A note from the Heritage Craft Association Annual Conference
Heritage Craft Association Annual Conference (HCA), V & A, London, May 9
This is the 3rd conference I have attended which have always been thought provoking, informative and inspiring. This year's did not disappoint.
One of the speakers was West Dean College Short Course Tutor, Felicity Irons, who charmed the audience with an insightful talk about the harvesting of the rush she uses to weave baskets, mats, bags and even slippers. The rush comes from the rivers in Bedfordhsire and she showed this process to be romantic and at the same time hard physical graft. She also talked about some of the challenging commissions she receives for her aptly named company Rush Matters. You can admire her work if you visit National Trust house Moncute or Hardwick Hall in Suffolk. If you want to try Working with rush yourself, then you will have to wait until next spring as Felicity teaches just once a year, out of harvesting season.
