Ryedale Building Services

Over the last few weeks my studio has been completely rebuilt. I used a small business called Ryedale Building Services and am absolutely delighted with the results.

I began by inviting Chris to look at the planned work. He took plenty of notes and asked a lot of questions before making very helpful suggestions. He let me have a very detailed quotation a few days later and throughout the whole project he has been great at keeping me completely up to date and informed. As usual in a project like this I made a few alterations and additions as I went along and Chris gave me detailed costs each time, so that I was always fully aware of the implications of even quite small additions.

Most important for me I think is that the standard of work is very high and Chris pays a great deal of attention to detail. I love the result. I now have a beautiful spacious studio, insulated, ventilated and with absolutely loads of work surfaces and storage. It really exceeds my expectations and dreams and I would be happy to recommend Ryedale Building Services and to use them again.

Thank you Chris for all the care and skill that went into my project.

The electrician has still to finish the final fix and check all the electrics and I have a decorator booked for late February. I also have a lot of stuff to sort out including the stack in the middle of the room, but here are the photographs as it looks today.

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Pins and fasteners

I have been looking at some work I made a few years ago, this kind of a review is useful and at this time of year and I like to plan new projects for the Spring.

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This is a brooch I made about 6 years ago, exploring the use of line by making a long narrow strip of silver, texturing and forming it. One of the aims was to make sure that the ends of the brooch pin were contained, not sticking out past the surface so nice and safe to wear. I will be teaching traditional silver jewellery making this year, please get in contact if this is something you are interested in learning.

Here are some of the exciting classes for 2012 including

2nd March 2012 Rings in metal clay
3rd March 2012 Introduction to art clay silver
10th March 2012 Introduction to enamel on art clay silver
30th March 2012 Hollow forms in art clay silver

17th, 18th, 31st March and 1st April 2012 Art Clay Certification Level 1

28th April 2012 Introduction to Art clay silver
30th April 2012 Hollow forms in art clay silver
5th, 6th, 9th, 10th May – one day workshops in enamelling

12th May 2012 – Keepsake pendant in silver clay at the Castle Museum, York
(booking through Castle Museum, York)
18th May to 21st May 2012 Art Clay Certification Level 1

13th June 2012 Special studio open day
14th, 15th July 2012 Two day class using art clay silver over glass beads
28th, 29th July 2012 Two day class art clay silver and plique a jour enamel
8th September 2012 Introduction to art clay silver
20th and 21st October 2012 Cloisonné enamelling and metal clay

Dates book up quite quickly so please get in contact if you are wanting a place.
For more information, booking, prices and terms please go to metal-clay.co

Happy New Year!

I am excited about the new plans for workshops in the coming year.

One of the workshops I will be running is making large hollow beads. Lots of samples will be available to inspire the class including the one currently in the kiln

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It has a design inspired by this beautiful Japanese print of koi carp.

I hope to see you here in Yorkshire sometime this year but if not use the follow button at the bottom of the page to make sure you keep up to date with events and progress of projects!

Information about classes and details for booking can be found here

New class dates

My studio is based in the beautiful village of Glaisdale, about 12 miles from Whitby in North Yorkshire. It is a well equipped workshop dedicated to metal clay and jewellery making. Over the winter it has been completely refurbished, including removing a dividing wall to open up the teaching space. I am now scheduling all kinds of exciting classes for 2012 including

2nd March 2012 Rings in metal clay
3rd March 2012 Introduction to art clay silver
10th March 2012 Introduction to enamel on art clay silver
30th March 2012 Hollow forms in art clay silver

17th, 18th, 31st March and 1st April 2012 Art Clay Certification Level 1

28th April 2012 Introduction to Art clay silver
30th April 2012 Hollow forms in art clay silver
5th, 6th, 9th, 10th May – one day workshops in enamelling

12th May 2012 – Keepsake pendant in silver clay at the Castle Museum, York
(booking through Castle Museum, York)
18th May to 21st May 2012 Art Clay Certification Level 1

