Find local makers all over Lambeth this month!

Update 17 May: we’re having a lot of fun trying out different markets as part of #loveyourlocalmarket campaign! So far we’ve been at Lower Marsh, Venn Street, Clapham and Brixton. Check out the dates below and drop by to say hi!

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Lambeth Council and market operators are helping local makers take part in Love Your Local Market campaign. We get free stalls to try out different markets over the next two weeks. We’re excited to be part of it and grateful for the opportunity!

Come say hi to our members at your local market:

Tunstall Road Market (opposite Brixton Tube)

Friday 15 May: Nicolette McGowan

Saturday 16 May: Maggie Winnal of Sewin Studio, Kes Young of Heart in Art and Nicolette McGowan

Lower Marsh Market (Near Waterloo/Lambeth North)

Friday 15 May: Maggie Winnal of Sewin Studio

Friday 22 May: Louise Kamara of Eco Design Fair

Venn Street Market (Clapham Common)

Saturday 16 May: Um-bags etc by Gill Scheuer and That Agnes

Saturday 23 May: Susan Blackah of Wolle+Hide and Gina Nembhard of Displacement Activities

Brixton Market (Electric Avenue or Brixton Station Road)

Thursady 21 May and Sunday 24 May: Nicolette McGowan

Friday 22 May: Nancy Sealy of Foxtrot Designs

Streatham Market (Streatham Green)

Saturdays 23 May: Nicolette McGowan

Herne Hill Market

Sunday 17 May: Parlour & Co and Linda Skoglund

Sunday 24 May: Kim Winter of Flextiles and Gary Foster of Dopeism Designs

Lambeth Entrepreneur Forum: calling community investors!

At Makerhood we’re all about helping local makers thrive. There are of course all kinds of other local businesses that need support too. A new initiative spearheaded by Transition Town Brixton is working to support Lambeth businesses. Below is a call from Duncan Law of TTB explaining how to get involved.

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P1180258 Currently businesses identify a ‘market’, pursue it and serve it. We are ‘consumers’ who sometimes shop local but more often not. But this binary relationship is often not a pleasant or connecting experience. We know when it does work – when we build a relationship with a trader, like the way she does business and the products she supplies. But sometimes these businesses disappear and we never even knew they were having a hard time.

We can do more than just shop local. We can support businesses we want to see stay or get going, not just with money, but our skills, expertise, publicity, moral support, time.

Transition Town Brixton’s REconomy Project has a vision to create a new culture of Community Supported Local Enterprise, which fosters a resilient, future-appropriate, independent local economy that supplies the real needs of local people, builds connections, creates new local livelihoods and keeps wealth local.

To enable this Transition Town Brixton is working to support and incubate 10 ‘Transition enterprises’ from any sector and is holding a Lambeth Local Entrepreneur Forum on Tuesday 2 June where the Community of Dragons (everyone!) will hear enterprises pitch and pledge support. More information here.

If you feel you could be a community investor (not only of money!) please come to our Warm-Up #2 Event on Tuesday 24th February (6.30-9.30pm, Brixton Impact Hub at the Town Hall). Or if you are an expert or an entrepreneur. Warm Up #2 will bring together ‘community investors, experts and enterprises to build the foundations of the Community Supported Local Economy.

Keynote speaker will be Fraser Durham from Totnes who pitched successfully at the 2014 Local Entrepreneur Forum in Totnes and is an expert on finding finance for ‘Transition Enterprises’.

A number of our fledgling enterprises will give 2 minute pitches and we will work in small groups to see what arises out the community interconnections. It was a very positive and productive experience at our Warm Up #1 event. Read an account here.

If you have any questions or offers please contact us: LambethLEF@gmail.com

Delicious locally sourced refreshment will be provided. Tickets free but limited, so please REGISTER HERE.

