Home
Home
Home
  • Get in touch

  • About

  • What's on

  • Online Store

  • Archive

  • Blog

  • Ring ordering

  • Print framing

  • Own art

  • Reward scheme

  • More

    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.

    ​

    Privacy
    Jobs
    FAQ
    Meet our team
    Blog
    Info for designers
    Photography

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

    Explore a different kind of calendar this December!

    Whilst everyone opens the first day of their advent calendars today we thought you may like to explore a different kind of calendar...intrigued? Read on...


    On the 1st of January 2018, Anna Whitehouse began a project to make 1 bottle a day for 100 days. The aim was to free up her making and rapidly explore ideas towards a new collection of work. Using a 2 part press mould Anna could quickly make a plain bottle every morning; her blank canvas for the day. ​It allowed her to be far more experimental in her approach because there was always going to be another one tomorrow.

    ​

    "Everyday I would post my creation to Instagram, a quick way to have a digital record and review progress, but it also put the project in the public domain and made me accountable - I couldn't skip a day! Throughout the 100 days I referenced my sketchbooks, which were brimming with years of unexplored ideas, patterns and textures. I tried pressing and scraping any tool I could get my hands on into the clay. From my standard clay tools to pen lids, tweezers, scissors and even a string of beads! I also started making my own tools from bits of broken pen, wire and aluminium to create particular marks. For me, creating the 100 bottles was like sketching in clay. I've kept the work unglazed, like white pages from a sketchbook, highlighting the mark making through the contrast created by shadows."

    ​

    I used the 100 days as an experimental project to develop observational and modelling skills, whilst pushing towards a new collection of work, yet interestingly the bottles have become a piece in their own right. Not only for their intriguing surfaces, but because they record a moment in time. Explore Anna's interactive calendar over on her website and find your favourite today!


    You can marvel at all 100 bottles in Anna's amazing Ceramic Showcase here in Leeds Yorkshire from 8th January until 20th April 2019. Meet the maker herself on Saturday 26th January from 1pm - 3pm. Find out what inspired Anna to make 100 bottles in 100 days, browse through her inspiring sketchbooks, see the tools of her trade and watch Anna at work. All welcome and it's free!

    Featured Posts
    3 ways you can continue to support us...

    3 ways you can continue to support us...

    Our top 10 reasons why you should support handmade...

    Our top 10 reasons why you should support handmade...

