Earlier this year I received the incredible news that I’d been selected for the Inches Carr Craft Award as one of their Emerging Makers. The support came at a really key time for me personally, for which I’ve been feeling very grateful.

The Inches Carr Trust was created in memory of Deirdre Inches and Malcolm Carr, creating a legacy in their memory and reflecting their interests in music and the decorative arts. With a prestigious history spanning 25 years, the Inches Carr Awards have supported the careers of makers such as silversmith Malcolm Appleby, ceramic and glass artist Andrea Walsh, ceramicist Frances Priest, and multi-media 3D artist James Rigler.

It’s a real honour to be a recipient of this award, particularly in a year when so many of the fellow awardees are makers I have looked up to within my practice. Within the Emerging Makers category I’m joined by: textile artist Erin McQuarrie, silversmith Scott Smith, rug maker Laura Derby, silversmith Caius Bearder, silversmith Annabel Hood, and ceramicist Joshua Williams.

Within the Established Makers category are: textile artist Lucy MacDonald, ceramicist Jonathan Wade, glass artist Juli Bolaños-Durman, silversmith Karen Westland, jeweller Heather Woof and ceramic artist Susan O’Byrne.

You can read more about the awardees here: Meet the makers awarded the Inches Carr Craft Bursaries

I chose to spend my bursary money on two training courses this summer, which I’m pleased to say I’ve just completed. The first was a traditional saddlery course with Armitage Leather, honing and developing my leatherwork skills, which until now have been self-taught. The second was a fantastically creative course in the art of steam-bending wood with Charlie Whinney in the Lake District.

I’ve hardly had time to catch a breath in my workshop since I got back, with a series of other opportunities and part time jobs taking up much of my time, but I am really excited to get back to the studio and be creative, armed with new skills and knowledge from my summer of learning!

Hopefully more on that soon…