Working from the Old Stables Pottery in Yatton, I produce wheel thrown domestic stoneware pots, often inspired by the Japanese/Leach tradition and decorated using a range of traditional finishes. I especially enjoy producing Moon Jars and Platters! Working from tried and tested recipes, all glazes are made onsite with pots reduction fired to 1280 degrees centigrade, over eleven hours, in a twelve cubic foot gas kiln.

Andrew Hardwick paints places that are lost or go unnoticed. The unspectacular, the ordinary often waste lands about to be built on. His paintings are filled with these edgeland landscapes, forgotten ruins,remote reservoirs on moorland even the occasional Amazon warehouse The work follows the romantic painting tradition and can be big sometimes over four metres long-sunsets, rain, storms also fill his textured constructions. Andrew also refers to his work as constructions, because typically they use found materials, soils on board, plastics, canvas and roofing materials. As well as of course paint, often decorators gloss. Some of his images evoke the more rural landscape that he remembers from his family farm. Now existing only in his memory or as he says ghost landscapes. The work challenges our complicated relationship with the land.

Fi is a felt-maker, print-maker, bookbinder and creative experimenter. She loves to pass on her knowledge in low-tech workshops from her North Somerset studio or where-ever she is invited.

Fine art degree course at art school in the 1960s. Then trained as a paintings conservator/restorer at the Tate Gallery in London, leading to a 35 year full time career there. On retirement became involved in the anti-war movement - the Balkans, Afghanistan and Iraq and motivated to try and use art to make aware and communicate the truth about what was learnt as an anti-war activist from numerous differing sources. Essentially, the art became 'political'. This felt important and normal to do this, as in the 1960s was a time of significant change; - the cold war, nuclear weapons proliferation and testing, plus the Vietnam War, which politicised many of his generation. Also family background upbringing had an influence. They were quite radical and progressive, sympathetic to the Quakers. Chris was educated at an independent co-educational Quaker boarding school from the age of 12. Father was a ww2 conscientious objector & a grandmother who had been a suffragette in the early part of the 20th Century. An uncle who had been on the front line and gassed in ww1, spent the rest of his life helping children internationally affected by war. The activist art continues today engaging with the truth about serious issues; conflicts, environment and social/political. 'Political' art has often been devalued and marginalised.

Wendy Hope spent her first career bringing creativity to schools, as a teacher and head teacher. She was awarded the Artsmark Gold Award by the Arts Council before moving on to develop her work as an artist and writer. As well as drawing, painting and textiles, Wendy creates large scale sculptures using glass from Murano and neon gas - not LEDs. Inspired by her sketches of dancers and by themes such as Memories and Time, the glass is handcrafted over hot flames to her design. Infusing the glass with gases produces stunning coloured lights which Wendy mounts onto a background of steel or natural wood. Artefacts are often added to enhance the theme and these can be personal to the client to ensure every artwork is original. These artworks are perfect for large walls and staircases and bring a Wow! to homes and businesses. HopeNeon artworks were exhibited in the OXO Tower Wharf on London’s South Bank in 2023. Commissions accepted.

Joan is a professionally trained artist with a huge amount of experience in producing and selling art in many mediums. She feels it is important to constantly review her way of working and the materials she uses to keep the work fresh. Most of Joan’s work is in acrylic but increasingly she is moving towards mixed media to add interest and texture to her paintings. A key element to each painting is the depiction of light and tonal contrast. This comes from constant close observation and her choice of subjects. Joan’s landscape work is greatly helped by living in North Somerset with its beautiful rural and coastal scenery. Her honours degree in Graphic Design is influential in her still life paintings and her landscapes, bringing a sense of design to her work. She is prepared to discuss commissions but when it comes down to it, Joan is in her element when just happily creating art.

Adrienne Hughes creates both thrown and hand built decorative ceramics in her home studio in Flax Bourton. She also produces paintings, mainly in acrylics and occasionally watercolour, taking her inspiration from her deep connection to nature and landscape. Colour and pattern feature strongly in many of her pieces which at times can be light and playful and at others, challenging and thought provoking.

Viv works with a range of mediums and so produces works that vary from the more abstract to more precise renderings. The common thread that runs through all her art is a bold use of colour. Viv often finds inspiration in nature but also takes the urban landscape and her travel destinations as subjects. As well as original art, Viv sells prints of her work and a popular range of greetings cards featuring her work.

John has combined his 30 year experience as a precision welding engineer with his love of wood to craft sustainable furniture. These statement pieces are often known as 'purposeful art'! You may have seen John's work locally or on TV in The Saved & Remade Workshop. His preferred medium is steel and makes for sturdy garden obelisks, shoe racks, console tables, garden benches, log stores and so much more. Our solid steel and wood pieces are so strong they are described as sustainable furniture which means if you buy well you only need to buy once! We also offer a made to measure service so that any item can be crafted to fit in your home, office or garden.

I studied art in Manchester, Liverpool and The Royal Academy Schools. I moved to Portishead in 1988 and have continued to make work from the surrounding landscape, estuary and skies. I was elected a member of the Royal West of England Academy in 2008 and served as vice-president from 2013-2019. During that period I curated an exhibition at the academy on the theme of ‘Air’. I was elected as a member of the Bath Society of Artists in 2017 Haigh & Jacobson make work inspired by the views from their house & studios overlooking the estuary at Portishead.

Hayley Jones. A professional Artist living and working in Clevedon, North Somerset, I diversified from painting into 3d wire sculptures in 2014. I use a variety of single strand wires in coloured copper, galvanised and stainless steel to create intricate animal and bird forms many of which are mounted on old wooden posts. My work sells nationally and internationally and I was commissioned to make my first Public piece in 2021 by Willmott Dixon Construction Company, to make a large sculpture of a Sea Eagle for a New School in Yatton, North Somerset. One of largest pieces to date is ‘Spirit’, the stainless steel Horse standing about 9 foot tall.

I was intrigued by clay from an early age. After a ceramics degree and teachers certificate I taught in a wide variety of schools for but finally became disillusioned and left teaching. A successful career in IT and Help Desk management followed before taking a break to care for my family. I combined homemaker duties with work as an animation assistant, learnt sign language, facilitated a variety of art projects in local schools and set up a pottery in a prison. My first love remained clay so I now work in the converted basement of our home overlooking the Bristol Channel. My inspiration comes from a variety of natural forms, exquisite flowers to robust seed heads; lidded forms reference artichokes, open vessels are inspired by water lilies. I enjoy the challenge of working with porcelain, it requires exact handling at each stage of production. It has great strength and yet may appear elegant and delicate. My work exploits the subtle differences that can be achieved in form and texture when using porcelain. Pots are thrown on the wheel, intricately carved, then sections are polished or glazed to create contrasting surface areas.