An exiting exhibition of work by a group of eight artists and designer makers who are either inspired by Wales, work or live here, can be seen at Monmouth Priory from November 24 to 27, 2005. The standard of work is extremely high both in making techniques and the development of individual and personal ideas. Many of the objects have come about through a rigorous process of research into materials and techniques. There will be plenty of temptation for Christmas with affordable smaller items as well as larger pieces for commission. Disciplines included are ceramics, furniture, jewellery, painting and textiles. Julia Green is a contemporary jeweller who trained as a fine artist which is immediately apparent in her love of creating ricj, complex surfaces. Her work ranges from vividly coloured aluminium, which is printed and dyed, to more subtly coloured jewellery in which the metail is textured and pierced to create organic forms which are combines with silver. Alice Keeler graduated from the Royal College of Art in 2004 with a degree in constructed textiles. She uses knitted textiles as a form of decoration. Using fine embroidery skills knitted on a Dubied knitting machine, she creates decorative wall pieces, some of which have an embossed metallic pattern produced by a melting yarn and various foils. The building up of layers of patterns and threads creates rich, intriguing textures. Walter Keeler's uses salt and earthenware glazes which which clothe the pots in tactile textures and tempting colours. He makes ambitious, intelligent, functional pots - qualities which stem from his passion for history, craft and the stories told through everyday things. Andrew Lane has been working as a furniture maker in Monmouth for the last 14 years. Experimentation is an important part of the design process for him attempting to push the natural limits of wood within its own physical constraints. He trained in fine art and later furniture design and uses the expressive potential of form and proportion as an important element in his work.

Amanda Thompson's watercolour paintings have a strong emphasis on mark making, colour and form and reflect an emotional response to the immediate landscapes.

Amanda spent two years living on the island of Skokholm in the 1980s where she worked as an assistant warden while making paintings inspired by the dramatic ever changing weather conditions and recording the colour changes through the seasons.

Her time there significantly influenced the development of her work and helped her to find her own language of painting.

Angela Valorose has produced a range of felted and woven hats for this exhibition in beautiful fabrics and colour combinations. Ethical and environmental aspects are an increasingly important feature for her. She includes recycled materials and intends to eventually source all her yarns from local suppliers.

Melanie von Pfetten-Arnbach's jewellery is made using semi-precious beads. She draws on traditional beadwork techniques to create her own unique style. Clusters of amethyst, moonstone, amber, jade and other crystals are intricately connected and combined to create a harmonious balance of colour form and movement.

Micki Schloessingk's saltglazed pots draw on values and traditions from a variety of sources, embodying her own characterists mix of integrity, domesticity and craft skills.

She throws or occassionally handbuilds 'families' of apprently basic shapes which she likes to manipulate after throwing. The skilled use of ash, salt and slip create luscious shades of rich glowing rusts, oranges, peaty browns and streaks of copper green.