9 Oct 24'
"I feel very fortunate to have attended a 5-day workshop on plaster for models and moulds in my home country (BE), led by the brilliant Ed Bentley. The main focus was on sledging, a technique that, to my knowledge, is not commonly taught here—except perhaps in construction work.
We were a very demanding group, each with our own project, but Ed navigated this masterfully, seamlessly switching between students. Every step was explained clearly, with a touch of British humour. As non-native English speakers, we found Ed perfectly understandable (though communicating the other way around may have been more of a challenge!). We all managed to create several models and moulds by the end.
Some of us also had the chance to try out the lathe and the whirler, though sledging remained the central topic. It's worth noting that Ed was teaching outside of his own studio, without his usual materials or even the plaster he was used to. Yet, as participants, we hardly noticed this. Throughout the workshop, Ed remained good-humoured, pleasant, and fun.
It was an incredibly rewarding experience, both in terms of technical learning and the human connections we made. I will definitely sign up again if Ed crosses the channel once more!"