Amazing favourite maker comments in the lead up to Craft Festival 9th - 11th June

Amazing favourite maker comments in the lead up to Craft Festival 9th – 11th June

In the 5 week lead up to the Craft Festival 9th – 11th June at Bovey Tracey in Devon, where I will be exhibiting for the first time, the organisers have asked 5 organisations and individuals to choose their 5 favourite makers from the 200 who will be exhibiting.

I have been very honoured to have been chosen not once, not twice but three times!

Here below is what Executive Director Daniel Carpenter of Heritage Crafts, writer, curator and commentator Helen Chislett and MAKE Southwest Exhibition Officer Flora Pearson are all saying about me!

Heritage Crafts – “Sarah is a passionate advocate of Somerset willow and rush, and has become a repository of skill, having sought out apprentice-trained teachers and mentors to continually reconfirm her commitment to mastering traditional techniques and knowledge”.

Helen Chislett – “I am in love with willow as a material and hugely admire Sarah’s work – not only the pleasingly sculptural baskets she makes, but her rush-seated chairs that follow in the tradition of Ernest Gimson. She adds her own signature with natural indigo dyes on white willow, for example.”

MAKE Southwest – “Sarah is a brand new Maker Member of MAKE Southwest. A very accomplished maker, whose traditional and super sustainable willow and rush basket work is beautiful. She has been collaborating with our Maker Member Jane Deane to dye parts of her willow baskets with indigo.”

Having put so much time and effort into designing and creating my new product range, into experimenting with natural dyes, thinking up new ways of combining rush and willow materials and frankly throwing everything I’ve got at making my first ever Craft Festival as successful as it can be, it’s a real boost for me to be receiving such amazing comments!

Come and find me and my work at the Craft Festival in the ‘C’ marquee and see if I’m one of your favourites too! Sarah X

PS. Featured image is of one of my willow backpacks – available to purchase at Craft Festival!