Introduction to Gilding Workshop

I am Lucy-Anne, an experienced Museum professional, & freelance creative workshop tutor, latterly for the National Maritime Museum (Royal Museums Greenwich). I’ve increasingly specialised in explaining the Art of gilding decorations (including workshops on the Cutty Sark) to bring the surprise, delight & pride of working with gold leaf to members of public of all ages. I relish linking accessible crafting activities to making historical connections to trades of original professional craftspeople, as well as Museum Conservators today who utilise the same professional skills alongside their research to conserve museum collections. My childhood was filled with art & crafts as well as a deep love for animals, plants & nature. I studied Ecology & Nature conservation at degree level, & my first job was as an Ethnobotanist at Royal Botanic Gardens Kew researching plant uses, including food, medicine & as materials for crafting. From there I worked for 15 years at the Horniman Museum in Forest Hill. (I experienced a wide range of museum professional work within most departments from curation to object care). My passion is thinking holistically with linking environmental & sustainability education, alongside culture & creativity. My highlight was curating an Environmental gallery linking the science of Natural History to the art of Anthropology & looking at planetary sustainability, by linking the Museum collections, & the Horniman Gardens & Nature Trail with global & urban wildlife conservation & green roofs within London.I am also an artist & love doing paintings & sketches within the themes I’m passionate about, including kitchen art! Other freelance activities have included working as a freelance art & gardening tutor on an organic farm, & for the Geffrye Museum (now Museum of the Home), & as an artist tutor at Dulwich Picture Gallery. I have also taken my gilding workshops into the community within my local Women’s Institute, as well for members of a creative mindfulness retreat, & would be delighted to share further the sheer joy & awe of working with gold leaf & experiencing its extraordinary strength as well as delicacy & long lasting satisfaction! Testimonials: Thank you for a most enjoyable & absorbing session. Learning to gild, bringing some shine to otherwise dull objects & highlighting the most intricate of textures…Magic! Ailsa C, 2024.Therapeutic, fun and so rewarding. Thank you for bringing a bit of gold leaf into our lives!. Lucy D, 2024A great workshop on a traditional craft, very mindful and calming. Thoroughly engaging and a sense of achievement in our finished creations to appreciate at home. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and expertise! Lydia S, 2024