Press Release 28 January 2014 Get a taste of something new on a West Dean Taster Day West Dean College, Near Chichester, West Sussex, PO18 OQZ www.westdean.org.uk If you would like to develop your creative skills but are not sure whether you would like to try throwing a pot, making a beaded necklace or arranging flowers for a special event then try a Taster Day, or two, at West Dean College to get a feel for a range of arts and traditional crafts. Invest in a day to explore your potential in well-equipped workshops and learning from the experts, and who knows where it may lead. Come with a friend or come alone and spend a rewarding day with like-minded people. This year there are 38 Taster Days to choose from, including nine brand new ones. (3 May – 21 October). Sue Hingston will show you how to choose and use suitable flowers for hand tied bouquets and table decorations for special occasions in Celebrate with flowers – flower arranging (3 May £120 Beginners/Intermediate). Twisted wire jewellery NEW. Learn how to make decorative twisted wires from copper and silver to make earrings, bracelets and rings and come away with at least one finished piece of jewellery. Tutor Belinda Hager (17 May £97 Beginners). In The blacksmith's craft (31 May and 1 June £110 Beginners) with tutor Andrew Smith you will experience the rhythm of working hot steel using fire, hammer work and shaping at the anvil and make a small piece of work. Appreciate the special qualities of willow as you learn to weave two small items in Willow basketmaking with Mary Butcher (3 June £98 Beginners). Woodturning – making a small bowl with tutor Colin Simpson will teach you woodturning techniques as you complete a basic bowl. (10 June £101 Beginners). Juju Vail will show you the basic stitches of crochet, shaping, colour changing, working in the round, basic finishing techniques and how to read a pattern and to make simple squares. Crochet for beginners NEW (10 June £102 Beginners). Juju will also teach you how to cast on, the basic stitches of knit and purl, increasing and decreasing, adding new colours and how to bind off using the faster continental method. Hand knitting for beginners NEW (11 June £102 Beginners). Learn how to depict striking flowers in a botanical style as you are shown wet-in-wet techniques, using plants from West Dean Gardens in Botanical painting with Sandrine Maugy (13 June £108 Beginners). Make a traditional stained glass panel in a simple abstract design as you learn to cut and then assemble with lead and solder on Stained glass with Carole Gray (two taster days19 June £118 and 20 June £118 Beginners). Throwing pots with Alison Sandeman or Louise Taylor (10 May and 28 June £100 Beginners) shows you how to throw on an electric potter’s wheel and create several stoneware pots. Garden photography at West Dean with tutor Jacqui Hurst will show you how to use the beautiful West Dean Gardens as your source as you learn how available light can influence your images in-camera as you capture well-composed pictures. (6 July £92 Beginners). Furniture painting NEW using chalk paints and antiquing methods to create shabby-chic paint effects, found in Scandinavian country furniture, to decorate a small tray with Jo Mabbutt (10 July £104 Beginners). Learn basic enamelling techniques and make a pair of simple drop earrings in a day with Sheila R. McDonald. Enamel silver earrings (18 August £102 Beginners). Sarah Cant shows you the millinery techniques for handling veils and combining beading, feathers, flowers, felt or straw to create a stunning finished piece in a day. Simple millinery skills – veiling NEW (4 September £102 Beginners). So whatever your taste West Dean offers a Taster Day to inspire you to take up a new hobby, develop existing skills or maybe start a new career. FURTHER INFORMATION Prices for a Taster Day booked online start at £86. All Taster Days start at 10.00am and finish at 5.00pm with specialist materials, lunch, tea and coffee included in the price. For more information and to book online visit www.westdean.og.uk. Notes to editors:  The Edward James Foundation, a charitable trust, comprises West Dean College, West Dean Gardens, West Dean Estate and the West Dean Tapestry Studio. Charity No. 1126084.  West Dean Gardens are open from 1 February – 21 December supported by events in the Grounds. 2014 events include: Gardens Open Day (30 March Mother’s Day), Easter Egg Hunts (16 – 20 April), Chilli Fiesta (8 – 10 August), West Dean House Opening (6 -7 September), Grow! Cook! Eat! (4 – 5 October), Half term week Halloween activities (27 – 31 October).  The College runs over 700 short courses in arts, crafts, gardening, creative writing and music each year as well as postgraduate programmes in Visual Arts, Conservation and Making Musical Stringed Instruments. For more information visit www.westdean.org.uk.  All photography is free to use for promotional purposes.  Any journalist interested in visiting the Gardens, attending a course or an event for news or review purposes should contact the Press Office on +44 (01243 818301/283.  West Dean College is situated on the A286, six miles north of Chichester and six miles south of Midhurst. For further information and high-resolution digital images, please contact Penny Smith, Media Relations Manager, +44 (0)1243 818301 [email protected] Irene Caswell, Media Relations Officer, +44 (0) 1243 818280 [email protected] West Dean College, Chichester, West Sussex, PO18 OQZ www.westdean.org.uk To unsubscribe to this e-mail please e-mail [email protected]