Definitions can be very restrictive for any category and jewellery is no exception. This fully articulated parchment fish by Babette Boucher for example, seen on the Marzee stand at Collect, may be worn as a necklace but I was impressed by the painstaking work and sheer craftsmanship of this one-off piece. Look at the inside…so […]
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.
Jewellery from Galerie Ra seen at Collect
Galerie Ra never disappoints in its selection of innovative and thought-provoking makers. Here are only three from a wide range of creators who were on display at Collect. A simple yet clever idea from the kitchen jewellery collection by Gesine Hackenberg – a game as much as a necklace and that’s even before you think about the concept. […]
Upcycling and bikes
Upcycling, bikes and design – what’s not to like? I saw this when popping in to Grand Designs Live to collect some stuff and it was probably my favourite thing there. Harry Dwyer is one of the designers in a TV series Kevin’s Supersize Salvage challenged to use every aspect of a decommissioned Airbus A320 aircraft to make something not […]
Leather by Sabel Saddlery
As an urbanite I relate more easily to a handbag than a saddle. That doesn’t mean I can’t recognise a quality one when I see it. Mia Sabel of Sabel Saddlery makes individual items and small batch runs for people, the home and animals; her bespoke watchstraps and belts are currently doing a roaring trade. […]
The Other Art Fair – featured artists part 3 of 3
Last, but certainly not least, is Rod McIntosh. Trained in sculpture, he now works with gesso and print. There’s a strongly sensual charge to the work which I hope you get a hint of from my photos here. The marks are not on but in his gesso paintings, absorbed into the surface. Rod told […]
The Other Art Fair – featured artists part 2 of 3
Dolores de Sade has complete mastery of her chosen medium, etching, as shown below. Her concerns include the memory, myth and nostalgia of landscape. These prints could, at first glance, come from a Victorian book but reward repeated viewing. “Junction 4, A2” below looks like some exotic jungle. The work exhibited by Emma Davis could […]
The Other Art Fair: featured artists part 1 of 3
This is a relatively new addition to the art fair circuit and well worth attending if you can. The Other Art Fair runs twice per year and is where artists show and sell their work direct to the public. They are on the stand so can therefore talk to you about their work and answer any […]
Roca showroom by Zaha Hadid
We are lucky in London to now have several Zaha Hadid designed buildings to visit and this, the Roca showroom and exhibition space at Chelsea Harbour, is one of them.During my visit I heard from the architectural team about the project’s challenges, not least that it took twice as long to build than average due […]
Out of The Dark furniture
Ah yes, there is nothing I like better than learning allied to social enterprise. Out of the Dark trains young people, vulnerable to the temptations of crime, to restore and rejuvenate furniture for re-use. This organisation has also been mentored by the Walpole scheme. Here one of their members was re-caning a chair.I really liked […]
Hat over Heels millinery workshop with Sahar Freemantle
You may recall a post on sculptural headpieces by milliner Sahar Freemantle. Well, here are images of a recent workshop organised by Katherine Ferdinand and Sahar, attended by women from Alopecia UK and Macmillan. Illness, shock and stress cause hairloss and, as many of us know, our hair is a huge factor contributing to a sense of well […]