Search Results

COURSE FEEDBACK FORM We thoroughly enjoyed meeting you and hope that you enjoyed your course in Wernog Wood. GOOGLE REVIEW : Positive feedback is really helpful in raising our profile. If you have anything you think others would like to hear, we would be really grateful if you could post a review via this link on Google . We would be very grateful if you could give us your honest feedback, the good, the bad and the ugly! It is always nice to hear the good things, but we can only improve upon the less good if we know there is a problem! We may share your feedback with tutors too so that they also benefit from any suggestions... this can be anonymous if you would prefer. Thank you. Are you happy for us to put your name against any quote we might use on our website? Yes - welcome to use my full name Yes - welcome to use my first name only No WERNOG TOGS - Are you interested in buying a Wernog Wood T-shirt (£25) or hoodie (£35) + £5 postage? Yes No What size T-shirt would you like? Small Medium Large Extra Large None What size hoodie would you like? Small Medium Large Extra Large None What colour would you like? Chilli red Teal Turquoise Light blue None Submit Review Thank you for taking the time to tell us your experience.​ ​ PLEASE HELP US SPREAD THE WORD ​ Click here to return to the main site

Blacksmithing or knifemaking ... a little information about your course... taught by Rich Jones & Gwyl Roche The only thing you really need to know before you come is to wear appropriate clothing... Clothing which fully covers arms and legs and not too loose fitting Non synthetic or flammable clothing Sturdy footwear - ideally something like leather walking boots This course can be heavy on the hands and may cause blisters so bring gloves you can work in Don't be surprised to use a plaster or two during the day! You will be provided with the following safety clothing, but welcome to bring your own: a leather apron safety glasses ear defenders leather heat resistant gloves (but you may want to bring your work gloves) dust mask (for knife makers) when you are grinding and sanding. We do have some here too but bring one if you have one! You may want to print this page too! Click here to go back to the main list of 'everything you need to know'

WOOD & TRADITIONAL WOODLAND CRAFTS ... click on images or links below for course details ... Timber frame building Introduction to mortice and tenon timber frame building techniques ​ A collective learning experience to construct a traditional timber framed building full of character ​ Taught by Joe & Fred Farey Read More Greenwood chair making Chairmaking using traditional green woodworking techniques A change of pace, fresh air, breath taking scenery and a beautiful chair, handmade by you… ​ Taught by Ben Willis Read More Greenwood bed making Make a bed you will look forward to climbing into every night ​ Make a characterful greenwood bed with mortise and tenon joints to assemble at home ​ Taught by - Rob Hill Read More Automata Automata Making nonsense out of rubbish Bring your ideas alive and make entertaining mechanical contraptions using cams, cogs and cranks ​ Taught by - Fi Henshall Read More Bench making Make a majestic greenwood bench using cleft oak Make a two to three seat bench, with or without a back rest and a shapely seat if you choose ​ Taught by - Jack Ritson Read More Willow plant supports Learn traditional willow weaving and basketry techniques ​ Make a spiral structure to support your sweet peas or simply to add a bit of architectural lift to your garden ​ Taught by - Mandy Coates Read More Spoon carving day Carve a Welsh cawl spoon or salad servers Choose one day or two learning to carve two different styles of spoon in freshly cut greenwood ​ Taught by - David White Read More Gate making Cleft oak gate making The art of cleaving Make a unique cleft oak garden gate that you will be proud of every time you walk through it ​ Taught by - Jack Ritson Read More Basket making Learn traditional willow weaving and basketry techniques ​ ...three basket styles to choose from... oval laundry basket, spiral berry basket or round shopping basket ​ Taught by - Mandy Coates Read More Spoon & bowl carving weekend Carve a greenwood spoon and bowl ​ A relaxing weekend carving a spoon and bowl in which it belongs to be used everyday ​ ​ Taught by - David White Read More ...read more about what we offer here...

Speaking to Ben recently he tells us that alongside his regular commitments teaching chairmaking and other green woodworking skills, he has been working on some fun commissions in recent weeks. His highlights include a pair of bar stools out of some fabulous black ash he helped harvest a few years back; black ash is a species usually found in North America, but somehow a specimen had found its way to a back garden in West London, and Ben was fortunate to be able to get his hands on some in payment for helping mill it up after it succumbed to disease. It's spectacular stuff and the pieces he's been working on recently are no exception! You can see his beautiful work on @benwilliswoodcraft Ben feels honoured to have been invited to work with the design firm Martin Hulbert Design to produce two pieces for the 'Wow House 2023' exhibition due to be held in Chelsea Harbour in June. This high-profile design expo features a purpose-built showhouse containing 17 full-size rooms, each created by a leading design practice. He'll be contributing two of his Welsh stick chairs for the room created by MHD, who he has been working with over the past couple of years. Ben is looking forward to coming back up to Wernog Wood for his annual summer visit, especially to seeing the results of the new additional course he will be teaching here this year. The first course Ben will teach is offers a choice of making live-edge benches or stools… and the second of his popular greenwood chairmaking week that we have been running since the early days of Wernog Wood. If you would like to venture into the completely additive world of greenwood working, check out https://www.wernogwood.co.uk/wood His live edge table, bench and stool making course is on 14-16th July and is perfect for complete beginners. His greenwood chair making course starts just a day later on 17th July and runs to 21st or 22nd July depending on whether you would like to make a side chair (with no arms) or an arm chair. You will need some previous experience to make an armchair but if you fancy full immersion, why not come and make a stool first!

