Introducing the Where The Light Gets In Residencies, event #1

Throughout the residencies we aim to open up the debate about the relationships between food and the environment, economic and social concerns, as well as notions of both cooking and eating as performative acts through a series of interactive creative workshops.

Each workshop will explore how artistic strategies can be used to address wide-ranging issues relating to food, agriculture and the environment.

First up on the 26th of October we have a felt bowl making workshop hosted by Joanne Wood, a hill farmer and shepherd based in Chinley, Derbyshire.

Wool is natural, renewable and biodegradable, it offers a number of environmental advantages and has proved itself to be measurably better than synthetic alternatives; yet sheep farmers get very little for it. The cost of shearing can often be more than the value of the fleece. As a result farmers have began to focus more on meat, and recently because the price of wool has halved, people have began to compost or burn their fleeces.

This workshop aims to promote the Campaign For Wool and Fair Price For Farmers and to encourage creating direct relationships between farmers and makers, sharing skills and utilising waste by-products of the agricultural industry.

Join us for a Monday evening learning how to make a hand felted bowl using wool fibre and the wet felting method. The workshop will be the first of many residencies and workshops located at Where The Light Gets In, Stockport.

Attendance numbers are kept small to both adhere to social distancing guidelines and to enable the tutors to give you the one-on-one time and attention to explore your creativity, so by the end of your session, you will have learnt a new skill and completed your handmade bowl to take home.

This workshop is perfect for beginners or people looking for a new project.

About your tutors, Joanne Wood is a shepherd and farmer based on a hill farm situated in Chinley within the Peak District National Park. Joanne is a second generation farmer who has learnt traditional wool based making skills throughout her years of shepherding. Joanne is a member of the Leicester Longwool Rare Breed Society.

What’s included —all tools, materials, locally sourced wool from a variety of breeds reared by Joanne in the peak district national park.

Wine on arrival and snacks provided.

18.00pm — welcome with refreshments and meet tutors Joanne and Kat

Introduction to the tools and different fleece types, showing of techniques and handling of the felt.

19.00pm — Snacks.

21.15pm — Time for home with your completed felted bowl.

Please email wwoodkat@gmail.com with any questions or queries in regards to this workshop or for future events.

Pair of Pure Beeswax Candles

Wool Plant Pot

Fleece to Bowl Workshop