Gaynor Goffe - Calligrapher

After teaching in secondary schools for several years,
Gaynor trained in calligraphy, heraldry and illumination 1975-8
at Reigate School of Art & Design ( Surrey Diploma in Art & Design),
followed by 3 years as calligraphy assistant to Donald Jackson.

Elected a fellow of the Society of Scribes & Illuminators 1978 ( resigned 1999),
and a fellow of the Calligraphy & Lettering Arts Society and member of
Letter Exchange.
She taught calligraphy on the certificate and diploma courses
at the Roehampton Institute 1981-97, and on the HND course at Reigate
School of Art & Design1997-2000, and on numerous short courses in Britain
and abroad for nearly 30 years.

She combines teaching, with working to commission and for exhibition.
Her two books: 'Calligraphy Made Easy' and 'Calligraphy Step by Step '
( with Anna Ravenscroft) were published in 1994.

She runs her own calligraphy correspondence courses and is an examiner
for the Calligraphy & Lettering Arts Society's diplomas.

01353 778328
www.gaynorgoffe-calligraphy.co.uk

Tom Perkins - Letter Cutter and Designer

Tom Perkins trained in calligraphy at Reigate School of Art & Design
in the mid 70's, followed by a year as letter carving assistant to
Richard Kindersley at his Kennington studio.
In 1982, after letter carving in London for several years, he set up his own
workshop in Sutton Cambridgeshire.

A wide range of work includes public art commissions large-scale signs
for buildings, memorials, plaques, book jacket and logo design.
Recent commissions include lettering for the Queen's Gallery, and a
metal lettering frieze for St Martin-in-the-Fields , London.

He has taught lettering and letter carving at the Roehampton Institute
for 15 years until 1997 and teaches short courses at West Dean College
and for The Memorial Arts Charity, and in the U.S.A. and Japan.

His is a fellow of the Calligraphy & Lettering Arts Society, Temenos Academy,
The Royal Society of Arts and the Society of Designer Craftsmen.
He is also a member of Letter Exchange and the Art Workers Guild.
His book 'the Art of Letter Carving in Stone was published by The Crowood Press in 2007.

01353 778328

Russel Sydenham - Potter

Russel Sydenham was born on a Motor Torpedo boat in Poole Harbour,
and spent his childhood in and around the islands of Poole,
swimming and sailing and leading a pretty idylic life,
‘like swallows and amazons’ is how he describes it.

He has been potting now for around 35 years.
His father built him his first throwing wheel when he was 6 years old!
In 1968 he began an apprenticeship at Poole Pottery and after this
worked with Jones the Potter in South Wales for two years.
During the 1970s’ he worked with his Father, Guy Sydenham
on Green Island in Poole harbour where they made salt glazed pottery together.

In 1986 he set up a Studio at New Barn near Dorchester, Dorset.
Since then he has established Barton Cottage Pottery with Lesley,
where he is now based.

Russel & Lesley often work together on a project or on a range of work,
but each has their own studio, and they describe the way they work as
‘ working together separately’.
They take individual commissions and orders, and produce their own ranges
of work, one off pieces and production runs of tableware, kitchen ware
and pots and features for the garden.

01305 267463

Lesley Collington - Potter & Tai Chi Teacher

Lesley spent her early childhood living on Mudeford Quay
where she had a wonderfully free range life.
She trained at Bournemouth & Poole College of Art and after a nine year gap
in which time she worked as a bookseller, she studied Pottery at
Southampton Faculty of Art and Design from 1979 to 1981.

Initially she had a small studio in Bournemouth, and then moved to Caithness
in North Scotland where she lived for two years, her studio looked out
onto the Pentland Firth and across to the Orkneys.

On returning to Bournemouth in 1984 she divided her time between
teaching pottery to adults and children and producing a range of studio pottery.

In 1992 she moved to Barton Cottage with Russel where she has established
her studio, making pots and designing lettering using various mediums.
She cultivates her garden, also a source of inspiration for her work,
and runs classes in T’ai Chi
01305 267463      www.barton-cottage-pottery.co.uk

Paul Swatridge - Designer Maker of Decorative Woodwork

Originally an art college graduate, Paul has worked in wood for 30 years.
For 12 years he was a partner with Stuart Interiors of Barrington Court
in Somerset and produced carved-oak decoration for their exclusive
17th century reproduction furniture.
During this time he undertook short term assignments working with the
wood carving industry in North India as a consultant designer,
developing a range of new products for their export markets.

In 1993 Paul qualified as a Psychosynthesis counsellor and works part time
as a therapist. He also spent 10 years helping to develop and run
an ecological centre on the Welsh Borders.
In 2006, after a break of several years and a move to Dorset, Paul started
working with wood again, as a contemporary designer maker.
.
His current work springs from a spiritual and ecological view of the world,
and includes decorative mirror frames, sculptural candlesticks,
celtic crosses and memorials in oak, and finger labyrinths, made fron
hardwoods. Locally sourced where possible and often recycled.
The Designs often evolve from the character or grain of the wood,
so every item is a one-off, unique object. The work is decorative
and yet practical, highly original and often rich with symbolism.

Paul also works to commission. He lives and works in the Dorchester area.

paul@swatridge.net   www.swatridge.net     07772 726454