NEWSLETTER APRIL-JUNE 1982

LTD

Thomas Prior House, Merrion Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, Ireland. Telephone 01 680764/603070

Justin Keating electedCrafts Council ChairmanAt the first Management Committeemeeting following the 1982 AnnualGeneral Meeting, Mr Justin Keating wasunanimously elected Chairman of theCrafts Council of Ireland. Mr Keatingwas a former Minister for Industry andCommerce and it will be rememberedthat it was during his term of office thatthe Council was first given official statusand a grant of funds.

The new Chairman is no stranger to craftsand craftsmen. His Radio Telefis Eireanntelevision series A Sense of Excellencewas very largely craft oriented and,indeed, some of it was made in the CraftsCouncil offices, and the work of anumber of leading craftsmen was shownin the four-part series. Mr Keating hasattended a number of Crafts Councilannual conferences both as a speaker andin a personal capacity.

New Faces on Council'sManagement CommitteeAt the Annual General Meeting of theCrafts Council of Ireland, which tookplace on 13 May, a number of changestook place on the ManagementCommittee.

Two craftsmen were added to theCommittee, Leslie Reed of the Societyof Cork Potters, and silversmith PatDolan of Wexford CraftworkersAssociation. Furniture designer, JohnJenkins of Kilkenny Design Workshopsreplaced Gerald Tyler who has beentheir representative for a number ofyears.

The addition of two craftsmen to theCommittee now brings the number offulltime professional craftsmen to five,with three others in the category ofdesigner/craftsmen.

Justin Keating, newly elected Chairman of the Crafts Council, chatting withBlanaid Reddin, retiring Chairman.

New Crafts Council of Ireland Management Committee

The following is a full list of the CraftsCouncil of Ireland ManagementCommittee, including those who wereelected to office at the Annual GeneralMeeting.

Mr Justin Keating, Chairman.

Mrs Alison Erridge, Clare CraftworkersAssociation, Vice Chairman.

Miss Mary Coleman, Country Markets,Honorary Treasurer.

Miss Betty Searson, Royal Dublin SocietyHonorary Secretary.

Mrs Helena Brennan.

Mr Pat Dolan, Wexford CraftworkersAssociation.

Mr Michael Jackson, Hands Cooperative.

Mr John Jenkins, Kilkenny DesignWorkshops.

Mr Shane McAuley, IndustrialDevelopment Authority.

Miss Angela O'Brien, Irish Society forDesign and Craftwork.

Miss Blanaid Reddin, Bord Failte Eireann.

Mr Leslie Reed, Society of Cork Potters.

Mr John Verling, Cork Craftsmans Guild.

Mr James Warwick.

Craft Potters Society of Ireland-Exhibition P J Carroll's headquarters at Grand Parade off Leeson Street was again the venue for the Annual Craft Potters Society of Ireland exhibition.

It would be fair to say that this was definitely their best exhibition to date and while there was a certain amount of derivative work, as is inevitable in an exhibition of works by professionals, amateurs and students, the standard was good overall and featured some very professional work without necessarily producing any single piece that was head and shoulders above everything else. Stoneware Jackson, Helena Brennan, Nicholas Mosse, Geoffrey Healy, Hester Scott, Pat Connor and Radley Searle all come to mind on reflection. E F Sutton

Chairman'sVisittoUSA As Chairman of the Crafts Council of Ireland, Miss Blanaid Reddin was one of a group of ten people invited by Bord Failte to take part in the major Irish tourism promotion Discover Ire/and '82. Blanaid covered five cities in Texas in eight days—Fort Worth, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Austin. During that time she was interviewed by the press, and by nine television and thirteen radio stations on various aspects of crafts in Ireland. In San Antonio, Blanaid participated in the San Antonio street parade for St Patrick's Day, and after the ceremony of dyeing the river green she was presented with an 'Admiral of the River' certificate.

In New York, Blanaid had meetings with Mrs K Bradshaw and Miss Carol Kleinert of World Crafts Council New York and with Mt Curtis Roosevelt, Chairman of the World Crafts Foundation. They expressed great interest in the European Assembly and hoped that Ireland could assist with holding the World Crafts Conference. Mi Roosevelt felt that financial aid would be available for members from developing countries to attend.

