Thursday 9 - Sunday 12 May 2024

Workshops & Activities

Workshop tickets for the 50th edition of Living Crafts are now live!

Have some fun in our exciting workshops! From mastering new skills to perfecting old ones, or just having a blast with loved ones - there's something for everyone. Our skilled tutors offer golden tips to help you craft your own unique masterpiece. Don't miss this amazing chance!

When you click the Book Now button it will take you to our main ticket page, select the day you want to attend and the full list of workshops for that day will be shown. Enjoy your day!

Pre-bookable workshops 2024

Artshed Arts

Pottery Throwdown!

Tutor: Debbie Mason

You will taught step-by-step to create your very own pot on a potter’s wheel. You can take it home to decorate or it can be kiln fired for a small extra charge. Aprons provided and suitable for age 4+

Time: 30 mins

Cost: £20

Willow weaving heart

Willow Heart or Magical Star

Tutor: Simone Siegan

Have a go at some creative willow weaving and design a heart or star in your own unique style. Learn some basic skills and techniques of willow weaving whilst creating a decorative or useful garden sculpture.

Time: 1 hour

Cost: £30

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Copper & Sterling Silver Personalised Pendant

Tutor: Emma Goodwin & Sally Andrews

You will have the opportunity to make two pendants, one in copper and the other in sterling silver. Using texturing you will stamp a pattern, letters and a texture onto the pendants. Other skills involved are soldering and hammering. All pendants are supplied with an 18" sterling silver chain. Age 16+

Time: 1 Hour

Cost: £55

Stonecarving workshop

Stonecarving

Tutor: Sebastian Rasch

Enjoy a relaxed and informal workshop and experience the joy of shaping and carving your own unique design in soft limestone. No experience necessary, just bring curiosity and take home your own small creation. Ages 10+ and all abilities.

Time: 1 Hour

Cost: £20

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Batik and Silk Painting Workshop

Tutor: Shraddha Desai

Learn the ancient art of batik, a technique of wax resist dyeing. A colourful and creative experience applying wax to cloth and soaking in different coloured dyes repeatedly before removing the wax to achieve the desired result. Alternatively you can have-a-go at silk painting applying dyes freehand onto silk fabric.

Time: 2 hours 30 mins

Cost: £40

Marbling workshop

Marbling onto tiles

Tutor: Craig Joubert

Learn the ancient craft of marbling and make your own tile and matching marbled card using traditional and contemporary design options. Work with easy to use, non-toxic, water-based and quick drying marbling paint.

Time: 10 mins

Cost: £5

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Creating Calm with Clay Coils

Tutor: Sarah Core

Discover the calm of clay coils with this mindfulness clay workshop. Learn to make a vase out of clay and allow your decorative vase to emerge from the process as you relax into your creativity. No experience necessary. All work can be fired for a small additional cost.

Time: 1 hour 15 mins

Cost: £25

Tealight clay

Tealight House in Clay

Tutor: Carole Sender & Talia Sender-Galloway

Learn the art of slab building to create your own fantasy tealight house. Enjoy adding surface texture and relief to your house - fairy house, toadstool or witch’s cottage; the only limit is your imagination! Put an LED tealight or fairy lights inside to make your house twinkle. Your house will be made with hard wearing, air drying clay and can be fired for a small additional cost. No experience needed and suitable for adults and children aged 7+.

Time: 1 hour

Cost: £22

Beautiful coast in sunset

Watercolour Seascape

Tutor: Meiru Ludlow

Painting a beautiful coast in sunset picture with Watercolour wet-on-wet techniques and colour mixing. No pencil sketching is required. You will be shown how to paint using easy to master methods to produce a beautiful painting in one hour.

Time: 1 hour

Cost: £20

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Spoon Carving

Tutor: Dan Howey

Learn the techniques and processes in spoon carving using sustainable materials and traditional methods. Age 18+

Time: 2 hours

Cost: £35

Chocolate making

Have-a-go with Chocolate!

Tutor: Yvonne Everest

Come and join us to make 12 delicious heart shaped Belgian chocolates! You will discover how to pipe ganache, use transfer sheets and stencils, handle chocolate and so much more. The workshop is aimed at adults or children age over 11 who are capable of working without adult assistance!

