Fairy-tale theme chosenfor Rye Creative Centre’sbig Christmas showcase

The popular event is now in its fifth year and provides an opportunity for local artists’s designers and makers to showcase and their work and for people to buy unique Christmas gifts.

Local students won a commission to design a stunning installation for the event based on the house from the Grimm fairy tale Hansel and Gretel.

Nina Somers, Rosie Bellhouse and Keith Hau’s proposals were selected from eight entries.

Each of the three students is taking on a different aspect of the decoration with their own mixed media installation. Keith’s proposal focuses on the foyer and corridors near the entrance, where he is recreating Hansel and Gretel in the forest using just paper and silhouettes. His design will be entirely created from torn paper - a monochrome effect with just hints of colour.

Nina and Rosie will be creating an interactive gingerbread house in the cafe with images of sweets and cakes, which children can help to decorate.

The cafe interior will have one wall featuring the crux of the story - Hansel and Gretel pushing the witch in the oven. This will also include a seaside style cut-out photo-opportunity. The students also plan to produce a digital installation next door to the cafe - “the way home” - creating an effect whereby designed trees seem to merge and disappear into a real forest...

Chrissy Harmer-Brown, of the School Creative Centre, who made the final selection said: “I am really impressed by the students’ ideas.”

As well as the opportunity to enjoy the Hansel and Gretel experience, Christmas Bizarre features a wealth of stalls from high quality local designer-makers including: woodturners, silversmiths, contemporary jewellers, textile designers and paper sculptors. The cafe will be serving a range of locally sourced soups, scones and cakes; parking is free and there is no entrance fee.

This year’s Christmas Bizarre also features a fundraising Super Secret Santa Show in aid of Surviving Christmas. it takes place on Friday 6 December from 6-9 and Saturday 7 December from 10-6 at the School Creative Centre, New Road, Rye.

For more information call 01797 229 797.