As part of London Craft Week, the Suffolk Craft Society is proud to present Suffolk in the City, an exhibition curated by our patron and former Chair, Trevor Pickett. Following a highly successful debut at London Craft Week last year, we are delighted to return in May 2026.
The exhibition will feature a carefully selected group of Society members, chosen by Trevor to represent the high standards of craftsmanship and creative excellence for which the Suffolk Craft Society is renowned. Spanning a wide range of disciplines, the exhibition offers visitors a unique opportunity to experience exceptional work that reflects both Suffolk’s rich craft heritage and the contemporary innovation of its members. This year’s exhibition will feature work by the following makers:
Hassina Khan works in kiln-formed glass, combining fusing and slumping techniques with traditional glass painting to create pieces that enrich domestic and architectural spaces. Drawing on her English and Pakistani heritage, her practice explores themes of identity and in-between-ness. Short written texts form the starting point for much of her work; these reflections are transliterated into a fusion of English and Urdu, using Nastaliq script. Through shifts in scale, rotation and composition, the text becomes abstract, no longer legible, yet resonant inviting viewers to engage conceptually and emotionally with the layered narratives embedded in the glass.
Ruth Holt designs and weaves cloth on a 24-shaft loom, working primarily with fine silk and wool yarns to produce textiles of nuanced colour and rich tactile quality. Her inspiration comes from the shifting landscapes of Suffolk and the seascapes of Orkney, where subtle tonal changes and reflective expanses inform her distinctive palette.
A recent residency at Linkshouse with the Pier Arts Centre has deepened her connection to Orkney’s complex and dramatic environment, further enriching her exploration of atmosphere, light and woven structure.
Val Jarvis creates distinctive rugs using the heritage craft of Locker Hooking, a lesser-known technique passed down through generations. Using a long crochet hook with an eye, yarn is drawn through fabric loops and locked into place to build intricate, textured surfaces. Sustainability underpins her practice: velvet curtains, upholstery fabrics, denim and old clothing are repurposed to minimise waste, with offcuts incorporated into fringing and rug backs.
Inspired by the colours and textures of her materials—as well as sunrises over the sea and vibrant local flora Val allows each design to evolve organically. Her lifelong passion for reimagining discarded fabrics continues to shape rugs that tell stories of creativity, thrift and craftsmanship.
Working from the Stour Valley, Marie Coomber is a self-taught ceramicist who throws her pieces in speckled stoneware clay. She celebrates the tactile qualities of the material, often leaving areas intentionally unglazed to contrast with smooth, lustrous surfaces and finely polished bases. Her forms juxtapose sharp angles with colours inspired by landscapes close to her heart, rom the Charentaise skies of south-west France to the spring greens of Suffolk and the rugged East Anglian coastline.
Marie believes functional ceramics should elevate daily rituals, and her subtly individual mugs and tableware invite each user to discover a piece that feels uniquely their own.
Neville Tatham specialises in wheel-thrown Slipware, refining his practice through years of production throwing and teaching. Working from his rural Essex studio, he draws inspiration from traditional rural pottery that predates the Industrial Revolution and the Arts and Crafts Movement.
Using local clays that fire at lower temperatures, his environmentally conscious approach results in functional earthenware pots that celebrate visible process and material. Slip-trailed and incised decoration, combined with lead glazes and exposed terracotta surfaces, create rich contrasts between raw clay and glossy finish.
Originally from Ayrshire and now long settled in Suffolk, Claire Pirie discovered her love of clay during her Art Foundation studies before completing a BA (Hons) in 3D Design, Ceramics at Bath.
Specialising in thrown functional porcelain, she focuses on form, function and the tactile pleasure of polished clay. Clear and white glazes glossy or satin are used sparingly, while many exteriors remain unglazed to celebrate the purity of the material. Her tactile, refined pieces are designed to enhance flowers, food and candlelight, bringing quiet beauty to everyday moments.
Moira Goodall creates contemporary vessels inspired by the coastal light, colour and form of the river and salt marshes outside her studio. Hand-built using flattened coils, her vessels are coated in pale slips and burnished to a satin sheen before undergoing sawdust and smoke firing an ancient, unpredictable technique. Found objects from beach and marsh sometimes leave delicate marks in the surface.
With no glaze applied, the final character of each piece is shaped by flame, fuel and weather, resulting in work that balances careful intention with the wild spontaneity of fire.
London Craft Week celebrates outstanding British and international craftsmanship, bringing together over 1,000 established and emerging makers, designers, brands and galleries from around the world. The focus is on skill, substance and creative vision, showcasing work that stands apart for its quality, originality and innovation.
Within this context, Suffolk in the City highlights the breadth of Suffolk’s creative talent, where traditional techniques meet contemporary practice, offering a snapshot of the region’s dynamic and thriving craft scene.
