Little Tales of Great Beauty: Tale Six

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 Six: Folly and Fable

As we look forward to the festive season for some much-needed frivolity, The New Craftsmen finds joy (and quite a bit of mischief) in the characters of traditional folk tales.

In week six of our Little Tales of Great Beauty series, we invite you to explore an exclusive collection of artworks by Jo Waterhouse. These playful illustrations are inspired by the stories and rituals of English folk culture. Look out for an oak spirit taking her pig on parade, plaid-swaddled dancers, a bedraggled sprite caught in the rain, and a jolly trumpeter wearing a cape made from oak leaves.

Jo uses a treasure-trove of materials to build her pieces, including gold leaf, marbled paper and vintage sketchbooks unearthed in car boot sales.

'Deeper meaning resides in the fairy tales told to me in childhood than the truth that is taught by life.

Delve into oral traditions of the past and explore a world of folly and fable. See our exclusive Jo Waterhouse edit below.