Modern Ruralist Craft Yard organiser Andy Cutbill explains why traditional countryside skills are thriving in a digital world and how visitors can connect with the makers behind the masterpieces
Q. How did the yard first come about, and what was your central vision for it?
Andy Cutbill (AC): I started The Modern Ruralist out of a desire to tell real stories about the people who stitch rural Britain together. It is about bringing the countryside to life, but not as a fairytale or a museum piece. The vision for the yard is to showcase real people, their realities and why they choose these harder, less conventional paths.
Q. How do the artisans bridge the gap between heritage and modern rural design?
AC: The clue is in the name, really. I am not interested in nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. These artisans are using traditional methods to earn a living today. Whether it is a shipwright fixing wooden boats or a thriving horn works making shoehorns, these skills are not stuck in history books. They matter enormously in our clinical, digital world because they have real provenance.
Q. Are there any specific crafts or materials being showcased that you think will really surprise Game Fair visitors?
AC: We have Greg Rowland MBE, a wheelwright who will shrink iron tyres onto wooden wheels amidst hellfire and brimstone. There is John Williamson, who makes sturdy Devon stave baskets designed to bounce when thrown into wagons. Visitors will also see glassblowers, taxidermists, axemakers from Thornwood Forge and Barney Murray, a poetic dry stone waller from Wales. They all have extraordinary stories to tell.
Q. What makes the opportunity to “meet the maker” in person at the yard such a vital experience for today’s country consumer?
AC: Every handmade piece contains a story, and these makers are the living embodiment of that. In an impersonal world of screens, building that interwoven connectivity is key. It is the difference between a mass-produced bottle of wine and one from a single grower, crafted with love and skill. The yard is participatory; you can touch the crafts, hear the stories and understand the heart poured into every item.
Q. If a visitor only has a short time to explore the space, what is the one “hidden gem” or standout feature they absolutely shouldn’t miss?
AC: They are all fantastic, but it is the broader tapestry they create together that is the essence of modern ruralism. Rather than an unconnected group, it is a singular showcase.
Q. So much is said about losing these crafts, but given the amount of work going into promoting them, are there green shoots that we should be shouting about, too?
AC: Absolutely. There are more colleges, trusts and grants helping young people secure apprenticeships in thatching or wheelmaking. Heritage Crafts provides crucial funding. Social media has also democratised this information, giving these makers a voice and connecting them directly with a growing, essential market.
Q. Is this where social media comes into its own as a benefit, primarily in promoting these messages to young people?
AC: So many of these crafts were hidden away in villages and small towns all over the UK, but through social media, people are keeping them alive and growing that essential market. It plays a very active part in giving these makers a voice so people can reach out and talk to them one-to-one. There is no reason why we can’t use tools like social media and the internet to our advantage to promote it where the audience is.
For further information, follow @ themodernruralist on Instagram
