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Thursday 10am - 5pm Friday 10am - 5pm Saturday 10am - 5pm

designermakers21

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designermakers21

designermakers21 is home to a group of local extraordinary designers and crafts people. Come and bro

This unique project enables talented designers to work together in an inspiring environment, and also opens to the public to showcase their work. Come in and see where the creativity happens and buy something unique and special from the makers themselves.

29/08/2026

We have an incredible range of Prints and Paintings here at designermakers21, here are just a few which are currently on display and for sale in the studios and galleries…

We have everything from lithographs to lamps, lino, screen & digital print, a range of oil, acrylic and watercolour paintings. The work shown here is by our permanent members Annette Rolston and Paul Sharrock, our honorary and associate members Janine Oxley and Jon Higham, and current residency artists Harmony Shaw, Sonia Gomez, Deb Cousins, Deborah Sedgwick and Andrew Lee.

If you are looking for a beautiful original artwork for your walls, or to gift, we have certainly got that covered! Why not come in and see these pieces up close - we’re open every Thursday to Saturday 10am-5pm in Diss.

28/08/2026

Come along to designermakers21 next Saturday 5th September for a mending workshop with our member Marie Marie Mallen and Sarah from Oxfam Diss

We all have a loved item of clothing that’s looking a little tired or threadbare. Bring along those treasured garments, and learn the skills to give them a refresh ready for wear for years to come!

Drop in workshop between 10am-3pm, no need to book, and no experience needed. A donation of £10 is suggested, which will be shared between Oxfam and designermakersCIO.

We can’t wait to see your beautiful mends!

📍designermakers21, St Nicholas Street, Diss, IP22 4LB
📆 Saturday 5th September, 10am-3pm

27/08/2026

Our Spotlight Maker this Saturday is the fab Steph Parmee Steph Parmee

Recently, Steph has been busy working on commissions, everything from bespoke glass door panels to book ends. These door panels are having a final polish before they’re off to their new home!

Steph runs regular stained glass workshops throughout the year, and is a fantastic tutor. There are still spaces available on Steph’s 2 day workshop 24th-25th October - come and learn how to design and make your own gorgeous stained glass panel.

Come and visit Steph’s colourful studio upstairs at designermakers21, learn about glass process, chat workshops and see a beautiful range of work for sale in the studio and galleries.

📍designermakers21, Diss, IP22 4LB
🕥 Thursdays to Saturdays, 10am-5pm

25/08/2026

We are thrilled to announce a day of exciting FREE creative sessions with designermakers21 members on Saturday 19th September during national Heritage Open Days Heritage Open Days

Come and take part in workshops inspired by the Winfarthing finds, and Anglo-Saxon life. Have a go at…

* Anglo-Saxon inspired bead making
* Create an Anglo-Saxon stylized animal or figure in clay
* Experience Anglo-Saxon Weaving: create a Community Cloth
* Create a mosaic inspired by the Winfarthing pendant
* Anglo-Saxon Inspired Embroidery
* Make your own Anglo-Saxon inspired clay ‘cresset’ lamp

Workshops take place at designermakers21, Diss and St Mary’s Church, Winfarthing.

All activities are FREE, however, for some, booking on the day may be required. Please head to our website for details of all sessions.

https://designermakers21.co.uk/eventsandexhibitions/

For more information about the Winfarthing Anglo-Saxon Project
head to https://www.winfarthing-anglosaxon.org/

These workshops are part of Coins and Crosses: Seeking the Anglo-Saxons in Winfarthing and Waveney, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund The National Lottery Heritage Fund

24/08/2026

Wow, what an amazing weekend we had FolkEast festival, running workshops in the brilliant Jane Mitchell-Finch

A huge thank you to everyone who took part in a workshop with our members- you are such a fantastically creative bunch, and we so enjoyed seeing your glass sun-catchers, lino prints, batik paintings, clay creatures & oil burners. Thank you to all who stopped by to see what we were all making, and for a chat.

Folk East is a magical place; special thanks to Mandy and team Jane Mitchell-Finch ,and the whole organisation team and volunteers who work tirelessly to bring the festival to life.

We are already looking forward to next year!

22/08/2026

Here are a few of the works of art in our 'Expo 26' Exhibition, here at designermakers21, in Diss. It is proving to be a popular exhibition with many visitors and some great responses in the comments book.
The show continues until the 29th August, open Thursday -Saturday 10-5pm.
designermakers21, St Nicholas Street, Diss. IP22 4LB

21/08/2026

Half way through their fixed term residency Harmony Shaw and Sonia Gomez have been making the most of their time with us. Taking the opportunity, afforded by dedicated studio space, to develop their creativity. Both artists have been producing some fantastic art and are enjoying talking with the public on our open days.

