Our Story

We are a vibrant, creative and engaging studio dedicated to hosting and sharing craft experiences and skills, working alongside highly skilled craftspeople specialising in the heritage crafts of the county.

We also work with emerging artists and makers to support the sustainability and future development of practitioners and craftspeople within the creative industries, for the benefit of all.

The studio is the culmination of many years of experience in the professional practice of Emma O’Neill and was born from a desire to create accessible workshops in traditional craft skills.

Our workshops celebrate craft and art, with a focus on heritage practices including weaving, printing, textiles, drawing and natural dyeing.

Meet the Makers

  • A woman with black and gray hair, wearing tortoiseshell glasses, red lipstick, a polka-dot navy blue shirt, an orange patterned scarf, a white blazer, and hoop earrings, smiling indoors.

    Emma O'Neill - Director and Creative Lead

    Emma trained in Fine Art  at Brighton University and has been an educational practitioner in the heritage and cultural sector for the past 15 years, working with a range of industry and museum partners including Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft, the Sussex Archaeological Society and Brighton University.

    Having had first hand experiences of the benefits and opportunities that life long learning presents, Emma is a fierce advocate for the impact that such opportunities can have on both the individual and  the wider community.

  • A woman with short light brown hair and blue eyes watering plants in a garden with a large terracotta pot filled with green plants and white flowers, surrounded by lush green foliage.

    Fiona Eastwood - Workshop Leader

    Fiona is a weaver and dyer with a BA from Camberwell School of Art and a postgraduate teaching degree from the London Institute for Education.

    Passionate about the unique qualities of plants and the colours they yield, Fiona aims to help others reconnect with nature through foraging and growing dye plants for creative projects. She has led natural dyeing workshops for the National Trust, the Forest School Association, and local artists and schools.

  • Tom Boulton - Workshop Leader

    Tom is a letterpress printer, typographic artist and published author of Letterpress – a creative guide to printmaking, working from his workshop on the south coast of England.

    Through his studio Type Tom, he brings traditional printing roaring back to life with vintage presses, antique wood type, bold colour and plenty of ink-covered enthusiasm.

  • Logo with white letters "SCS" on a brown background.

    Hilarie Baker - Workshop Leader

    Hilarie is a Brighton-based textile practitioner and former teacher, trained across a range of techniques. She has led and supported a number of craft workshops at the Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft.

  • A graphic with a brown background featuring white text that reads 'SCS'.

    Molly O'Neill - Workshop Leader

    Molly O’Neill is an illustrator, animator, and interdisciplinary artist based in the UK. She studied Illustration Animation at Kingston School of Art and more recently for a master’s degree in fine art at the University of Brighton. Alongside her independent practice, she works freelance across illustration and animation, collaborating with organisations and brands including Be the Fox and Unilever, along with local artists and musicians.

Where We Work

  • Exterior of an art gallery called Atelier beside the sea, with a blue facade and large arched windows, a small bench outside, and potted plants nearby.

    Atelier

    Brighton Seafront’s Atelier Beside the Sea was established in 2021 by Jon Tutton and Sarah Young. The arts venue occupies three of the iconic King’s Road Arches, situated between the Palace and West Piers.

    Atelier plays host to our Brighton workshops.

  • Historic stone castle with a round tower and battlements, surrounded by a garden with benches, trees, and a wooden shed, under a partly cloudy sky.

    Lewes Castle

    Lewes Castle is a Norman castle built after the Battle of Hastings by supporters of William the Conqueror. Set high above the historic town of Lewes, the castle offers panoramic views across the Sussex landscape.

    A dedicated learning space hosts to our Lewes workshops.