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Arts and crafts in Dorset

Dorset (including Bournemouth, Christchurch, East Dorset, North Dorset. Poole, Purbeck, West Dorset and Weymouth and Portland) is in the South West of England. It has a population of around 744,000 and covers approximately 265,000 hectares. Here is a list of nearby or neighbouring counties: Devon, Hampshire, Somerset, Wiltshire.

County flag of DorsetThere is archaeological evidence of human settlements in Dorset dating back to Neolithic times. Much of the county is designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and most of its coastline is a World Heritage Site, which includes the famous Jurassic Coast, that continues into neighbouring Devon. Never heavily industrialised, agriculture is declining in the county and tourism has grown in importance. With no cities and mostly consisting of villages and small towns, the largest populations are found in coastal resorts such as Weymouth and Bournemouth, the port of Poole and towns such as Christchurch and the county town of Dorchester. There are a series of Iron Age hill forts across the county, including Maiden Castle which is among the largest in Europe and The Cerne Abbas Giant is the largest hill figure in Britain. The historic Town Mill in Lyme Regis features a restored Victorian water mill and the art galleries host exhibitions of work by artists and craft makers from across the region. Performing arts venues in Dorset include The Tivoli Theatre in Wimborne, The Regent Centre in Christchurch, the Pavilion Theatre in Bournemouth and the Lighthouse in Poole.

The Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum located on the sea front in Bournemouth is housed within a Victorian mansion, which was once home to Sir Merton and Lady Annie Russell-Cotes. The furnishings and decorations inspired by their travels include Japanese stained glass, embossed wallpaper and ceilings decorated with mythical figures. On display are artefact that they collected, such as ceramics, sculptures and paintings, including a large collection of British art. Sherborne Castle dates back to the late 16th century and was built for Sir Walter Raleigh. Today visitors to the Tudor mansion can appreciate the finely decorated and furnished interiors, fine art and porcelain. Outside there are picturesque gardens and parkland, which have served as a venue for a wide range of events including concerts, craft fairs and firework displays. Kingston Lacy is a country house built in the style of an Italian palace, set among grounds which include beautiful gardens and woodlands. The property is owned by the National Trust and inside there is finely carved plaster, marble and woodwork, antique furniture, sculptures and paintings by artists such as Van Dyck, Peter Paul Rubens, Titian and Diego Velazquez. Other attractions in Dorset include Sherborne Abbey, Sculpture by the Lakes in Dorchester, the ruins of Corfe Castle and Dorset County Museum in Dorchester.

Artworks by Jan

Artworks by Jan

Ferndown, Dorset

A self taught artist who uses painting to relax and escape my structured life!! I really ...

Jacqueline Redfern

Jacqueline Redfern

Sherborne, Dorset

I love to paint nature, water and wildlife. I mostly use acrylic because of the depth ...

Hnmd By CAS

Hnmd By CAS

Bournemouth, Dorset

I’ve always loved art but got back into making art in 2019. My art journey has lead me ...

The Bright Star Studio

The Bright Star Studio

Shaftesbury, Dorset

I started arts and crafts as a distraction from anxiety and depression. When I had family ...

Rustic Art Vibes

Rustic Art Vibes

Bournemouth, Dorset

I am passionate about our natural world and conservation, I create images using digital ...

Weasel Crafts

Weasel Crafts

Piddlehinton, Dorset

After suffering from burn out after teaching secondary school science for almost 17 years ...

indigotyde

indigotyde

West Lulworth, Dorset

I was drawn into Shibori indigo-dyeing simply by seeing the beauty of it and indigotyde ...

Mary Quinlan

Mary Quinlan

Ferndown, Dorset

Impasto art using oils and mixededia to create semi sculptured works I combine wood, ...

Reparatrice candles

Reparatrice candles

Ringwood, Dorset

Hand poured soy fragrances candles specialising in beautiful floral fragrances that change ...

Tucked In

Tucked In

Bournemouth, Dorset

We are a family-run business specialising in 100 percent cotton nightwear. All of our ...

Luca Domiro Contemporary Art

Luca Domiro Contemporary Art

Christchurch, Dorset

All my artwork is nature inspired discovered within UK and abroad. I offer originals, ...

DKBlue

DKBlue

Poole, Dorset

I hand engrave and etch glass often unique pieces. I am also creating my own jewellery ...

Kaz Johnson

Kaz Johnson

Bournemouth, Dorset

Karen Johnson is a gifted gift-maker, with a special talent for personalizing her creations ...

Pamper Moose Cosmetics

Pamper Moose Cosmetics

Bournemouth, Dorset

Pamper Moose create and make a unique range of Vegan bath, beauty and grooming products ...

The Last Post

The Last Post

Dorchester, Dorset

We are looking for local artist and craft makers to display and sell in our new ven ...

MadeInWaves

MadeInWaves

Bournemouth, Dorset

Scavenging sea glass, driftwood, shells and coastal materials to make jewellery, homeware ...

Tropic Skincare with Gaye

Tropic Skincare with Gaye

Broadstone, Dorset

I am a proud passionate ambassador for Tropic Skincare and love selling and promoting ...