    {"items":["5fcae2de53497a0018984929","5fcae2dde17deb0017d1b36d"],"styles":{"galleryType":"Strips","groupSize":1,"showArrows":true,"cubeImages":true,"cubeType":"fill","cubeRatio":"100%/100%","isVertical":false,"gallerySize":30,"collageDensity":0.8,"groupTypes":"1","oneRow":true,"imageMargin":0,"galleryMargin":0,"scatter":0,"rotatingScatter":"","chooseBestGroup":true,"smartCrop":false,"hasThumbnails":false,"enableScroll":true,"isGrid":false,"isSlider":false,"isColumns":false,"isSlideshow":true,"cropOnlyFill":false,"fixedColumns":1,"enableInfiniteScroll":true,"isRTL":false,"minItemSize":120,"rotatingGroupTypes":"","rotatingCropRatios":"","columnWidths":"","gallerySliderImageRatio":1.7777777777777777,"numberOfImagesPerRow":3,"numberOfImagesPerCol":1,"groupsPerStrip":0,"borderRadius":0,"boxShadow":0,"gridStyle":0,"mobilePanorama":false,"placeGroupsLtr":false,"viewMode":"preview","thumbnailSpacings":4,"galleryThumbnailsAlignment":"bottom","isMasonry":false,"isAutoSlideshow":true,"slideshowLoop":false,"autoSlideshowInterval":3,"bottomInfoHeight":0,"titlePlacement":"SHOW_ON_HOVER","galleryTextAlign":"center","scrollSnap":true,"itemClick":"nothing","fullscreen":true,"videoPlay":"hover","scrollAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","slideAnimation":"SCROLL","scrollDirection":1,"scrollDuration":400,"overlayAnimation":"FADE_IN","arrowsPosition":0,"arrowsSize":18,"watermarkOpacity":40,"watermarkSize":40,"useWatermark":true,"watermarkDock":{"top":"auto","left":"auto","right":0,"bottom":0,"transform":"translate3d(0,0,0)"},"loadMoreAmount":"all","defaultShowInfoExpand":1,"allowLinkExpand":true,"expandInfoPosition":0,"allowFullscreenExpand":true,"fullscreenLoop":false,"galleryAlignExpand":"left","addToCartBorderWidth":1,"addToCartButtonText":"","slideshowInfoSize":160,"playButtonForAutoSlideShow":false,"allowSlideshowCounter":false,"hoveringBehaviour":"NEVER_SHOW","thumbnailSize":120,"magicLayoutSeed":1,"imageHoverAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","imagePlacementAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","calculateTextBoxWidthMode":"PERCENT","textBoxHeight":0,"textBoxWidth":200,"textBoxWidthPercent":50,"textImageSpace":10,"textBoxBorderRadius":0,"textBoxBorderWidth":0,"loadMoreButtonText":"","loadMoreButtonBorderWidth":1,"loadMoreButtonBorderRadius":0,"imageInfoType":"ATTACHED_BACKGROUND","itemBorderWidth":0,"itemBorderRadius":0,"itemEnableShadow":false,"itemShadowBlur":20,"itemShadowDirection":135,"itemShadowSize":10,"imageLoadingMode":"BLUR","expandAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","imageQuality":90,"usmToggle":false,"usm_a":0,"usm_r":0,"usm_t":0,"videoSound":false,"videoSpeed":"1","videoLoop":true,"jsonStyleParams":"","gallerySizeType":"px","gallerySizePx":220,"allowTitle":true,"allowContextMenu":true,"textsHorizontalPadding":-30,"showVideoPlayButton":true,"galleryLayout":5,"targetItemSize":220,"selectedLayout":"5|bottom|1|fill|false|1|true","layoutsVersion":2,"selectedLayoutV2":5,"isSlideshowFont":true,"externalInfoHeight":0,"externalInfoWidth":0},"container":{"width":220,"height":284,"galleryWidth":220,"galleryHeight":123,"scrollBase":0}}
    Recent Posts
    3 ways you can continue to support us...

    3 ways you can continue to support us...

    Our top 10 reasons why you should support handmade...

    Our top 10 reasons why you should support handmade...

    Explore a different kind of calendar this December!

    Explore a different kind of calendar this December!

    Saw&Pour; a new exciting collaboration for Leeds!

    Saw&Pour; a new exciting collaboration for Leeds!

    The Perks & Quirks of Gallery Life...

    The Perks & Quirks of Gallery Life...

    A trip down memory lane...

    A trip down memory lane...

    Best present!

    Best present!

    Reminiscing on a life-long passion for the arts...

    Reminiscing on a life-long passion for the arts...

    An Obsession with Fairies...

    An Obsession with Fairies...

    "We had recently become interested in bird watching & I seemed to think that everything I s

    "We had recently become interested in bird watching & I seemed to think that everything I s