£4,000 Prize Fund for RDS Crafts Competition 1982 Details of the Royal Dublin Society Crafts Competition 1982 have been announced. The competition, which is open to all craftworkers and designers in Ireland, irrespective of age, consists of eighteen classes.

The awards in each class are as follows: First prize IRE100 Second prize IRE 50 Third prize IRE 25

Further awards for work of outstanding merit are the IRE500 Scholarship or Development grant, the Crafts Council of Ireland Medal and the California Gold Medal, together with the Royal Dublin Society Certificates. The closing date for receiving entries is Friday 9 July 1982.

The Competition includes the following classes: ceramics, glass, metalwork, gold and silver work, jewellery, enamelling, woodwork, musical instruments, rod, rush and straw work, leatherwork, floor rugs, weaving, wallhangings, fabric printing, batik, lace, embroidery.

All prize-winning works and other items of a good standard will be exhibited at the Royal Dublin Society's Arts and Crafts Stand in the Industries Hall during the forthcoming Dublin Horse Show which takes place from Tuesday 3 to Saturday 7 August 1982, inclusive.

Details and entry forms are available from

The Arts Administrator Royal Dublin Society Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 Telephone 01-680645 x 312

Honorary life membership of the Royal Dublin Society was recently conferred on Dr Muriel Gahan and Mr James Warwick, both past Chairmen of the Crafts Council of Ireland, in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the promotion and development of the crafts in Ireland

Textile Media Workshop at Ballyvaughan With the West of Ireland environment as a background and design source for the craftsman, an important textile media workshops is being organised for 9—16 October 1982 as a 'dry run' for the World Crafts Council European Conference next year when a similar workshop will be a major feature.

Centered in the Rent-an-lrish-Cottage system at Ballyvaughan, County Clare, where self-catering accommodation can be provided, and restaurant and packed lunch facilities and some transport (car sharing) are available, it is hoped to have two workshop leaders who will themselves be working throughout the period. Both of the workshop leaders will come from England.

E Gwenfred Shries ARCA is a printed textile designer selling largely in North America. She is best known in Britain for her versatile drawings of natural forms using a wide range of media and is responsible for drawing throughout the whole Textile/Fashion Faculty of Loughborough College of Art where she is Principal Lecturer.

June Tiley ARCA exhibits widely and continuously as an embroiderer/weaver/ knitter, always in innovative but highly technical ways. In her parallel teaching career at Cardiff College of Art, she has been responsible for the basic training of a whole gamut of designers from Anne Sutton to David Emmanuel.

For further details please contact Alison Erridge, Station House, Ballycar, Newmarket-on-Fergus, County Clare. Obviously a high level of experience is required to derive full benefit from this workshop.

The eighteen recipients also included Sir Alfred Beit, Dr Hilton Edwards, Professor Estyn Evans, Miss Bernadette Greevy, Mr Frederick Boland and Dr T K Whitaker.

Crafts Council Past Chairmen Honoured by RDS

The purpose of this new type of membership, established to commemorate the Society's 250th anniversary in 1981, is to honour persons of distinction, especially in the areas of Agriculture, Science, Industry and the Arts.

High-Fashion Knitwear Proposal Wins Mid-West Craft AwardA proposal to manufacture a range ofexclusive, high fashion knitwear for thehome and export markets has won the£1500 first prize in the 1982 Mid-WestCraft Awards Competition promoted byShannon Development.

Lucy Erridge of Ballycar, Newmarket-on-Fergus, County Clare, received her prizeand a special Perpetual Trophy designedby last year's winner—jeweller, BrianGleeson of Ballycasey Workshops—fromMr Desmond O'Malley TD, Minister forTrade, Commerce and Tourism, at aspecial function in Bunratty Folk Parkon 17 May 1982.

The prizemoney will be invested in thedevelopment of the project by 23-year-old Miss Erridge who recently graduatedfrom the Royal College of Art in Londonwith an MA Degree in Textile Design.A Diploma member of the Society ofIndustrial Artists and Designers, she hasalready carried out design consultancywork for many knitwear manufacturersand was awarded a Scholarship for studyand travel abroad by'Coras Trachtala.

