Forthcoming Courses

1 - 4 day workshops (small classes) are held in the spring and autumn, tutored by teachers who are chosen for the combination of their technical ability and enthusiasm for their subject.

Subjects include Gardening, Basket-making, Bookbinding and Book Restoration, Photography, China Mending and Crewel Embroidery. The courses are not only instructive, they are also great fun!  Come with a friend, learn a new skill and go home with something quite unique that you have created

Please see below for details, or contact us for further information:

• Tel: +44 (0)1309 611278
• Email: panny@logie.co.uk
  
  

Logie Steading Courses started in 1995 and each year there are two groups of practical 1 - 4 day courses, one starting in early Spring and the other in Autumn. The tutors are specially chosen for the combination of their enthusiasm and technical ability. Logie Steading Courses are not only practical and instructive, they are also fun!

Basket Making - Tim Palmer

Although a consultant at Raigmore Hospital, Tim has been making baskets for the last fourteen or more years. Tutors have included Graham Glanville, Lise Bech, Alison Fitzgerald, Colin Manthorpe, Eva Seidenfaden and Joe Hogan. Most recently, he has begun to make less functional work with Lizzy Fairey. He also works with ceramics, and has a continuing collaboration with the potter Kerstin Gren.

He makes most styles of basket, mostly in willow but has included other materials when they are available. He sells through craft fairs and makes to commission, demonstrating at the Portsoy Boat Festival each year. As well as conventional stake-and-strand work in round, oval and square formats, he makes frame baskets, spiral weave baskets, various baskets associated with fishing, and the large creels used for gathering peat, seaweed and the like. Some years ago he was introduced to birch bark as a material and now uses it in his conventional forms in addition to making traditional birch bark baskets.

Tim has been teaching basketmaking for many years and enjoys greatly passing on what he has learned from others and introducing new people to the immensely satisfying process of turning a bundle of twigs into an aesthetically pleasing functional object that is the end result of an evolutionary process. All the techniques that he teaches have specific properties and hence functions, and the understanding of what weaves can and cannot do is fundamental to good basketmaking. This understanding opens the door to branching out into more creative forms and unusual materials. His creative enthusiasm is infectious making the class hugely enjoyable.

Following on from Tim's very successful class in October 2011 he will be returning to Logie in April to teach Square Basket-making

• 14th and 15th April, 2012 Square Basket-making (Willow)

2 days - £110

Bookbinding - Laura and Chris West

Laura is a classically trained, award winning bookbinder specialising in traditional and contemporary hand-sewn books. A first class BA degree in Bookbinding from Roehampton Institute in London provided the sound traditional training and historical knowledge on which much of her work is based. A Queen Elizabeth Scholar (2000) and Balvenie Artisan of the Year (2005), Laura and her husband, Chris, have run the Isle of Skye Bindery since 1999 and take on a wide range of bookbinding jobs, from limited editions to one-off commissions. Having taught many workshops locally and at university level, Laura's supportive approach to teaching involves using comprehensive printed notes alongside step-by-step demonstrations.

The bookbinding classes at Logie have evolved over the last few years and we are planning a slightly different format this year to give pupils a chance to tackle lengthier projects. Pupils can choose whether they would like to create some new books or restore some old friends. Numbers will be limited to 8 in total for the two courses which will be run in tandem.

• March 19 - 21 Bookbinding

There will the opportunity to bind at least one robust, traditional book from start to finish acquiring and developing a range of bookbinding skills. As always Laura will have sumptuous papers, cloths and leather to enable you to make completely unique artefacts. Although there will be a main 'project' you may work on a personal book project - just let Laura know in advance so that the appropriate course notes and materials will be on hand.

• March 19 - 21 Book Restoration

Alternatively, there will be opportunity to bring a treasured book back to life and preserve it for years to come. For those interested, the tooling stove, lettering and some basic decorative tools will be on hand, although if labels are required, please contact Laura/Chris in advance: books@laurawest.com  This course is for students who have already acquired basic bookbinding skills. Numbers limited to max 4

2 days: £140
3 days: £180

China Mending - Anna Hackett

There is something extraordinarily pleasing in seeing a damaged treasure restored to perfection, especially if you are able to do it yourself.

Since 1985 Anna has been teaching this skill; she is an established and respected china restorer, recommended by Sothebys, and teacher of great experience. The classes are intensive and very practical. Students work on a variety of pieces, exploring traditional and modern methods of achieving the very best results.

