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Welcome to handmade-things.co.uk, an online exhibition of handmade things from leading artisans of the British Isles.

On these pages you'll find an eclectic selection of high quality handmade things to delight the senses and nourish the magic of everyday life: things of rare beauty and gentle earthiness, of character and soul; things made with great care, skill and joy; things to inspire and enchant, to treasure or give as a special gift.

Browse the gallery to discover a wealth of unique and beautiful things all handmade in these fair green Isles. Please approach any of the artisans directly to find out more about what they do or to purchase their products.

The purpose of handmade-things.co.uk is to bring together the most marvelous online collection of things that have been soulfully and skillfully handmade in the British Isles.

Why? Because handmade things are wonderful! They carry the good vibes of the people who lovingly make them. They radiate the living qualities of creativity, harmony, human scale and character into the world. They are generally made as much for the joy of the making as they are to make money. They tend to be made with respect for the well-being of the earth, its creatures and its peoples, using sustainable materials and low-impact practices wherever possible, and, being high quality and long-lasting, they use less resources over time.

In these ways handmade things unite the artistic, the ecological and the economic within the practice of "soulful livelihood", which spreads wellbeing and harmony through the world in myriad magical ways.

It is sincerely hoped that this online collection will help to stimulate increased interest in the wonderful world of handmade things, attracting a wider audience for both established makers and those just starting out or thinking of doing so.

Looking beyond the almost fanatical consumption of mass-produced goods and all the negative social and environmental effects this brings, it seems possible and desirable to work towards an economy in which more of the things we use in our daily lives have been made with care, dignity, art and soul by artisans and craftspeople respecting and reflecting the infinite beauty and harmony of nature. Such handmade things are links in a positive chain along which the living energy of the earth flows into our lives.

If you're an artisan/craftsperson and would like to find out more about exhibiting your work in the gallery, please read the following notes and then drop me a line at the address below:

• All manner of high quality handmade things can be exhibited in the gallery, not only so-called "traditional" craft items. Nothing is too big, small, quirky, sumptuous or ephemeral to be considered.
• Only things that have been made by hand, either wholly or substantially, can be exhibited.
• The gallery is open to all artisans/craftspeople working within the British Isles (UK and Ireland).
• You'll need to be able to supply: a minimum of 7 good quality high resolution digital photo's of your work (maximum 13); a written profile of yourself and the way you work, which can be as brief or thorough as you wish; a photo of yourself (photo is optional but recommended); and at least one way for people to contact you which can be displayed on your gallery page: either a website address, email address, phone number or studio/workshop address.
• You'll be able to submit updates for your page once a month without charge; more frequent updates will be charged £10 per update.

If you're interested in exhibiting, or for more detailed information, email me at .

Sign up to the newsletter and receive regular news about all sorts of things: artisans new to the gallery, features on individual artisans, articles about handmade things, news from the British arts and crafts scene, details of forthcoming arts/crafts events in the UK and worldwide, and more.Your email address will not be used for any other purpose than to deliver the newsletter.

Can I buy handmade things on this website?

No, sorry, at the moment this is purely a gallery where artisans exhibit their handmade things. We’re looking into the possibility of building a shopping cart into the gallery, but for the time being please contact the artisans directly to buy their handmade things. Contact details can be found on each artisan’s gallery page.

Are all the things featured in the gallery for sale?

More often than not, yes things are for sale. Sometimes a particular piece featured will have already been sold, though in these cases the artisan will normally be able to make another one for you very much like it. Please contact the artisans directly to buy their handmade things or to discuss commissions. Contact details can be found on each artisan's gallery page.

Do you show the full range of work each artisan produces?

The items featured on the gallery pages normally represent only a sample of each artisan's work, intended to give an impression of the kind of things they produce. If you find an artisan whose work you particularly like the look of, but can’t find exactly the kind of thing you want in their gallery, you can always contact them to request details of their full range or otherwise ask them to make something especially for you. Contact details can be found on each artisan's gallery page.

I’m an artisan/craftsperson, how do I exhibit in the gallery?

All enquiries from artisans/craftspeople are warmly welcomed. Please check out the "how to exhibit" section of this page for information about exhibiting your handmade things in the gallery and details of how to get in touch.

What exactly do you mean by “handmade”?

Good question. Beyond the basic difference between things that have been made by hand and things that have been mass-produced via industrial processes, the term "handmade" has come to embody a whole host of positive associations such as high-quality, character, integrity and low-impact (eco-friendly). It is definitely in this broad, positive sense that it is used on this website. As to the question of how much machinery can be used in manufacture before something ceases to be handmade, I find it less helpful to draw fine distinctions here than to embrace the qualities of creativity, skill and human scale present in the things exhibited in the gallery. If something has been individually crafted and embodies these three and other related qualities, then I’d say it was handmade. Please check out the "philosophy" section of this page for more on what "handmade" means to me. And feel free to email me () with any thoughts on what "handmade" means to you.