The Midas Touch 2025
We were delighted to deliver a second year of our Midas Touch project in Autumn 2025, made possible by generous funding from The Radcliffe Trust. The project offers woodworkers the opportunity to learn the heritage craft of water and oil gilding, taught by master gilder Danni Bradford and hosted at Rowden Atelier Woodworking School.
Over the first two workshop days, five woodworkers were introduced to both oil and water gilding. While oil gilding is generally more accessible and widely used, water gilding is a far more endangered craft, and one we feel is vital to preserve and pass on. Each technique produces a distinct finish and requires different materials and processes. Participants worked on a range of wooden and cast objects, allowing them to explore the qualities and possibilities of both methods.
Following feedback from the 2024 two-day workshop, we introduced a third day in 2025 to allow for deeper exploration, additional questions, and further development of ideas. This extra day was extremely well received and marked a significant improvement on the first year of the project.
The workshop received excellent feedback, reinforcing the idea that heritage crafts remain both relevant and valuable to contemporary makers.
Gilding is a skill that takes many years to master, but by giving participants the time and opportunity to learn directly from a master gilder, our aim is to inspire them to continue developing this extraordinary craft. We hope to see future works that thoughtfully combine woodworking and gilding, strengthening the longevity and evolution of this important heritage skill.
A big thank you to everyone involved in making this workshop possible! We’re looking forward to continuing our journey in promoting heritage crafts and sharing these timeless skills with more artisans.
With thanks to Edward Wild and Matthew Lacey for photographing the workshop days.
Gallery Block: First 6 photos by Matthew Lacey followed by photos by Edward Wild.
Project funded by The Radcliffe Trust
