Month: August 2021

The Autumn Programme

On 17th August 2021

We are all looking forward to the autumn programme. Inspired by our success with Gabriel’s drawing classes and a request to have more, we have put together an all singing all dancing programme which has something for everyone… from metalwork to working with wool to more drawing… and of course weekly forest school we will have something for everyone!

Thank you to Iona Shop in Holywood and Eden Pottery for supporting us. And of course all the wonderful people whom we have worked with… and will be working with in the future. You make everything possible.

So here it goes!!!

Copper Smithing: 25 Sept, 2 October

Learn how to work copper with our new Forest School teacher Matthew Walton. Matthew graduated from the Art College recently and brings his many skills to our party! Copper smithing is only one of them. During this session learn to beat and fold copper. From a copper pipe Matthew will take you through the process of creating your own piece of art or jewelery.

Time: 10 am – 4 pm

Venue: The Quarries

Cost: £60

All material and equipment provided.

Book here

Fungi Drawings with Gabriel Knight

As the autumn gets underway fungi start to read their little heads. These most mysterious members of the botanical world have fascinated us for millennia. The original superfood they have been used by humans to have deeper insight into their lives. Have deeper insight into them with Gabriel. Gabriel’s course was so popular the last time that it was sold out at the end. Make sure you book early! Use this form to book.

Dates:	9, 16, 23, 30 October
Time:	10 am – 12 pm

Age range:	12 +
Cost:	£20 per person per session or £70 for 4 week black booking in advance

Fleece to Fabric: The Hidden Magic of Handcrafting Wool

Book here for this course.

Emma has written a short introduction about herself!

Hello, I’m Emma and it is my pleasure and my privilege to welcome you to this course.

Textiles, Costume and Folklore are the passions I carry throughout my professional life and these courses are an incredible opportunity
to share that passion with you. It is my great hope that you will feel and embrace the tactile power of the materials under your fingers and the transformative power of creation in your minds and hearts. I am here to facilitate this for you with over 25 years of experience, expertise and enthusiasm. Above all else, ‘Making’ is a way to connect to yourself and to the world around you. Creativity is a process and a practice which just cannot be overrated.

My experience as a teacher over the years ranges from Kindergarten handwork classes and soft crafts through to extensive felting and fibre
workshops, interiors and dressmaking classes and the pursuit of my own practice as a writer and fibre artist.

The only warning I issue is that working like this is addictive, get ready to be seduced by the integrated worlds of artisan craft and story!

Here is an outline of her course:

Welcome to this creative, productive, hands-on exploration of the culture, history and evolution of wool textiles.

This workshop celebrates wool and its intrinsic connection to oral traditions, cottage industry and industrial processes.
It includes insight into the materials used and a discussion of the folklore and rich traditions of textiles in our part of the world and beyond.

Over the three weeks participants will gain skills in the traditional arts of Fibre Preparation, Wet-felting, Needle-felting, Spinning and Nalbinding.
The course will feed your creative and artistic self while deepening your appreciation of sheep’s wool and all its uses.
You’ll leave with a new insight and passion for working with this incredible material and also your own beautiful, useful pieces of craft and art.
I sincerely look forward to sharing my passion and practical knowledge with you and to enjoying this textile journey together.

Day One. 06/11/21

Handling your wool.
The linguistics of textiles.
A short introduction to needle-felting.
Wet-Felting project to take home.

Day Two. 13/11/21

Processing your wool.
Experience the tactile stages of wool-crafting.
Scouring, carding, combing, hand-spinning, wheel-spinning, and weaving.
Make and learn to use your own hand spindle.

Day Three. 20/11/21

Transforming your wool.
A look at the wide use of wool in human culture.
The properties, composition and function of common and exotic animal fibres.
Create your own tailored choice of nalbinded accessory or fabric.
(Nalbinding is a type of proto-knitting with a single needle)

All natural, high quality, organic and locally sourced materials.
All materials and equipment are provided.
Environmentally conscious. Perfect for gift making.

5 to 8 participants.
4 hours duration.

Important Note.
If you are pregnant or immune-compromised please notify me in advance of booking.

Time: 10 – 2 pm

Cost: £50 per person of £142 for advanced block booking

The Summer of (Forest) Love

By ElementsFGS

On 10th August 2021

In Cooking with Children, Our Curriculum

May be an image of 2 people, people sitting and outdoors — Clay work on the last day

Our summer scheme – the first ever this year – was sold out. It is hard to believe that Elements is slightly less than a year old.

Children from all over North Down and Belfast got to experience the excitement of the Northern Irish summer.

From the start of July’s scorching heat to the almost deluge at the end of the first week of August, there was always fun to be had.

May be an image of nature and tree — A perfect day

As nature becomes recognised as more and more important to our well being, being part of Forest School is being seen as something which feeds all elements (excuse the pun) of our bodies and souls.

May be an image of nature, tree and grass — A magical site

It is almost a cliche to speak about the sites which we visit as magical but this site really IS magical. The land looked after so thoughtfully by Glencraig is one of the most sensitively managed areas we have used. And yet at the same time so welcoming to people.

May be an image of 1 person, standing and body of water — Dam building

It has a river which rises and falls – in a very safe manner. The water is filled with trout and we spent many happy hours trying to catch them.

The children were able to watch first hand the effect of rain on these streams and due to the cleanliness of the water they were able to play in them. It is quite sad that many water courses in Ireland are so polluted due to agricultural run off. But not here!!!!

May be an image of nature, tree and body of water — The Troll Bridge

The forest is large enough for adventures to take place. Like this walk over the troll bridge. Here stories are made and come to life. Here lessons can be learnt without ever being taught. For instance… the troll who lived under this bridge. He lived there because his family didn’t want him to live under the bridges in Belfast because he did not want to eat people. So he now lived there as he caught only fish. So let us be kind to the troll and be good to the water.

Walking in rivers and chasing fish is a lost art – many children today are taught to fear the water and fire. But at Elements, supervised fun is given free reign.

May be an image of one or more people, fire and outdoors — Cooking bannock

Because we have a small number of children and a group of experienced and passionate teachers, we are able to carry out some very exciting but practical activities. Cooking is very close to children’s hearts and Matthew Walton our new Forest School teacher made gluten free bannock.

May be an image of food and outdoors — Potato gratin!

We also made potato gratin over the open fire. Apparently this is the best potato dish anyone had ever made!

May be an image of food, fire and outdoors

May be an image of child, standing and grass — Whittling

We whittled little sticks and walking sticks! Knife skills for six to 12 year olds is something we delight in doing. Children working with fire and knives learn that these are tools which are to be respected. If they are careful with them, they will be able to be in control of the fire/ knife and something dangerous can be a help meet.

May be an image of 1 person, standing, nature and tree — Bringing back a sycamore tree

With the permission of Glencraig, we were able to harvest young sycamore trees as part of the forest management activity and turn these beautiful trees into walking sticks which were keepsakes. We made nettle cords and these were then used to create handles on the walking sticks which hands could be slipped through.

May be an image of 1 person and outdoors

No photo description available. — The activity of using a knife to whittle a stick is one which requires intense willforce

May be an image of child, sitting and outdoors

May be an image of 4 people, people sitting, tree and outdoors — The story told was the birth of Lugh which was seasonally appropriate

We also spent time at the beach and made rocket stoves learning how to make a small efficient fire using only a tin and cottonwool. Every day was a learning day, every minute a minute of fun and just like that it was over.

May be an image of 1 person, child, sitting, standing and outdoors

Tired but happy has to be our tagline… that and of course, the Greatest Outdoors!!!!