Last Summer we took our Makers Markets to the virtual world! You can catch up with all the makers who took part below, keeping scrolling for Meet the Maker chats too!
- Meet the Maker Live Chats -
Catch up on our Meet the Makers Talks from Summer 2020, featuring: Spoon In a Jar, Automaton Ceramics, Johannes Grevsen Woodwork, Paper Ink Alchemy, Willis Designs, CraftyBun Studio, Freys Soap, Mini Padam Illustration, Wyrdwood Studio & Made on the Canal.
Run by the talented Midlands jazz musician Joey Walter, she has delved into the world of writing over recent years. She has released her first children's book "Jazz In The Jungle" this year and it makes for a delightful read! The illustrations are by a fellow Midlands musician/illustrator Ning-ning Li
Jazz in the Jungle is about poor Oscar the Ocelot who is trying to swing. No matter how much he tinkles the ivories, he doesn’t feel like he can play. With the help of his animal friends (who are obviously all jazz musicians) Oscar finds his confidence.
I am a ceramics artist who trades under the name Automaton Ceramics, I produce and sell ceramic jewellery and small decorative homeware pieces. Everything is designed and made by myself in my studio at the bottom of my garden. I have an Folksy shop were you can buy my work and often attend local craft fairs.
I have many influences, these include science, nature, architecture, art, literature, the list could go on forever. I also love to draw and paint and through this I can pull together my ideas before I start making.
I make things out of wood. I work with wood while it still has a high moisture content. That way I can use axes and knives and turning hooks and still get a nice tool finish.
I try to make useful things that last for a long time and hopefully will be used a lot!
I teach spoon carving classes and you are very welcome to contact me if you would like to hear about booking on to a course.
I live in the West Midlands and also work as a care support worker.
I do green wood work at Riverside house https://riverside-house.org.uk
I'm Lottie, the person behind Paper Ink Alchemy. At heart am a lover of any form of creativity, often exploring new crafts and materials in my spare time.
Paper Ink Alchemy is always evolving and adapting as I continue to explore papers qualities and quite what I can get it to do. My paper-cuts have now grown into 3D paper sculptures.
Paper Ink Alchemy is my life passion, it allows me to keep making and creating and bringing new ideas to life.
Willis Designs-
I am one of the co-organisers of Makers Market Midlands. I opened my shop to showcase some of the design ideas that I have been working on over the past few years. Making stuff is great; it's creative, engaging and when you use existing materials or objects in a different way to build something else, then it's challenging too.
CraftyBun Studio- I am one of the co-organisers of Makers Market Midlands. I am a professional printmaker. I love how much texture you can get from different printing techniques and the unpredictable nature of the process that you can never fully control. Since moving back to Birmingham I have been part of the Birmingham Printmakers taking inspiration from nature, wildlife and the
world around me.
My main printing techniques are Collagraph, drypoint, lino-cut & wood-cut. I am also a self-employed photographer and film maker, allowing me to capture a moment in time and later use my images for printing inspiration.
Freys Soaps are more than just a soap. Their luxury bars all contain five to ten natural oils and botanicals.
Their soaps are designed to fight bacteria, be gentle to skin, as well as being highly nutritious to not only your skin but also your inner self with the help of 100% pure essential oils.
They love the ocean and so they purchase their packaging from EcoCraft. All of our cellophane packaging is made with 100% biodegradable and compostable vegetable starch
She is an Illustrator based in the Midlands. She creates a variety of works including Fashion Illustration, Music Illustration, Packaging and Graphic Design as well as Plush Toys.
Both designer-makers David and Sandra, produce handmade Jewellery, Danish Bobbin lace and bespoke giftware.
Inspired by loving memories of the forest and wilderness of their native countries Both designers incorporate British and Danish design with hints of abstract and whimsical themes into what they create. Exploring the
idea that memories are in the details of the places we visit and fall in love with.
From the elegant butterfly to the mighty stag the elements of nature that surround us help us reflect what they represent to us and how we personify their stories to tell our own and can produce a sense of “Hygge” from the memories we revisit
I am an Architectural Illustrator. I create 3D illustrations of Birmingham landmarks and buildings around the world, firstly visiting the locations (when possible) to take accurate reference photos and measurements and then inputting this information into AutoCAD, and drawing the building/structure brick by brick, or as accurately as possible. Artistic license sometimes creeps on a heavily detailed image.
The drawing is then broken down into building blocks and printed onto thick water colour paper. These individual pieces are cut out by hand using a craft knife, and layered with thick card between the sections, creating a subtle shadows and a 3D effect.