David has managed to achieve that happy balance of bringing his previous experience and creative passions together into his daily work. He shares this through his stunning Instagram feed @thewhittlings During photography courses in Wernog Wood, we hear David encourage students to tell a story through a small selection of images - literally a well curated snapshot of their day. As we scroll through David’s Instagram photo grid, we see a year in nature described, season by season alongside the work that he is focusing on at that time. Last year David set himself the challenge of carving a unique spoon every week, often focusing on different purposes and cultures, each spoon broadening his skills as a whittler. He sets himself similar projects making platters and bowls. This year David is focusing on expanding his workshop into a bigger space, allowing growth into contemporary stool and bench design. Starting out his creative career in design and landscape photography, David’s work took him in the direction of culinary photography for high-end restaurants. As part of this role, he began making props from old wood sourced in Wales, which caught the eye of chefs, who then asked for more. David now makes his daily crust doing exactly that; making wooden platters, bowls and cutlery for some of the best restaurants around the country. Luckily for you, David is willing to share these skills in Wernog Wood, offering photography in nature as well as spoon carving courses. His next photography course is just a couple of weeks away on 18th May, focusing on water and woodlands followed by another on 13 October exploring the Clwydian hills with your camera. Click here for photography details Our first spoon carving course is a weekend of whittling a Welsh cawl spoon and a contemporary love spoon on 1-2 July, and the second is one day on 4th November. Click here for spoon carving details

This week we visited Tess in her Surrey based workshop, and found her part way through an enormous commission. This tropical table top is so big that she is making it in three parts to make it more manageable. Only when each panel is complete will she stitch the final glass pieces into the design to link each panel together. Tess is not only a mosaicist, but a jeweller and print maker, having begun her jewellery journey in Wernog Wood with @claireacworthjewellery. Building upon her previous printmaking experience, she also learnt a thing or two about lino relief printing with @bronteadamdesign, also in Wernog Wood. @tesswilliamsdesigns is busy preparing for a Surrey Open Studio event in June where she will be exhibiting her work. If you are in the area, we highly recommend that you go visit her see https://surreyopenstudios.org.uk/artist/tess-williams-designs/ … … and she does all of this in between her consultancy work in the humanitarian field, now mainly delivering personal safety and security training for those travelling to hostile environments. Tess recognises the very significant value of taking time out of a stressful work lifeto fully immerse herself into her craft… we fully agree and can’t think of a better way to reboot. Tess will be teaching mosaic here in Wernog Wood on 8-9 July, with a theme of house plaques similar to this one she made for Wernog Wood. The two day course is £240 inclusive of lunch and materials. See details here

These full day classes (9am-5pm) for people who have previously attended a full day 1:1 or group course with Claire Acworth in Wernog Wood. Would you like join a regular group of jewellers, with flexibility to come as and when you like, to work on your own project with tuition whenever you need it? You will pay for silver and stones as you use them. With a maximum of three other jewellers, welcome to join Claire on a Tuesday. Initially classes will be the first of the month with exception of May which will the second Tuesday, but may add more sessions depending on numbers of students who sign up. Unlike our 40 day cancellation policy for our other courses, you will be able to reschedule your chosen dates up to a week before your class. Please note that we will provide tea, coffee biscuits, but you will need to bring your own lunch. The following different payment packages are available: 4 sessions to be redeemed in 12 months - benefits include (£115 value): ~10% less than our formal course fee ~ free *bench space for one day (untutored use of the workshop) ~ free 'handmade by you in Wernog Wood' t-shirt 6 sessions to be redeemed in 12 months - benefits include (£185 value): ~ 10% less than our formal course fee ~ free *bench space for two days (untutored use of the workshop) ~ free 'handmade by you in Wernog Wood' - t-shirt or hoodie *N.B. Bench space is normally charged at £30 per day - welcome to request additional days These costs include VAT. Please contact us if you need a VAT receipt.

Request any Tuesday listed as available on the calendar. We will confirm whether this day suits your tutor Rob, and approve your booking. N.B. The check out process will ask you to 'PAY LATER'. You will be asked to pay once we have confirmed availability of your chosen date. If Tuesdays do not suit, get in touch via our 'contact us' page. Your tutor Rob will get in touch to make a plan with you.

Request a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday to suit you. We will confirm whether this day suits your tutor Claire, and approve your booking. N.B. The check out process will ask you to 'PAY LATER'. You will be asked to pay once we have confirmed availability of your chosen date. Get in touch via the 'contact us' page if these days of the week do not suit you, or if you would like to do more than one consecutive day. Claire will get in touch to make a plan with you.