Published: Thursday, 26th May 2016
Stories of Lynn, King's Lynn's exciting new multimedia exhibition, will host a series of masterclasses that will run every Tuesday for 8 weeks in the summer of 2016, beginning on 14 June.
Each class will cover a different specialist technique and be led by experts and artists, who will demonstrate their skills and share their knowledge.
Cllr Elizabeth Nockolds, borough council cabinet member for Culture, Heritage and Health, said: “Stories of Lynn is not just a wonderful attraction to visit, it’s a gateway to learning. These classes are a great way to explore how your interests are linked to Lynn’s fascinating history, improve your skills, or just try something you’ve always wanted to!”
Tuesday 14 June – Palaeography - £20 per person
Palaeography, the study of old handwriting, will be explored by Tom Townsend, an archivist at Norfolk Record Office, using documents from the King’s Lynn Borough Archives. The class will look at how to interpret handwriting in documents from the 15th century through to the 18th century. It is ideal for anyone who wants or needs to use original texts in their research, such as tracing the history of their house.
Tuesday 21 June – Enamel - £20 per person
Sheila McDonald, enameller and jeweller, will teach the beautiful and ancient art of enamelling. The class will be inspired by the King John Cup, the centrepiece of Stories of Lynn’s treasury, which is decorated with the high quality enamelling of the 14th century. Participants will use specialist equipment to create their own enamelled piece.
Tuesday 28 June – Stained glass - £25 per person
Participants will be provided with equipment and materials to make their own stained glass decoration, using the copper foil technique. This technique was made famous at the turn of the last century by Louis Comfort Tiffany and the Tiffany Glass Co. The day will include expert tuition from Alby Stained Glass.
Tuesday 5 July – Paper screen printing - £35 per person
Artists from Print to the People, a Norwich-based printmaking studio, will help participants make their own experimental screen prints, working with paper stencils and textured screens to create abstract multi-layer A3 prints. The class is ideal for those who have never screen-printed before, and those with some experience. The Print to the People team will demonstrate what can be achieved before participants will work in pairs to produce their own pieces.
Tuesday 12 July – Bookbinding - £20
This class will focus on the medieval Red Register, the treasure of the King’s Lynn Borough Archives, as Nick Sellwood, a conservator at the Norfolk Record Office, explains and demonstrates how books are traditionally bound. This session will be part theoretical and part practical, including instruction in how to bind a small pamphlet. Participants are also invited to bring along their own old books to get specialist advice on how to re-bind and care for them.
Tuesday 19 July – Upholstery - £15 per person
Acclaimed Norfolk-based upholsterer Philip Thomerson will demonstrate practical upholstery and work with participants to create their own pieces. A small project (a piece of furniture and required materials for example) can be brought along and Philip will teach the necessary skills to turn it into a work of art!
Tuesday 26 July – Historic food - £30 per person
This masterclass will explore cooking and dining practices of the past, using historic documents and objects to discover how tastes have changed over the centuries. Some tasting and preparing of food will be included!
Tuesday 2 August – Woodcarving - £20 per person
Participants will work with artist and woodcarver Jason Parr to learn woodcarving skills and make their own piece to take home, transforming a chunk of wood into a beautifully carved creation. Tools and materials will be provided.
All masterclasses will run from 10am to 3pm with one hour for lunch, except the stained glass masterclass which will run from 10am to 4pm. Refreshments will be provided, but participants are asked to make their own arrangements for lunch. They will all be held in the education room at Stories of Lynn, in King's Lynn Town Hall, on the Saturday Market Place, King's Lynn.
To book a place, or for more information please contact Ruth Farnan on ruth.farnan@norfolk.gov.uk or 01553 669287.
To find out more about Stories of Lynn, visit https://www.storiesoflynn.co.uk