Latest reviews

Lucinda reviewed: 'Fundamental Art Skills for complete beginners ' 10-week interactive online zoom course with live tuition

"Dear Raya, Thank you so much for the excellent art course which taught me the basics of Art. I gained a lot more confidence to draw from observation and my art skills definitely improved. I am so grateful for your expert guidance, inspiration and support. Also thank you for the detailed feedback which helped me to develop my skills. I am looking forward to the next art courses with you. I would recommend this course to anyone who wants to learn how to draw but does not know where to start. Lucinda"

matthew b reviewed: Kitchen knife course

"I had a great time doing this course with Dave; great teaching style making sure I knew exactly what to do at all times (including quick demonstrations), while not being too over the shoulder and stifling. Very happy with the end product too. 10/10 experience"

Saty Parmar reviewed: One day bangle/ring workshop

"What an amazing day we have had! Jolene was so patient and made us feel like we had known her for years, while still being professional and really fun! I can’t fault anything and can’t praise her enough! Please do come and check her out (and her home made brownie were amazing!)"

Diane reviewed: Feltmaking - OOH the choices!

"I have just had a FANTASTIC day with Barbara learning to wet felt...and make a footstool! Absolutely absorbing from start to finish, Barbara is so knowledgeable and encouraging. The tea and cake were also lovely! I will definitely be back. Thankyou so much Barbara"

Feltworld - Creative Arts responded:

"Arhh thank you so much Diane :-). It was all my pleasure as I had a great day teaching you. Your footstool looked beautiful and you picked up the techniques like a pro :-). Looking forward to your next creative adventure with me."

Alison Rogers reviewed: Jewellery making with Precious Metal Silver Clay - Full Day Workshop

"A fantastic birthday surprise. Charlotte was welcoming and friendly. Having never worked with silver clay before her instructions were very clear at every stage. I am delighted with the pendant and earrings I made (actually wearing them as I type this review). Thank you Charlotte for an enjoyable afternoon."

Felix & Reuben Jewellery School responded:

"Hi Alison, I'm so happy you enjoyed the workshop! The jewellery you made was lovely! I hope you enjoyed the rest of your birthday celebrations! Regards Charlotte"

Stuart Rogers reviewed: Jewellery making with Precious Metal Silver Clay - Full Day Workshop

"Charlotte was really welcoming and helpful, she really allowed us to create whatever we wanted and accommodated all our needs. It was fun and we were all really happy with the jewellery we made. It was a great experience!"

Felix & Reuben Jewellery School responded:

"Hi Stuart, I'm really glad you enjoyed the workshop! It was a pleasure to teach you all about the wonders of silver clay! Regards Charlotte"

Jane reviewed: Introduction to ceramics- 7 week Tuesday course plus Raku day

"Bob and Joe are masters of their trade. I have learnt so much and achieved things I never thought I would. I can’t wait for the next set of classes."

Laura reviewed: Blacksmithing Introduction courses in Yorkshire and the North East

"Absolutely amazing day out! My friend and I decided to come on this course as it’s something completely different to what we normally do and it was well worth every penny! We were treated to tea and homemade cake on arrival with a chat about health and safety, and then it was straight into hitting hot metal! Every stage was explained in little chunks so you didn’t get lost or confused and both Adrian and Andy were happy to help out. Debbie’s food can’t be forgotten either! Absolutely gorgeous! And enough to bolster you for the rest of the afternoon! (And she made sure to cater for food allergies in the group) All in all it was a brilliant day out and I’ve come home with muscles I didn’t even know existed and two pieces I’ve made by hand!"

Elizabeth reviewed: Oil painting for the scared - 8 week course

"I have just begun a course with Ian and am really enjoying every moment, the 2 hours flash by! This is the first time I have painted with oils and as a novice painter I am learning so much under Ian’s excellent guidance."

Hayley Watts reviewed: Jewellery making with Precious Metal Silver Clay - Full Day Workshop

"It was an amazing surprise gift for and on my birthday. We were shown from beginning to the end from designing to firing. And we have some gorgeous pieces of jewellery i will treasure for ever. I will take this knowledge away and continue to make more at home. Loved it."