    {"items":["5fcae2de53497a0018984929","5fcae2dde17deb0017d1b36d","5fcae2dde17deb0017d1b36c","5fcae2dde17deb0017d1b36b","5fcae2dde17deb0017d1b36e","5fcae2dde17deb0017d1b369","5fcae2dde17deb0017d1b36a","5fcae2dde17deb0017d1b368","5fcae2dde17deb0017d1b36f","5fcae2dde17deb0017d1b366"],"styles":{"galleryType":"Columns","groupSize":1,"showArrows":true,"cubeImages":true,"cubeType":"max","cubeRatio":1.7777777777777777,"isVertical":true,"gallerySize":30,"collageAmount":0,"collageDensity":0,"groupTypes":"1","oneRow":false,"imageMargin":5,"galleryMargin":0,"scatter":0,"rotatingScatter":"","chooseBestGroup":true,"smartCrop":false,"hasThumbnails":false,"enableScroll":true,"isGrid":true,"isSlider":false,"isColumns":false,"isSlideshow":false,"cropOnlyFill":false,"fixedColumns":0,"enableInfiniteScroll":true,"isRTL":false,"minItemSize":50,"rotatingGroupTypes":"","rotatingCropRatios":"","columnWidths":"","gallerySliderImageRatio":1.7777777777777777,"numberOfImagesPerRow":3,"numberOfImagesPerCol":1,"groupsPerStrip":0,"borderRadius":0,"boxShadow":0,"gridStyle":0,"mobilePanorama":false,"placeGroupsLtr":false,"viewMode":"preview","thumbnailSpacings":4,"galleryThumbnailsAlignment":"bottom","isMasonry":false,"isAutoSlideshow":false,"slideshowLoop":false,"autoSlideshowInterval":4,"bottomInfoHeight":0,"titlePlacement":["SHOW_ON_THE_RIGHT","SHOW_BELOW"],"galleryTextAlign":"center","scrollSnap":false,"itemClick":"nothing","fullscreen":true,"videoPlay":"hover","scrollAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","slideAnimation":"SCROLL","scrollDirection":0,"scrollDuration":400,"overlayAnimation":"FADE_IN","arrowsPosition":0,"arrowsSize":23,"watermarkOpacity":40,"watermarkSize":40,"useWatermark":true,"watermarkDock":{"top":"auto","left":"auto","right":0,"bottom":0,"transform":"translate3d(0,0,0)"},"loadMoreAmount":"all","defaultShowInfoExpand":1,"allowLinkExpand":true,"expandInfoPosition":0,"allowFullscreenExpand":true,"fullscreenLoop":false,"galleryAlignExpand":"left","addToCartBorderWidth":1,"addToCartButtonText":"","slideshowInfoSize":200,"playButtonForAutoSlideShow":false,"allowSlideshowCounter":false,"hoveringBehaviour":"NEVER_SHOW","thumbnailSize":120,"magicLayoutSeed":1,"imageHoverAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","imagePlacementAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","calculateTextBoxWidthMode":"PERCENT","textBoxHeight":26,"textBoxWidth":200,"textBoxWidthPercent":65,"textImageSpace":10,"textBoxBorderRadius":0,"textBoxBorderWidth":0,"loadMoreButtonText":"","loadMoreButtonBorderWidth":1,"loadMoreButtonBorderRadius":0,"imageInfoType":"ATTACHED_BACKGROUND","itemBorderWidth":0,"itemBorderRadius":0,"itemEnableShadow":false,"itemShadowBlur":20,"itemShadowDirection":135,"itemShadowSize":10,"imageLoadingMode":"BLUR","expandAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","imageQuality":90,"usmToggle":false,"usm_a":0,"usm_r":0,"usm_t":0,"videoSound":false,"videoSpeed":"1","videoLoop":true,"jsonStyleParams":"","gallerySizeType":"px","gallerySizePx":1000,"allowTitle":true,"allowContextMenu":true,"textsHorizontalPadding":-30,"itemBorderColor":{"themeName":"color_12","value":"rgba(153,153,153,0)"},"showVideoPlayButton":true,"galleryLayout":2,"calculateTextBoxHeightMode":"MANUAL","targetItemSize":1000,"selectedLayout":"2|bottom|1|max|true|0|true","layoutsVersion":2,"selectedLayoutV2":2,"isSlideshowFont":true,"externalInfoHeight":26,"externalInfoWidth":0.65},"container":{"width":220,"galleryWidth":225,"galleryHeight":0,"scrollBase":0,"height":null}}
    Archive
    • March 2020 (1)
    • March 2019 (1)
    • December 2018 (1)
    • October 2018 (1)
    • August 2018 (1)
    • June 2018 (1)
    • December 2017 (1)
    • November 2017 (1)
    • October 2017 (1)
    • June 2017 (1)
    • May 2017 (6)
    • April 2017 (1)
    • February 2017 (2)
    • January 2017 (1)
    • November 2016 (1)
    • July 2016 (1)
    • May 2016 (1)
    • February 2016 (1)
    • January 2016 (2)
    • December 2015 (1)
    • November 2015 (1)
    • October 2015 (2)
    • September 2015 (3)
    • August 2015 (4)
    • July 2015 (4)
    • June 2015 (2)
    • May 2015 (7)
    • March 2015 (1)
    Search By Tags
    • Ceramics
    • Happy Birthday
    • Jewellery
    • London
    • ND30yrs
    • New Designers makers
    Follow Us
    • Facebook Basic Square
    • Twitter Basic Square
    • Google+ Basic Square