Artisan Awards 2009

It's great to see that traditional crafts are still recognised and encouraged in the UK! Biome Lifestyle is always looking out for new designer-makers who are based in the UK and use traditional skills and crafts.
That's why we are loving the Country Living Artisan Awards 2009. Once country trades were passed down from parent to child, with generations of the same family specialising in one skill. Faced with a lack of training opportunities, today's craftspeople have to demonstrate self-motivation and creative talent in equal doses in order to succeed. Our Artisan of the Year for 2008, thatcher Jonathan Botterell, spent years travelling the country to learn the rudiments of his craft, while Andrew Seddon, winner of our Outstanding Support of Future Artisans Award, taught himself the skills needed to become a stained-glass maker, then began training apprentices to pass on his knowledge. Good luck to all those talented people who will be entering the awards! We look forward to reading more about the selected finalists in the near future.