Country Living have teamed up for the third year with The Balvenie, distillers of hand-crafted single malt whisky, to launch our Artisan Awards 2009. Once country trades were passed down from parent to child, with generations of the same family specialising in one skill. Faced with a lack of training opportunities, today’s craftspeople have to demonstrate self-motivation and creative talent in equal doses in order to succeed. Our Artisan of the Year for 2008, thatcher Jonathan Botterell, spent years travelling the country to learn the rudiments of his craft, while Andrew Seddon, winner of our Outstanding Support of Future Artisans Award, taught himself the skills needed to become a stained-glass maker, then began training apprentices to pass on his knowledge. Do you have a similar story to tell? Or, do you know of a craftsperson you would like to nominate? You could win a selection of single malts from The Balvenie. Categories, prizes and who can enter?
Our only requirement is that you use a traditional skill to earn your living. You could be a blacksmith, a thatcher, a woodworker or weaver, a saddler or a stonemason, or you might work with textiles, leather, metal or glass. We recognise that today’s craftspeople now work across a range of disciplines, and welcome entries from anyone using a traditional skill in an innovative way. For more details on categories , prizes and the judging panel, please click here