Harmonie Shaw;
Influenced by Impressionism, I explore colour, light, and atmosphere within natural forms. My practice is primarily painting, but I’ve begun incorporating mixed media, including oil pastels, watercolour, and stitched thread to build layered, tactile surfaces that reflect the textures we find in nature. I’m particularly drawn to forests and woodlands, and to the presence of trees. I like to observe their textures, movement, and quiet mystical presence, a feeling I try to capture within my paintings.

Sonia Gomez;
My paintings are based on places and landscapes I have encountered on my travels and walks with husband and dog in the Norfolk countryside. I paint gardens, ponds and fields and fill them with collages of surrealist birds and creatures. I like to add playful details which reveal themselves upon closer viewing. I use colour, pattern and a variety of materials to create microcosms, which I hope bring viewers moments of curiosity and delight.

designermakers21, in Diss, is open Thursdays-Saturdays 10am-5pm
When you purchase art/craft from a creative at designermakers21 they always do a little dance inside.

20/08/2026

This week's Makers Spotlight is shining on Joy Holden.

Joy's studio is upstairs in the main building. Joy practices the reverse method, using glass tessera, unglazed ceramics and stained glass to create fine mosaics which are, uncharacteristically for mosaics, flat to the touch.
Joy is currently working on a piece looking at the moon reflecting on the sea.

Visit designermakers21, in Diss, this Saturday and have a chat with Joy about her process. Make her day 😁

designermakers21 is open Thursday -Saturday 10-5pm

18/08/2026

Here at designermakers21, in Diss, we are incredibly happy to have the work of three amazing jewelers.

Andea Wright;
Andrea's inspiration comes predominately from nature and the landscape and seascapes around her. With a focus on the tactility and surface pattern she draws on her knowledge of traditional printmaking techniques to create unique textures and finishes on the work.
She designs and creates clean lined, wearable contemporary jewellery using recycled silver and gold and free form hand facetted precious and semi precious stones.

Clare Gaylard;
Clare sculpts with rods of Venetian glass in an intense flame to create jewellery and small objects of beauty. This fiery and alchemical, heritage skill is known as Lampwork or Flamework. Each glass element and bead is formed by Clare, in the flame. The glass is then kiln-annealed and hand-cleaned to reduce stresses and increase durability.
Clare's glass tells stories, celebrates colour, pattern, light and the beauty of the small.

Hattie Wrag;
Hattie uses recycled silver, so she sees it as a kind of rewilding process, from its previous functional role in electronics or traditional jewellery, into something that follows the slow shapes of lichen or coastlines. The process of designing is like putting together beautiful pebbles or leaves.
She makes by melting recycled silver and letting it flow between charcoal surfaces.

So if you hanker after jewellery with a difference, you can find this beautiful jewellery, on the ground floor, at designermakers21, in Diss. We are open Thursday-Saturday 10-5pm and look forward to greeting you :D

16/08/2026

We checked in with our current cohort of Incubator Residency Artists to see what they’re working on in the studio…

Andrew Lee andrew_leeart
In the summer months Andrew has been working on a collection of ‘plein air’ oil paintings, featuring a variety of East Anglian locations including our very own Diss Mere.

Deborah Sedgwick
Deborah has been continuing her explorations of the laundry prop, and is currently working on an abstract painted design, alongside larger works on canvas. Deborah joined Andrew in a bit of ‘plein air’ painting at Diss Mere last week.

Deb Cousins Deb Cousins
Deb is currently working on painting negative spaces, on canvas. Starting with a surface layered with paint, stencils and collage paper, Deb adds layers of white and block colour to create an image using the colours below - a kind of reverse painting!

Andrew, Deborah and Deb will conclude this 3month residency with an exhibition celebrating their work - watch this space for more info on that soon!

You can visit the residency studios upstairs in the back building during designermakers21 open hours Thursday to Saturday 10am-5pm, chat with the artists, and see a range of work for sale. The space is looking really exciting, with some great experimentation and development of technique.

The 2026 Fixed Term Incubator Residency programme is supported with funding from East Anglia Art Fund (EAAF) and Diss Arts Society.

Address

21 St Nicholas Street
Diss
IP224LB

Opening Hours

Thursday	10am - 5pm
Friday	10am - 5pm
Saturday	10am - 5pm

Telephone

+441379640764

Website

http://www.designermakers21.co.uk/

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