October 2024

2024 has sped by with exciting challenges and changes at Tidekettle. We have reconfigured our space to make more room for papermaking – binding and letterpress kit has been moved into the house where there is the added advantage of unfrozen fingers in the winter. The papermaking has of course instantly expanded to fit the space available! Top of the to do list is increasing our dryer capacity to keep up with production.

I am still teaching, but have scaled back the offering of introductory workshops to concentrate more on my own work. This currently includes exploring invasive weed fibres with the help of Connecting Threads, a cross-border organisation promoting culture along the River Tweed, and collaborating with local businesses on waste recycling projects.

We warmly welcome enquiries about working with artists and educators on specific projects and working with the local community. If you are looking for classes, do check out the short courses at West Dean College (see papermaking classes page) which are suitable for all levels of papermaking experience. We would also recommend the classes at Morley College in London taught by Ellie Burkett.

All existing orders, commissions, classes, workshops and collaborations, whether confirmed or in the discussion/planning stages, will absolutely be honoured, do get in touch if you have questions. I can still take bespoke paper orders, but the lead times will be longer and the prices higher than in the past.

The shop/studio is open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 12-4pm and also by appointment whenever I’m in Berwick - please text/WhatsApp 07528 217004, (I don’t answer calls from numbers outside my contacts) or fire me a message on the contact page, link above. Visitors are always most welcome and there is no pressure to buy.

We are gradually transitioning to a new website, tidekettle.com and the online paper shop is now over there. You can still order the Papermaking book in the shop here on this site and we will keep you updated on progress. You can contact us on either site for now.

A thousand thanks to all who have supported and continue to support Tidekettle.

 

Some must conquer mountains

Bag them, stand on top, bestride.

Taunted by weather, they hunker, mutter, plot, and try again.

As clouds scud by below them, punch the air.

 

Some prefer the journey down, the little caves, the mossy stones.

They know the crust is thin and seek their refuge there,

Among the boulders and the ferns

Beneath the sheep-cropped grass with Mother Time.

 

Lucy Baxandall, 2024

 

Collaborations, etc:

Recycling project with Pith Supply here in Berwick.

Perversions of Paper, Invitational Symposium, June 20 2014, Birkbeck College, London

Meeting the Mayor of Kagithane in Istanbul with the late, great Oz Tugrul and his lovely family (sorry no Turkish g's/i's!)

Working with young entrepreneurs