Designer Craft - Tales in the Making

The Society of Designer Craftsmen is delighted to be returning to the Oxmarket Contemporary gallery - a medieval church full of light in the heart of Chichester - to showcase its prestigious annual exhibition of 2025.

EXHIBITION INFORMATION

Designer Craft – Tales in the Making promises to be more than an exhibition of beautiful craft, it will also be an invitation to peep inside the creative world of the makers themselves. Every work shown will carry a story: a memory, an influence, a spark of inspiration, a material choice or intricacies of the making process. These narrative fragments may intrigue or inform but all will offer fascinating insights into the journey from concept to craft.

Over 40 talented members of the Society will be showcasing work across a wide range of disciplines – ceramics, feltmaking, glassmaking, furniture, mosaics, jewellery, metalwork, printmaking, textiles, paper, weaving and woodcarving & turning. Shown together, these practices illuminate the breadth and vitality of contemporary craft, offering visitors the chance to encounter original works, many being shown for the first time. All works are for sale and the show offers an excellent opportunity for art and craft collectors and well as those seeking to buy unique, hand-crafted pieces destined to be treasured for generations.

The exhibition will also include work by 12 newly-elected members who are exhibiting with the Society for the first time. Their inclusion highlights the vitality and future of contemporary craft within the Society’s long tradition.

To complement the exhibition, artist demonstrations will take place on most days. Visitors will have the opportunity to see craft skills in action – from weaving and embroidery to feltmaking, ceramics, and printmaking – offering a rare chance to meet the makers and watch them at work.

Members of the Society will also be present every day and will be happy to explain more about the Society - what it does and how to join - as well as the works on show.

LOCATION

Oxmarket Contemporary, St Andrews Court, Off East Street, Chichester PO19 1YH

EXHIBITION DATES & OPENING TIMES

11-23 November 2025. Open Tues-Sat 10.00-16.30, Sun 12.00-16.00

DEMONSTRATIONS

To complement the exhibition, artist demonstrations will take place on certain days:

Tuesday 11 November
Jessica Palmer: Paper cutting, 11am-1pm

Wednesday 12 November
Mandy Nash: Feltmaking & Ellis James Stacey: Woodcarving, 11am–2pm

Thursday 13 November
Jan Beaney & Jean Littlejohn: Hand embroidery, 11.30am-3.30pm

Sunday 16 November
Bridget Lane: Tapestry weaving, 12-2.30pm

Tuesday 18 November
Anita Bell: Hand Stitching,10.30am-12.30pm
Denise Jaques: Mosaic, 1.30-3.30pm

Thursday 20 November
Sharon Kearley: Weaving on a table loom, 10.30am-2pm
There will be a 'drop-in and weave' opportunity for visitors

Sunday 23 November
Bridget Tennent: Sgrafitto Decoration, 12-2.30pm

EXHIBITING MEMBERS

Ceramics: Ali Tomlin / Kayley Holderness / Ferri Farahmandi /Bridget Tennent / Libby Daniels /Christina Feltham
Feltmaking: Mandy Nash
Furniture & Boxes: Christine Meyer-Eaglestone / Sean Evelegh / Ellis James Stacey
Glassmaking & Stained Glass: Cathryn Shilling / Naomi Jacques
Jewellery: Michele White / Linda Connelly / Christine Johnson
Metalwork: Caitlin Murphy / Leah Faulks / Nettie Birch / Samantha English
Mixed Media: Kas Williams / Isabel Bermudez / Batool Showghi
Mosiacs: Denise Jaques
Paper & Artists Books: Jessica Palmer
Printmaking: Sheila de Rosa / Alexandra Motiu
Silversmithing: Alex O’Connor
Stitched & Constructed Textiles: Sue Lancaster / Angela Dewar / Julie Harper / Emma Rosa / Jan Beaney / Jean Littlejohn / Anita Bell / Ellie Hipkin / Vivienne Beaumont / Carol Naylor
Wood Carving & Turning: Patricia Spero
Woven Textiles: Jennifer Shellard / Ali Holloway / Bridget Lane / Sharon Kearley