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art & craft exhibitions printing showcase textiles

Showcase Exhibition | May – July 2025

We are delighted to welcome three local artists in the Showcase for May, June and July.

Displaying their work are Sue Welfare, Fay Jones and Sarah Finley.

Fay Jones with works across a variety of mediums including wood, textiles and photography. Influenced by the natural world, Fay sources local wood for her exquisite carved spoons, crochet hooks and buttons, and forages plants to hand dye hand spun wool. Be sure to pop out into the courtyard where Fay’s marvellous willow sculpture ‘Pearl’ is residing! 

Sarah Finley is a weaver and spinner, and has on display a sumptuous collection of scarves and cushion colours made using Shetland Wool. Sarah’s woven work is hand-dyed in beautiful rich, earthy colours, and beautifully finished with hand tied tassels. 

Sue Welfare with a gorgeous range of bold lino prints. Sue takes inspiration from nature to create her intricate lino cuts, many of which feature birds found at the coast, and in the garden. Alongside her original framed prints, Sue has a great range of greetings cards. 

You can visit the Showcase any Thursday to Saturday 10am-5pm upstairs in the main building at designermakers21. All works on display are for sale.

Categories
events in Diss Have a Go activities

FREE ‘Have a Go’ Craft Activities | Saturday 15th Feb, 11am-3pm

Come and try your hand at a variety of Crafts practiced at designermakers21 for FREE.

Explore our unique community of makers and learn a new skill.

Activities include: making a community mosaic, printmaking, making a collaborative ‘clay-scape’, concertina sketchbooks, making a community quilt, metalwork and weaving.

No booking required, however at busy times you may be asked to wait before taking part in an activity.

Categories
Events Archive

SAORI VI, A winter exhibition showcasing work by East Anglian Saori weavers | 7th – 28th November

SAORI VI

A winter exhibition showcasing work by East Anglian Saori weavers.

This exhibition unites SAORI weavers, showing the boundless and creative potential that exists within and connects us all.
Visit the upstairs gallery at designermakers21 between 7th and 28th November to see the latest works and buy woven presents.
saori weaving exhibition poster, exhibition 7th-28th november at designermakers21
Categories
Events Archive

‘Nurture’, An exhibition by East Anglian based Design Nation members | 4th – 27th July 2024

Nurture (verb) – care for and protect (someone or something) while they are growing

Thursday 4th July to Saturday 27th July
Open Thursday-Saturday 10am to 5pm in the Upstairs Gallery at designermakers21

Saturday 20th July 11am-3pm – Meet the Makers

Design Nation is the leading membership portfolio for contemporary craft and design in the UK. The East Anglian group hub was formed in 2020, and connects makers working from their studios in Suffolk, Essex and Norfolk. Having met frequently over zoom for the past four years, six members have come together to exhibit their work. ‘Nurture’ encapsulates an exploration of each maker’s connections with their local environment.

Working across disciplines including Weave, Embroidery, Ceramics, French Beading and Mixed Media, the conversations, and connections, between makers’ practices centre around becoming increasingly environmentally conscious.
Makers draw upon a variety of backgrounds and experiences, from working in the fashion and textile industry, to an increasing awareness of the amount of plastic in everyday life. The impact of human activity and climate change on the East Anglian landscape, serve as a catalyst for all six makers to strive to reduce the environmental impact of their work. Many utilise waste materials; transforming single use plastic, paper pulp and nylon offcuts into highly tactile, contemporary art works, and repurposing textile industry surplus yarns to create handwoven interior pieces.
Where materials cannot be repurposed, artists make conscious decisions about sourcing sustainable materials, minimising waste and energy consumption. All seek to achieve balance and harmony with the natural environment.

Featuring Work by:
Caroline Hyde-Brown
Holly Parr
Pamela Print
Lucie Summers
Kate Welton
Karen Whiterod

Categories
Events Archive

REUSE IN ACTION, a day of Re-Use demonstrations and ‘Have-a-Go’ Craft activities | Saturday 11th May, 11am-3pm

‘REUSE In Action’ on Saturday 11th May.

Come along 11am-3pm to watch ‘reuse’ demonstrations, and try out a range of Craft processes. Some activities may require booking on the day. Donations welcome to support designermakersCIO ‘Raise Our Roof’ fundraising appeal for essential building repairs.

REUSE Exhibition runs from 4th-25th May in the upstairs gallery at designermakers21, open Thursday to Saturday 10am-5pm.

Reuse exhibition at designermakers21 4th-25th May 2024 in Diss, Norfolk
Categories
Events Archive

FREE ‘Have a Go’ Day, try out different Crafts with our members | Saturday 4th May, 11am-3pm

Come along on Saturday 4th May between 11am-3pm and try out different Craft activities with our members and visiting artists!

Mosaic Fish with Joy Holden

Peg Loom Weaving with Karen Versfeld

Clay Pinch Pots with Kate Welton

Pyrography Handrails & Horns with David and Becky Whatley

Lino Print Cards with Mike Fenton & Annette Rolston

Pronto Plate Lithography with Paul Sharrock

mosaic fish have a go activity at designermakers21 Saturday 4th May
Categories
Events Archive

Norfolk Open Studios | 23rd September – 7th October 2023

designermakers21 is taking part in Norfolk Open Studios again this September and October. The studios will be open 23rd, 24th, 28th, 29th, 30th September, and the 5th, 6th & 7th October 10am-5pm.

Come along and meet our members in their studios, learn about a variety of craft processes, and browse the work in the galleries.

On Saturday 7th October take part in Textiles in Action, a day of demonstrations and have-a-go sessions with resident and visiting textile artists.


norfolk open studios 2023
Categories
Events Archive

Textiles in Action Day , process demonstrations and drop in ‘have a go’ sessions at designermakers21 | Saturday 7 October  11am-3pm  

Explore the textiles on display in both the Corn Hall and designermakers21. Come and join us to try your hand at a range of surface processes and watch artists at work!

Demonstrations of Surface Textiles processes with visiting artists:

Batik Demonstration with Helen Dougall

Machine Embroidery demonstration with Jean Fryer

‘Have a Go’ drop in sessions with our members:

Natural Dyeing with Caroline Hyde-Brown

SAORI Weaving with Kim Morgan

Sashiko inspired visible mending with Marie Mallen


Categories
Events Archive

SAORI V – An Exhibition of work by 21 East Anglian SAORI Weavers | 7th September – 13th October in the upstairs exhibition space at designermakers21

Showcasing new work by SAORI hand weavers. Works include hangings, wearable pieces and yarns.

Open from the 7th September, Thursday to Saturday 10am-5pm.


saori weaving exhibition at designermakers21 september 2023

Categories
Events Archive

Summer Expo ’23, Open Art Exhibition | Thursday 3rd – Saturday 26th August , in the upstairs gallery at designermakers21

Our third open exhibition, Summer expo ’23 features the work of over 60 artists, working across many disciplines. The show is a celebration of local talent and creativity.

Open until 26th August, Thursday to Saturday 10am-5pm.

summer expo '23open art exhibition poster, on at designermakers21, 3rd to the 26th August 2023