Neon was discovered in Great Britain, and the first neon gas tube was illuminated in London in 1898.
Neon lights are remarkably simple: neon gas, extracted from the air we breathe, is sealed in a vacuum glass tube and activated with electricity. Neon lamps are 100% recyclable, 100% biodegradable, and as energy efficient as LEDs.
In 2022, the craft of neon-making was added to the Heritage Crafts Red List of Endangered Crafts.
During this masterclass, participants will have a rare opportunity to learn how to make a neon lamp.
Starting with a straight glass tube, you’ll learn to cut, bend, and blow glass using a flame over a circular template. Your instructors will then process your glass with an Electron Bombardier and fill it with neon gas, the rare noble gas that glows red when electrified.
We don’t expect you to make a perfect “O” that would take many hours of practice. Instead, our goal is for you to leave with your own beautifully imperfect version of a neon circle. Light up your home with it, as a reminder and tribute to this endangered craft.
We will work with clear glass tubing and neon gas, which emits a red glow when charged with electricity.
Richard William Wheater is an artist who uses neon in performances and installations. In 2010, he founded Neon Workshops Ltd., a company specializing in the development and production of neon lighting for the creative industries. The organization also runs an annual exhibition program featuring neon-related work and maintains a public library focused on the subject of neon.
Practical Information
Get introduced to circular knitting!
Using two colours of your choice, you will work with circular needles to create a cozy neck warmer for chilly days. You will select motifs from traditional Norwegian knitting patterns. Some prior knitting experience is required.
You will go home with your own knitted project (in progress).
Margit Seland is a Norwegian artist and textile craft educator. She studied art at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy and lived and worked in Amsterdam for 24 years. She currently resides in Trondheim, Norway. In recent years, her artistic practice has focused primarily on working with various textile materials.
Old sails, weathered by years of sun, sea, and salt, are among her favourite materials. She transforms them into sculptural objects using folding, embroidery, and knots. She also collects old rope and fishing nets that wash up along the coast, repurposing them into large wall hangings as a reflection on a major issue in our society: with every ebb and flow, more material washes ashore.
Practical information
During the Ambacht in Beeld Festival, one of the master diamond cutters from GASSAN Diamonds will offer an exclusive one-on-one masterclass, where you will work together to polish your very own diamond.
Diamond polishing is a craft that has been practiced in Amsterdam for centuries. Diamond is the hardest material on Earth and can only be worked with another diamond. Using a diamond-tipped disc, the diamond polisher transforms rough crystals into the most brilliant gemstones.
GASSAN Diamonds is a renowned family business based in Amsterdam, specializing in diamonds, jewelry, and watches. Founded in 1945 by Samuel Gassan, the company has grown into a leading player in the diamond industry, with a strong emphasis on craftsmanship and quality.
Practical information
• Price includes materials (diamond) and VAT
In this masterclass, you’ll discover how to craft a traditional wooden tub.
You will learn how to fit the wooden staves together, apply the galvanized iron hoops, insert the base, and finally, finish the tub. During the process, you’ll use a hammer and driver to secure the rings to the body. After a final inspection by instructor Marleen Bonami, you will sand the tub to complete it.
Did everything go well? If your tub holds together, you can proudly take your finished creation home!
A cooperage is a workshop where wooden tubs and barrels are made. Barrels are traditionally used to store and transport liquids, think wine and beer. They were also essential in historic shipbuilding. The term “cooperage” also refers to the craft itself.
The profession of traditional cooper is nearly extinct, as barrels and tubs are now mostly machine-made. Nevertheless, the craft remains highly relevant, especially for repairing large barrels, ranging from 200 to an impressive 27,000 litres, used in breweries.
Marleen Bonami still makes tubs by hand for laurel and boxwood growers. She is currently working on flower tubs for the Rubens House in Antwerp, where citrus trees will be planted in preparation for the museum’s reopening.
Due to great success at Ambacht in Beeld Brussels, this workshop now comes to Amsterdam!
Practical Information
Discover the creative possibilities of paper art.
After a short introduction, you’ll dive right in and learn how to create beautiful paper flowers. You’ll make three types of flowers, inspired by poppies, daisies, and lilies, along with a variety of leaves. Coloured paper is available so participants can choose their own colour combinations.
Step by step, the instructor will guide the group through folding, cutting, curling, and assembling the paper components. Some pieces are small and require a bit of patience, but it’s precisely these details that make the final work so special. No worries, pre-cut parts will also be available if that’s easier.
No experience is necessary; this masterclass is suitable for all skill levels. Thanks to the small group size, every participant receives personal attention.
You’ll go home with a composition of flowers and leaves in a 27×27 cm frame.
