creativethorp.com

Contact – mary@creativethorp.com, or steve@creativethorp.com or phone 07949553029.

After a bit of a break over the summer we are gearing up for our Autumn activities and events. We start at the Wrest Park Craft & Design Festival on the 28, 29 and 30th August, and we’re then at the Ludlow Art & Craft Fair on Sunday 12th September. Then from the 26 to 28th September we are at the Norfolk Arts, Crafts & Design Festival. If that wasn’t enough, Steve is giving a talk at the Toddington Poetry Society on the 14th September. We’d love to see you at any of these events – and at any of our other shows later in the Autumn. Steve is also planning two brand-new poetry publications in the next few weeks – news here as soon as they are available. For more information on shows during 2010, please click the creative thorp show guide autumn 2010.

TRADE NEWS - We had a good show at the British Crafts Trade Fair in Harrogate from 11-13 April and enjoyed meeting old and new friends, but if you run a gallery or shop, and would like to stock our products, please download a trade catalogue from HERE and contact Mary on 07979906935 to discuss art sales and exhibitions.

The images above are from our stand at Grand Design Live. We had a great show and met some wonderful people (see below). For more images from the show click HERE view a pdf slideshow. We also had a successful and enjoyable trip to Harrogate for the British Craft Trade Fair, including a stunning drive through Nidderdale one evening to meet friends. Steve had a successful evening speaking to the Chiltern Writers Group, and Mary had a good show at Henley on Thames for the Craft and Design Experience . For more information on shows during 2010, please click creative thorp show guide 2010.

Here’s some grand designers and lovely people we’ve met at shows this year so far:

Elaine Johnson – wonderful conceptual textile art: www.elainejohnsoncreative.com

Deborah Elsaesser – a young designer producing sustainable furniture and bags near Cardigan: www.re-plydesigns.co.uk

Susan Jane Dunford – a metalsmith working with architectural miniatures:  www.susanjanedunford.com

Daisy Dunlop – a jeweller working near the surf in Cornwall: www.daisydunlop.co.uk

Alan Watson – creating beautiful and covetable upholstered furniture: www.weavewoodandwatson.co.uk

Rachel at Red-Ric-Rac – vintage style fabrics and gifts: www.red-ric-rac.co.uk

Mhairi Wild – lovely person, beautiful scarves inspired by Scottish coastal landscapes: www.mhairiwild.co.uk

‘M’ – As she says on her fab website – “My name is M. I make things”: www.theletterm.co.uk

Lucy Q – favourite mate from last years BCTF and just around the corner again this year!: www.lucyqdesigns.co.uk

Natasha Ferguson – talented young designer with a bright future in lighting design: www.nmf-designs.biz

And an honorary mention for Tara Badger, who makes aprons out of her lovely fabrics Her website isn’t quite up yet…

We’re very excited about 2010 – we’ve got a full diary of events this year. Our Spring schedule began with the Country Living Spring Fair in Islington , and continues (for trade customers and galleries) at the British Crafts Trade Fair in Harrogate from 11-13 April. We then have two shows in May – firstly we’ll be at Grand Designs Live at the Excel Centre in London from the 1-9 May, followed by the Craft and Design Experience show at Henley upon Thames. We hope to see you at one of these events – you’re guaranteed a warm welcome on our stand!

On March 25th, Steve had a successful reading at the Boxfield Gallery in Stevenage to support the launch of a new exhibition featuring a range of artists including Kim Major-George, whose images inspired his Life poetry pamphlet. He will also be speaking to the Chiltern Writers group on May 13th.

TRADE NEWS – As above we’ll be at the British Crafts Trade Fair in Harrogate from 11-13 April, but if you’re not going to be there and you run a gallery or shop, you can still stock our products! The 2010 creative thorp trade catalogues are now available for download on our Trade Page HERE.

Contact – mary@creativethorp.com, or steve@creativethorp.com or phone 07949553029.

At a recent show we met Kim Major-George, an artist producing the most amazing spiritual collograph images. Steve and Kim got talking about Kim’s new exhibition, and a new poetry pamphlet Life was born: 22 new poems (read two HERE) and Kim’s stunning Buddha images on the front and inside! The resultant exhibition  at Hitchin Museum can be seen until the 31st October. In the Large Gallery  is Kim Major-George’s ‘Wisdom of Peace’ exhibition, and in the Small Gallery Steve has an exhibition of mounted and framed poems from the new  collection.

The new Life booklet can be purchased for £8.50 from creative thorp’s marketplace and makes a wonderful gift for this festive season. Click HERE to download a 2010 creative thorp’s Christmas catalogue including unique cards, and a special limited edition 2010 calender designed and produced by hand by Mary – or go the creative thorp marketplace.

click on thumbnail

Upcoming events – We’ll be at four large shows in the Autumn – the centrepiece of our schedule will be the Country Living Christmas Fair from the 11-15 November at the Business Design Centre in London. We’ll also be at the Abingdon Crafts Festival from 21st-25th October, the Art, Design and Craft Show at Newmarket Racecourse from 6-8th November, and Sparkle at Landmark Arts Centre in Teddington from 20-22nd November.

We are also attending the lovely Christmas Market at Waterperry Gardens on the 28 and 29th November, and on the 28th November we will be at the Crypt at St Michael’s Without in Bath for an Appletree Craft Show.  Mary will be exhibiting in the Cafe at Waterperry over December and January , and also at Arteria with Gallery 23 in Lancaster. Further details of these as soon as we get them.

