The Cailleach Within: Felted Crone Wisdom Keeper - Tues 4th Aug 2026

Workshop Description

 In this one-day workshop, each participant will create a small felted Crone Wisdom Keeper inspired by The Cailleach—a Celtic archetype associated with winter, deep time, and hard-won wisdom. Although we’ll gather in summer, our focus is symbolic: exploring the “winter” aspect within us—discernment, inner authority, and the ability to release what no longer serves.

We’ll begin with a short discussion of what Crone means beyond stereotype, how aging can be a powerful threshold, and how that can feed creativity in new ways. Then we’ll move into hands-on making, shaping and embellishing a felted elder figure and weaving in meaningful elements (feather, crystal, bead, charm, shell, small stone, and a written blessing) to create a personal reminder to honor your inner Wisdom Keeper.

Date: Tues 4th August 

Time: 9:30am–5:00pm (includes a break for lunch)

Tutor: Laura McRae Hitchcock

Level: All levels welcome, no prior experience needed

Materials: Most materials provided

Participants: Maximum 10

Venue: Olive Stack Gallery

A generous selection of core supplies is included: wool for felting, felting needle, fabric, thread, simple embellishments, and assortment of natural objects (shells/rocks/sticks), plus a variety of small charms/crystals. Participants may also bring a few small meaningful items to incorporate (optional). Helpful: scissors, small pliers (optional) . 

About the Artist: Laura McRae Hitchcock is a painter and mixed-media artist whose work is rooted in memory, nature, and the unseen forces that shape our inner landscapes. often using felted wool, branches, and fabric inscribed with hand-written blessings to create figures that embody the spirit of the woods and the wisdom of the wild feminine. She is the co-founder of Wild Hair Adventures Art Retreats and has exhibited in solo and juried shows. Now based in Tennessee, she continues to create work inspired by the hush of old trees and the whispers of the wild.

Please note: Your payment secures your place in the workshop and is therefore non-refundable. A minimum number of participants is required for workshops to go ahead. If this number is not met, the workshop will be cancelled, and a full refund will be issued.

Registration Policy:

Please note: Your payment secures your place in the workshop and is therefore non-refundable. A minimum number of participants is required for workshops to go ahead. If this number is not met, the workshop will be cancelled, and a full refund will be issued.