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    For the past 38 years we have been championing contemporary craft in the vibrant city of Leeds to shine a spotlight on independent makers and their small businesses from across Yorkshire and the rest of the UK.  Through an exciting seasonal exhibition programme we highlight the skills behind handmade and share their inspiring stories.  Bringing these amazing collections of contemporary craft together under one roof has created a haven for many visitors to escape the stresses of daily life & create mindful experiences.  Please help us keep the gallery and the hundreds of small businesses we support alive by donating what you can so we can continue to keep bringing the very best of contemporary craft to you and help us and these creative industries thrive.

    If you would like to make a donation to the Craft Centre - please click the button below.

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    Copyright 2020.  Registered Charity No: 513457. Website design by Caroline Lloyd and maintained by The Craft Centre Team.

    'Metamorphosis II'

    1st May - 31st July 2014
     

    Mark Cooke explores the striking and timeless beauty of Welsh slate in this series of wall hung works and freestanding upright sculptures.  His sensitivity to the material he uses maximises the inherent qualities found in slate creating a contemporary collection of work.

     

    Mark began experimenting with stone after seeing the potential that cut and hammered chisel marks had on pieces of limestone whilst working on a large conversion project some years ago.  He felt such material offered something exciting and different, but slate was more available and was readily cut to allow easier handling.  Mark's early works were very simple, often being just square shapes of grey slate glued onto an iron rich slate to create contrast.

     

    Mark aims to produce forms in slate which add a strong visual, tactile and solid material quality to any space.  His design ideas draw upon natural and abstract forms and he works in an open ended way; enables the creation of unexpected and unplanned designs.  Working with both smooth polished work and coarse naturally textured pieces Mark attempts to create an impression of flow or movement.  Other work seeks to capture the chaos and randomness seen in nature.  These concerns have enabled him to produce assemblages or groups of uniform pieces which can be combined to form sculptural mosaic panels.

    Slate wall piece
    Slate wall piece
    Slate sculpture
    Slate sculpture
    Slate sculpture
    Slate sculpture
    Slate sculpture
    Slate sculpture
    Slate sculpture
    Slate sculpture
    Slate sculpture
    Slate sculpture
    Slate sculpture
    Slate sculpture
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    Mark Cooke

    Mark Cooke

    Mark Cooke

    Mark Cooke

    Mark Cooke

    Mark Cooke

    Mark Cooke

    Mark Cooke

    Mark Cooke

    Mark Cooke

    Mark Cooke

    Mark Cooke