Why WBC is supporting Making Uncovered for a second year

WBC is a Herne Hill-based independent supplier of specialist packaging and retail accessories and a valued supporter of Makerhood. We’re very pleased to say they’ve agreed to sponsor Making Uncovered for a second year. The company’s marketing director, James Hayward, answers our questions about why WBC is getting involved again.

Why is WBC supporting Making Uncovered?

Small independent producers, makers and retailers are the life blood of WBC. Supporting these businesses with gift and hamper packaging, retail display and bags for life allows us to be involved in the development of start ups within the local community. Over the years our business has grown as a direct result of the growth in the independent sector, and many customers who started out on a very small scale now significantly contribute to the success and growth of our organisation. Without small businesses such as those supported by making uncovered, our business would fail to be inspired to diversify and prosper. On a personal level we are all inspired to see local makers artists succeed and contribute to the vibrancy of our high streets and market places. It is really encouraging to see what can be achieved when people collaborate, encourage and share ideas – it shows how community and commerce can thrive to create a better environment for everyone.

What have you focused on over the past year?

This year WBC has focused on launching the new BRIX modular retail display system. Produced right here in Brixton this range of fixtures offers pop up retailers and market traders a high quality flexible display system that can be added to and adapted to suit the changes that makers and entrepreneurs inevitably require as their project and businesses evolve.

The system has been designed specifically for smaller spaces with a modularity that means creative displays both large and small can showcase products in an infinite variety of ways. The goal of this range is to ensure that investment in fixtures can be for life rather than needing to be changed as and when your demand change.

What is coming up at WBC to watch out for? Anything big on the horizon?

We just celebrated our 25th Birthday this year. It’s special to us because we started out with just a £5000 grant from the Prince’s Trust and a business advisor from the charity who steered us through the early days.

To this day many of us still live and work in the same area we started and many of our customers have been with us since the beginning. This year we’re excited to have launched The Retail School alongside our partners and merchandising experts, the Metamorphosis Group. Operating out of our showroom in Herne Hill, the retail school offers one-day meta classes on everything from window dressing and visual merchandising to space planning. You can read about it at http://www.wbc.co.uk/training And do look out for a special course in partnership with Makerhood, coming soon!

More on WBC’s products, including the Brix, can be found at wbc.co.uk

Making Uncovered: Hairy Jayne

Jayne is a hairdresser who brews her own range of hair products in Brixton under the name of Hairy Jayne. At Making Uncovered she will be showing the process of creating handmade hair products, including conditioner and hair perfume, using essential oils and natural products.

Tell us a bit about your work.
My work is mixing potions which are good for your hair (in between doing haircuts). I have a little studio in Brixton where I make hair care products from naturally derived ingredients and essential oils.

I’m inspired by nature, nostalgia and the traditional hair care ingredients used around the world, such as oils, flower extracts and essences, and I avoid using harsh chemicals. I make shampoos, conditioners, a hair oil and hair perfumes, which are designed to freshen up your hair between washes.

Why are you taking part in Making Uncovered?
A lot of people that I speak to about my product range are usually really curious about what goes in to making it. I’d like to show people that it’s not much different to cooking – once you have the recipe sorted, off you go measuring and melting things and stirring them together.

Also I loved the idea of collaboration, of me giving the participants a base recipe and then them personalising it with ingredients to suit their hair type and fragrances that they love. I’m intrigued to see what people come up with!

What will you be doing at Making Uncovered?
I’ll be running two workshops. The first is conditioner making, where the participants will first vote for the oils and additives they’d prefer. Then I’ll demonstrate making the base of the conditioner. The base will be divided up into little pots, and then each person will then be able to customise their pot with the essential oils that they choose and add their own labels.

The second one will be making a hair refresher or perfume from scratch, choosing the ingredients to suit their hair type and their choice of essential oils.

Hairy Jayne’s Making Uncovered workshops are at 11.30am and 3.30pm and cost £10 each – book your place here!

