Geraldine Dahlke

My sugarcraft is experimental, innovative and creative with a strong emphasis on artistic expression and design. Nowadays I try to think of myself as an artist/craftsman rather than a sugarcrafter, and try to work on creating new canvases and sculptures using sugar as often as possible. But sometimes it is difficult to tell if a sugar sculpture is a cake, or if a cake is really a sculpture.

My cakes are strongly influenced by my desire to create something new and exciting in sugarcraft, and can be seen as part of a demonstration, as part of a one-to-one lesson, a workshop, or in back copies of the magazine 'Cakes and Sugarcraft'. Due to present family circumstances I am only able to make 'real' cakes once in a while, and have to limit myself to cakes which represent my style and interests.

My life before sugarcraft revolved round the family (it still does!) and a career in teaching children. During the past few years it had been a pleasure  to teach young adults and mature students the love and skills of cake decorating as a part-time lecturer at Brooklands College in Weybridge. Using this rich and varied experience and my background as an artist/craftsperson I am able to offer high quality individual tuition here at home in North-East Surrey, U.K.

 My experiences in teaching, demonstrating and running workshops has resulted in invitations to work all round the U.K. and abroad, in sugarcraft schools and international exhibitions. It is always a great pleasure to meet, talk to, and work with other sugarcrafters where-ever they are, they are such lovely people!

Recent work includes the publication of ‘The Book of Patterned Pastes’ explaining how to quickly and easily create pretty and dramatic patterns in marzipan, sugarpaste and flower paste. I have also been lucky enough to act as consultant for the BBC programme 'Smart',  join the judging team for the 'Cake Decorator Of The Year' at the N.E.C. in 2010, demonstrate flowers without wires as part of Cake International at the N.E.C. in 2011, and exhibit sugar pictures and sculptures regularly in The Fountain Gallery, Hampton Court. I  was delighted to have two sugar sculptures accepted for the exhibition ‘Eat Art’ which took place at The Robert Phillips Gallery, Riverhouse, Walton on Thames.

Some more interesting achievements in sugarcraft

While our children were small I developed a cake making business that grew by word of mouth to such a size we had to decide whether to take on part-time staff or change direction altogether. Putting more time with the family first I wound the business down and took all the City and Guilds qualifications in sugarcraft instead, winning their Silver Medal For Excellence, and haven't look back since.

Founded the group 'Taste of Art' in 1995

Coordinated the exhibitions Taste of Art, Taste of Art 2, and Taste of Art 3, staged in Guildford, together with compiling and editing the catalogue.

Co-ordinated the delivery of exhibits from Taste of Art 3 together with new sugar works submitted of my own to The Bowes Museum, County Durham, as part of the contemporary section of @Royal Sugar Sculpture 600 Years Of Sculpture'

Exhibited frequently on the By Invitation Table at the N.E.C. during the 'Cake' shows, and at Squires Kitchen Exhibitions in Farnham

Won two Gold Medals at International Competition Level, the Tate and Lyle Challenge Trophy for Free Style Sugarcraft (twice) and numerous Silver and Bronze awards

Painting with royal icing using stiff bristle brushes Royal icing and petal dusts.

Relevant Sugarcraft Qualifications:

Joint winner of The City and Guilds Silver Medal for Excellence 1997 (highest British award given for sugarcraft)

Brooklands College Gold Medal for Student of Excellence 1997

Studied sugarcraft with Chris Jeffcoate at Brooklands College, Weybridge 1992-1997 gaining;

City and Guilds Creative Studies 7900 Part 2 Design and Extended Techniques in Sugarcraft

City and Guilds Creative Studies 7900 Part 1 Sugarcraft