Second prize of £1,000 was awarded toGeraldine Jones and Norah Meany ofSallybanks Studio in Kilmore, BroadfordCounty Clare, for their proposal tomanufacture a range of hand-woven linentable furnishings. The partners in this newenterprise, which has been in productionsince last November, attended a ShannonDevelopment/AnCO weaving course atthe Limerick School of Art and Designand also completed training courses withthe Kilkenny Design Workshops.

Another joint entry, submitted by FinolaGraham and Colm Crone of FanoreMosaics Limited of Fanore, County Clare,won the third prize of £500 in this year'scompetition. The recently establishedFanore company, which produces a rangeof mosaic and sculptured stone products,entered a proposal to manufacture aBurren limestone mortar bowl and pestle.

Miss Graham is an Arts Graduate of theFaculty of Sorbonne and carried out anumber of mosaic commissions in Parisand Venice, while Mr Crone is anexperienced artist and mosaic technician.

winner of the a,500 firstprize in the Mid-West Craft A wards,at Bunratty Folk Park, being presentedwith her trophy by Mr DesmondO'Malley TD, Minister for Trade,Commerce and Tourism.

The second and third prizewinningprojects have already been approved forgrant assistance by Shannon Developmentunder its small industry programme.

Mr Desmond O'Malley TD, Minister forTrade, Commerce and Tourism, at thepresentation of prizes, said that thecompetition, organised by ShannonDevelopment as part of its small industryprogramme in the Mid-West Region andWest and South-West Offaly, "is animportant means of encouragement andrecognition for the craft industry. Thescheme is designed to encourage thepreservation of craft products and skillsand to help entrepreneurs developKhemtowards the market place.

" I t is intended as a stimulus to craft-workers to generally upgrade their

operations by developing and designing new and improved products, by concen­trating on quality merchandise and by ensuring effective presentation and marketing of the finished items.

"The Competition is geared towards helping people who have ideas for hand made products to launch a manufacturing business or to expand an existing one, and the prize money is intended to be invested in the projects proposed."

The Minister pointed out that fifteen of the forty-four entrants in last year's Competition are now running their own companies in nine locations in the Region giving employment to thirty-four people and thus showing that the Competition has been very successful in achieving its objectives.

" I would like," the Minister continued, "to compliment the prizewinners and all entrants in this year's event for what I understand was a very high standard achieved. A number of original ideas were offered and it is also pleasing to note that Ireland's traditional and natural resources figured prominently in the products suggested.

"All in all, I think the general picture is one which should encourage those involved directly in tourism and in the satellite services and I believe that the prospects are good not alone for those receiving these awards here today but for all those concerned for the future, both here in the Mid-West and nationally.

"In conclusion, I would like to congrat­ulate the prizewinners and all entrants in this year's Competition and to wish them every success in the future."

Grennan Mill Craft School Grennan Mill Craft School, situated in a converted mill on the banks of the river Nore in Thomastown, County Kilkenny, opened its doors to its first class of twenty students in September 1981.

Following an initial week of putting the final touches to the actual renovation of the mill, the students then embarked on a one-year foundation programme in crafts, taught by craftspeople from the surrounding area. In two classes of ten each, the students are exposed to one day a week of pottery, weaving, printing and art metalwork, a half day of patch­work, rushwork, candlemaking, handi­crafts and nature studies, as well as night classes in technical and life drawing, lectures in subjects related to craft design and marketing, and field trips to places of craft interest. Instructors include potters, Niall Harper and Roger Walker, weaver Eilish O'Hare, silversmith Peter Donovan and candlemaking, printing, handicrafts, technical drawing, and nature study are taught respectively by Lex Hyde, George Vaughan, Chrissie Keating, Joseph Mackey and Olivia Goodwillie. The purpose of the course is to give students an insight into the design, manufacture and marketing of these crafts, the emphasis being on the development of individual potential while aspiring to a high quality of design and technical expertise.

The course is suitable either as preparation for an apprenticeship in a particular craft, or to complement an Art School programme.

In June 1982 a number of the students will be seeking to further their skills through apprenticeships to master crafts­people, under the Industrial Development Authority/AnCO scheme.