March 5 - 8 - China Mending: Beginners & Advanced

Mending skills, cleaning techniques, separating poorly glued pieces, removing rivets. Bonding single and multiple breaks, sealing cracks, filling chips and holes. Comprehensive modelling skills to replace missing parts. Painting skills and accurate colour matching will be developed to conceal all traces of repair. Advanced students should bring clean china, mended where possible, ready for painting.

4 days: £210.00

A set of specialist materials will be supplied at an additional cost of £25.

Garden and Outdoor Photography - Ray Cox

Ray Cox is an established professional photographer specialising in the gardens and plants of Scotland. He is a member of the Cox family of horticultural experts who have run their world-famous business and garden at Glendoick in Perthshire, Scotland, for three generations.
Ray’s work is regularly published in a wide range of media including national newspapers and magazines, websites, books, calendars etc including the recent award-winning publication Scotland for Gardeners.  He has recently started to lead garden/outdoor photography workshops through which anyone with a digital camera and a basic understanding of photography can develop their skills and pick up many professional tips to help make the most of the modern technology.

Whilst Ray is best known for his expertise as a Garden Photographer he applies the same techniques to more general outdoor photography including landscapes, animals, children etc.

2012 date tbc   Ray will start with a digital presentation covering the main theory and techniques relevant to garden and plant photography.  Participants will be given the chance to put their new-found knowledge into practice by taking their cameras outside where there will be photographic opportunities from vistas to plant combinations and individual blooms, dogs, larger animals and even some portraiture.   The course will continue inside with photographs uploaded onto the computer for discussion and analysis leading to further tuition; and more outside activity.

Following the great success of the 2010 course we are delighted that Ray is returning to Logie to lead this course, giving amateurs a chance to see how the professionals use their cameras to produce wonderful photographs.

2 days £150

More information about Ray and the workshop can be found on his website: www.rcoxgardenphotos.co.uk

Crewel Embroidery - Maud Crawford

Maud has been interested in crewel - or Jacobean - work for many years. She has completed many crewel projects, extensive and small, traditional and modern, and teaches a large group of embroiderers who meet on a regular basis in central Scotland.

This very old form of embroidery uses wool on linen and is immensely creative and great fun, with no limit to designs and colour. In 2 days you will learn many different stitches, how to use and shade colour. By the end of the course you will have the knowledge to enable you to finish your design on your own! If you have a particular colour scheme which you would like your work to match, please send a sample with your application so that Maud can bring appropriate colours.

• 2012 date tbc (probably sometime in October)

Materials including a frame, linen, design and wools suitable for making a cushion or firescreen are available at a cost of £40

Gardening - Andrew Duncan

Andrew trained with the National Trust for Scotland, became Head Gardener at Branklyn Garden, Perth followed by five years as Head Gardener at the House of Pitmuies, Forfar. He is an enthusiastic and knowledgeable plantsman and now runs his own garden business. His courses offer hands on professional practicality with a wide range of theoretical information, at all times aiming to share ideas and extend the ability and confidence of the individual.

• due to restrusturing work in the garden there will be no course this year

Making the most of your Garden: Spring tasks to set the garden for the forthcoming seasons: pruning of roses and shrubs; introduction to soils, manures and nutrients; compost making and mulching; plant supports/training. With plenty of opportunity to gain from Andrew's huge knowledge and experience - questions about your own garden are welcome!

Beekeeping - Ann Chilcott

Ann has been keeping bees for 6 years and has a passionate interest in wildlife, nature and agriculture.  She holds an HNC in Countryside Management and the SBA Intermediate Beemaster Certificate (about to take Advanced exams).

The Taster Day in 2012 will provide an introduction to the equipment, cost, and time involved with beekeeping, and how to observe bees at work. There will be information on basic beeping with plenty of time for questions. Protective clothing will be available. If weather permits, the hive will be opened up to allow some hands on experience for those who wish to participate.

Limited to a max of 4 people

Ann runs this course in her garden - with her hives - please let me know if you are interested and I can put you in touch

Ann ran a series of courses last summer (2011) and may be able to run more this year - please contact me if you are interested

To make enquiries about any of the above courses please contact

panny@logie.co.uk

or telephone 01309 611278

Other Courses

Additional courses are being run by Diva Designs. Please see the Diva Designs page for details.