Time: 35 mins

Cost: £20

Hare Chris

Hare Clay Sculpture

Tutor: Carole Sender & Talia Sender-Galloway

Learn to make an expressive hare sculpture out of clay. This creative and interesting project uses a range of pottery techniques including pinching, slab building and coiling. Decoration and surface design will give your hare a unique personality. Your hare will be made with hard wearing, air drying clay and can be fired for a small additional cost. No experience needed and suitable for adults and children aged 7+.

Time: 2 hours

Cost: £35

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Life Drawing - Portraiture

Tutor: Jane Davalle & Glynnis Bainbridge

A comprehensive life drawing workshop exploring various aspects of portraiture. Discover the intricacies of proportions, master mark making techniques, and enhance your skills in capturing the human form. Come and enjoy the creative process.

Time: 1 hour 30 mins

Cost: £30

Calligraphy

Modern Calligraphy

Tutor: Jane Lappage

Dive into the world of modern calligraphy with our playful have-a-go session! Learn to beautifully script your name within a provided 'Laurel Wreath' design, all while experimenting with dazzling metallic paints, that you will take away with you at the end. Materials are provided for you to use during this session and include - practice sheet, nib and holder. Perfect for both lefties and righties to try so no excuses.

Time: 1 hour

Cost: £15

Classic coasters

Zentangle - Classic Tangled Glass Coaster

Tutor: Lucy Farran & Mary Dewick

Draw a beautiful abstract piece of art following the Zentangle method, which uses simple repetitive structured patterns. This will then be mounted into a glass coaster. No special drawing skills required for this calm and relaxing session. Suitable for ages 10 +

Time: 1 hour

Cost: £25

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Mindfulness Clay Workshop - Body Mug

Tutor: Sarah Core

Make a mug out of clay working with your eyes closed. Allow your mug to emerge from a single piece of clay. No experience necessary. All work can be fired for a small additional cost.

Time: 1 hr

Cost: £20

Puffin

Watercolour Puffin

Tutor: Meiru Ludlow

Painting a beautiful Atlantic puffin picture in watercolours. No pencil sketching is required. During the one-hour painting workshop, you will be showing how to use colour mixing, blending and other watercolour painting techniques to create a beautiful painting yourself.

Time: 1 hour

Cost: £20

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Candle making

Tutor: Vedia Osman

Create candles that are visually captivating and showcase the endless possibilities of creativity and craftsmanship. Make a nature inspired jar candle with a wooden wick, coconut wax and floral scent, a tin cotton candle in soy wax with a linen wick and a beautiful fragrance; and soy wax room fresheners with satin bows and botanicals. Suitable for mature teenagers and adults

Time: 2 hours

Cost: £40

Dragonfly 2

Willow Dragonfly or Butterfly

Tutor: Simone Siegan

Learn some basic techniques of willow weaving whilst creating a beautiful willow dragonfly or butterfly for your garden using traditional techniques.

Time: 1 hour

Cost: £30

Enamelling

Enamel pendant or keyring

Tutor: Teresa Kent

Try the ancient art of enamelling by applying layers of vitreous glass powder onto copper shapes that will be fired in a kiln. A choice of a pendant or key ring for you to make and take home.

Time: 30 mins

Cost: £25

Lino Tex MR

Introduction to Linocut on Paper or Fabric

Tutor: Eleanor Mulinder

Learn how to carve and print your own lino block by hand. You will learn how to design, carve and print your block onto cards or a tote bag. This includes an initial practice block for experiments and mark-making. Plenty of inspiration provided but you can bring your own image to work from. Please bring an apron!

Time: 2 Hours

Cost: £45

Graining marbling

Faux Graining & Marbling

Tutor: Dave Pullin

The imitation of wood and marble has been around for thousands of years dating back to ancient Egyptians times. The workshop will demonstrate these skills and give you the opportunity to practice and produce painted panels.

