A behind-the-scenes tour exploring the extraordinary legacy of former West Dean (and nearby Monkton House) owner Edward James, who collaborated with such artists as Salvador Dalí, René Magritte, and Leonora Carrington. The tour is guided by Collections Manager Hugh Morrison and Archivist Simon Coleman.
A week-long exhibition featuring a diverse range of disciplines, including sculpture, installation, printmaking, painting, film, ceramics, and textiles in the Edward James Studio at West Dean. Students from the Craft Practices programmes will be exhibiting furniture, metalwork, clocks, and musical instruments. Enjoy all this, plus the spectacular landscaped gardens, at westdean.ac.uk
Led by Sussex Guild member Amanda Zoe, you will learn the basic techniques of firing transparent cloisonné enamels onto silver. You will experience both kiln and torch firing methods, and Zoe will help you create a design or translate your own design into enamel, producing one pendant and two earrings/studs in silver. Suitable for both […]
Led by Stefano Santilli, this three-day ourse is aimed at beginners who would like to learn the principles of turning on the wood lathe. You will learn via tutor demonstrations, practical exercises, group discussion and one-to-one feedback. By the end, you will have created a three-legged stool, having learned a variety of woodturning techniques that […]
Led by renowned ceramicist Tanya Gomez, you will work on your own potter's wheel as you develop your designs inspired by the ceramic collection at West Dean College. She will show you key techniques, including how to prepare and work with clay, and you will finish the course with six to eight pieces. June 20-22.
Led by renowned metalwork tutor and public artist Andrew Smith, you will learn a range of techniques through tutor demonstration and student practice in the Forge at West Dean. You may bring ideas for a project of your own, or evolve an idea to work on, or make small objects as demonstrated during the three […]
Led by renowned pattern-maker and textile printer Sarah Burns, you will learn how to make a wide range of natural dye colours from foraged materials. You will gather seasonal flowers, fruits and leaves from West Dean Gardens and the surrounding estate to make your own natural dye recipe books. There will be a special emphasis […]
This weekend course at West Dean will show you how to create an object using ancient blacksmithing skills from over 1000 years ago. You’ll get an introduction to the fundamental heritage blacksmithing processes – cutting, forging, tapering, forming, bending, fire-welding and joinery skills – and put them into practice to create historically accurate replica pieces, […]
Led by Tracey Sheppard, Fellow of the Guild of Glass Engravers, this course provides a perfect introduction to the delights and mysteries of glass engraving. You will experiment with a small range of tools, before progressing to engraving a simple decorated letter on a tumbler. She will show you some basic approaches to design and […]
On this course at West Dean you will learn how different hollow forms are made – sphere, cube, barrel, lens, tube, abstract – and how to construct a model, along with various soldering techniques. The tutor will give you one-to-one tuition to help you develop your idea through to the successful completion of a final […]
This course takes the plants and flowers of the magnificent West Dean gardens as inspiration. After getting familiar with stencilling techniques you will go outside to draw and get ideas before transforming your sketches into a layered design. Then you will print your design onto fabric to take home. Suitable for both beginners and artists […]
Led by celebrated printmaker, Rod Nelson, you will learn the techniques and processes of woodcut printing, gaining familiarity with the tools and materials in order to create successful black and white woodcuts by hand and with a press. You will leave West Dean with the skills to cut a block with a degree of artistic […]