13th June 2012 Special studio open day
14th, 15th July 2012 Two day class using art clay silver over glass beads
28th, 29th July 2012 Two day class art clay silver and plique a jour enamel
8th September 2012 Introduction to art clay silver
20th and 21st October 2012 Cloisonné enamelling and metal clay

Dates book up quite quickly so please get in contact if you are wanting a place.
For more information, booking, prices and terms please go to metal-clay.co

There are still a few dates available for one-to-one workshops, please contact me if there is something you would like to do

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Designing for enamel

Although my workshop is undergoing major rebuilding I am still designing and making work. One of the things I enjoy about working with art clay silver and enamel is that they can be done in the minimum space and with relatively few tools. This is why they can be such rewarding crafts to take up as a hobby – as well as working, as I do, at the professional level.

At the moment I have a temporary workbench set up in a corner of the bedroom. Although it isn’t a huge work surface there is room for my mini kiln, my basic clay tools, hotplate and I even have a hairdryer on a hook underneath. I will be glad to get back into the workshop eventually but have no excuse to stop working in the meantime. At the moment I am beginning a commission for some enamelled beads but this is in its early stages, with a lot of work still to do.

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If you would like to learn something about either enamelling or art clay silver I will be teaching lots of different classes in 2012. To find out more go to

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These are small enamelled stud earrings.

Classes for 2012

Dates are available for the following classes for 2012, limited places available, advanced booking essential. I will be adding more dates and also some special guest tutors and master classes so please check back! I also do one to one classes by arrangement contact me for more information.

My studio is based in the beautiful village of Glaisdale, about 12 miles from Whitby in North Yorkshire. It is a well equipped workshop dedicated to metal clay and jewellery making.

2nd March 2012 Rings in metal clay
3rd March 2012 Introduction to art clay silver

17th, 18th, 31st March and 1st April 2012 Art Clay Certification Level 1

28th April 2012 Introduction to Art clay silver
5th, 6th, 9th, 10th May – one day workshops in enamelling

12th May 2012 – Keepsake pendant in silver clay at the Castle Museum, York
(booking through Castle Museum, York)

13th June 2012 Special studio open day

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For bookings or more information go to or leave a message in the comments box here (I won’t publish it)

Building work begins

The building work has started in my studio. The plan is to create a beautiful new teaching space from what was two separate rooms and it will allow me to develop my ideas for new classes and also, very excitingly, to invite other teachers to run special classes here.

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This is how it looked first thing this morning. The first week will be really messy as Chris dismantles the dividing wall but it is great to see my ideas progressing.

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In the meantime I have set up a temporary workbench in the house so that I can still get on with some projects.

Starting to clear out

I have started the big clear out ready for the builder to begin work in my studio tomorrow.

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This corner of the room has always been used to stack ‘stuff’ out of the way and was hidden behind a sheet. The plan is that this corner will house the equipment for lamp working glass and also my hearth for soldering and torch work. I am really excited about the reorganisation as it will really open up the space and bring what were wasted areas into use.

There is still quite a lot to move but the clear out is well underway. Today a friend has collected boxes of dark room equipment that I haven’t used for around 20 years. Her partner will now be able to set up his own darkroom and it is great that it will be used and enjoyed again. I have also sorted out a lot of real junk (why did we keep this stuff for so long?) A trip to the tip is planned for later in the week.

Making new plans

I am now making plans for 2012, including some fairly substantial alterations to the studio over the winter period. I still have a few dates available for one to one classes before Christmas but am beginning a bit of a clear out. If you are wanting any jewellery as Christmas presents then please get in contact, either by message here or through my contact form

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I still have things available like these pretty enamelled stud earrings.

Keep watching for an update on the studio and exciting classes for 2012!

Tiny birds

Here is a better photograph of the tiny cloisonné pendant I made yesterday, daylight helps!

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