The market town of Cirencester has plenty of creative power

‘You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have’: a powerful statement from the late Dr Maya Angelou conveying the concept that creativity is a renewable resource that grows with use.

The Gloucestershire market town of Cirencester certainly has plenty of this creative power. Indeed, that energy supplies not only visitors and locals with tremendous artistic treasure, but it generously spills out as artisan makers and creators teach and inspire others how to develop new skills that can enhance their lives.

Perhaps it is Albert Einstein’s quote that sums it up best. ‘Creativity is intelligence having fun,’ and boy, don’t we need more fun.

Yet, as anyone who runs their own business knows, the downside of creating is the fact you work for hours alone, apart from, if you’re lucky, the accompaniment of a favourite radio station or a pet.

Sophie Ryder’s dancing hares in Cirencester. Photo: Tracy Spiers So, networking and being close to a creative hub is vital. And just as the Romans built roads to connect Corinium Dobunnorum, as Cirencester was once known, with other major towns, creatives in Cirencester know the importance of collaboration. Last year’s inaugural Cirencester History Festival was a prime example of how multiple organisations used their talents to host a packed full programme of engaging workshops, talks, demonstrations and creative interaction.

One only has to look in the town’s wonderful Corinium Museum to see how excellent the Romans were at learning, innovating ideas, and artistry, by marvelling at their engineering skills, and exquisite mosaics such as the Hare Mosaic: a 4th century AD mosaic that depicts a hare, which has become Cirencester’s symbol, and The Seasons Mosaic: a detailed mosaic that illustrates the four seasons, featuring Actaeon, a Greek mythological hero, and his hunting dogs.

Today, modern day Cirencester is like a living mosaic, full of fascinating and colourful creative pieces. Each piece, each creative skill, is unique and together represents something rather extraordinary.

New Brewery Arts, Cirencester. Photo: Tracy Spiers In the town centre, New Brewery Arts is a thriving, buzzing creative hub, where making, craftsmanship and skill are woven together in a relaxed, inviting and inspirational way.

As a charity, New Brewery Art’s purpose is to connect people with craft and creativity, something it does in many different ways such as offering courses and workshops, providing affordable studio spaces to makers or supporting UK craftspeople through selling their hand-made pieces in the beautiful shop.

If you have a few spare hours, why not spend them taking in the atmosphere, indulging not only in multi-sensory sights and sounds of crafts being made in makers’ studios, perusing the shop or visiting an exhibition (such as the current one by young craftspeople, entitled ‘and the works goes on,’ its name taken from a William Morris quote), but also the culinary talents at Blend, the on-site café, run by Jenna Harvey and her wonderful team.

Ed Hill’s ‘Introduction to Throwing’ class. Photo: New Brewery Arts ‘Cirencester has a longstanding history of craft dating all the way back to the mosaics of the Romans through to the more recent wool trade so it’s not surprising that there is a strong community of makers in the town,’ says Jill Park, marketing manager for New Brewery Arts

‘Not only is there a wealth of beauty in the landscape and architecture to inspire them, but there are many opportunities to practice your craft and learn from other makers. We have an incredible community of makers here from our studio holders to our course and workshop tutors and students, through to the UK craftspeople we feature in our shop.’

The name New Brewery Arts is a nod to the heritage it inhabits. It’s located in a converted Georgian brewery, which houses the contemporary art gallery, craft shop and cafe, and the on-site maker studios.

Stained-glass artist Daniella Wilson-Dunne. Photo: Tracy Spiers Some makers, like Daniella Wilson-Dunne have been here for 30 years. At the stained-glass studio, visitors will find Daniella making exquisitely designed, made-to-order glass for private houses, public properties, business spaces and a diverse range of different buildings. Her work can be seen in various building – including churches in Somerford Keynes, Fairford and the courtyard at Windsor Castle. In between commissions, Daniella likes to immerse herself in creating her own pieces, a world of British wildlife, female forms, and minute detail.

