On my way back from visiting the Lawn Tennis Association for my Buro4 project, I stopped at the Paddock School Café as had noticed the sign on the way up from Barnes train station. It looked cheerful and welcoming so I gave it a go. I now know that Paddock School is specifically for children with […]
One-minute blog of interesting things
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As a working contemporary artist I visit many exhibitions and shows, but sometimes it is the things I see that are part of daily life that capture my interest. My one-minute blog of interesting things reflects the fact that although we are increasingly time-poor, there is creativity all around us. Email me at info@carolinebanks.co.uk with your name and email to receive a weekly post that only takes 1 minute to read.
The glory of a good flint wall
Many of us are used to seeing flint used in buildings in the UK but have you really looked at the different construction? Here are two very different but equally beautiful ones seen in Norwich. This wall was built towards the end of the 14th Century and is the only one I’ve seen where the flint […]
Magna Carta by Cornelia Parker at The British Library
I believe that we all know that this year marks the 800th anniversary of the signing of Magna Carta (note the link here is from Wikipedia). As part of the celebrations and at a crucial point in our history where the Human Rights Act is under threat, Cornelia Parker was commissioned to come up with a […]
Helen Yardley’s rugs at Clerkenwell Design Week
The distinctive style of Helen Yardley‘s rugs have been enhancing interiors for over 30 years and she continues to explore colour and design combinations as shown in the paintings at the end of this post. They inhabit a space, pulling the various elements of a room together into a coherent whole. Here are a few shots of her current […]
The inspiration for Versailles – Vaux-le-Vicomte
Vaux-le-Vicomte , only about 45 km from Paris, is all about symmetry and balance. Built in the mid-17th Century by Nicolas Fouquet, then Superintendent of Finances for the king of France Louis XIV the Sun King, this château and garden inspired Versailles. The architect Louis Le Vau (who later designed Versailles) worked closely with the painter Charles Le […]
Kit Miles and N & N Wares at Clerkenwell Design Week
Kit Miles never disappoints with his complex and sumptuous prints, introducing new designs for wallcoverings and furnishing, a selection of which you can see below They are richly coloured and beautifully detailed and I was taken with this one in particularI first met Emma Jeffs of N & N Wares when she showed her subtle digitally printed […]
A missed massage led me to Arthur Buxton & Colourstory
I’d never even heard of the Aura Soma system but was drawn to the colourful arrangement at a mind body and soul fair I popped into recently – I was looking for a quick shoulder massage but that was unfortunately the one thing missing. I’ve never tried colour therapy but, as colour plays a huge […]
Tracy Kendall at Clerkenwell Design Week
Tracy Kendall showed some new wallpaper designs at The Order of St John, St John’s Square during Clerkenwell Design Week. Designs included pockets. machine embroidery and painterly effects. They’re fabulous as features and also very easy to live with. Here is a papered wall in the Farmiloe Building. See what I mean?
The House of Culture at the Old Sessions House – Clerkenwell Design Week
Icon Magazine took over this beautiful building as the House of Culture for Clerkenwell Design Week. The Old Sessions House is set to be redeveloped: either into offices or a member’s club. The photos below show how it looked during the week. Companies displaying collections included Pinch and Timorous Beasties. Planting below by Indoor Garden […]
Bert & May’s barge at Clerkenwell Design Week
Designed by Laura Fulmine with the flooring and tile company Bert & May, I came across this without forewarning in a quiet yard. One of Bert & May’s directors, Lee Thornley, told me he’s looking forward to living in it once it’s back in the water in East London. Galley kitchen between living area and bedroom. The […]