Making Uncovered: Rosella Garavaglia

Rosella Garavaglia is an artist who works on calligraphy and lettering projects. At Making Uncovered she will be demonstrating how to use lettering to create expressive pieces that turn the written word into a beautiful art form.

Tell us a bit about your work.

I am an experienced calligrapher and lettering artist working on a wide range of calligraphy and lettering projects. My main interest is to explore the expressive potential of the written word through various media and writing implements including the brush, fabric, wood, stone, glass and collage.

I alternate working on commissions with creating art for exhibitions, sale and a means of self-expression. I have worked with design consultants, marketing agencies, events organisers, public institutions as well as authors, artists and private individuals.

In my personal work, words and language are a springboard for artistic expression.

Why are you taking part in Making Uncovered?

I was once myself inspired by seeing other calligraphers at work to start on the path of training and appreciation of the lettering arts. In my professional practice I’ve often embraced any opportunity to share my enthusiasm for lettering with others by participating to group projects and exhibitions, mainly with Calligraphy and Lettering Associations.

At Making Uncovered I hope to inspire people, especially young people, to pick up a pen or brush and express their words visually with skill, imagination and fun. In today’s world, where verbal communication is mostly produced by pressing digits on a keyboard, the art of handwriting has never been more significant.

What will you be doing at Making Uncovered?

On the day I will be demonstrating the use of the calligraphy pen and the brush to form letter shapes based on a basic italic alphabet and its variations.

I’ll introduce some simple method of decoration with handmade rubber stamps and mono-
prints to add colour and texture to small projects such as a birthday card, a book mark, a decorated post code or a small quotation. Wording may be inspired by the current Exhibition at the Black Cultural Archives in Brixton.

I’ll accept donations towards materials and use of equipment from anyone who want to have a go.

Making Uncovered: Elena Hall

Elena Hall draws on tradition and a love of colour to inspire her unique knitted jewellery designs.

At Making Uncovered she will be demonstrating some of the techniques behind her work, including bobbin knitting and crochet.

Tell us a bit about your work.
I knit and crochet modern jewellery in neon embroidery threads, copper, recycled silver and semi-precious stones. The pieces I make are inspired by traditional techniques and are delicate, structured and original.

As well as my work with jewellery I also work with embroidery, and this has influenced the jewellery I make through the choice of materials – I crochet with chain and embroidery thread and knit with silver or copper and threads. I also incorporate semi-precious stones and colourful vintage beads into some of these.

I live and make in Brixton and sell via my website as well as at London designer maker fairs. I also work to commission, doing bespoke pieces for special events such as weddings and also to be sold through galleries.

Why are you taking part in Making Uncovered?
I’ve been part of Makerhood for two years now and think it’s a fantastic network for connecting up creative people and spreading the word to the local community about how much interesting and unusual work is being produced close to where they live.

Equally it gives makers the opportunity to meet interested people based locally.

I visited last year’s Making Uncovered and it was completely buzzing with people and interesting makers, so when I heard Makerhood were organising another one this year I jumped at the chance to be involved.

I’m really looking forward to meeting lots of local people and seeing some of the demonstrations from other makers.

What will you be doing at Making Uncovered?

I’m going to be running a workshop on making a crocheted silver chain bracelet with neon embroidery thread.

Throughout the day I’ll also be showing some of the other techniques I use in my work and the range of jewellery I make.

Elena’s workshop starts at 1.30pm and costs £10, including materials. Limited spaces available – book your ticket here.

Want to help a great creative event? Spare a few hours for Making Uncovered.

Making Uncovered, our showcase of Lambeth’s talented makers, returns on Saturday 13 September with a dazzling array of arts and crafts on show. This year the event will open the first ever Brixton Design Week, as part of the London Design Festival. We can’t wait!

The organising team are all volunteers. We’re doing this because we want everyone to have a chance to learn about creative processes. We’re a few people short and we’d love some help on the day.

