artist Archives | The British Craft House

Posted on 24/03/2026 by Laura Edmunds — Leave a comment

Looking back to 2019 and a surprise appearance on Countryfile with Anita Rani

Laura Edmunds on Countryfile with Anita Rani

It was a surprise phone call one day that let to me meeting Anita Rani and a team from BBC Countryfile on Wembury Beach. We talked about the things that I found on the beach and how I made my pictures but the biggest take away for me personally was that it became the first time that I had publicly (very publicly) admitted that I had suffered from post natal depression after having our daughter. Along with hypnotherapy, beach combing, fresh air and the mindful nature of picking up pieces of glass and other items from the beach helped me to emerge from a really tough time, find a glimmer of hope and find myself again.

Little did I know back then that it would become an actual career.

The team were so lovely as was Anita and we even had a coffee and a pasty in the cafe after filming. I think in a way I would like to revisit it as my pictures have developed and changed and certainly become more colourful since then. I have also found ways to use much more of the rubbish that I find too.

That’s all for now.

See you soon!

Laura

Posted on 23/03/2026 by Laura Edmunds — Leave a comment

Hello!

Hi there, I have been challenged to ac tually use the blog section of my page her on British Craft House, so here I am. My name is Laura Edmunds and I am a beach clean artist based in Plymouth. I create pictures from the things that I find on beaches using as mush as I can to bring you happy, colourful, dopamine art. At the same time I want to show you what I find and the true state of the beaches and oceans.

Just a super short one for now, but it’s a start!

Cheerio

Laura

Posted on 19/08/2024 by Chris Stone — Leave a comment

It’s been an amazing year….

Chris Stone wins Brownston Gallery Fresh Talent Award — Picking up my award at my degree show

An Amazing Year So Far!

Having now completed my studies, I am thrilled to have been awarded a first class BA honours degree in Painting Drawing and Printmaking from Arts University Plymouth. To achieve this at the age of 59 is amazing..you are never too old to learn new tricks or embark on a new adventure. If that weren’t enough, I was absolutely thrilled to be given the Fresh Talent Award from the prestigious Brownston Gallery in Modbury, Devon at my Graduate Show. As a result, I now have the opportunity to present a solo exhibition at the gallery next year.

Mature students can and do achieve so much from the university experience. Age really is no barrier!

If you would like to follow my progress as I prepare for the exhibition, you can sign up to my newsletter here.

A link to my very first newsletter is available here. It contains a discount coupon code for a 15% discount on original art in my British Craft House Shop until 31sr December 2024.

Posted on 11/02/2024 by Chris Stone

About me

I’m Chris. I’m an artist based in Liskeard, Cornwall

My local area in south east Cornwall is the inspiration for many of my landscape and seascape watercolour paintings. I am becoming increasingly curious about the bits the tourists don’t always see – the urban, the semi industrial, the residential. I am intrigued as to how people have shaped Cornwall, the countryside and the world in general.

Sometimes I like to bring a nostalgic, theatrical or cinematic quality to my work, but very often I will paint something just because I want to. This is particularly true of landscape. I like to make sketches wherever I find myself. Very often these will evolve into paintings of a wide variety of locations. There is a world beyond Cornwall!”

I am a member of a local art group and am currently working towards a BA (Hons) degree in painting, drawing and printmaking at Arts University Plymouth, from where I have been experimenting with new ideas and materials. I have a long association with watercolour, but have recently experimented with oil paint, charcoal, monoprint, aquatint and photo intaglio.

I am also a volunteer with Awenek Studio, a wonderful community arts group, offering art activities and workshops to people in south east Cornwall.

I hope you enjoy browsing examples of my work here at British Craft House.

I am new to British Craft House, but I have collected positive reviews from elsewhere on the web. Click on images to see reviews.

Posted on 04/01/202305/05/2023 by suzannavernon65 — Leave a comment

Meet the Maker

Hi, my name is Deborah and I am the owner and maker at Silver Wave Jewellery and based in Maidenhead, Berkshire.