Felix & Reuben Jewellery School responded:

"Thank you for your lovely words Hayley! It was a pleasure to teach you both all about silver clay, and the jewellery you made was indeed gorgeous! I'm so glad you enjoyed the experience! Regards Charlotte"

Chris reviewed: Introduction to green woodworking at Sallerton Wood

"Brilliant course, thanks Andy! We got to try more techniques and tools than I'd imagined and all in a beautiful setting. Would definitely recommend."

Sallerton Wood responded:

"Thanks, Chris for your kind review, and we're very pleased that you enjoyed the course and its setting. We look forward to welcoming you back to Sallerton Wood if you return in the future to do another course."

Sam Ivil reviewed: Bespoke Photo-encaustic workshop

"As I previously attended the Introduction to Contemporary Encaustic Wax workshop with Lyn and thoroughly enjoyed it, I wanted continue this medium by trying the Photo-encaustic Workshop. Having previous knowledge of the initial processes it allowed me to concentrate on the different techniques used to produce a piece of artwork using photographs. Lyn contacted me a week before the workshop to go through ideas together to see what I wanted to achieve and helped with suggestions. The day was very relaxed and having the one-to-one attention it made the experience so enjoyable and I went away with the amazing knowledge supplied by Lyn and a fantastic piece of work. I would highly recommend this course and the Introduction to Contemporary Encaustic Wax to a complete beginner to an experienced artist."

Contemporary Encaustic Wax Workshop with Lyn Kirkland responded:

"Dear Sam, it was so lovely to meet you again, and share even more techniques using encaustic wax. I so enjoyed being able to share in your memories of Venice through your photographs, and feel that you have created a lasting memory of that time in your collaged piece. It has received so much praise on my social media accounts. Well earned. Good luck with your studies and further exploration of encaustic wax. Thank you for the review. X"

Naomi reviewed: Stone carving for beginners - Weymouth

"Me and my mum had a brilliant day carving with John in July. The setting is stunning, John a great teacher and the art of carving is good fun. Highly recommend!"

Sculptor John Davey responded:

"Thanks for that Naomi, always a pleasure to pass on the art of stone carving. you all did brilliantly. Great group dynamic. Thanks again for your kind review. John."

Katharina reviewed: Stained glass one day course for beginners: one-to-one

"I had a wonderful day learning the techniques of cutting, copper-foiling and soldering stained glass in a spacious inspiring workshop. Emma is a highly skilled teacher who listened carefully to my ideas and helped me patiently to create a beautiful panel that I am very proud of. An absolutely fantastic experience which I cannot recommend highly enough!"

steve mullett reviewed: Beginner Sewing Basics - Kit

"Unfortunately the beginners sewing basics kit rates as the worst value for money purchase i can ever recall ! I was shocked to see how little my £40 got me but couldn't find a return method on the craft courses website.I received 5 scraps of material - the largest 12" x 12",the 'booklet' is 2 sheets of A4 printer paper folded in half,there is a 8" x 6" paper template for practise,and a paper 10" x 7" paper 'road' for practise and that's it.Probably £1 - 2 pounds worth of kit and the secret youtube videos - i watched sewing road which was a guide on using the sewing road and it was 2.30 long.I didn't bother with the other 2 videos TBH.Disappointed with this poor value kit and if i can return it ASAP that would be great ! To compare and contrast i also ordered a reversible tote bag kit from a different maker which was £20 and clearly i can see the quality of the material,the instructional booklet etc was a on totally different level of quality and value for money.My advice to potential purchasers of the beginners sewing basics kit - don't waste your money !"

Holly Edwards Textiles responded:

"Hi Steve - very sorry to read that. I will arrange a refund and be in contact with craft courses. Holly"

James reviewed: Two day dry stone walling course for beginners in association with Dry Stone Walling Association of Great Britain

"I thoroughly enjoyed the two day course ran by the DWSA Lancashire branch and recommend it to anyone even vaguely interested in dry stone walling. The team of instructors are very knowledgeable in walling and are happy to it share with the group. They are genuinely interested in getting to know everyone and encouraged general chit-chat. You are shown how to deconstruct and rebuild the wall with clear diagrams and explanations of how to go about it. There is always an instructor at hand to go over anything along the way in case you get stuck - which everyone does at some point. Going into this as absolute beginner, I left knowing more about walling and the local history, and an appreciation for an often overlooked feature. Believe it or not, the best part was at the end when you step back with satisfaction, seeing your wall segment rebuilt. There's no way of avoiding it, the course is physical one. You are moving stone continuously throughout the two days, but that shouldn't put you off because regular breaks are encouraged."

