South East | Local crafts

Influential and inspirational people from South East
People worth learning a little more about

David Bailey

(Born 1938 in Leytonstone in London), Photography

Famous 20th century fashion and celebrity photographer

Ted Walker

(Born 1934 in Lancing in West Sussex), Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry

He was a journalist, writer of short stories, poet and broadcaster. His poem the Fox on a Barn Door is about his view of the countryside of Sussex.

Bryan Stanley Johnson

(Born 1933 in London in London), Fiction

The writer of Christie Malrys Own Double-Entry in 1973, a dystopian meta-fiction about a disalutions man rans his life using the Double-Entry book keeping system.

Bridget Riley

(Born 1931 in Norwood in London), Art

Bridget Riley is a British artist who was born in Norwood, London. After attending Cheltenham Ladies' College, she studied at Goldsmiths College and the Royal College of Art. She is known for her Optical Art, an abstract style which utilises optical effects to engage and stimulate the viewers senses. One of Britain's best known artists, her work appears in major collections around the world.

Jean Simmons

(Born 1929 in Lower Holloway in London), Music, Theatre

She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1948 for her role in Hamlet, the Laurence Olivier version. During the 50s she moved to America and work in Hollywood. She performed in the Londons West End during the 70s.

Derek Davis

(Born 1926 in Wandsworth in London), Pottery and ceramics, Painting

Derek Davis developed his ceramics, coming up with several innovative techniques. In 1994 he had an eye operation which afterwards left him unable to work with the pottery kiln, which was when he then started to focus on his painting.

Joan Aiken

(Born 1924 in Rye in East Sussex), Fiction, Nonfiction

She became a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1999, for her services to literature. Her well know early works include The Whispering Mountain and Black Hearts in Battersea. Over the year she has written, plays and poems, period and modern novels, supernatural and magic works, non-fiction and worked with illustrators on picture books.. In all she wrote more than a hundred piece, and readers of her works gained many new friends.

Elizabeth Bartlett

(Born 1924 in Deal in Kent), Poetry

Elizabeth Bartlett was a British poet. She worked for the health service and for the Home Care Service and it was in this environment that she was provided with material for some of her most emotive poems.

Anthony Alfred Caro

(Born 1924 in New Malden in London), Sculpture

Caro was a modernist sculptor who found success in the 1950s. He is also accredited with being the first person to remove the plinth, allowing viewers to be more connected with his work.

Susan Williams Ellis

(Born 1918 in Guildford in Surrey), Pottery and ceramics

She was the cofounder of Portmeirion Pottery. A designer and business woman. She was the daughter of celebrated architect Clough Williams-Ellis, famous for the development of Portmeirion in the Italian style.

Daphne Hardy Henrion

(Born 1917 in Amersham in Buckinghamshire), Sculpture

Known as having a distinguished career as a sculptress.

Antonia Forest

(Born 1915 in Hampstead in London), Childrens Fiction

Forest was a writer of books aimed at a young audience, you may as a child have read her most famous works about the Marlows.

Hammond Innes

(Born 1913 in Horsham in West Sussex), Fiction, Nonfiction

Innes was a prolific novelist with around thirty titles to his name. He also wrote childrens books and non fiction on travel.

Mary Wesley

(Born 1912 in Englefield Green in Surrey), Fiction, Nonfiction

She was without doubt a very popular writer of fiction, Wesley had her last novel Part of the Furniture published in 1997 at age at age 85. It was about a girls life story moving to the West Country and finding her independence and not being just part of the furniture.

Wilbert Awdry

(Born 1911 in Ampfield in Hampshire), Fiction

Writer of the well loved and very popular Thomas the tank engine along with many other stories in the railway series of books. He is perhaps better known as the Reverend W. Awdry.

Alicia Markova

(Born 1910 in Finsbury Park in London), Dance

Dame Markova was a great ballerina and along with Sir Anton Dolin was a founder of the English National Ballet.

Julian Bell

(Born 1908 in St Pancras in London), Poetry

He created two main books of poetry, Winter Movement in 1930 and Work for the Winter in 1936 among other works.

Kenneth Muir

(Born 1907 in London), Nonfiction

A scholar and prolific author of works on Elizabethan, Shakespearean and other theatre.

Eleanor Hibbert

(Born 1906 in Canning Town in London), Fiction

A prolific writer of romantic, historical and Gothic fiction with around 200 novels written under many pseudonyms.

