. . . and we’re back for another run of courses, this being our first one of the year and we got off to a flying start. The weather was kind to us so it wasn’t quite as chilly in the mill as it usually is this time of year and we welcomed four new students onto the course who’d never welded before. I’d met Alison and Nicola in Staithes last year and talked to them about the course so they signed up and along they came with some ideas about what they wanted to make. Alison made a really impressive dragon from lots of pieces of junk metal which will stand in her fireplace at home whereas Nicola wanted to make an owl for her garden and even managed to make a bird table too. Jim was bought his place on the course as a Christmas gift and after initially making a series of garden bugs and flowers went on to make a memorial to place at one of the crashed aeroplane sites that are dotted around the hills here. Frances is well accustomed to making pieces from brass and copper so quite fancied scaling up with the immediacy of working in steel and made a moth, flower, bird and a huge plant support cum weather vane. It was great to be back on with the courses which I couldn’t run without the help and support of fellow sculptor Billy (David Mayne) and everyone was pleased with their efforts as they filled their car boots on the Sunday evening. We’ve got 2 places left for this year – April 5th/6th and June 21st/22nd if you fancy having a go yourself.