre!​
Fanoggins Bakery will be with us again with a different selection of tempting tasty treats!
Food & drink to eat in or take away.
​​
​
SUE WELFARE
Linocut Printmaker & Artist
Primarily a linocut printmaker, my work is inspired by East Anglia's diverse landscapes and wildlife, from the great open skies of the Fens, to the far reaches of the North Norfolk coast, through to the wild, open, windy solitude of the salt marshes and wetlands.
My prints are all hand printed from hand carved blocks on a traditional press.
​
Sue will be demonstrating her craft on the day.
​
POTTERY HOUSE SIGNS
BY HOWARD PHILLIPS
Ceramic Artist
I have been making bespoke ceramic plaques for 20 years. Principally for house signs but also for stables, internal doors (eg children's bedrooms), historic building markers and many other applications. The plaques are high-fired and therefore impervious to frost damage. They are shipped worldwide.
MARK RADCLIFFE EVANS
Stone Mason & Fine Artist
Fine Art trained originally but I've worked as a stone mason, letter cutter and sculptor for 40 years. Recently arrived in East Anglia via many places in the UK.
My sculpture work is always informed by the architecture of the past, fractured edges and polished surfaces, pattern, rhythm, light and shade.
My work has sold in the US, Europe, Ireland and the UK.
I hold workshops in carving, letter cutting and stone masonry.
THE PARSONS WREATH COMPANY
BY LESLEY & KATIE
Artisan Florist
The Parsons Wreath Co is a family business, we grow, dry and craft with flowers.
I studied at the London College of Fashion (LCF), and am now based in Norfolk. As seen at HRH Sandringham Estate Shop & 'Sandringham in Bloom'. Featured in Norfolk magazine & Hitched. We specialise in wedding flowers, event installations and dried flower workshops.