The students would, therefore, like to remind any weavers, potters, metal workers and printers who may be considering taking on apprentices, of their forthcoming availability and would like to issue an open invitation to them to visit Grennan Mill where their work is on permanent display in the ground floor Gallery.

The school is jointed funded by Kilkenny Vocational Education Committee and AnCO and further information may be obtained from:

George Vaughan Cource Director Grennan Mill Craft School Mill Street Thomastown, County Kilkenny

The Wrought Iron Association of Ireland For many years now the wrought iron craft in Ireland has been falling into disrepute, mainly because inexperienced people passing themselves off as crafts­men are producing shoddy workmanship at low cost. As a result of this, many genuine craftsmen who take pride in their work and standards, have suffered both financially and by reputation. Very few young people have taken up the craft, the result of which is that there are only a handful of craftsmen producing a limited number of wrought iron products in the country, the main product being gates and railings.

However, this is not the case on the Continent where the wrought iron industry is big business. The standard of goods there is very high and craftsmen have been helped in developing their craft by the introduction of modern machinery, which enables them to produce difficult pieces at minimum cost. The market is very big on the Continent where the consumer is rapidly changing over to hard furnishing.

The market is growing in Ireland for quality goods, if the products were available and presented to the public in a proper manner. Already craftsmen here have made the first step in an effort to meet the demands by investing in equipment to help produce quality goods, but like many other industries in this country there is a need for organised training in techniques, in finishing of products and of course in marketing.

In an effort to re-create and develop the wrought iron industry an Association has been formed which will be known as the Wrought Iron Association of Ireland. Its aims are as follows: I To bring together all skilled craftsmen engaged in the wrought iron craft and enrol them as members of the Association; 2 To ensure that minimum qualifications for membership preserve the high standards of the Association by excluding the unskilled; 3 To introduce to the Irish market a range of high quality wrought iron products; 4 To introduce to the public a register of Companies and Craftsmen producing and specialising in quality goods throughout the country; 5 To organise promotion of the members' products in conjunction with the Irish Goods Council and Coras Trachtala by

Presentation to KilworthParticipantsWhen the formalities of the 1982 AnnualGeneral Meeting had been completed,Blanaid Reddin performed a last task asChairman of the Crafts Council of Irelandby presenting certificates to the first fourparticipants of the Kilworth CraftWorkshops Project who had completedtheir time there.

The four were Terry Dunne, weaver;Rose McGonagle, silversmith; RomyGray, ceramicist, and Iza Corcoran,potter. The certificates, which wereindividually executed by the calligrapherBeverley Courtney, were, in fact, presen-ted jointly by the Crafts Council andAnCO which was represented byMr Malachy Sherlock who joined BlanaidReddin on the platform for thepresentation.

Blanaid Reddin presenting his certificate to Kilworth participant, Terry Dunne

Society of Cork Potters - International Ceramics SymposiumThe Society of Cork Potters is organisingan International Ceramics Symposium inCarrigaMne, County Cork, from 24September to 4 October 1982. This isbeing done in preparation for the 1983European Crafts Conference of the WorldCrafts Council for which Ireland is to bethe host country. Cork has been chosenfor the location of the major CeramicsWorkshops.

Mr Lutz Kiel, Managing Director of CorkArt Pottery, Carrigaline, has generouslyoffered the use of a large area of hisfactory as well as equipment, technicalassistance, canteen facilities andexhibition space.

The Crafts Council of Ireland is alsoassisting with an ex gratia payment ofIRE500.

The programme involves ten days ofpractical workshops plus slide shows andlectures.

There will be five intensive workshops,each to be led by a craftsmen recognisedinternationally for expertise in one of thefollowing fields: (1) studio production;(2) architectural ceramics; (3) sculpturalceramics; (4) mouldmaking and casting;and (5) special effects—raku and silt glazeetc.

In conjunction with the symposium, theintention is to mount a major ceramicsexhibition. All participants will be askedto bring several pieces of their best work,and other ceramists will be invited

through the ceramic journals to submitwork for exhibition and sale. Prizes willbe awarded in various categories.

