Little Tales of Great Beauty: Tale Eight

As the festive season beckons, The New Craftsmen will be bringing you Little Tales of Great Beauty; a deep exploration of the stories and inspirations behind our Makers and their new collections, to reveal and celebrate the innate beauty of their work.

Over the next few weeks, The New Craftsmen has invited makers to bring each tale to life through literary quotes, poetry and prose. Each collection will be paired with an evocative quote selected by the makers; bringing both object and words together to tell a tale of great beauty.

Tale Eight: Winter Beasts

For the eighth and final week of our Little Tales of Great Beauty series, The New Craftsmen presents a collection of enchanting decorative pieces by sculptor Frances Pelly.

Frances’ work forges a connection to the cultural and physical world she inhabits. Her hand-hewn sculptures are borne from materials gathered in woodland around her property and they recall the special storytelling traditions of Orkney, where she lives and works.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
the frumious Bandersnatch!"

Envisioning fantastical beasts drawn from traditional Norse and Inuit stories, these carefully sculpted creatures possess an intriguing, otherworldly quality. Explore the full collection below.