Shropshire Guild of contemporary craft

'Showing Off' usually takes place in October, but this year, due to its autumn success, The Guild has decided to hold an event in May as well. This unique selling exhibition will be held over the weekend of 21^st and 22^nd of May. 

This free to enter event incorporates not only designer makers from the Shropshire Guild, but also the neighbouring Worcestershire Guild of Designer Craftsmen and guest designer makers.

Sophie Eades, Chair of The Shropshire Guild said "the event promises to offer a vibrant and exciting array of items made by talented designer makers".

This selling exhibition will feature a wide variety of disciplines from very creative designer makers and will include Guild members and guests who have created wonderful pieces of furniture, jewellery, fabrics and ceramics. 

Exhibitors will include sculptor and ceramicist Caroline Bennett, who works from her studio near Bridgnorth. Caroline creates hand built and slip cast vessels as well as figurative sculptures.

Another exhibitor at 'Showing Off' is potter, Elspeth Soper from Broseley. Elpeth, who works from Willey Furnace Pottery, creates functional items decorated with chickens, hares and guinea fowl in earthly glazes such as soft blues, greys, muted terracotta's, ochre's and greens.

Other exhibitors include Shropshire Guild members Martin Howard, an Oswestry based Furniture designer maker and Steve Attwood-Wright who is a textile artist that works on 60" cloth looms. Steve, who is also a tutor, is based in the Kerry Hills in the Wales/Shropshire Marches.

Another exhibitor at this Ludlow event is Sara Piper Heap from Gobowen. Sara's  jewellery and silverware is visually striking, designed using simple clean lines and regular geometric shapes.

The Guild Chair, Sophie Eades continued "'Showing Off' May also falls within 'Craft and Design Month', a whole month dedicated to celebrating crafts across the UK. The aim of Craft and Design month is to try and make people more aware of the existence of handmade goods as an alternative to mass produced products". Sophie continued "here in Shropshire we have an absolute wealth of creative businesses, the majority being rurally based, and working at producing items using traditional skills – and in our members case, with a contemporary twist."

'Showing Off' is open from 10am – 5pm on Saturday and 10am – 4pm on Sunday, admission is free.