Grizedale Forest Festive Open Studios
Grizedale Forest Makers are coming together for the first time this year to put on a Festive Winter Fair from their Studios on ‘Makers Row’ at Grizedale Forest Visitors Centre (click link to see map at bottom of the page)
The date for the event is December 4th & 5th Time 10-4pm
See you there.
About the Makers
A printmaker, potter, basket weaver, rustic furniture maker, painter of giant plant pots & musical instrument restorer will be displaying their specialist crafts plus Christmas themed gifts and decorations for sale. Bill the potter has been heads down these past few weeks making a small army of polar bears & penguins as well as Christmas tree decorations, & I have been carving plenty of Xmas trees and Birch wood candles to help you create that Festive Scandi Vibe at home.
Unified in their creativity & their connection to the forest, the makers live in or close to Grizedale. A strong bond with the woodland and its trees runs through much of the work, with specialisms in tree printing, weaving of Oak & Hazel, ‘Bark on’ rustic furniture & celtic forest imagery.
The Open Studios can be visited all year round but this is a special event as all the makers will be there at the same time. The makers include me (Jo Clayton), Shona Brannigan (Salmon Jam Press), Lorna Singleton (Spelk Baskets), Bill Stalker (phoenix Pottery), Nathalie Edgar (Pow Pots), Dave Praties (musical instrument repair)
You can expect: makers doing their thang & selling their crafts, a local, sustainable shopping experience, festive craft making experiences, Real Xmas trees for sale, Mulled wine & mince pies.
Make it a day out at the forest
My recomendations for making a day out of it. Go for a walk to Grizedale Tarn, where Steve Messam’s sculpture Intrastellar exhibition can be seen (it’s no longer lit up but is still a serene beauty by day). Start out along the trail with the music box keys on the trees, spin those keys and set of the music for a magical start to your walk. Visit the David Nash Exhibition at the vsitors centre (last chance saloon as the exhibition finishes in December). And of course come and chat with the artists on makers row, hang out & imbibe a mulled wine. Do this in any order & if you want to buy from a maker you can always do that first & come & collect your shopping after your walk.
see Forestry England website for info on the Exhibitions https://www.forestryengland.uk/grizedale