Clever Hands recently featured in a magazine retailer interview titled Born to Make, giving me the chance to share how our business began and why making creativity accessible matters so much to me.

Back in 2020, I was working as a mixed media and textile artist, teaching workshops in cafés and other social spaces. When lockdown brought those sessions to a sudden stop, I started posting materials to my students so they could keep creating at home.

That simple idea became Clever Hands.

We began with a single printmaking kit. Today, our shop and studio in Aigburth, Liverpool, brings together creative kits, art supplies, handmade gifts and workshops led by artists and makers.

Through all that change, our belief has stayed the same: everyone is creative in their own way. Sometimes you just need someone to introduce you to the materials and show you where to start.

In the interview, I talk about choosing and testing the kits we stock, supporting smaller brands, and the pleasure of giving a creative gift. Whether it’s a workshop experience or a kit to enjoy at home, there’s something special about a gift that gives someone time to learn, unwind and make something of their own.

For me, Clever Hands has always been about more than what’s on the shelves. It’s about bringing people together, sharing skills and helping someone discover what they can do.

Thank you to our customers, tutors and makers for being part of that story.

Read the full “Born to Make” interview: https://www.craftfocus.com/image_upload/flippingbook/CF115/61

Feeling inspired? Explore our creative kits or join us for a beginner-friendly workshop.

Credit -  images for Bev Evans gel print jewellery & sketchbooks, also snapshots from Anita's candle making class and a textile class hosted  by Diane Moore. 

Catherine, founder of Clever Hands