Company of Artisans
Tile-making and building workshops
Periods covered: Conquest to Late 17th century
Contact: Karen Elkins
01949 860949
 | Company of Artisans offer hands on and 'have a go' demonstrations of historic building crafts and traditional arts and crafts.
We are Charlie Slade and Karen Elkins - also known as Kate Tiler. Charlie Slade has 10 years experience working as an historic buildings conservator and has worked on Medieval, Tudor, Stuart, Georgian and Victorian houses, stately homes, monuments, churches and cathedrals throughout England and Wales. He began working with the public giving demonstrations on traditional building techniques whilst working on National Trust properties and private houses and since 2006 he has developed a series of unique 'have a go' activities for the public and especially for children which he has delivered at several events in 2007. In 2008 he starts a new presentation to schools on Tudor homes. Karen Elkins is an artist and tile maker who works as a community artist and artist for schools as well as demonstrating traditional arts and crafts, ranging from Medieval tile making in character as Kate Tiler, through to medieval illumination, printmaking and making hazel hurdle fences and Tudor wooden pattens as a hobby. As Kate Tiler she works as a tile maker and also visits schools as a Tudor with a range of 'have a go' activities to teach about Tudor apprenticeships. Karen also makes replica medieval tiles for sale and creates replicas or museums for use as a handling collection or for mock archaeological digs. Company of Artisans can offer any two of the following activities at one time, to public events, schools and community arts: Medieval & Tudor tile making, Kate Tiler shows you how to make a medieval tile and you can make a mini-tile to take home and keep. Plaster making Medieval, Tudor, Stuart English Civil War periods. Make a decorative plaster architectural detail or a plaster gargoyle to take home and keep, with a demonstration of a traditional lime plaster and lath panel. Wattle & Daub for Saxon, Medieval, Tudor, Stuart/English Civil War period houses Help built a traditional oak lath wattle and daub panel using mud and straw - a real hands on activity. Learn how hows were build using the land around and why this traditional method is coming back into use today. Witch pot making for Tudor & Stuart make a witch pot to take home and discover what things our ancestors concealed in their houses to keep themselves safe - some nasty, some nice! Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Scriptorium Using traditional pigments and parchment patterns you can create an illuminated letter to take home using Saxon or Medieval tools and materials. Saxon hand-built pottery Make a traditionally patterned pot and learn how they were used before metal cooking pans. |