Buy one give one soap

Buy one give one soap

Bournemouth, Dorset

10 Naturally made soaps all certified as natural including a baby soap for under 36mths. ...

UNIQUE JEWELLERY

UNIQUE JEWELLERY

Bournemouth, Dorset

Gorgeous handmade jewellery by me, including sterling, fine and pewter silver. Unique ...

Skitzmix

Skitzmix

Bournemouth, Dorset

Hatter and maker of things, passionate about rainbow colours, home decor, and personal ...

Candle Scents

Candle Scents

Christchurch, Dorset

A family owned business with a passion for producing beatiful, handcrafted Candles and ...

S and S Scents

S and S Scents

Luton, Dorset

S and S Scents is a black owned, homemade, vegan and cruelty free candle and scents business. ...

Handmade leather products

Handmade leather products

Bournemouth, Dorset

Welcome to The Smell of a Leather! We specialise in handmade leather products such as ...

BSpokeshaving

BSpokeshaving

Weymouth, Dorset

I have a level 2 City and guilds in Carpentry and joinery and have been working in woodworking ...

Justine Dalton

Justine Dalton

Weymouth, Dorset

Hello, my name is Justine and I run my company, ‘Casa del Duende’ from my studio in Weymouth. ...

Sunflower By Soul

Sunflower By Soul

New Milton, Dorset

Promoting mental wellness: Self Care Packages, Wax Melt+Candles, Soap Bars, Bath Oils, ...

Cubbishly Kes Candles

Cubbishly Kes Candles

Weymouth, Dorset

Cubbishly Kes candles are all made from natural soy wax. The fragrance is all vegan friendly ...

Pauls recycled Wood

Exhibitor

Ferndown, Dorset

Pauls Recycled Wood All the pieces made are from off cuts of wasted timber helping to ...

Jane Norman

Exhibitor

Bournemouth, Dorset

I have been making amigurumi for a while and I’m looking to start selling them. My Instagram ...

Smellie Ellie Wax Melts

Exhibitor

Verwood, Dorset

My name is Ellie and I sell handmade soy wax melts. I currently provide over 50 different ...

Barok Imaging

Exhibitor

Poole, Dorset

I print on practically any surface or item. If it is not already in my repertoire I will ...

Photos are a good way to keep your ideas alive

Photos are a good way to keep your ideas alive

Sherborne, Dorset

Whilst walking last autumn, I passed a hedge rows that was so beautiful it looked like ...

Don’t be scared to experiment

Don’t be scared to experiment

Sherborne, Dorset

I recently visited the local wood yard where there were several offcuts in a bin. I brought ...

Designing your arts and crafts stall

Designing your arts and crafts stall

Ferndown, Dorset

You have booked a space at a local arts and crafts fair and your attention turns to designing ...

Attending arts and craft fairs

Attending arts and craft fairs

Ferndown, Dorset

So, after much thought and deliberation, you have decided to attend your first art and ...

Keeping an art journal

Keeping an art journal

Ferndown, Dorset

Hands up. Who keeps a journal? A journal of any kind? Me!! I could be considered as a ...

Sourcing printers for your artwork

Sourcing printers for your artwork

Ferndown, Dorset

This was so difficult! It all started when people were enquiring about some “nice” prints ...

Creating a website

Creating a website

Ferndown, Dorset

With the world revolving around technology, an emerging artist (yes, I am trying to be) ...

Finding inspiration

Finding inspiration

Ferndown, Dorset

Inspiration can take many forms and pops up unexpectedly. It could come in an observation, ...

Setting up your art space

Setting up your art space

Ferndown, Dorset

Some of us are very fortunate to have a dedicated area at home that we call our own where ...

Memories Links to the past

Memories Links to the past

Ferndown, Dorset

Mum, as far back as I remember was always drawing and painting. We lived in the city ...

Draw every day finding time

Draw every day finding time

Ferndown, Dorset

Life is busy, busy, busy!! I don’t know about you guys, but I find it difficult to draw ...

Getting started Coming back to your art

Getting started Coming back to your art

Ferndown, Dorset

Didn’t really appreciate how hard this was going to be. I kept thinking about getting ...

Guidelines for artists

Guidelines for artists

Ferndown, Dorset

During my research, I came across quite a few examples of “ten rules for artists”, which ...

Welcome to my art blog

Welcome to my art blog

Ferndown, Dorset

Why create a blog post? I’ve come back to my art after a 30+ year break. You know the ...

Horse Boat

Exhibitor

Sherborne, Dorset

What a wonderful sight to see. I was transported back to the romantic life of a horse ...


Thomas Hardy

(Born 1840 in Stinsford in Dorset), Fiction, Poetry

Hardy is a famous British author, well known for works such as Far from the Madding Crowd, Tess of the dUrbervilles and more.

He wrote Far from the Madding Crown whilst at the home he was born in. A thatched cottage in Dorchester, thought to be the inspiration for his fictional Wessex.

William Henry Fox Talbot

(Born 1800 in Melbury Abbas in Dorset), Photography

Talbot was an inventor who developed an early photographic process called calotype.