Hopewood Baskets is the vision of Sarah Loughlin and Marcus Wootton, basketmakers and artists, who work collaboratively from their studio in Bewdley, Worcestershire. Along with creating functional willow baskets and sculptural vessels, they enjoy teaching a range of basketry workshops.
Over the last 3 years we have been running our basketry workshops at Arch 27. As soon as we stepped into the space we knew it was the perfect venue for our workshops. From a practical point of view, willow basketry takes up a lot of room, so this huge open space is ideal, meaning our participants have plenty of room to move around safely and comfortably. The high ceilings and big glass windows make the space feel even bigger, and provides lots of natural light, which is important for practical activities.
Having access to an outdoor area at the back of Arch 27 has been wonderful for us, meaning on warm summer days we can offer a shaded spot to work in. We love how peaceful and calm the space is, whilst still being in the middle of a city centre, with easy access to public transport for people attending our workshops.
We run a number of different workshops throughout the year, carefully design by Sarah, a qualified teacher with over 15 years experience: from one and two day courses aimed at those coming along to make their very first basket, to longer 3 and 4 day courses for those wishing to immerse themselves in the art of willow basketry!
We absolutely love holding our courses at Arch 27, as it really feels like you’re in the creative hub of Worcester, with lots of other creative businesses and activities happening in the other Arches. When people come along to our workshops, they often comment on what an amazing space it is to work in.
Sarah & Marcus