The aims of the Symposium are:1To further technical and aestheticexpertise in professional artists andcraftsmen working in ceramics2To revitalise the craftsman's attitude tohis work by sharing a ten-day workingand social experience with othersacknowledged as the best in their fields;3To provide the committee with valuableexperience in organisation in order tohelp make a success of the EuropeanCrafts Conference in 19834To give a maximum number of Irishcraftsmen an opportunity to participate.(Irish participants in the 1983 EuropeanCrafts Conference will be limited, as amajority of places will be reserved forvisiting Europeans).

Two events of this kind have already beenheld in Ireland. The first, organised bythe Cork Potters, was held in 1980 inBandon and was attended by over eightyIrish potters. This weekend conferenceconsisted of lectures and slide shows andone-day practical workshops. It wasfollowed in 1981 by a similar event inCarrick-on-Shannon.

The great enthusiasm generated by thesetwo events has inspired the presentcommittee to prepare this Symposium in

1982, which is by far the most ambiiiousproject yet attempted in Ireland in thefield of ceramics.

Further details may be had from JaneForrester, Society of-Cork Potters,83 North Main Street, Bandon, CountyCork. Telephone 023-41360.

Potter's London ExhibitionVivienne Foley, the Clare-basedporcelain ceramacist, is to exhibit inLondon next September and is activelypreparing work for this important venue.

Her last exhibition in the Kilkenny Shopbefore Christmas was most successful andmany pieces were sold. Both the CraftsCouncil of Ireland and the NationalMuseum of Ireland purchased pieces.

The London exhibition will be at thewell-known department store, Liberty'sof Regent Street, which has alwaysadopted a very positive attitude to thearts and in particular has featured artist/craftsmen.

The dates of the Exhibition are not yetannounced but they will be published inthe next issue of the Newsletter.

The following article has been contributed by Gerald Tyler The initial idea for this exhibition was conceived shortly after the Galway Crafts Conference in 1980 when Nicky Mosse, Rudolf Heltzel and myself offered to organise the 1981 Conference in Kilkenny on behalf of the Crafts Council.

especially when, like the Forresters, they had come such a long way.

Handmade in Ireland for Exhibition non-participating craftsmen attend

tour we would generate some good reviews, a track record, and so influence potential venues and sponsors. But, of course, we needed money to finance Denmark and Sweden and were gener­ously assisted by the Cultural Relations Committee of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

We hadn't any grand plans for this exhibition but merely intended exhibiting in Kilkenny Castle the work of about twenty-five craftsmen with whom one or more of us was familiar. Some of the craftsmen we had never met. For example at the Crafts Council of Ireland Cork Conference in 1979, Rudolf had seen some of Inga Reed's jewellery and it was that chance viewing which resulted in her being invited to participate.

In selecting craftsmen it was our aim to choose people who were generally acknowledged as being to the forefront in their respective disciplines, but whose work continued to evolve and not remain static. Alongside these we aimed at showing items from emerging craftsmen whose work was of a consistently good standard, thus encouraging us to believe that they in turn would move to the fore­front in the coming years. The selection we made was always intended to be highly personal—we didn't pretend to make an objective survey of modern Irish crafts and put together a representative exhibition.

Having selected the craftsmen we then invited them to submit up to six pieces of work to us in five months' time. Of the work submitted, we selected for exhibition about 40 per cent.

Soon after starting the organisation, we thought the results would merit showing in Dublin and in Belfast and were pleased by the willingness of the Kilkenny Shop and the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum to accommodate the exhibition. In order to finance the Irish tour we were very happy to receive sponsorship from Smithwicks and financial help from and the use of space by the Crafts Council of Ireland.