Paper is a simple, everyday material, but it offers endless creative potential. By cutting, folding, curling, and layering, paper can be transformed from a flat sheet into detailed, three-dimensional forms. This versatility allows artists to experiment with shape and structure, bringing paper to life in unique ways. With a rich history, paper art continues to evolve and now plays a role in illustration, design, and fine art. One of the best things about working with paper is how accessible it is, it’s affordable, familiar, and easy to find. Anyone can start at home with just a few basic tools like scissors and glue. Whether you’re making simple decorations or intricate works of art, paper invites creativity at every level.
Hiroko Matsushita was born in Japan and has lived in the Netherlands since 2019. She earned a Master’s degree in Illustration from Arts University Bournemouth in the UK. Her passion for paper began when she started creating illustrations with volume and tactile elements, discovering how paper can go beyond the flat page. Since then, Hiroko has worked as an artist, designer, and illustrator, with paper as her primary medium. Her creations have appeared in advertising campaigns, shop window displays, and various art projects. She loves sharing her passion for paper art and finds great joy in guiding and inspiring others to explore their own creativity.
Practical Information
On silk organza stretched over a small embroidery frame, you will create a dazzling piece of embroidery. You will have access to over 100 different beads, sequins, cannetilles, and other materials, the same ones used in the major embroidery ateliers. You will learn several techniques to achieve special effects with these beads and sequins.
Broderie d’art is the exquisite embroidery we know from haute couture — think of creations by Chanel and Dior, for example. These rich embroideries often have a three-dimensional effect, achieved by combining varied materials. This type of embroidery is often used as an appliqué on garments, but it is also used to create jewellery such as brooches and earrings. Surprisingly, the technique also has a sustainable side: by creating something beautiful for your clothing, you tend to treat it with more care, you may use an appliqué to hide a flaw, and the garment lasts longer!
You will go home with an embroidery frame holding your work, a booklet with examples and instructions in a little box, and extra materials to finish your piece at home.
Monique van Munster has a fascination with the endless possibilities of traditional embroidery with needle and thread. She experiments with historic embroidery techniques from haute couture to develop new forms of artistic expression. Gold embroidery has become one of her specializations, which she has developed into a unique personal style. Her passion for this refined artisanal craft has brought her into contact with various couturiers and designers who have incorporated her broderie d’art into their collections. Her work has been showcased in fashion shows in Paris, Dubai, and more recently in Palm Springs.
Since 2023, her work has been listed in the Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Netherlands. Monique loves to share her knowledge through lessons, masterclasses, and workshops at her studio in Tilburg, at vocational schools across the Netherlands, through the Dutch Fashion Crafts Association, and at other organizations where she is invited to teach.
Practical Information
In Morocco, the art of geometry is referred to as at-Tasṭīr and it means the ‘art of straight lines’. Each Moroccan ornament and each geometric shape carries a special colloquial name and a story. This masterclass will unfold these untold methods and narratives and will shed light on the artisanal perspectives.
Using a compass, divider and ruler, we’ll learn how to draw a variety of geometric ornaments original to Morocco. We’ll draw together, ask questions and share—all the while, visually visiting Morocco alongside artisan & author Hamza El Fasiki to gain a better understanding of the cultural and practical applications of the art. This masterclass is open to anyone interested in learning about geometric arts and celebrating the richness of arts and crafts of the kingdom of Morocco, and Fes Medina in particular! You get to keep your drawings.
Hamza El Fasiki is an artisan and author. Hamza has apprenticed under his father at Dar-Attamania Studio in Fes, Morocco between 2011 and 2021. Hamza holds an MA degree on Moroccan Cultural Studies with an academic research focus on the cultural history of Moroccan traditional crafts from Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University in Fes. Hamza is specialist in traditional Moroccan geometric patterns, brass engraving, and bookbinding. He has also published academic works in the field and traveled around 16 countries while learning and teaching Moroccan culture.
Practical information
In this masterclass you will make your own paddle from a blank out of the finest Norwegian spruce. The paddle is simple, yet beautiful in shape and function. You will learn about the theory and history of the original arctic paddle. For shaping the paddle, our main tool is the spokeshave, some small planes, knife and sandpaper.
You will take home your very own paddle, but applying wood oil will be homework. The materials for this will be available.
Anders Thygesen is an expert in wood and native arctic watercraft. He produces original Inuit and Aleut kayak designs and paddle types from Alaska and Greenland. Anders began building kayaks and paddles professionally 30 years ago, and looks back on over 1000 skin on frame kayaks built. He has a great passion for his craft and sharing knowledge through teaching classes.
Practical information
Festival address:
NDSM Loods
NDSM-Plein 85
1033 WC Amsterdam
Postal address:
Stichting Ambacht in Beeld
Kalf 158
1509AH Zaandam
The Netherlands