Time: 1 hour

Cost: £15

Silver ring workshop

Textured Silver Ring

Tutor: Emma Goodwin & Sally Andrews

You will have the opportunity to make a Sterling Silver ring, using several tools and techniques. These include soldering, texturing and stamping. Age 16+

Time: 1 hour

Cost: £45

Cat sculpture

Clay Cat Sculpture

Tutor: Carole Sender & Talia Sender-Galloway

Sculpt an elegant clay cat using a variety of methods including coiling, pinching and slab building. Craft unique features and add surface design to your feline creation. Your cat is made with hard wearing air drying clay and can be fired at our pottery studio for an extra cost, to be arranged on the day. No experience needed and the lesson is suitable for adults and children aged 7+.

Time: 1 hour

Cost: £22

Workshops at living crafts 2

Garden Plant Support or Small Bird Sculpture

Tutor: Simone Siegan

Make your very own plant support for sweet peas or weave a willow bird sculpture. Learn some basic skills and techniques of willow weaving whilst creating a decorative or useful sculpture for your garden.

Time: 2 hours

Cost: £60

Life drawing 01

Life Drawing - the Human Form

Tutor: Jane Davalle & Glynnis Bainbridge

Immerse yourself in the art of drawing. Discover the intricacies of proportions, master mark making techniques, and boost your confidence in capturing the human form. Join us for a fun and enriching creative journey

Time: 1 hour 30 mins

Cost: £30

Enamelling

Enamel earrings & pendant

Tutor: Teresa Kent

Try the ancient art of enamelling by applying layers of vitreous glass powder onto copper shapes that will be fired in a kiln. Make a set of matching pendant and earrings to take home.

Time: 1 hour

Cost: £40

Block printing workshop

Discover Block Printing

Tutor: Anna Weatherley-Hastings

Explore different block printing techniques and designs to create a tea towel or tote bag. You can choose from a vast range of blocks to bring your design to life. Aprons provided.

Time: 1 hr

Cost: £10

Framed butterflies

Zentangle - Tangled & Framed 3D Butterfly

Tutor: Lucy Farran & Mary Dewick

Using simple and calming repetitive structured patterns (Zentangle method), you will tangle onto a pre-cut shape to create your own unique butterfly. This will then be mounted into a 20cm box frame. No special drawing skills required for this calm and relaxing session. Suitable for ages 10 +

Time: 1 hour

Cost: £30

Mindfulness Clay Workshop Impression Platter SMALL

Mindfulness Clay Workshop - Impression Platter

Tutor: Sarah Core

Make your very own personalised platter, or several smaller dishes. After a short relaxation exercise you will be pressing herbs and foliage onto clay which will release aromas to delight your senses and ease stress and leave delicate and enriching surface texture on your platter. No experience necessary. All work can be fired for a small additional cost.

Time: 1 hour 30 mins

Cost: £30

Beautiful summer coast in the moon light 2

Watercolour Moonlit Night

Tutor: Meiru Ludlow

Using Iridescent and Metallic Watercolours to paint a picture of beautiful summer coast in the moon light. During the one-hour painting workshop, you will be taught how to use Iridescent and Metallic Watercolours to produce a colour changing picture. The colours and techniques can add additional dimension to Art design.

Time: 1 hour

Cost: £20

Monogram coasters

Zentangle - Tangled Monogram Glass Coaster

Tutor: Lucy Farran & Mary Dewick

Using a letter of your choice, follow the Zentangle method of using simple repetitive structured patterns to create a beautiful piece of art, which will then be mounted into a glass coaster. No special drawing skills required for this calm and relaxing session. Suitable for ages 10 +

Time: 1 Hour

Cost: £25

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Make your own Longbow

Tutor: Adam Jenkins

Learn the ancient art of bow making while you craft your own English Longbow by hand using the same methods as bowyers 600 years ago.

Time: 5 hours

Cost: £199

Papershades

Papershades

Tutor: Ros Freeborn

Make a beautiful paper lampshade designed entirely by you. You’ll sit down at a large table with a huge choice of paper to choose from. You’ll make a design on one piece of A4 card which Ros will print onto special Papershades paper ready for assembly...and, voila, you will have created a fabulous lampshade!

