Elements: Rothbury, the friendly Crafters' Co-operative.

When I discovered Elements, back in 2015, after just moving to Rothbury, I was so excited. What an amazing shop, and even better, a Co-operative. This is the place where I buy a lot of gifts, and where we bring our friends and relatives, when they visit (plus the other shops in Rothbury, of course!).
When I started the Creative Coquetdale Folk project, the people who set up Elements were top of the list to talk with. The original article was published in the Northumberland Gazette in 2019.

Diana Fitzpatrick and Juline Batchelor, two of the directors.

This delightful shop is run as a not-for-profit co-operative of artisan creative folk. It was founded by Juline Batchelor, Diana Fitzpatrick, and Pam Stevenson in 2015.

There are now 5 directors. The name 'Elements' was chosen, along with the distinctive logo, because all of the pieces in the shop are created by using or combining two or more of the elements: Earth, Water, Fire and Air.

From a young age Juline Batchelor enjoyed creating. She remembers making embroidered gifts, made out of cereal boxes. “This is my first memory of making things - I used to love doing this”. Her adult journey into art and craft, however, came via a most interesting route. Juline began her working life as a dental technician, creating bridges and crowns for dentists in Newcastle. Running her own business, and using small tools and precise materials, this early career was an excellent grounding both for becoming an artisan and for running a co-operative enterprise. “I had my own lovely, light and airy studio. I enjoyed the intricacy of making teeth, using porcelain, tiny quantities of gold, firing the end product in a small kiln. I was producing miniature works of art”! The dainty tools needed for such painstaking dental work were put to good use when Juline arrived in Coquetdale in 1990 deciding to become a jewellery maker. For the last 20 years Juline has concentrated on stained and fused glass.

Diana Fitzpatrick began her working life on a children's ward of a hospital. After studying nursery nursing, she felt drawn to the artistic aspects of this work, and developed an expertise in art therapy. She also enjoyed making all her own clothes. “My mum taught me to sew and I made and wore the best full circle swirling skirts when I'd be off enjoying the famous Northern Soul Weekenders.”

It was when Diana moved to Coquetdale as a mum of three young children that she learned the skills of stained glass making. Diana had always drawn, sketched and made prints, but this was a new skill that she has developed a passion for. Both Juline and Diana make beautiful pieces of stained glass art. Diana's prints are quite exquisite. She teaches classes in etching, mono-printing and collage. Most usually inspired by nature (leaves, flowers) Diana has exhibited at the Biscuit Factory and has pieces in the current Into the Woods exhibition at Woodhorn Museum.

Diana and Juline are both vibrant, talented, approachable women endowed with great craft-making skills. They have built up a wonderful and very popular co-operative. There is a long waiting list of artisans who would like to be part of Elements. “It's a co-operative because we wanted to offer people an affordable selling space. When you are a single creative, it is hard to get work into shops and galleries because they charge so much commission. Here, everyone pitches in for the rent and bills; all the profit goes back to the artists”.

There are currently 38 members with a wide range of different types of work. For example Liz Cassidy's beautiful silk scarves are very popular, as are Craig Richardson's unusually scented Soy Wax candles. Elaine Grundy, who makes the lovely 'fae folk' and Merino wool scarves, and Jean Tocker, who works in glass, are part of the co-operative, and it is these two women who run the monthly Makers Market in Rothbury's Jubilee Hall.

There really is a remarkable amount of Creative folk living and working in Coquetdale. You will be able to see a lot of their creations in Elements, 15 Bridge Street, Rothbury. Open 10.00-4.00 Monday to Saturday.

Facebook: Elements-Rothbury

Have you been into the shop? It is like a well-lit Aladdin's Cave of beautiful hand-crafted objects, from tiny ceramic figures and silver earrings, to warm socks or hazel walking sticks. There would be no difficulty in finding a suitable and charming gift for a small child, an elderly relative, or even the man or woman in your life. When I popped in for a chat the hat maker was busy cutting out the material for her next creation while she minded the shop. Each day Elements is covered by one of the members so you might find yourself talking to the soap or candlestick maker (no butcher or baker there!) or the willow basket weaver.

Any creative person who needs an outlet for their goods can apply to join and this results in a wide spectrum of work. Each maker has a shelf or small area to show their products, with two window displays to attract customers. The windows are changed completely about six times a year to coincide with particular seasons, such as Halloween or Easter but they are occasionally tweaked if something sells and leaves a gap in the display.

The cooperative has three named individuals who are necessary for the required legal status and there is a paid bookkeeper. All participants pay an annual subscription and a small monthly rent for the premises. There are no regular meetings except for the AGM and a rota is organised so that the shop is covered everyday - Monday to Saturday, 10.00-4.00.

Element members usually take part in the Makers Market on the first Saturday of each month in Jubilee Hall. Customers vary from local shoppers to tourists who are passing through the Village, and though sales were down earlier in the year there is optimism that there will be a higher turnover by next spring. Elements certainly displays a huge array of talent, and the shop gives the impression of top-of-the-range goods and high-quality craft work. It's well worth a visit.