Anton Dolin

(Born 1904 in Slinfold in West Sussex), Dance

Dolin founded numerous ballet companies and was a principal ballet dancer and choreographer. He studied with two notable ballet dancers, Bronislava Nijinska and Serafima Astafieva. He danced the lead in many classical ballets and was considered a leading partner in his time. He wrote a number of books on dance, including Ballet Go Round, Pas de Deux, the Art of Partnering, Alicia Markova, his own Autobiography and The Sleeping Ballerina. Which was the story of the prima ballerina Olga Spessivtzeva.

Cecil Walter Hardy Beaton

(Born 1904 in London), Photography

Famous British fashion photographer and award winning designer.

John Piper

(Born 1903 in Epsom in Surrey), Painting

John Piper painted mainly landscapes and churches but was appointed as an official war artist from 1940-1942. His first painting of bomb damage was after the air raid that destroyed Coventry Cathedral.

Eric Ravilious

(Born 1903 in Acton in London), Painting

Known particularly for his watercolours of the South Downs, he was a painter, designer, book illustrator, wood engraver and war artist.

John Melville

(Born 1902 in London), Painting

Painter, who was part of the Surrealist Movement.

Noel Coward

(Born 1899 in Teddington in Middlesex), Fiction, Music, Poetry, Theatre

Noel Coward was an English playwright, actor, singer, composer and director. From his teens onwards he had more than 50 plays published, composed hundreds of songs, created musical theatre works and wrote poetry and short stories. A few examples of his plays are This Happy Breed, Blythe Spirit and Relative Values

Arts and crafts in South East

Craft Events in South East

Faversham Artisan Crafts and Gift Markets

Folk and Bespoke Artisan Craft Fair

Summer Fete

Indoor Artisan Market monthly

Folk and Bespoke Artisan Craft Fair

Kent County Show

Brighton Makers Market

Farehams Artisan and Farmers Market

Farnborough Craft Fayre - July 2026

Faversham Artisan Crafts and Gift Markets

Artisan Craft Stalls and Fun Dog Show

Tunbridge Wells Artisan Craft and Gift Markets

Folk and Bespoke Artisan Craft Fair

Folk and Bespoke Artisan Craft Fair

Junk Journal

Mixed Media

Mixed Media

Junk Journal

Fun with Paints

Fun with Paints

Fun with Paints

Fun with Paints

Junk Journal

Mixed Media

Mixed Media

Junk Journal

Folk and Bespoke Artisan Craft Fair

Indoor artisan and craft market -

Farehams Artisan and Farmers Market

OUTSIDE and INSIDE ARTISAN MAKERS AND FOOD MONTHLY MARKET

Farnborough Craft Fayre - August 2026

Folk and Bespoke Artisan Craft Fair

Retro Festival

Brighton Makers Market

Folk and Bespoke Artisan Craft Fair

Aldershot Craft Fayre - August 2026

Indoor artisan and craft market -

Folk and Bespoke Artisan Craft Fair

Folk and Bespoke Artisan Craft Fair

Brighton Makers Market

Farnborough Craft Fayre - September 2026

Tunbridge Wells Artisan Craft and Gift Markets

Artists and Makers Fair

Folk and Bespoke Artisan Craft Fair

New Forest Bead Fair

AUTUMN ARTISAN MAKERS FAYRE DULWICH VILLAGE

Faversham Artisan Crafts and Gift Markets

Tunbridge Wells Artisan Craft and Gift Markets

Artists and crafts people in South EastHandmade and homespun artisan crafters from in and around South East.

Urgent Stitches

Calypso Sephora

Sue Pearson

Gumec Crafts

Chouette Alors

Miniature creations

LB Clay Crafting

MissAliceCouture

Abbielouise

Praenuntia

Mega Lily Design

Choughed Online Art

Crafty Heidi

Lilli Creative

Hope Jewellery

Chubby chucks handmade toys

Niche Wreaths

Fernies Garden

Recycloanalyst

Brushstrokes

Katy Blunt

Art by JenniferAnne

Barry Jones

Moonflower Magic

Suzie Catlin Designs

JinnieLizz Creations

Warm Woolies

Cheryl Donlon Art

Thingywotsits

Artists and crafts people in South East
Handmade and homespun artisan crafters from in and around South East.

Blog Posts
Craft posts by members in the south east section

Influential and inspirational people from South East
People worth learning a little more about