About Us

Karen and Colin Cater set up Hedingham Fair in 1997, to bring Karen’s art and their combined interest in the vernacular culture and history of the English people to a wider audience, primarily folk enthusiasts and Pagans. Karen trained in graphics at St Martin’s in London, then at Norwich. When she found folk music, suddenly art seemed a bit tedious and the chance to spend a year in Germany busking with a bunch of mad Irish musicians was too good to miss. After that a job designing glass engravings, and in her spare time running a wildlife rescue service on the Norfolk coast, working with injured oiled birds, the occasional hedgehog and stray cats. When she and Colin met, her children - Chris and Aly - were at primary school. As the kids were growing Karen developed a body of work; celebrating the earth, the seasons, music, dance and ancient belief systems, in a process of continuing exploration and learning. Karen prefers to work in relief, using lino cutting to develop gloriously strong imagery, though she is equally comfortable with pen or pencil to develop greetings card or T-shirt images. She is an excellent draughtsman able to capture form, movement and facial expression in a manner instantly recognisable However she soon realised the need frequently to confront the received wisdom of many books and websites and in 2007 this led her to publish her first book, the Ogham Sketchbook - an illustrated diary of her personal spiritual journey discovering the Ogham Celtic alphabet. To her many accomplishments she added typesetting. In her spare time (ha ha!) she sings folksongs and plays banjo, bodhran and spoons.

Initially following retirement Colin poodled around in post career fulfilment, aware he had to keep the world off Karen’s back, but not sure how to build a business. As a lifelong folkie his interests in traditional customs and ceremonies were used to write notes on the backs of the cards. It was a short step in 2000 to deciding to create the first Calendar of Traditional Customs for which Colin does the research and writing. He also designs all Hedingham Fair catalogues and website input. Creative satisfaction comes equally from writing tunes and songs in the folk styles of centuries past and he sees creative input as an essential aspect of folk processes, a view explained at length in his 2009 song collection and book A Penny for the Ploughboys. Away from Hedingham Fair he likes to sing, play melodeon and concertina, particularly for Cotswold Morris and occasionally walk in the hills or along coastal pathways.

Both Karen and Colin see the combination of art and writing as their future and anticipate that Hedingham Fair will publish considerably more books in the coming years.

Aly Kate Mewse, Karen’s daughter who designed the Rainbow Zodiac series has inherited her mother’s love of the natural world, pagan mysticism archaeology and art. She has travelled widely, in Europe, India and Korea. She’s fond of extreme sports particularly surfing and rock climbing. By contrast she also enjoys the calm of ancient sacred sites. In India she worked in a wildlife sanctuary, looking after monkeys, horses and other exotic animals in need of a bit of TLC. She is also a wonderful exotic dancer as a visit to her sites on You Tube and Facebook will quickly show.

Together Karen and Colin believe that England’s ancient heritage should be fully appreciated by anyone sympathetic to it, also that it is dynamic, both changing and remaining continuous as with the rhythm of life itself. They can sing and play a bit too!

Business Contact Details
Please write to Hedingham Fair at:
Sunnyside,
Southey Green,
Sible Hedingham,
Essex,
CO9 3RN    

or contact voice mail 01787 462 731
or contact e-mail: info@hedinghamfair.co.uk   

Hedingham Fair, Sunnyside, Southey Green, Sible Hedingham, Essex, CO9 3RN      t 01787 462 731  e info@HedinghamFair.co.uk