My love of creating really began many years ago without me realising when I started to watch my mother make my and my sister’s clothes – they were gorgeous pieces – and I wanted to copy her and make my own. I continued making clothes into adulthood and when I worked in the City you could often find me at local markets in my lunchtime buying fabric ready for my next makes! I also made some of my children’s clothes when they came along.

However, as life became busy with work and family I did not use my creative skills that much apart from knitting a few jumpers and making a few curtains but about seven years ago having always loved silver jewellery and buying it to match my handmade outfits I signed up for a one day silversmithing class in Dorset. I had such a wonderful time and made a couple of rings, a pendant and a beautiful bangle – all of which I still wear today! I
enjoyed it so much I decided I just had to carry on.

Lace Design Sterling Silver Open Ring — Sterling Silver Open Ring

I began attending weekly jewellery classes then started to exhibit my work locally, sold at local craft fairs and in the last few years have taken part in art trail events around my local area in Maidenhead, Berkshire. I took early retirement just before the Covid lockdown so Silver Wave Jewellery has now become my main focus and I love being able to work on designing and creating new pieces from my little studio at home.

I use nature as my inspiration and I am lucky enough to be able to spend a lot of time at the coast in Lyme Regis which is where I came up with the name for my business. I love walking along the beaches with my dog Archie and collecting sea glass and pottery. I have not used these in my jewellery yet but have made quite a few pictures for myself and family with them.

I work with sterling silver, precious metal clay, copper and brass and add semi-precious gemstones, crystals
and gemstone beads for a touch of sparkle and interest. Texture is added to my work with hammers, metal stamps, etching, fusing and reticulation, fold forming and on occasions a rolling mill. I love creating simple, boho style, wearable jewellery suitable for any occasion. I create contemporary sterling silver and copper jewellery including rings, pendants, earrings, bangles and cuffs using traditional silversmithing techniques. Many of my pieces are one of a kind, unique items often created out of scraps left over from other projects as I try not to waste any metal and recycle as much as possible.

If you are buying for a gift I can ship direct to the recipient with a short handwritten gift note.

All my jewellery complies with the UK hallmarking regulations and I have my own makers hallmark registered with the London Assay Office.

Please get in touch if you have any questions.

Deborah

Email: silverwavedesigns@gmail.com

Posted on 22/04/202130/05/2023 by Bevart designs — Leave a comment

I never thought I would …….

When I began my career, I thought I would work as a hairdresser for ever. …after all, it’s what I’d wanted to do since starting school. But then…..

…I never thought I would own a town centre hairdressing salon employing up to 15 members of staff.

I never thought I would go to night school to learn how to teach.

I never dreamed that I would become a part time tutor at Blackburn College Hairdressing dept and have my own tutor groups to inspire, nurture and teach cutting and styling skills to.

I never thought that attending a weekly art class would lead me to studying for a fine art degree that I graduated from in 2008.

I never thought I would be asked by our local council to run our towns very first art market, and as a direct result of this I was asked, with a couple of friend’s to deliver a huge community project in Blackburn town centre called, POP – Project Our Place.

I never thought that a few of us from our degree course would set up a working artist’s studio in the town centre above a charity shop.

I never thought that two friends could set up and work together running Ribble Valley Art Studios, an art studio collective in Clitheroe, and it be a success for 9 years.

I certainly never thought I would ever be teaching my love of art in southern Spain, in the town of Baza, with two friend’s that are the ‘Caves of Dreams’.

I never thought that in a worldwide pandemic I would set up, and make handmade wooden jewellery from my back porch ‘Bevart designs ‘was born.

I never thought that in April 2021 I would become sole proprietor of ‘Atelier Arts’ art studios, art gallery with small teaching area in town centre Clitheroe.

…and I certainly never thought I would be self-employed for all these years, teaching art subjects to a vast array of wonderful students of all ages. Including adults, children, children with needs, young offenders, young people. Thankyou to everyone for giving me these wonderful opportunities.

Thinking back, my journey has been about considering options, making choices and taking decisions.

This CORE decision framework is a good place to start.

C – Challenges. Accept them and stretch yourself outside your comfort zone. Grow and develop yourself and expand your comfort zone. But not so much that you cause yourself, or others, stress. Find the level of challenge you’re comfortable with. What are the challenges associated with your options? Take on enough challenge to keep you interested and developing.