At about the same time we felt that it would be beneficial to the individual craftsmen and to Irish craftsmanship in general if the-exhibition were to visit some prestigious venues abroad and were invited to exhibit in the Museum of Decorative Arts, Copenhagen, and the Form Design Centre, Malmo, Sweden. We were also at this time thinking of a second, larger exhibition which would circumnavigate the world and felt that by sending Handmade on a limited overseas

The exhibition was displayed in Kilkenny by Rudolf and myself. In Dublin, Nicky and I mounted it either side of a bomb scare. In January, Nicky and I drove up to Belfast with the four-and-a-half hundredweight exhibition and spent several enjoyable days mounting it and talking with the interesting staff of the Folk Museum. My only "workmanlike" contribution to the exhibition was to make some of the packing cases on New Year's Day with Rudolf—the remainder we bought at an auction at Simon Pierce's factory. Our return to Kilkenny from Belfast was no easy matter. The snow started while Nicky was returning in his van and it took him two days to drive home. I caught the last train from Belfast to Dublin and the next train to Kilkenny—after a period of two days. However, I did have the pleasure of seeing Nicky on RTE News in convoy with the Bishop of Kilkenny driving along the Naas dual carriageway.

In February the exhibition was air­freighted to Copenhagen to which Rudolf went to superintend the display. We were happy to have the Irish Ambassador in Denmark open the exhibition there. Next stop was Malmo and I went there at the end of March to assist in the display and to open the exhibition. We had a terrific opening reception with a Swedish group called Black Velvet who specialise in Irish traditional music, a case of whiskey was provided by the Irish Embassy, and an ample quantity of smoked salmon was provided by Dunnes, the Dublin based exporters of Irish salmon. The Swedish Centre provided excellent food in addition and invited all the craftsmen from South Sweden. Several of these craftsworkers had fond memories of Ireland and also of the Irish participants in the WCC-Europe Crafts Conference in Copenhagen. The evening ended in the early hours with the Secretary from the Irish Embassy in Stockholm and I walking a lurching, hiccuping craftswoman home!

Memorable though this evening was, it does not compare with the opening reception in Kilkenny when many of the participating craftsmen gathered together in a sharing of the climax of our endeavours. It was so pleasing to have

The major reviews on the exhibition can be summarised as follows. Brian Fallon wrote in The Irish Times on 6 November that "too much passes for crafts these days—particularly pottery— that is no more than talented amateurism, but there was a look of competence and finish in this show that was heartening, as well as a good level of invention." He goes on to admire the work of Anthony Hedgecock, Brian Clarke, Ciaran Forbes, Ken Thompson, Nicky Mosse, Rudolf Heltzel, Keith Leadbetter, Beth Royds and Liesbeth Fonkerty. The Danish Berlingske Tidende on 17 February highlighted the work of Rudolf Heltzel, Keith Leadbetter, Cathy MacAleavey, Anthony Hedgecock and Ken Thompson.

Finally, the SDS Newspaper in Sweden headlines "Irish Arts and Crafts Much Alive." It said that "modern Irish arts and crafts are growing up with great vitality . . . These modern artists/craftsmen don't seem too eager to just copy old shapes and designs. To the contrary, they are driven by a great fervour to experiment and to break away from the Island's isolation . . . Up to now quite a number of pieces seem to be too extreme and modern for the Irish public whereas we here appreciate their vitality and originality."

As I write this, the exhibition is en route to Ireland from Sweden and when if arrives we will return the exhibits to the craftsmen and those sold to purchasers. Then we, the organisers, will look at our bank balance and hope we have covered our costs.

Meanwhile, a second Handmade in Ireland is being born. We have planned a larger exhibition to which all craftsmen from all Ireland will be invited to participate. We propose a period of several days when anyone can submit work to the organisers and their specialist advisers. Following this, a number of craftsmen will be invited to make work for the exhibition and submit it for consideration after a period of six months. Possibly half this work will be exhibited in North America, Japan, Scandinavia, Germany, the Netherlands, Britain and Ireland during 1984 and 1985-We are hopeful that this project will be formally launched during this summer. If it materialises, we trust that craftsmen will show the same keenness and patience that the contributors to Handmade One have shown. Gerald Tyler

means of the media, trade fairs and exhibitions and any other form as may from time to time be decided; 6 To encourage an exchange of views among members, to endeavour to unite these views and to bring them to the attention of various agencies who will help financially and technically to promote the industry; 7 To make representation to AnCO, the IDA and other semi-State bodies in an effort to have the industry recognised for training and other aids; 8 To promote research within the craft for improvement of finishes, etc. 9 To foster learning among apprentices in order to perpetuate the survival of the craft; 10 To ensure that the skills of the members are properly recognised and rewarded by the public; 11 To promote cooperation on the exchange of components being produced by special tooling among members of the Association who are in a position to do so 12 To promote educational trips abroad for the members to enable them to visit craft fairs and companies producing wrought iron in an effort to improve design, standards and techniques; 13 To appoint at yearly intervals an executive committee to look after the affairs of the Association.

