Welcome to Crafts in the Valley

Crafts in the Valley offers creative workshops in Fused Glass and Textiles from a lovely rural studio in Cragg Vale, near Hebden Bridge.  Workshops are delivered by me – Melanie, I’m a fully qualified Art and Design teacher with a BA Hons degree in Fashion and Textiles.  I have been delivering an exciting range of art and craft experiences for adults, young people and children since 2012.  Guests leave my studio feeling inspired, with new creative skills and beautiful handmade craft items.  I’m friendly and welcoming with fabulous hosting skills.  I have 5* reviews of Facebook, and I’ve been awarded the Diamond Student’s Choice award from the Craft Courses directory.

You can choose from a range of workshops; full or half day classes, and evening courses in Fused Glass, Felting, Batik, Plant Dyes and Wool Crafts.  Private workshops, craft parties, and hen dos are also available at my studio, or I can travel to other venues to teach.  With my mainstream teaching experience I can support GCSE and A Level art and textile students with personal projects.

As an artist and craftsperson, I enjoy playing with fused glass, textiles and my latest passion is dyeing wool with plants!  I’m inspired by the array of colour and texture found in nature.  The natural wonders and beauty of the sky, water, trees, flowers and the ever-changing seasons never fail to amaze me and influence my creative work.  I love learning new creative processes and spending time creating art for fun.

Up until the start of 2020 I worked in mainstream education as an Art Teacher for over fifteen years.  Crafts in the Valley has evolved from a floating social enterprise project I ran called Crafts Afloat.  From 2012 to 2017 I delivered art and craft workshops in a narrowboat art studio in Hebden Bridge.  Having now moved my business to dry land, I run most of my workshops from my studio in Cragg Vale, or at other venues and festivals in and around the North of England, and beyond!

I find making art and attending classes can have a huge benefit on people’s well-being and happiness.  It is well proven that creative activities improve and enhance emotional well-being for many. The creative process allows you to become immersed in a sensory activity and allows for artistic self-expression, it is fun and incredibly relaxing. I believe this helps to manage stress, improve self-esteem and develop self-awareness.

I refer to this as “Creative Escapism”!  In my workshops, as well as sharing my skills and knowledge, I aim to help people enjoy the creative process without putting pressure on oneself to create perfection.  We have enough pressure in our daily lives, making art should relieve this stress, and be a therapeutic experience.

As well as teaching and being creative, I enjoy hosting and bringing people together.  I love organising parties, holidays, social gatherings and creating experiences to remember.  A workshop with Crafts in the Valley is a special day out, as well as learning new skills you will also be treated to fresh coffee, plenty of cups of tea, sweet treats and cake! I aim for my workshop guests to leave the studio feeling relaxed, inspired and a little bit spoilt!

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