Matthew reviewed: Blacksmithing Introduction courses in Yorkshire and the North East

"Had a great day learning some blacksmithing skills with Adrian. I really enjoyed physically creating something (bit different from the day job) and being introduced to a new medium (hot metal). I was worried about whether I would be able to hammer hard enough but this didn’t turn out to be a problem - it’s more about accuracy with the hammer and careful heating of the piece being worked on. The food was excellent too!"

Claire Bouwer reviewed: Throwing for beginners

"Thank you Charlie for a very enjoyable course last Sunday. Your demonstrations and guidance was very clear and really helped me to understand the exact technique to manipulate the clay on the potter's wheel. I can't wait to see my items all finished off."

Christine Wright reviewed: Hare Sculpture workshop with Jo Garden Art in beautiful Norfolk/Suffolk

"I thoroughly enjoyed the day and was overjoyed with my finished running hare. A fantastic birthday gift!"

Jo Garden Art responded:

"Thank you Christine - a lovely day all round ;-) Well done on making your running hare which can be a bit fiddly in places, but turned out better than my version!!! Hope to see you again, Jo x"

Jane Stubbs reviewed: Four-Day (Week-days) Bobbin Lace Making - Daytime Mixed Lace Workshops (Stoke d'Abernon, Surrey).

"This was a very good course, covering beginners to proficient lacemakers. The teaching style is relaxed, encouraging and imaginative, and individual attention was given to each student."

Tina's Bobbin Lacemaking responded:

"Hi Jane Thanks very much for leaving a review. It was pleasing to hear that you found the teaching both relaxing and encuraging. I was very good that you began and completed not only a new project, but also tried a new lace to you. Looking forward to seeing you again soon. Regards Tina"

Jane Morley reviewed: One day stained glass workshop London for beginners and enthusiasts

"My friend and I had a wonderful day with Tejal creating our own small pieces of stained glass. She explained all the processes so well it gave me confidence in tackling them. She's incredibly skilled and creative, and could offer a large choice of ideas to try. The whole day was calming and creative - just what I needed."

Jackie reviewed: One day stained glass workshop London for beginners and enthusiasts

"We had a lovely day in Tejal's amazing studio making our stained glass creations, which I'm very proud of. Tejal is an excellent instructor. We are already planning on going back."

Weronika reviewed: Spoon Carving Taster Session

"I loved the course so much I ended up ordering my own set of knives and wood to make more spoons. Mike was incredibly patient and generous, sharing tips, resources and giving us extra time to finish off our spoons. He continues to offer help after the course so you’re not left alone in case you need guidance! We had our course in the middle of Otley Chevin forest, with snacks and hot drinks at hand. I enjoyed every minute and will definitely be back to learn more in the future:)"

Antje Derks reviewed: Craft Workshop: Learn to dye fleece with natural dyes in a day

"I just did this workshop with Sally. It was fantastic. Everything and more that I could have hoped for. Well organised, very informative and good fun. The setting is excellent, plenty of parking, clean loo and covid safe. I can’t recommend this highly enough. I will be back for more! Thank you Sally for a brilliant day :)"

Craft Workshops responded:

"Thank you Antje - it was great to meet you and I'm really pleased you enjoyed the day. Look forward to seeing you again in the workshop :)"

Karen reviewed: Landscape art 10-week interactive online course with live tuition

"I really enjoyed the online landscape course. It was always my dream to learn the art of landscape. Raya's course allowed me to learn landscape painting and drawing in depth. I especially enjoyed learning mixed media techniques and observational drawings of trees. I created a final piece a landscape which was an unique work. Raya's guidance helped me to work on it's composition and develop my own artistic style. Now my picture is hanging on my living room wall and I'm really proud of it. Thank you Raya..."

Magic Wool Art and Craft Studio responded:

"Dear Karen, Thank you very much for your comments. I am delighted that you enjoyed my Landscape art course and it helped you to realize your dream. You have learned a lot and produced a beautiful final piece- a Landscape. Well done! Look forward to seeing you again at my art and craft courses."