The Wobage Gallery opens for the season this weekend Saturday 5th March 10am, with a one day only bargain sale of seconds and old stock. Pots by Patia Davis, Sheila Herring, Petra Reynolds and Jeremy Steward and a few baskets from Clyde Hoare. DONT’ MISS IT, ONE DAY ONLY. Wobage Gallery is then open for the season, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 10am-5pm.

Our two opening courses of the season in February and March are now fully booked. We have a second 2-day Beginners scheduled for Thurs.7th/Fri.8th July, and then a 3-day Improvers aimed at more experienced makers, Wednesday 13th – Friday 15th July 2016. By popular demand the latter has an extra day in variation to the 2 day course in March, providing budding intermediates with an opportunity to get really stuck in. These courses are now available for booking. Patia’s two earthenware courses in June and July are booking out fast, don’t delay if you fancy a treat this summer!

This Saturday 19th December is the last chance before Christmas to choose from a selection of fabulous hand-made work from the Wobage Gallery, from pots and kitchen-wood to baskets, jewellery and textiles. Returning from a break from pot-making, Petra has a fantastic selection of her slab-built domestic ware, fresh and hot from the wood-salt kiln. Snap ‘em up, they are going fast!

Open 10am – 5pm Wobage Makers Gallery, Upton Bishop, Ross-on-Wye. HR9 7QP. Tel. 01989 780495.

(The gallery is then closed in January and February, re-opening in March. During winter closure please ring for an appointment if you would like to look around the gallery.)

Patia’s hugely popular 5 day red-earthenware courses fall in June and July next year, and they are now live on the site and available for booking. We’re very excited to be welcoming James Burnett-Stuart down from his home and workshop in North Herefordshire for the Earthenware Throwing course. For further details check out the individual course pages and there’s more info’ on James and his beautiful pots on his tutor page.

5 day Earthenware Throwing and Slip-decorating – 29th June – 3rd July

5 day Slip-decorated Earthenware – 20 – 24th July

We are delighted to announce two short intensives for the new year, the first in February, the second in March. The first is ideal if you’ve never as much as touched clay before and wish to give wheel-throwing a go. Or perhaps you’ve dabbled in a previous life many years ago and you’re in need of a refresher.

The second 2-day workshop is designed more for those with some previous experience wishing to extend their skill base and ideas. You’ll find further details here: 2-day Beginners, 2-day Intermediates, where you’ll find links for availability and booking. We look forward to welcoming students old and new.

Two courses are scheduled in for summer 2016.

THROWN AND SLIP DECORATED EARTHENWARE . A five day course with Patia Davis and guest demonstrator James Burnett Stuart. …..  early July 2016, date…to be confirmed

SLIP DECORATED EARTHENWARE DISHES with Patia Davis. A five day course exploring slab moulded dishes and thrown and altered dishes. mid  July

Full details will follow very shortly, once all the dates have been finalised…

We have had a late cancellation for the forthcoming summer term for Thursday evenings. New availability is a rare commodity so please get in touch hastily via the booking page if you are interested in joining us. Beginners are very welcome. You’ll find further details on the evening class page.

THURSDAY CLASS – SUMMER 2015 TERM DATES

week 1 16th April
week 2 23rd April
week 3 30th April
week 4 7th May
week 5 14th May
week 6 21st May

no class 28th May – HALF-TERM

week 7 4th June
week 8 11th June
week 9 18th June
week 10 25th June

weeks 11 & 12   September date to be confirmed. Student Wood salt-firing of the ‘Phoenix’ kiln. The throwing studio will be open as usual, daytime and evening, for making  inbetween student stoking shifts.

Basketmaker Clyde Hoare will be running regular introductory courses in basket weaving throughtout the year. These are day-long courses that introduce a basic understanding of basket making from its history to its place in the modern world. You will get to craft your own basket using green and dried willow, red and yellow dog wood and other seasonal materials. Clyde will guide you through the different stages of the basket and you will have a lovely handmade basket at the end of the day

The course costs £50 per person. This includes all materials, tea, coffee and homemade cake. To find out about a full range of courses, forthcoming dates and to make a booking, please contact Clyde on 07866138436 or Clyde@wildwicker.com

www.wildwicker.com

We are delighted to welcome basketmaker Clyde Jefferson to the Wobage studios. Working in the upstairs of the Farm granary, Clyde works alone creating a range of traditional baskets, handmade from a wide variety of natural hedgerow materials.  All materials are sourced from renewable and sustainably managed hedgerows.  They include willows of many types, dogwood, privet, holly, spindle tree and many others.

Clyde is inspired by the colours of nature, and by the geometric patterns he creates as he weaves and crafts a myriad of shapes and sizes from big log baskets, laundry baskets and plant containers to fruit bowls, gift hampers, shopping baskets, sewing baskets and wastepaper bins.

By reviving this ancient craft, he has realised the relevant application of natural, renewable materials and its place in a modern lifestyle, from replacing plastic shopping baskets to providing a living fence to surround your garden.

Baskets can be made to your specifications – if you can think it, Clyde can make it!

Jeremy and Patia are taking sabbatical from summer teaching this year, 2015, so there will be no intensive courses forthcoming this season. Many of you have contacted us, and we are very sorry to disappoint. If you would like to keep in touch and hear about future courses when they are made live on the website, please subscribe to our online newsletter. In the meantime, we hope that everyone has a fantastic year, and keep on mudslinging!