Nestled in St Michael’s Place, at 58b Bridgegate, Retford (DN22 7UZ), the Cath Ray Gallery and Studios will be bustling with creative activities this December.
Cath Ray will lead a three-week Bookbinding course, where participants will learn essential skills such as ripping paper, cutting boards, sewing pages, and neat gluing techniques. In a two-hour session each week (with options across three different days and times), students will gradually assemble their own hardback book to take home at the end of the course. Prices vary depending on whether students choose a leather or non-leather cover; contact the gallery for details.
On Saturday 7th December, starting at 10.30am, families can join Lou’s Paper Craft Christmas session. Children and their parents can enjoy crafting cards, envelopes, and decorative papers using stamps and child-friendly cutters, making for a fun and productive morning.
The following day, Sunday 8th December, features a ‘Christmas Stick Trees’ workshop run by Jo Galtrey (also known as Nature Hog, a wildlife expert based at Creswell Crags). Participants will create stick trees from natural materials to hang inside or outside and decorate with treats for birds. Sessions are available in the morning (10.00am to 12.00pm) or afternoon (1.00pm to 3.00pm).
Both workshops cost £10.00 per child, with an accompanying adult joining in for free.
The year at the gallery concludes with a charity auction on Friday 27th December at 7.00pm, where donated original artworks will be auctioned in support of Papyrus, a charity focused on preventing suicide in young people. Guests can enjoy a drink while browsing the exhibition before bidding on artwork via post-it notes, making for a fun evening. This is a unique opportunity to acquire original artworks at a fraction of the usual cost while supporting a worthwhile cause.
Donations of paintings, limited edition prints, or vintage prints are welcome and can be dropped off at the gallery throughout December, when visitors can also view the Christine Howard exhibition and selected crafts on display. Entry is free, and the gallery will remain open until 9.00pm on Christmas Late Night Shopping on Thursday 12th December.
For further information, please contact Cath at the gallery on 07803 204424 or via email at raybooks@msn.com. The gallery is open from 10.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Saturday (closing at 2.00pm on Tuesdays). Additional details can also be found on Facebook and Instagram (@cathraygalleryandstudios, @christinehowardartist, @nature-hog).
For bookings and information on Nature Workshops, please contact jogaltrey@icloud.com.