Tatton reflects the best of Cumbrian craft

Distinctly Cumbrian, a programme managed by Cumbria Rural Enterprise Agency, will be taking examples of some of the best of Cumbrian craft to the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park, Cheshire next week (18-22 July) as part of the Lake District Reflections garden and marquee at the Show. The garden itself has been designed and constructed by Andy Loudon, already an RHS medal winner at both Chelsea and Tatton shows.

Just five pieces of craft suitable for modern gardens will be on exhibition at Tatton – sculptures, ironwork, mirrors, ceramics and furniture - and each has been created by one of five artists and craftspeople based in Dent, Windermere, Hawkshead, Penrith and the Eden Valley.

“We wanted to take the opportunity to show the huge crowds at Tatton what is happening in contemporary craft in Cumbria,” explains Nigel Bamford of Distinctly Cumbrian. “There is plenty of potential for gardeners and garden designers to incorporate quality craft into their settings and we hope that this event will encourage people to consider Cumbrian materials and craft commissions in future.”

As well as the work itself being on show in the marquee, a coordinated display stand features photographs by Malcolm Farrar of Cumbria Institute of the Arts of each piece in a setting within the new Rydal Hall Garden, to be opened on 15 July.

“We needed to show the pieces in a garden and create a feel of Lake District reflections and landscape too,” says Nigel. “Malcolm’s work does this perfectly and we are very grateful to everyone at CIA and Rydal Hall for their help in putting these stunning images together.”

The five crafts people involved in this event are Lorraine Whinn of Woodstone Designs (mirrors), Geoff Cox, one of the founders of PotFest (ceramics), Gareth Healy of Woodmad (furniture), Lucy Sandys-Clarke, a blacksmith from Dent (ironwork) and Garry Power, one half of Cumbria Contemporary Art (sculpture).

Full information on the other partners in the Lake District Reflections garden and marquee and the work on display can be found at www.discovercumbria.net/tatton.

Caption
Lucy Sandys-Clarke’s ironwork birdbath for Tatton photographed at Rydal Hall Gardens near Grasmere. Copyright: Malcolm Farrar

Also attached is a sketch of Andrew Loudon’s plans for the garden featuring plenty of Honister slate