O – Opportunities. What opportunities do, or what could each of the options provide? Consider all opportunities that are made available. If the opportunity you want isn’t offered, or isn’t quite as you’d like it to be, then find a way to create it and make it happen.

R – Rewards. Identify what you value. This can be anything that really matters to you – financial rewards, family time, recognition, progression, work/life balance, personal development and so on. How do the options and choices offered provide the potential to get the rewards that are important to you?

E – Enjoyment. Think about what you really enjoy doing. Make sure the decisions you take allow you to do what you really enjoy. Then do it.

This CORE frame work I borrowed from AWD Development Solutions, all other words are my own, Beverley – Bevart designs

link to my art studios, below.

www.atelierarts.co.uk

https://mailchi.mp/89030efad509/4vg3y3bt7t?fbclid=IwAR2IrmoBHzZ3Mvn0J3FT3gunJXRozo8ujjH3TE5nXeZ8L4eSPFnN4fXiYfU

Posted on 19/08/202030/05/2023 by Bevart designs — Leave a comment

Meet the Maker – Beverley from Bevart designs

Meet the maker blog

Beverley Chapelhow – Bevart designs.

I am Beverley, of ‘Bevart designs’ I live in the beautiful Ribble Valley in Lancashire. I will always be that artist that fell into making jewellery making and designing, many people have said that my artwork would make lovely jewellery pieces, this got me thinking and I started to create and work on this possibility. I made a few pieces and put them on display in my studio… to my delight I sold a few, 12 months on I was accepted for a great art and craft show called ‘Art in the Pen’. I took with me my framed artwork and my jewellery, I made more sales than I thought possible. Being encouraged by this I applied to sell on ‘The British Craft House’ and was thrilled to be accepted.

I have always taught art classes to adults sometimes with a crossover into craft making like flower arranging, printmaking, card making etc.

I am inspired to create any art work including my jewellery by nature, the Japanese way of Wabisabi, travel, and other artists, I love the work of Greyson Perry, Yayoi Kusama, there are lots more!

I graduated from university in 2008 with a degree in fine art, with a friend and colleague we wanted to still try and work together in a studio environment, we wanted to find a place where we could provide affordable studio space for other artists. I am currently the proud owner of ‘Atelier Arts’ an art studio collective with gallery and teaching space in Clitheroe from here I sell my paintings, I teach art classes to adults including general art and life drawing , I also teach art in Spain with partners ‘Caves of Dreams’ we provide a full all-inclusive art holiday experience in Baza, the region of Andalucia.

What is the dream? The dream was always to own an art studio, the other is to be selling my work more regularly, whether that’s jewellery or my paintings to build a following and to become successful.

I am currently working from home and we have a workshop in the garage, so I can keep on creating and making.

My proudest moment business wise is owning my current business and that being a success. Forever proud of our two daughters growing into confident, successful, independent women.

My creative future looks like this, over the past year I have been experimenting with ice dyeing and eco printing on fabric. I love textiles and pattern, this is something I want to add to my shop in the future in the form of scarves as I believe this would enhance my jewellery range. I am also planning some Yoga and Art retreats, I want to provide creative relaxing workshops based around self care, using our mental and physical self in a creative way using clay and paint.

To relax and have fun I love to tap dance, I regularly take part in yoga, pilates and meditation. I also love photography and to travel sketch and paint.

I also enjoy a good night out with friends in the city of Manchester drinking cocktails!

I also adore cake, what is my favourite cake ….any cake!!! But very partial to a lemon drizzle

Posted on 05/01/202030/05/2023 by Just Kirsty Sculpture & Gifts — Leave a comment

Hares, Boxes…and a Big Cat sculpture commission!

I often find that January is almost as busy as December and I certainly have quite a few orders to keep me busy; Harriet Hares to polish, as well as a handful of my lichen keepsake boxes to make! I also have a large Sculpture commission to start of an extinct big cat which will be quite nerve-racking to start with…but I do like a challenge!

: Just Kirsty Sculpture & Gifts