The Chairman of the Wrought Iron Association of Ireland is Mr Brendan Clarke, Mullagh, Kells, County Meath. telephone 046-42024, from whom application forms for membership may be obtained.

Atlantis Paper Company This company with an address at F3 Warehouse, New Crane Wharf, Garnet Street, London E1, supplies a comprehensive range of papers including Saunders, Bockingford, Arches Arches, BFK Rives and exclusive Somerset and Heritage papers, developed in conjunction with Inveresk. Some of these are stocked in unique large sizes and rolls.

8th International Biennial of Interior Design Creativity A circular received from the organisers gives the following information on INTERIEUR 82.

"As you notice, INTERIEUR 82 will once more grow out into one of the most interesting late-season events on an international level in the field of contemporary interior design.

"Highly talented designers from all over the world are brainstorming these days in view of the International Competition for Projects (does it hold the germinal force for trendsetting the nineties? ). The exhibitors also have a lot in store in order to win the manufacturer's prize. A real novelty is the fact that Belgian schools offering training in the field of interior decoration (and the like) have been invited to create a meeting-hall. The winners will be awarded not less than 200.000 BFr prizes and the realisation of their project at INTERIEUR 82.

"The programme holds: hundreds of new objects for the home, films, speeches, conferences, professional meeting-days, exhibitions concerning arts and crafts, street furniture, lifting-air mobile devices, young furniture designers, etc.

"Contemporary interior design intrigues us more than ever. INTERIEUR first explored this field in the sixties and it is only now we discover the immense potential. In an era we call progress there is very much demand for interior creations bringing about true human relations. Although we know the best forms for excellent seat-comfort by heart and we are quite acquainted with the superb prints of fabrics used for interior furnishings and even if we manipulate rather well kitchen-robots and home-computers, the impact of an up-to-date home cannot compete with the image of the ideal interior emerging from the fata morgana in our dreams.

"Hence INTERIEUR 82 will act as a sound board once again, expressing a number of rational and psychological needs of contemporary interior decoration. Nine months before the official opening ceremony, the Exhibition Halls at Courtrai have already become undersized to make it all come true. Three spacious, brand new pavilions will be used to expand the exhibition space up to more than 16,500 square meters!"

Fifth International Folklore Dolls Biennale Cracow1983. CEPELIA, The Central Union of Folk Art Craft Cooperatives, Cracow, Poland, announce the Fifth International Folklore Dolls Biennale to be held in June 1983 in Cracow, Poland's former capital. It is hoped that this stimulating international event will turn, as was the case with the previous Biennale, into a real folk-art Festival, providing an opportunity for presenting the wealth of folk art and craft, of folk ornamentation and artistic inventiveness of the different countries participating at the Biennale. A rich cultural and sight-seeing programme will be offered to the Biennale competitors. CEPELIA wish to show the beauty of Cracow and its region to their guests, to acquaint them with its history, its present condition and its plans for future development.

CEPELIA would appreciate any publications and photographs, folders, catalogues, essays and ethnographic descriptions of regions, maps, etc. concerning the exhibits to be presented at the Biennale.

Preliminary announcement of intention to participate should be received by 31 December 1982, and completed application forms by 31 March 1983. Bronislaw Kurek—President Organisational Committee of the Biennale

The object of the Biennale is the creation of folklore dolls -miniaturised human figures dressed in folk costumes typical of the region they represent. Dolls wearing military, burghers', noblemen's or historical costumes will not be considered for the purposes of the competition but may be exhibited outside the competition after the Biennale.

According to the manner in which the folk costume is treated, the dolls will be classed into two groups as follows: Group 1 Dolls whose costume is a faithful replica of the folk costume work in the region represented; or Group 2 Dolls whose costume is an artistic adaptation of the regional costume.

