It's rather intriguing to consider how modern art emerged from ancient craft yet many contemporary artists, like adolescents, often dismiss contributions made by their parental artforms. Thankfully Mitchell and Haines not only recognize the value of traditional making, they continue to practice the low tech but highly skilled crafts of felting textiles and raku firing pottery. Their command of these time honoured methods produce exceptionally beautiful objects of contemporary art.

Mitchell's wall hangings of hand felted and dyed wool with added silk or velvet, old jumpers or satin braid and a scattering of stitches, are rich, thick and soft. The first reaction is to the colour, bright monochromes of rich greens, reds, blues and black, some with splashes of contrasting colour in small patches or as a collection of stitches that seem to be sprinkled over the surface. The tones and textures invite closer inspection that reveals random pieces of fabrics, buttons, collars and sleeves from knitted cardigans felted into, or sewn onto, the work.

The hangings go beyond suggesting only fields of colour to hint at perhaps a land or sea scape, a personal narrative, or just the simple joy of making. For example in both Cerulean Blue Seascape 1 & 2 we see different tones of blue wool and silk felted so as to suggest movement or currents. Stitches adorn each (a contrasting red in #1, all blue in #2) to suggest either ripples on the surface of the sea or the plankton beneath. You can put your own experience into this and all the other warm rugs, then wrap the memory around you.

Warmth and wonder glows from the finely thrown vessels by Haines. Each matt piece wears a splendid mottling of glorious colours produced by metal oxides, meanwhile the reduction process of firing provides unpredictable but stunning outcomes. It takes a confident and adventurous clay artist to work this way but the delightful surprises of successful efforts must make it well worth the efforts.

Most of the pots, bowls and plates appear to be inspired by ritual rather than functional purposes if only because of the crackled gold lustre on lids, rims and in recessed centres of plates. We would be right to assume the Slab Platter with Rebate is used to bring an offering to the alter while the splendid Pinch-top Vessel series, with their wide mouths and gloss interiors, would have a more a practical applications. The variety of the surface colours and uniformity of well balanced throwing make these a pleasure to look at and handle.

We should celebrate the fact that as many an artist will dash head first into the thick fog of post-modern art there are still many who continue to practice those crafts that were born in the mists of time. A fascinating exhibition ably curated by Dr. Jan Altmann.