Lin Carter’s practice spans basketry, weaving and felt-making, rooted in a joyful respect for tradition and material. Trained in both traditional and contemporary basketry, she works with willow she has grown herself and rush gathered from Suffolk rivers to create hats, vessels and sculptural forms.
Her studio houses looms of varying ages, supporting ongoing experimentation informed by her training in Contemporary Constructed Textiles in Bradford. Using handspun fleece from rare-breed sheep grazing Orford Ness, she produces richly textured woven pieces, alongside felted hats, scarves and bespoke interior works. An experienced teacher and mentor, Lin generously shares her skills with emerging makers.
Cindy Gidey creates woven vessels from soft natural fibres, using coiling and stitching techniques that echo ancient basketry traditions while expressing a contemporary aesthetic. With a background in fashion, textiles and interiors, and a lineage of seamstresses stretching back generations, hand stitching is central to her contemplative process. Inspired by childhood memories of collecting natural treasures, she shapes fibres intuitively into sculptural forms. The spiral of a gastropod shell, for example, finds resonance in the coiled structure of her baskets, reflecting her deep affinity with the natural world.
Jeweller Diane Levitt draws inspiration from the landscapes of Constable Country, where natural forms and lines spark the beginnings of her designs. Committed to sustainability, she works with recycled and ethically sourced materials, incorporating enamel, stones and glass to introduce vibrant colour.
Diane particularly enjoys commissions, collaborating closely with clients to create jewellery imbued with personal meaning and lasting sentiment.
Susi Hines creates contemporary jewellery through intricate traditional constructions, smelting her own gold alloys to achieve subtle tonal variations. By “painting” with metal, she builds articulated structures that express metamorphosis, rhythm and movement. Etched and patinated surfaces combine with silver, unusual diamonds and gemstones to heighten contrast and surprise. Her signature Mutabilis rings, registered designs featuring interchangeable central elements, embody her fascination with transformation.
Alongside her studio practice, Susi teaches part-time and runs private classes, bringing her technical expertise and passion for making to others.
Mary Antsee-Parry is a professional wood and letter carver, working largely to commission. A member of the Royal Society of Sculptors, she brings a lifetime of acquired carving techniques to her practice, creating coats of arms, sculptural works in wood and stone, and historically informed pieces.
Replicating carved panels and frames from the Victoria and Albert Museum storehouse has expanded her technical repertoire. Increasingly motivated by environmental concerns, Mary also experiments with ephemeral materials such as fabric, paper and knitted copper wire, extending her sculptural language into new territory.
Since the early 1990s, Anne Schwegmann-Fielding has created public art commissions across East Anglia while exhibiting nationally and internationally.
Central to her practice is the transformation of discarded materials: chipped British tableware, broken jewellery and car windscreen glass are meticulously cut and reassembled into vibrant mosaics and sculptural forms. Familiar ceramic patterns, such as Willow Pattern and Alfred Meakin designs appear alongside makers’ marks, bridging past and present.
The resonance of these materials is often deeply personal, with clients contributing fragments of family china to be reimagined within her richly decorative works.
This year, we are proud to once again bring exceptional Suffolk craftsmanship to the capital, celebrating the skill, heritage, and creativity that define our region. From time-honoured techniques to contemporary innovation, our work reflects some of the very best of what Suffolk makers have to offer.
Suffolk in the City will be hosted at Pickett London in Mayfair with a satellite exhibition at Pickett London, Chelsea from 11th to 17th May 2026.
Join Us
Excited by these opportunities and keen to join us? The Suffolk Craft Society thrives through the support of artists, makers, and heritage craft enthusiasts. Whether you are a skilled artisan looking to showcase your work or an admirer of fine craftsmanship, there are two fantastic ways to get involved, becoming a Member or joining as a Friend.
Membership: For Makers & Craft Professionals becoming a Suffolk Craft Society Member offers a wealth of opportunities:
Exhibit Your Work – Take part in our prestigious exhibitions held in iconic venues.
Promotion & Recognition – Gain exposure through our website, social media, and marketing.
Join a Respected Community – Be part of a network of skilled artisans who celebrate and support British craftsmanship.
Friends of Suffolk Craft Society: For Supporters & Enthusiasts, join as a Friend and enjoy exclusive benefits:
Discounts – Enjoy special offers on handcrafted pieces.
Newsletters – Stay informed with the latest society updates, artist features, and upcoming events.
Private View Invitations – Be among the first to see our exhibitions and meet the makers behind the work.
Your support—whether as a Member or a Friend—helps us continue our mission to celebrate, promote, and preserve fine craftsmanship in the Eastern region. Join us today and become part of a vibrant creative community.