Either group can include single dolls, dolls in pairs and sets of dolls illustrating folk customs, rites and legends. Dolls exhibited at any former Biennale Competition will not be accepted.

Further information and application forms from the Crafts Council of Ireland.

Summer School in Weaving and Tapestry

The Edinburgh Tapestry Company Ltd is running a series of Summer Courses in weaving and tapestry weaving, as outlined below.

Further details may be obtained from: The Edinburgh Tapestry Company Ltd Dovecot Studios Dovecot Road Edinburgh EH 12 Scotland.

1982 Summer School Beginners 5 - 9 July; 12 - 16 July; and 6— 10 September

Weavers with experience 2 — 6 August; 9 — 13 August; and 13—17 September

Beginners Course—Week 1 Monday 09.30 11.00 11.30-13.30

13.30-14.30 14.30-17.00

Tuesday 09.30-17.00

Introduction to studies coffee General preparation and warping a frame lunch Weaving—basic rules and simple angles

Weaving curves, circles and simple shapes. Pattern making

Wednesday 09.30-13.30 Texture, knotting etc. 13.30-14.30 lunch 14.30-1 7.00 Designing for tapestry.

Adapting an image from paper to tapestry, including preparation of a small design; sample making. Students may complete this in their own time to proceed the following day.

Thursday/Friday Students will warp up and weave designs with individual tuition to help overcome difficulties and encourage them to make full use of the medium.

Week 2 Continuing work from own designs under the guidance and supervision of Dovecot weavers. It is hoped students will complete at least one small tapestry.

Advanced Course—Week 1 Monday 09.30 Introduction to studies 11.00 coffee 11.30-13.30 Exercises: passes, angles

with one and three warp lines, circles within circles, colour mixing, textures, accurate translation.

14.30-17.00 Continued exercises

Tuesday 09.30

11.00 11.30-13.30 13.30-14.30 14.30-17.30

Discuss ideas' for own design Begin samples Continue ideas/samples lunch Samples

Wednesday

Finish samples and begin tapestry

Rest of Course Students will work on own ideas under supervision with individual assistance in designing and technical advice about shape and pattern making, textures and knotting. Students will be encouraged to make full use of studio facilities and materials. Dovecot weavers will help to extend the range of their abilities. Experimentation will be encouraged and it is hoped students will complete at least one small tapestry during their time in the studios.

Craftsman's Success In the March issue of the Goldschmiede Zeitung, the European Jeweller, there is on page 54 a fine article on Irish gold and silversmith, Padraig O'Mathuna. The article, while concerning itself with general aspects of Padraig O'Mathuna's background and work, concentrates more specifically on his recent achievements in granulation, and four of his pendants are illustrated.

Cork Weaver Mie Preckler, the Clonakilty based hand-weaver, has had one of her works accepted for the 4th International Biennial of Miniature Textiles, in Hungary.

Mie is also having a one-woman exhibition of tapestries in the Rara Gallery, Zurich, currently showing and ending on 26 June 1982.

Forms Reports have reached the Crafts Council of Ireland of the increasing number of long and complicated forms which are arriving on the doorsteps of craftsmen at all too frequent intervals.

Many of these forms originate from Government departments seeking statistics of one sort or another (and carry penalties if not filled in and returned). The trouble is that many of them seem to have little or no connection with the small business operation which is a craft workshop and thus craftsmen have difficulty in seeing how they apply to their particular business; sometimes they can be totally irrelevant (yet still carry the threat of penalty).

The Council would like to hear from anyone who is experiencing difficulty of this sort. With a clearer idea of the size of the problem, the possibilities of helping with the situation can be examined.

WANTED

Small pottery or ceramic kiln Telephone 01-962357

FOR SALE

Artigiano Universal Woodworking Machine

The machine is the 350E, 380 volt, 3 phase model and with it is a Stehle

Universal Moulding Headset.

For further information contact Lynne Glasscoe

Kilworth Craft Workshops Kilworth County Cork Telephone 025-27222

EXHIBITION SPACE AVAILABLE

Exhibition space is available for crafts people in the Arts Centre, Wexford.

For details and further information, contact the Arts Centre, Corn Market

Wexford Telephone 053-24423