Time: 1.5 hours

Cost: £35

Workshop Photo 1

Introduction to Gel Printing

Tutor: Holly Casey

Learn the basics of gel printing, a versatile technique that allows you to create unique and stunning prints using a gel plate and acrylic paints. Experiment with different materials, techniques, tools, textures and colours to produce your own one-of-a-kind works of art. Suitable for beginners or experienced artists looking to try something new.

Time: 2 hours

Cost: £30

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Life Drawing - hands and feet

Tutor: Jane Davalle & Glynnis Bainbridge

A chance to develop your artistic skills and learn how to capture the detail of hands and feet. Discover the intricacies of proportions, master mark making techniques, and boost your confidence in capturing the human form. Join us for a fun and enriching creative journey

Time: 1 hour 30 mins

Cost: £30

Platter

Willow Swift or Catalan Tension Platter

Tutor: Simone Siegan

Create a unique platter for display or fruit or a magical willow swift. Learn some basic skills or techniques of willow weaving whilst creating a decorative or useful sculpture for your home.

Time: 1 hour

Cost: £30

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Sculptural Body Vessel

Tutor: Carole Sender & Talia Sender-Galloway

Coil a shapely body vessel out of clay. Mould your male or female sculptural piece whilst smoothing and adding details and surface design. Your vessel can be used decoratively or with artificial plants or flowers. Your sculpture is made with hard wearing air drying clay and can be fired at our pottery studio for an extra cost, to be arranged on the day.

Time: 1 hour

Cost: £22

Waterfall 3

Watercolour Waterfall

Tutor: Meiru Ludlow

Using Iridescent and Metallic Watercolours to paint a picture of stunning waterfall. During the one-hour painting workshop, you will be taught how to use Iridescent and Metallic Watercolours to produce a colour changing picture. The colours and techniques can add additional dimension to Art design.

Time: 1 hour

Cost: £20

Around The Showground

Why not try a craft skill in a workshop or watch inspiring demonstrations which are running throughout the day around the showground, further information is listed below.

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Pyrography workshop

Pyrography

Have a go at 'drawing with fire'. Create and take home your own design on a wooden feather. Great for kids too!

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Chocolate house

Drop-in Chocolate Workshops

Children's drop-in, chocolate making workshops. Come along and have some creative fun designing your own Belgium chocolate dinosaurs, hearts, cupcakes and more. It takes 5 minutes to create a masterpiece to take home to eat! (Min weight 100g).

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Felt making1

Feltmaking

Drop-in ‘make and take’ feltmaking workshops each morning along with demonstrations and displays of felt.

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Glass blowing demonstration

Glassblowing

Spectacular blowing demonstrations every hour in the Glassblowing Theatre.

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Faux Marble

Graining & Marbling

Learn how to create faux wood graining and marbling and have a go yourself. A specialist from Altamira Training will guide you through this fascinating art form.

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Make a Mosaic

An introduction to mosaics in which you will make a coaster or letter. Working to a 'pixelated' grid you will only be using whole tiles. No tile cutting or grouting is required making the activity suitable for any age from four upwards. You can take your finished masterpiece away at the end of the day.

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Art in Herts

Maple Pavilion

Art in Herts - Find a new hobby, meet local groups from across the county to find out what's going on in your area.

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Marbling workshop

Marbling

Learn the ancient craft of marbling and make your own marbled tile or jewellery pendant with a matching marbled card or marbled fabric. No experience is needed.

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Family time

Play with Clay Family Drop-In

Experience the joy of creating with clay. Great for all the family, come along and have a go!

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Raku 3

Raku Firing

Glaze your own pot and watch as the colours magically appear as the vessel emerges from the kiln. A great experience!

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Ceramic Workshop

A working ceramics studio where you can learn about the processes in ceramic construction from start to finish.

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Block printing

Textile Block Printing

An amazing range of block stamps that can be used to create the most beautiful fabrics.

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Egg square

The 72nd International Exhibition of the Marquetry Society

We are excited to be hosting the 72nd International Exhibition of the Marquetry Society, offering you an exceptional opportunity to marvel at world class marquetry, meet the artists and see them at work.

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