Are you available for 2-3 hours on 13 September to help us? It’s a great opportunity to meet local creatives, experience running creative events, and of course, support the event. We’re looking for help with welcoming people at the door, set up and take-down. If you can help we would love to hear from you!

Please let us know in the form below. Chloé from our team will be in touch with you. Thank you very much!

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Making Uncovered: Elena Blanco

Elena Blanco of Dreamy Me will be running an illustration workshop at Making Uncovered on 13 September for “artistically shy” adults.

So if you’ve always wanted to have a go at drawing but been too nervous, this workshop will help you build confidence through fun exercises and interesting techniques.

Tell us a bit about your work.

I do drawing and illustration. My work can be divided in two groups. One is the work I do as part of my art practice: sketch books, drawing series, artist books. This is investigative work and my refuge, where I can be as happy as a child again.

The other is the work I do for other people, commissions. Lots of it comes from my Etsy shop. People contact me to illustrate their stories for special occasions such as weddings, births or even for the loss of a beloved one. I love doing this too.

For each commission I make sure I get the right level of excitement and interest needed to produce something truly special. If the excitement is not great at the beginning, I look into it to find points of interest until the project has become my own and my enthusiasm is huge.

Why are you taking part in Making Uncovered?

Making Uncovered is a wonderful occasion for artists and makers. It’s about celebrating the joy of creating with other fellow artist and makers and with the community – who are also makers that have not “come out” yet. 🙂 We are all makers and we have to share and inspire others to find their own creative outlet.

Making Uncovered is an event to look forward to every year, like birthdays and Christmas. It’s special, fun, moving, inspiring, encouraging… It’s just fantastic!

What will you be doing at Making Uncovered?

My aim this year is to help “artistically shy” adults, as people have come to me saying I would love to draw but I’m rubbish. I want to help and inspire them and have fun with it! I’m running a two-hour workshop I’m very excited about as I am planning to run regular teaching if all goes well.

Out of the workshop I want to engage with people and their stories. I am offering to make a little artist book for them with whatever they want to tell me and I’m asking them to do the same by creating their own artist book about the event and their experiences.

Elena’s two-hour workshop starts at midday and costs £15, including materials. Book now on Eventbrite.

Making Uncovered is back! Save the date.

Making Uncovered: making together

Saturday 13 September.

We’re thrilled to announce that Making Uncovered, Makerhood’s live showcase of local creativity, is back for a second year!

Last year it was a runaway success, showcasing the talents of local makers and artists to over 700 people who attended during the day.

Making Uncovered 2014 is on Saturday 13 September at a great new community venue at 6 Somerleyton Road. We can’t wait!

To get a sense of what it’s like, have a look at this video from last year. More to come as we start to firm up the line up and other events and workshops on the day. We’ll share it on this blog and on our Twitter and Facebook pages. Tickets will be released in August.

Applications to take part are open to all Makerhood members. The applications deadline is 25 June. (If you’re a member and don’t know how to apply please drop us a line!)

Do you have an hour to spare? Help us test new site designs!

Update 27 January: all the testing slots are now full. Thank you so much everyone for support!

Sit with us for 1 hour on Saturday 1 February to help us review our new website and earn £15.

local1_sm As you know, at Makerhood we support local makers and promote local goods, workshops, markets and events. Our website plays a big role in this. We’re making some improvements to it, and we’d love to pass it by a few people to get your thoughts.

By talking to us you will help local makers and support a social enterprise. You’ll also get a perk of £15, either in Brixton Pound, or in standard cash, or in the form of delicious local food from Brixton Cornercopia.

We are looking for people from Lambeth who are not our Makers’ Club members and who can meet us for 1 hour on 1 February in central Brixton.

Is that you? Or do you know someone – a friend or family member – who can help?

Please tell us in the form below. We’ll be in touch shortly with the details.

Thank you very much in advance for your help!

The Makerhood Team.

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