Milliner Lisa Burrows working in her studio. Photo: Tracy Spiers Next door to Daniella, milliner Lisa Burrows uses her traditional millinery techniques to design wonderful contemporary creations to compliment the style and outfit of her clients. Her good humour and easy manner ensure those looking for the perfect showstopper or hat to complete a special outfit is delivered.

‘A good hat, like a good outfit, should bring confidence and joy. I like to work on individual styles in an elegant and understated way to match my clients’ ideas and my experience. Sometimes less is more,’ says Lisa, who runs an introductory course to practical millinery for those wishing to prepare, block and finish their own bespoke creation.

Mixed media artist Tracey Elphick’s colourful studio. Photo: Tracy Spiers Working in mixed media, often using text and paper collage, Tracey Elphick takes inspiration from what she daily sees around her – whether that is lemons, teapots, landscapes, flowers, street scenes or harbour and seascapes. Her subjects are relatable and are enjoyed by people all over the world, who often return to add to their Tracey Elphick collection.

‘I am grateful that the compositions and subjects I explore are what others also enjoy. I love a subject I have a personal connection with, and that holds a great deal of visual interest with plenty of structure, colour, shape and form, such as Cirencester marketplace or a Cornish fishing harbour,’ she says. Her studio is an explosion of cheer and joy – from cushions displaying her favourite designs, small oil paintings with foodie themes completed in one sitting, or large layered mixed media scenes, using paper, acrylic paints and inks depicting familiar Cotswold towns,

Ruth Martin runs her business Baskerville & Jones, homemade sustainable and beautiful textile home furnishings in Studio 10, above the café at New Brewery Arts. Like Tracey, she delights in creating products inspired by her surroundings.

‘Cirencester is a beautiful place to work with a strong Cotswolds identity. There is good local interest in handmade items and bespoke creations for the home, so it’s lovely to provide creative products with a personal connection,’ says Ruth.

‘I love making cushions, lampshades and other home furnishings that allow people to express their personality and values in their homes. At New Brewery Arts, individual makers benefit from working as a collective, plus visitors can enjoy seeing all our crafts in action at one venue.’

‘I am inspired by the other makers working alongside my studio, and the busy shop, gallery and cafe, where I can see first-hand the joy people find in engaging with handcrafts and creativity,’ she adds.

King’s Foundation and Chanel alumni student, haute couture embroidery designer Beth Somerville. Photo: Oliver Holmes Not only do visitors see the individual makers making, whether that is former King’s Foundation and Chanel student, haute couture embroidery designer, Beth Somerville, who is now undertaking high-end commissions including from the royal family, or third-generation master upholsterer Stephen Perkins who uses traditional methods unchanged for hundreds of years, but they can support them by buying high quality products directly from the makers.

‘Visiting the studios at New Brewery Arts and supporting the makers helps our small businesses to survive and thrive. Word-of-mouth recommendations are extremely valuable, and the personal connection between maker and customer is key to the magic of bespoke creations,’ Ruth Martin explains.

Colin Hawkins of LOCO Glass, Cirencester. Photo: Tracy Spiers Downstairs in Studio 2, visitors can find Louise and Colin Hawkins, the duo behind LOCO Glass, which is celebrating 25 years and have carried out multiple orders for well-known companies and famous personalities including the Savoy, Sir Elton John and Madonna. In their Cirencester studio, onlookers can see glass being blown, put into the fiery furnace and turned into amazing creations. It truly is awe-inspiring, and there’s a chance to buy a glass blowing experience, whereby individuals can learn all about the ‘hotshop,’ where glass is made, manage and shape the glass in the reheating chamber and use tools, many of which haven’t changed since Roman times.

‘I love the fact that people can come her and have a go and enjoy this experience. Glass blowing is a dying craft because off the costs involved, so if people do support our craft, we can carry on,’ admits Colin.

Flowing designs by LOCO Glass. Photo: Tracy Spiers When training, Colin and Louise worked alongside some of the last glass making ‘gaffers’, traditional artisans who practised their art when the British glass making industry was at its pinnacle. There’s no doubt LOCO Glass creates the very best studio glass to represent their industry both here and abroad.

