About Creative Factory
Meet the team
Directors
Deb Slade
With over 27 years experience working in Community Arts both as a practitioner and trainer, and in development, coordination and management of substantial programmes and projects.
Over the years she has worked across the West Midlands for a variety of organisations in Play, Youth, Community and Arts organisations both in the Voluntary and Statuary Sectors. Community Cohesion, inclusion and BME arts development have been a strong thread through all her work especially with Walsall Creative Development Team as Team Manager for the last 10 years.
Deb trained in Fine Art and as a post graduate in Youth and Community and developed carnival, textile and all kinds of making skills with a passion for unlocking creativity in all kinds of community contexts.
Projects example: Black Country Echoes
Role: Co-ordinator, events and exhibition curator and marketing
Jimm Rennie
With a background in theatre and comedy Jimm gets excited by engaging discussions about ideas and takes a hands on approach towards the practicalities of developing projects or events, from initial thoughts through to the final product.
Having worked as a freelance coordinator for Walsall Town Festival, as well as taking on event staff roles at Bands on the Beacon, Walsall Music Festival 2016 and #loveyourneighbour, Jimm is proudly committed to being a Director of Walsall Creative Factory, working to increase the cultural and community profile of the borough.
Ruth Radcliffe
Ruth has been working as a freelance illustrator for over 20 years and a creative practitioner/tutor in schools, galleries, nurseries and further education for 12 years.
Ruth has worked as a personal art tutor, guiding pupils through the GCSE art with a 100% success rate! She also worked as a full-time Illustration tutor at BMETC Brierly Hill Campus.
Ruth led educational and family arts workshops at New Art Gallery Walsall, BMAG, Walsall Leather Museum alongside delivering Drawing Sundays at the Barber Institute of Fine Arts, sessions for children inspired by art college-level classes covering subjects such as life drawing, collage, watercolour painting, perspective, abstract expressionism, portraiture, landscape painting and more!
Ruth is part of the Made By... Collective, a group of female artists who regularly exhibit work at art/design fairs and have organised their own fairs too at the Hanger in Aldridge.
Ruth creates illustrations constantly for greetings cards and branding including Paper Dolls Handmade and is currently working on a children’s picture book.
Projects example: Made By... collective designer group, https://instagram.com/ruthyradcliffe
Role: illustrator and creative practitioner
Associate artists & partners
Anna Roginska
Caldmore Community Garden and community cohesion projects
Barbara Precz-Glasor
Artist and Art Therapist
Bruno Edwards
Creative filming, arts and technology
Gemma Ince
Graphic design and Made by... designer maker group
Jamilla Fazal
Community Liaison
Kim Fuller
Writer, singer and Community arts development
Maxine Hayward
Ceramicist, ceramic artist, artist and designer
Richard Franks
Graphic design, animation and video
Stephanie Hasketh
Textiles, Illustrator, Tailor and Dress-maker
Steve Pottinger
Poet, Writer and project development / management
Wayne Fox
Freelance photographer, web site development