We are a small but mighty craft studio based in the South East of England. We grow and harvest local materials to make objects ranging from functional baskets to statement lighting and large scale installations.
Meet the team
Annemarie
Annemarie is the master craftsperson, the holder of the deep knowledge; she can figure out how we actually turn a rough sketch into a three-dimensional woven object.
She is both the most minutely focussed member of the team and the person most likely to drift away into a faraway dream or start telling an unlikely story from her travels.
The true life goal for Annemarie is to have homegrown salad to pick every day of the year, 2020 was the best effort yet.
TOM
Tom is our problem solver. He does it with ease. As well as producing beautiful drawings for designs (or pleasure), he can be found in the workshop steam-bending frames, working on the shave-horse or preparing leather for handles.
His background in product design and making wooden buildings means that he’s the one who has the technical conversations with engineers and metal fabricators. In the evening, when he’s not working, he can often be found gardening in the dark.
Matilda
If you ever walk past our workshop there’s a good chance you’ll hear the sound of Matilda’s laughter. Matilda is a do-er, she can be presented with any task and she will take it on without batting an eyelid.
She started working with us over three years ago, popping in each week to keep our admin pile in check and now she has an apprenticeship funded by QEST to learn the skills of basketmaking from Annemarie. Matilda has a background in sustainable design and community engagement and is experienced using workshop tools. As the youngest member of our team, she is usually the most likely to be able solve computer problems and understand social media.
“When I made a willow basket – that very first evening – I went to bed and was dreaming of the willow, moving in arches and tight turns. It reminded me of how I feel when I swim, which is the same kind of movement. It’s a really lovely fluid feeling, one I experience deep in my body.”