New Baltic art studio is offering pumpkin carving experiences for Halloween

A new art studio in the Baltic is offering pumpkin carving experiences for Halloween.

People will be able to create scarily good 3D sculptures in the giant orange fruit in unique sessions at Hand On Art Studio on Jordan Street.

Director Maddy Crawford says: “We had our first launch experience on Saturday, and it was a big hit. Everyone loved it, and even people who aren’t normally creative were blown away with what they achieved.

“We promise that everyone will come away with an amazing pumpkin piece of art – and they’ll certainly impress the neighbours if they put it out on the doorstep at Halloween.”

The pumpkin carving will be the first of many experiences to be held at the Baltic studio, with Christmas snow window experiences also being launched in the run up to the festive season.

“We are just so excited, and we can’t wait to get started,” adds Maddy. “My husband Paul is the difference with all the experiences. He is a phenomenal artist and a very humble man, but so passionate in what he does.

“And he can’t wait to get people involved in art in so many different mediums and help them enjoy such a social event too.”

Maddy and Paul, who are both born and bred in Garston where they live now, took over their city centre unit in June and have spent three months creating the Hand On Studio.

It follows years spent living in Australia where they went for accountant Maddy’s work: “But the pull of home and family was great,” says Maddy, 35. “We came back home just before Covid with our two daughters Raven, seven, and Winter, five.

“We have wanted to set something like this up for a long time, something for Paul that’s his. He is the creative one, and I do everything in the background!”

Paul, 38, is a professional glacial art sculptor who’s travelled all over the world creating incredible ice pieces for people and businesses.

He also excels in wood sculptures and snow spray window works – as well, of course, as pumpkins.

Paul Crawford with carved pumpkins like those guests at Hand On Art can make

The father-of-two has, for the last few years, crafted the expertly-carved pumpkins at Trentham Gardens in Staffordshire to create nine incredible scenes for its pumpkin trail which is part of its annual Halloween Festival.

And Maddy says: “Paul has always taught friends and family how to do theirs, and they all suggested he could help other people too.

“You can get sip and paint classes, and pottery classes, with step-by-step instructions.

“But this is a little bit different. We have set up a bar with drinks and snacks, there will be spooky Halloween music, and Paul will closely guide everyone to help them create their own pumpkin work of art.

“It’s not just triangles for eyes and a scary face cut through, but proper 3D carvings to create a character and face in the pumpkin.”

The pumpkin carving experiences will run from October 16 with events running every weekday evening from 6pm – 8.30pm; and at 12.30pm -3pm and 4.30pm – 7pm on Saturdays and Sundays, right up until October 31.

The sessions cost £40 and, for that, people can pick their own pumpkin and all the tools are provided to help them leave with a fabulously carved pumpkin that will be the envy of their friends.

“No-one else offers this niche 3D carving experience,” smiles Maddy.

Hand On Art will also offer snow window art experiences towards Christmas, and from the New Year they will run charcoal experiences, Beauty in Chaos, helping people to create abstract works using the popular monochrome material.

“We have around 20 people in the pumpkin carving experiences, but there will only be 10 in the snow window art experiences because it is a harder medium,” explains Maddy.

“But we will be constantly thinking of different experiences and events like, for instance, having couples’ charcoal experiences before Valentine’s Day so they can draw each other in an abstract way.

“You can do snow windows too all year round, for Easter for instance.

“It’s getting people involved in art in different ways that are fun and social events,” says Maddy. “It’s great to be back home and doing something like this.

“There’s already great feedback from the launch weekend and now we just can’t wait to get started.”