Colin admits he never gets tired of doing the one-off pieces. ‘I love the fact that I don’t know what it is going to look like. The colours are initially distorted by the temperature so you can’t see what they will look like until the piece is cooled down. That element of surprise is amazing. This is my passion, the sheer alchemy of working with liquid glass and seeing it turn into an object and there’s hundreds of different colours to use – the sky’s the limit really.’
Jewellery Hayley Kruger at her workbench. Photo: Tracy Spiers Upstairs in Studio 9, artisan jeweller Hayley Kruger, enjoys working with clients to make a special, bespoke piece of jewellery, such as an engagement ring, which begins with sketching out ideas to the finished piece, sometimes created using precious metals from a sentimental ring or heirloom, giving it fresh life. Hayley, like many of the makers, shares her knowledge on various aspects of jewellery making by teaching classes and workshops.

‘I grew up in South Africa and remember as a child making beads from clay from the ground and painting them. When I eventually did some courses, I fell in love with the elemental feeling of making jewellery,’ explains Hayley.

Blue Zircon ring, by jeweller Hayley Kruger. Photo: Hayley Kruger Jewellery

As I have the privilege of listening to each maker’s journey and experience, it’s obvious that while their craft is different, their passion is the same. They do what they do because they love it.

Another artisan jeweller who is well respected in Cirencester and is one of the UK’s leading designers, is award-winning Louise Parry, who has a studio in West Market Place. And in Silver Street, Louise Bonham is celebrating 20 years of m.a.d.e which stands for Makers and Designers Emporium. This beautifully curated store specialises in showcasing an ever-changing colourful blend of homeware, accessories & beauty, stationery, children’s ware and gifts made from more than 250 of the best British designer makers and small independent companies, including those based in Cirencester.

Louise Bonham, owner of m.a.d.e (Makers and Designers Emporium). Photo: Tracy Spiers ‘We notice how much people enjoy buying something that is handmade, that has a story behind it, and they love to know where the makers come from,’ says Louise.

One thing that always inspires me when visiting an artist, designer or maker is marvelling at the tools of their trade and what they use to create their masterpieces. Each tool has a different purpose and is part of the artistic process. Some are ancient, some are more modern. But there is a reassuring synergy as I walk out of their studios and investigate the display cabinets of the Corinium Museum. On display are the tools the Romans use to carry out their innovate work. The common theme? The human desire to create and make. And this desire is very much being fulfilled here in Cirencester. And if, dear reader, you have a longing to create something, then sign up for one of the many workshops on offer this spring at New Brewery Arts. As Matisse once said, ‘creativity takes courage,’ and that often means taking one small step towards doing something new …which could even change your life.

Beautiful work on sale in New Brewery Art’s craft shop. Photo: Tracy Spiers Over the coming year, New Brewery Arts is particularly excited to showcase young makers and help establish them on their creative path and has collaborated with Heritage Crafts to put together an exhibition of work by craftspeople aged 25 and under. The exhibition entitled ‘and the work goes on,’ aims to highlight the wealth of skill, thinking, and imagination in the craft sector, played out in the hands of young makers. The phrase is taken from a quote from William Morris (Arts & Crafts Movement): ‘With the arrogance of youth, I determined to do no less than to transform the world with Beauty. If I have succeeded in some small way, if only in one small corner of the world, amongst the men and women I love, then I shall count myself blessed, and blessed, and blessed, and the work goes on.’ (The Well At The World’s End: Volume I)

New Brewery Arts is all about having a go, trying something new, tapping into those forgotten creative parts of you that need to resurface and be given a chance to shine. So why not try either a residential workshop (which includes a two-night stay at The Barrel Store) or a day workshop. In March, options include: an introduction to throwing pots; creative natural dyeing; beginners’ machine sewing; beginners’ dressmaking: making your own pyjamas; needle felting a spring hare; Celtic knot stonecarving; creating a drum lampshade; or making a necklace or bracelet. Longer courses which span over numerous weeks include stained glass, ceramics, portrait drawing, millinery, linocut printing and bookbinding.

newbreweryarts.org.uk