Particularly love this tea cup patterned 100% organic Fairtrade certified cotton tea dress from the Orla Kiely for People Tree collection. Wonder if it will still be available by Christmas so I can put it on my wish list?
On Saturday, I went to Greenbelt Festival for the day and managed to cram a lot into the 13 hours. We arrived there at 10am equipped with waterproofs and umbrellas to sit outside in intermittent rain to hear American writer, speaker and pastor Rob Bell. It was the third time I’d seen him speak and his message was very simply, “be yourself”. After that we tucked into warm fresh doughnuts and browsed the charity/organisations stalls. I discovered the Amos Trust, an organisation that promotes human rights and nurtures local responses to situations of injustice. ‘Power in the People’ was the next inspiring and motivational talk we listened to, by director of Christian Aid, Loretta Minghella, then ‘Living Local’ was a seminar of discussion about what community means to us. After a delicious Pie Minister lunch, I went along to a talk by co-founder of the School of Everything, Paul Miller, about the effect of the internet and how small businesses can solve social and environmental issues. This encouraged me to see other likeminded people there and to pursue my aim in providing design to make a positive difference. The afternoon and evening consisted of catching the talented Soweto Kinch on Mainstage, queing for but unfortunately missing comedienne Jo Enright, Lemongrass & Ginger tea at the Tiny Tea Tent, then finishing a long day with headliners ‘Get Cape Wear Cape Fly’ and a chocolate chai at the Chai Chapel. Greenbelt Festival is a complete one-of-a-kind festival where there is so much on offer to learn, to do and to listen to. Real food for the soul stuff.
Excitingly received delivery of One Sugar Please postcards and flowered canvas fabric I designed from Bags of Love. I am so pleased with how they have turned out, and the speed of the service was amazing. Now to decide what to create with the fabric… Considering stretching it to make artwork for the kitchen or a cushion cover. Any other ideas, do comment!
Wanted to share about my week’s bargain finds: A pretty set of 6 handmade bubbled drinking glasses reduced from £6 each to £1.80 each, and a lovely large 37cm serving plate with embossed leaves reduced from £20 to £6. Hurray for bargain finds!
Visited The Hepworth Gallery in Wakefield this weekend for the first time. Recently opened, the austere modernist exterior of the grey building looked beautiful sitting next to the fast flowing river and surrounded by barge boats and old brick buildings. The exhibitions inside were just as stunning – the sculptures of locally born Barbara Hepworth being my favourite. The simple, organic forms of Hepworth’s creations completely inspire my own work and the whole gallery had a very serene atmosphere as other related local artists’ works (including Henry Moore and Ben Nicholson) were also exhibited.
I’ve just finished creating this poster design for upcoming vintage event ‘Vintage Affair’ at the independent Birmingham coffee shop, Saint Caffe. Looks like it will be worth a visit too!
I’m in love with someone new, and his name is Will. He’s an original 1960s Greaves & Thomas swivel chair covered in a highly-textured, handknitted, patchwork design, with deep-set crocheted buttons on a wood base. Unfortunately, he already belongs to someone else, but it’s nice to know that Melanie Porter can restore and reupholster one similar.
Found the work of textile artist/maker Imogen Luddy today, through Designers / Makers. She works using laser cutting, embroidery, crochet and ceramics. As I love doilies, I had to share her lovely cake stand and interesting etched & crocheted wooden chair.
I visited the New Art Gallery in Walsall this morning for a meeting about some future voluntary work, and couldn’t leave without seeing the current exhibitions.
Leo Fitzmaurice ‘collects, contains and re-edits the visual noise that forms part and parcel of 21stcentury life’ and has transformed Floor 4 gallery space through the use of mass produced printed material. The overall effect of each piece looked a lot more complex than how simple the folding technique actually was. A beautiful idea in giving new life to printed materials.
Floor 3 showed more detailed works by Mark Titchner who creates in ‘a wide variety of media, often combining new technologies with more traditional craft techniques…. Text commonly features within his work and he draws from a wide range of sources including song lyrics, advertising slogans, corporate mission statements and political manifestos.’ The large metal typography was stunning and skillfully produced.
It’s been a while since I’ve posted about interiors so thought I’d show a selection of spaces and items from my own home including an upcycled vintage teapot as a herb pot and letterpress printed LOVE framed art.
