Stowmarket Library The Blank Page

Join us at Stowmarket Library for this fun-filled creative workshop this summer holidays for 10-16 year olds! Workshops are 9:45am - 3:30pm and include lunch, drinks and snacks. Free places are available for those eligible for benefit related free school meals. Unsure if you’re eligible? For guidance visit www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals For more information on each workshop and our brilliant artists, please visit our website: suffolkcommunitylibraries.co.uk/blank-page If your booking is made within 72 hours of the workshop, we may not be able to accommodate specific dietary requirements. Please get in touch with the library location for the workshop to discuss options. Library: Stowmarket Library, Milton Road North, Stowmarket, IP14 1EX 29 July- Michael Klencher- Pin Hole Photography 30 July- Eleanor Rodwell- Gardening, Collage and Relief Casting 6 August- Mike Armstrong- Comic Making 12 August- Dan Sedgwick- Spooky Storytelling 13 August- Lily Hammond- Zine and Bookmark Making 19 August- Rose Feather- Bungled Up Folklore Book-making 20 August- Savannah Andrews- Found Poetry Workshop 26 August- Sue Bedford- Tetra Pak Printing 27 August- Amanda Abrey- Paper design and zine making 29 July- Michael Klencher Pinhole Photography Workshop: A fun camera workshop where you convert a discarded drink can into a working camera. You will learn the basic principle of photography and use a mobile darkroom to make paper negatives, all in a complete analogue practice. Your can-camera sees the world very differently, and you will be amazed at how interesting everyday objects can look. Key elements to the workshop: photography, analogue, camera obscura, science, physics, creative, fun, opportunities Michael Klencher is a photographer and visual artist with a focus on experimental and sustainable practices. He often works with obsolete film and uses pinhole cameras. Since 2004, he has been committed to community teaching and currently holds a lecturer position at Suffolk New College. 30 July- Eleanor Rodwell Explore the Stitching Stowmarket Library Garden with artist Eleanor Rodwell, with a day of gardening, collage and casting. The group will explore flowers, make seed-bombs and take home their own unique botanical plaster cast inspired by the garden.  Eleanor Rodwell is a multi-disciplinary artist based in Suffolk and one of the new Creative Health Associate artists at Suffolk Community Libraries. She explores our relationship to the environment through casting, drawing, painting and installation. Recent projects connect communities with gardening and creativity, highlighting how it can benefit our health and connectedness. 6 August- Mike Armstrong Comics for Everyone! Learning the basics of making comics! This introductory session covers the tools and language of the trade, the process behind planning and drawing comic pages (from layouts and lettering to pencils, inks and colouring), and advice on how to take your comics further. Basic drawing tools will be provided but feel free to bring your own. Mike is a comic enthusiast and cartoonist based in Suffolk, best known for his critically-acclaimed minicomics and his work with the London-based WIP Comics collective. 12 August- Dan Sedgwick The Dark Side of Suffolk: Re-imagining Scary Suffolk Tales. Join storyteller Dan for a day of eerie Suffolk legends, mysterious tales, and imaginative storytelling. Children will listen to local stories inspired by Suffolk folklore and then create and share their own spooky tales, bringing new life to old legends. Dan is a storyteller, former teacher, and dad of five with a passion for myths, legends, and all things mysterious. He loves taking old tales and turning them into exciting new stories for modern audiences. 13 August- Lily Hammond Cut, Paste, Create! A Zine & Bookmark Workshop Join artist Lily for a fun and creative workshop inspired by the books, magazines and stories around you. Using collage, drawing, patterned papers, washi tape and creative prompts, you'll create your own handmade zine celebrating something you love. Whether that's your favourite book, sport, hobby, animal, nature, art, music or anything else that inspires you. You'll also design a matching bookmark to take home. This relaxed, hands-on workshop encourages creativity, self-expression and storytelling, with plenty of materials to explore and experiment with. Suitable for all abilities and no previous experience is needed. All materials provided. Lily is a Suffolk-based artist, workshop facilitator and creative community organiser with a passion for making art accessible, playful and inclusive. Through collage, zine-making and creative workshops, she encourages people of all ages to explore self-expression, storytelling and creativity in a relaxed and welcoming environment. 19 August- Rose Feather Bungled Up Folklore Book-Making is a day-long workshop includes story-writing, illustration and simple book binding. By the end of the day all the young people will head home with a unique copy of their own hand-sewn bungled up folklore book.  Rose Feather is an illustrator, storyteller and picture book maker based in Norwich. She is often commissioned to live illustrate at hospitals, theatres and galleries. Rose is the director of The Telling Stories Press CIC, and makes picture books with people whose voices are less well heard. 20 August- Savannah Andrews This workshop will explore Found Poetry which is the art of turning existing texts into something new. Experiment with collage poetry, blackout poetry, and dada poetry to uncover your own stories and by the end of the workshop, you'll craft a mini zine filled with your creations to take away with you. Savannah (they/them) is a writer, visual artist and creative facilitator. Their practice is particularly interested in interactive forms of writing, found poetry, zine-making, and participatory creative workshops. 26 August- Sue Bedford Print the Change invites teens to discover the power of art as a tool for environmental awareness. In this hands-on printmaking workshop, participants will transform recycled Tetra Pak packaging into original intaglio prints while exploring themes of sustainability, creativity, and self-expression. Through guided experimentation with techniques such as chine collé and layered printing, students will develop practical printmaking skills, create a series of unique artworks, and gain a deeper understanding of how everyday materials can be reimagined into meaningful works of art. Perfect for curious young creatives, this workshop blends innovation, environmental responsibility, and artistic exploration in an engaging and inspiring experience. I am an art educator and practicing artist with a background in textile design. Prior to teaching, I worked as a full-time textile designer, developing a strong foundation in surface pattern, material processes, and visual communication. My current practice is focused on printmaking, particularly relief and intaglio techniques. I am interested in the tactile and process-driven nature of print, as well as its accessibility as a medium for creative expression and experimentation. Alongside my studio practice, I teach printmaking to both young people and adults in school settings and through workshops. My teaching approach emphasises hands-on learning, technical skill development, and encouraging individual creativity, often incorporating sustainable and low-cost materials to make printmaking more accessible. 27 August- Amanda Abrey In this full-day creative workshop, young people will begin by painting their own papers using a range of expressive techniques focusing on colour, texture, and mark-making. These handmade papers will form the starting point for both collage and zine-making, giving each student a completely unique visual resource to work from. Students will then explore mixed media collage and zine-making, combining paint, paper, drawing, and text to create their own personal pieces of visual work. Using their painted papers, they will experiment with layering, cutting, tearing, and composition to build a finished collage piece. Alongside this, they will develop a small folded zine inspired by ideas such as identity, interests, memory, imagination, or storytelling, incorporating their own artwork, writing, and imagery. The workshop encourages freedom within structure, allowing students to develop individual ideas while being supported with techniques, guidance, and inspiration throughout the day. The emphasis is on experimentation, creative confidence, and self-expression rather than perfection. By the end of the session, each participant will leave with a completed mixed media collage piece and a handmade zine, both reflecting their own ideas and creative style. Amanda is the founder behind Little MADE Studio, a Suffolk-based creative space offering art workshops for children, young people, and adults. Her practice is rooted in mixed media, collage, painting, and process-led creativity, with a passion for making art accessible, enjoyable, and free from the pressure of perfection. Inspired by nature, storytelling, and the uninhibited creativity of children, Amanda enjoys working with colour, texture, and layered materials to create expressive artworks and engaging workshop experiences. Through her workshops, she encourages participants to experiment, build confidence, and discover the joy of creating in a relaxed and supportive environment.