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Follow on Google News | Gower Artists and Crafters work together to launch new Beachcombing Workshop, GowerGowerhenparties.com are pleased to announce that Jane Haines and Pippa Nielson will both be running ceramic and driftwood arts and crafts workshops on Gower, which also involves beachcombing on wild beaches. Creative adventure seekers are invited.
By: Gower Hen Parties Wales Gower Hen Parties – Who Runs Them? please see www.gowerhenparties.com A co-operative of artists and friends are working together to run over twelve interesting and fun craft workshops and parties by the sea, on Gower, an area of outstanding natural beauty in South Wales. The business was launched two years ago and was aimed at hen parties, wanting to have DIY wedding workshops and parties and it is now it is appealing to lots of different kinds of people, especially mothers and daughters who want a quiet crafting weekend away together. Workshops are run nearly every Saturday and Sunday, 52 weeks a year. This Autumn, the Gower beachcombing and driftwood workshops will be run by two local Gower crafters, working together. Jane Haines who also runs an on-line shop; www.downthebeach.co.uk and Pippa Neilson; who is a trained potter/ceramicist, a regular exhibitor and who sells her crafts on; www.gowerdriftarts.co.uk. They have both lived on Gower, all their lives and they both love making gorgeous one-of-a-kind; Driftwood workshops take place in their homes or studios, village halls or rented cottages. An all day beach combing driftwood workshops, runs from 11.00am to 5.00pm and costs £80 per person. This includes soup for lunch and cake for afternoon tea. Ideal minimum group size = 6 people. Patricia Hodge, is the director of Gower Hen Parties and is the creative force behind the business; she brings crafters together and signposts clients to the right crafter for them. She was originally born on the Essex/Suffolk boarder, studied history of art at uni, loves environmental art, (especially Andy Goldsworthy's work), worked for charities for many years, fell in love with a surfer and moved to the Gower wilderness, 15 years ago. And as Jane Haines say; “Tricia is a great people person. She has a wonderful sense of humour and lights up a room on a dark day. Tricia is also one of the best event organisers in Wales” Beachcombing – Port Eynon The beachcombing sessions begin at Port Eynon, Gower at the far end of the peninsula. They involve delving into rock pools and looking under seaweed by the old salt house. Even on a windswept day, the light is very magical and the place is wildly inspiring. The village has a long history of oyster fishing, crabbing, lobstering and limestone quarrying, as well as the less honest trade of smuggling. The Best Time to Beachcomb Climatic and ecological conditions are important when you are beachcombing. Low pressure, high tides, big waves, SW winds tend to bring in the most interesting finds. “You need patience, beady eyes and some luck, when you are beachcombing. The best treasures are found after wild Autumn and Winter storms and often in the rain! You never know what you will find on the beach which is why it is so exciting. Everything tells a story.” says Patricia Hodge The Rules of Beachcombing The rules of beach combing include having fun and as Glenda Easterbrook, from the Department of Environment, Earth and Ecosystems, at The Open University says; “Leave organisms in their natural habitat. If you turn over a rock to look for something, make sure you replace it when you are finished. Be gentle when handling live organisms. Be selective in the amount of non-living shells and others things you remove from the beach. Any suspicious objects, particularly metal canisters, not be touched and should be reported to the coastguard. Do not hammer any rocks or pebbles with anything other than a specialist geological hammer. Stay clear of unstable cliffs and rock fall. Always keep an eye on the incoming tide and the size of the waves. Wear sensible footwear when scrambling over the rocks and boulders. “ What Strange Things Have Been Found Beachcombing? In other parts of the UK, weird and wonderful things have been washed up on the beach, in large numbers; bananas, ducks, shoes etc. Here in Wales, flotsam and jetsam, man-made debris arrives on a more ad hoc basis. You never know what will be arriving next. “I do use little pieces of plastic, net, rope and other man made items in my boat sculpture but it is more a case of litter picking until you see something really magical that nature has made." says Pippa Nielson. “This year, pumice stones arrived on Port Eynon beach in large numbers which was amazing because they are so light, easy to drill and they make fantastic hanging mobiles." Driftwood – Why it is beautiful? “We all love the driftwood that floats here, on the ocean currents and ends up on the beach, in the intertidal zone. It arrives in different sizes, weights, shapes and colours. Most of it is hardwood. Tthe sea has worn away its bark and it has been bleached by the sun. Some driftwood, may have traveled a long way from homw, whereas other driftwood comes from local rivers and estuaries. The salt makes it strong but it spits at you, if you try and burn it in the fire!" says Jane Haines. According to Norse mythology, the first two people on earth were made out of driftwood and Ask (Ash) and Embla (Elm) so the fascination with driftwood is an old one. Storing Beach Finds – Stones and Sea Glass Both Jane Haines and Pippa Nielson store supplies of driftwood and other sea debris in their gorgeous garden sheds/ and wood clad studios but they are careful not to keep too much. “We do not want to end up as mad hoarders, drowning under our beach treasure,” says Jane. “So we tend to pick things, with specific commissions in mind. That said, we do have baskets filled with interesting things for our clients to sift through at our ceramic and driftwood workshops.” Jane especially loves the hole filled “witches” stones and sea glass which are found at a secret Gower beach locations. The Driftwood Workshops After an hour or two, spent beach combing, on Port Eynon beach, it's time to go inside, warm up and enjoy the Driftwood Workshops. Jane Haines and Pippa Neilson will help you to make individual and unique driftwood crafts for your home and garden, including; a driftwood heart, layered with weathered wood and sprinkled with fragment of sea worn glass, pebbles and slate etc a driftwood mobile which includes a glazed clay fish or heart, “home made” painted stones and shells a little driftwood boat or beach hut “Combining simple ceramics with driftwood, is really the secret of making something very beautiful,” says Patricia Hodge. “Everyone seems to love our very laid-back, friendly workshops, in a fabulous sea side location. And even people who say they are not creative have a wonderful time”. Special recommendations re: accommodation are available on request. Jane rents her own cottage out, in Port Eynon from May to September. For further information please see www.gowerhenparties.com End
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