Contact – mary@creativethorp.com, or steve@creativethorp.com or phone 07949553029.

creative thorp’s  Autumn schedule of shows, exhibitions and poetry readings is building and details and dates are below.

On the 4th October we’ll be reading and exhibiting at the inaugaral Festival of Light in Hope Bagot, organised by the wonderful Utopia XO. There’s be poetry, music, good food, local cider and lots more from 4.30 p.m. Click HERE, or on the thumbnail below to view and download a flyer for the event – and please feel free to circulate to anyone you think might like to attend!

Don’t forget to check out what came out of our summer road trip up to Tighnabruiach on the Cowal Penisula in Scotland.  Steve did a well received poetry reading at the Tighnabruiach Gallery - click HERE to see the press cutting from the event; and two new images of the trip from Mary’s lens can be found in the Art Gallery – numbers 66 and 67. Poetry from the trip is being complied into a new box or publication – details soon.

Incoming Squall by Mary Thorp, 2009

Boats on Kyle by Mary Thorp, 2009.

This summer has been busy for creative thorp with a hectic schedule of shows, exhibitions and poetry readings. One highlight was a road trip up to Tighnabruiach on the Cowal Penisula in Scotland. This most beautiful and friendly part of the world has inspired new images and words – and Steve did a well received poetry reading at the Tighnabruiach Gallery - click HERE to see the press cutting from the event! To order these as mounted prints or canvases, go to the Art Gallery (image numbers 66 and 67).

Finally, this month we are at  Bristol Balloon Fiesta on the 6th to the 9th August and at the Wrest Park Craft and Design Festival over the bank holiday, 29th – 31st August. Steve is also doing a poetry talk and reading on August 20th at the wonderful Cafe Bookshop on Cranfield University campus. Click HERE for a flyer for the event.  

 creative thorp have just opened our online shop at the Etsy website. Etsy is a wonderful place – “your place to buy and sell all things handmade”. You can buy a range of our art card and poetry gifts from our Etsy shop – and we’ll be posting some of Mary’s artwork there in the future.

Click on our Etsy shop logo below to be taken directly to our shop:

Click on the logo below to find out more about Etsy:

More information soon about our  2009 shows – and Mary’s stunning new range of canvasses just in! You can also find some images from  some of our 2008 exhibitions HERE  These illustrate the stall set up and product range.

We had a busy run-up to Christmas with successful events and shows at Waterperry Gardens in Oxford (where Mary has been invited to be an ‘artist in residence’ during the Artweeks event in May – more details soon), the LandmarkArts Centre in Teddington, and the British Crafts exhibition at Chiswick Town Hall. Great fun and we met some lovely people!

In 2009 we’re planning to launch new ranges and products and attend a number of events throughout the year, which we’ll post here. In the meantime, our main website carries a wide range of our images and products, and Steve’s editions weblog also has information on his well received poetry pamphlet series.

creative thorp products are now stocked at a range of outlets across the UK. If you are a retail outlet, gallery or bookshop interested in stocking our products, then we can take orders now, so please contact us directly for trade prices and terms – email mary@creativethorp.com or ring 07979906935.

creative thorp products are now stocked at a wide range of outlets across the UK. If you are a retail outlet, gallery or bookshop interested in stocking our products, then we can take orders now, so please contact us directly for trade prices and terms – email mary@creativethorp.com or ring 07979906935.

Our Christmas ranges of cards and card boxes are now available for mail order purchase or , at trade prices, to shops and retail outlets. Download a mail order catalogue HERE – or contact us if you’d like to order some for your gallery or shop. We’ll be at a number of shows and fairs in November and December – including the Christmas Craft market at Waterperry Gardens and the InHouse Fine Craft & Gourmet Food Fair – both 22-23 November.

The first two editions poetry pamphlets are selling steadily and have been very well received. Steve is available for talks, workshops and readings to support the publications – and you can find out more in the poetry section of our weblog – or going to the special editions website. You can download an editions 2008 flyer and order form HERE.

creative thorp will also be launching a special celebrations service soon – creating top quality and  highly individual stationary and design for wedding, parties and other celebrations. More information will be released soon and you’ll be able to download a creative thorp celebrations brochure from this weblog in the near future.

Fresh from attending our first trade show-  Design Edge – at the Sandown Park Exhibition Centre last weekend, creative thorp will be at the British Crafts exhibition in Bristol on the 27th and 28th September. We met some lovely people at Sandown Park – and have some new galleries we are supplying as a result of the show. We’ll post details of our current list of retailers here and on the creative thorp website soon.

In the meantime, we’re preparing for a busy Autumn, with our Christmas ranges being released in October – available for purchase or  sale or return to shops and retail outlets – and the publication of the third and fourth editions poetry pamphlets. The first two editions are available now, and have been very well received in our galleries and shop, and are selling steadily. Steve is also available for talks, workshops and readings to support the publications – and you can find out more in the poetry section of this weblog – or going to the special editions website. Mary will also be part of a photographic exhibition at Nant y Coy Arts and Creativity Centre in pembrokeshire in November.

creative thorp will also be launching a special celebrations service in the Autumn – creating top quality and  highly individual stationary and design for wedding, parties and other celebrations. We work closely with you to give you the look and feel you want for your special event using Mary’s wonderful images, Steve’s poetry and our signature high quality of paper and production values. More information will be released soon and you’ll be able to download a creative thorp celebrations brochure from this weblog or the creative thorp website in the near future.

Just a reminder that Mary’s new range of her images particularly suitable for large prints and canvases are available – view them HERE!  The Old Chapel Gallery in Pembridge also still has Mary’s prints on display after the summer exhibition. Click HERE for more details.