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Cliftonwood Spring Fair

Updated: Mar 8


Saturday 21 March 10am - 3pm

The Lion

19 Church Lane

Cliftonwood

Bristol BS8 1TX


A Showcase of Local Artists At Our Local Pub!


Quick Links




BUY YOUR TICKET NOW!


The Spring Fair came from the success of our Arts and Crafts Pop Up Shop at The Lion in December 2025. An art fair in a pub may be a little unusual, but The Lion offers a warm welcome to all and an informal context to browse the artwork on display, chat with artists and have a drink.


All the artwork on display is available to buy and ranges from ceramics, original paintings and glass work, to embroidery and limited edition prints. 


There is also an opportunity to win a piece of art by one of the artists at the Charity Art Raffle. All artists have kindly donated a piece to the raffle to help raise funds for Hotwells & Cliftonwood Community Association. To see a gallery of the pieces and buy a ticket click on the link above.


You can find out more about individual artists below.





ARTIST INFORMATION


The artwork is inspired by the places we have lived and visited, the natural world and the endless possibilities of the materials that we work with. Personal stories, ideas of memory, fragile permanence and the ephemeral of every day all find expression in the work on display.



Fiona Willis


My art evolved from doodling. I came to love patterns  words and detail. My pictures are mostly inspired by my upbringing on the Devon coast where the tides created rhythm and dictated our movements and the garden was  full of wildlife and flowers and things to eat. My mum was a draughtswoman and gave me her old pens to 

doodle with which I still have today. I draw in watercolour, pen and ink with plenty of words, patterns and some collage. My pictures are detailed and a bit quirky



HANDI Glass

Heidi Lee-Webber and Ian Lee

Instagram @heidileewebber


We've been fusing glass for about 13 years. After taking courses at Bristol Folk House and Creative Glass Guild, we set up a workshop with kiln at home. Fused glass is also referred to as "Warm Glass," with Stained glass being "Cold" and blown glass is " Hot". We take flat sheets of coloured glass and cut them up to make patterns or melt through a metal grid to make new designs that can be used in different projects. Some pieces are fired several times to achieve different effects, so it's a long process with each firing taking between 16, or 24 hours!


Glass is totally unlike paint; when you mix paints, you can end up with very muddy browns, but glass retains the colours so a rainbow of effects can be achieved.


We have several "set pieces" mostly flatwear (ie plates and bowls), but we also accept commissions. It is always an interesting challenge to meet the customers’ expectations and vision. 


We have exhibited at Clifton Arts during their Summer show and at West Bristol Arts Trail for 4 years in person and one year online during Covid; meeting people face to face is much better than remotely!


We love doing it and hope this is explained and shown in our work.



Studio Green

Sarah Glossop

Instagram @studiogreen


I studied Art at UWE in Bristol and graduated with a BA honours in Fine Art. However, nature has always been my first teacher. As a child I pressed flowers to hold onto their beauty - a simple act that shaped the way I see the world. Today, I bring that impulse into clay, pressing plants and organic forms into surface and texture which are finally cast into plaster to create wall pieces that feel alive with memory.


I’m fascinated by preservation - how a moment, a shape, a delicate structure can be held between material and time. Fossils, flowers, and the quiet poetry of everyday growth all find their way into my work. 

My work is about preserving what is fleeting, celebrating fragile beauty. And inviting viewers to experience wonder in both the ordinary and the reimagined.



James Newbold Ceramics


I have been making and teaching pottery for 45 years and can’t stop! I studied ceramics at Loughborough University and enjoy both teaching and making my work in my studio space in Bristol. I like to keep my work affordable and accessible and get great pleasure from people using my pieces.


I create functional and decorative ceramics in stoneware and some raku and alternative firing techniques.

i use glazes such as fjord blue, soft blue, oatmeal speckle and grey granite.



Liz Hunter


Paintings and prints.

Semi abstract landscape inspired paintings and prints in oil/ inks/ mixed media.


I like working from photos and memories of places I have been including Scotland, Cornwall, Yorkshire and the Pyrenees, but often people will see other places they have been in my work.


I try to make when I can in between teaching art and all the other usual distractions of family life. Sometimes I like working very small on paper or wood and sometimes on large canvasses.


I like playing around with mark making, colour and texture. I experiment with the way different materials interact creating interesting layers and surfaces to suggest movement, weather, lighting changes and a sense of what it’s like to be in a place.



Art By Portia

Portia Hibbert

Instagram @artfromportia


I have always been appreciative of art, but I came across it as an adult whilst looking for a creative outlet and fell in love.

I am drawn to creating art which can speak to viewers in different ways. Painting with oils and acrylics, I enjoy the freedom of expression that painting provides. My pieces evolve in style, but I am always drawn to vibrant colours and contrasting textures to portray my message or story.


I find inspiration all around me, in music, nature and human emotions. I draw a lot on my own life experiences, including living with Epilepsy.



Rachel McNally Ceramics

I started playing with clay in the early 2000s. I create functional pottery - mugs, bowls, etc - in stoneware and some earrings and other decorative pieces. My aim is to make pieces that feel nice in the hand and create a little moment of joy in the day.


The craft and science of ceramics is fascinating to me. While technology and tools have made some aspects less arduous or hit and miss, the basic principles of the craft are the same as they were thousands of years ago. A thumbprint on an ancient amphora or the faint ridges on the inside of a Chinese teacup as a finger delicately pulled up a wall all connect us to individual people from different cultures across history. In my work I like to show a little of the process whether it is the swirl of clay as I create a pot on the wheel or a deliberate thumb or finger mark that shows how I have glazed a mug or bowl: a little trace of the human in the clay.



CHARITY ART RAFFLE

We are delighted to be supported Hotwells & Cliftonwood Community Association with our first every charity raffle. We are all donating a piece of work - see gallery below to see what you can win. Raffle tickets sales go towards this great charity supporting our local communities. You can find out more about what they do here https://www.hotwellscliftonwood.org.uk/



How To Buy Tickets

Tickets are £1 each (each piece would usually retail for about £20) You can buy them online or pop into The Lion. The Raffle will be drawon on 21 March around 1.30pm.

To buy your ticket now, press this big button!



PS - If you buy your tickets at the Lion you can also get a great deal on 5 tickets for £4.




The Lion

Local pub in the heart of Cliftonwood. The little sister to the Hope and Anchor.

Live Music & Open Mic Nights, Live Sports, Pub Quizzes. Great Drinks


Directions

The Lion is approx a 15 minutes walk from Clifton Village. You can also reach it from Hotwell Road via "Mardyke Steps" . There is limited on street parking. We recommend walking or wheeling.



GREETING CARDS | TEXTILES | LIMITED EDITION PRINTS | PAINTINGS | PLASTER WALL ART | FUSED GLASS ART | JEWELLERY | COASTERS | MUGS | BOWLS | VASES | CUSHIONS | EMBROIDERY | OTHER LOVELY THINGS.

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