Caroline Banks

Fairs

Lauri Hopkins and Rod McIntosh at The Other Art Fair

I‘m sure the customised art mini looked fab as they were painting it but we couldn’t see too much in the dark on the way to the private view. The lighting was better inside where I was drawn to Lauri Hopkins‘ colour compositions which she told me are made from old hard backed book covers. […]

The Cold Press at Tent, London

I’m always impressed with The Cold Press’ selection of makers and artists and inevitably feel a sense of calm away from the visual chaos when I visit their stand at Tent. I suppose that’s partly because it echoes one of the emotions I aim to evoke in my work. Here are a couple of artists whose […]

Things to sit on by Irish furniture makers at Tent, London

This has to be one of the most beautiful benches I’ve seen. James Carroll works under the name of Stickman, specialising in using materials discarded by others. It’s the purity of this piece with its chiseled surface and inserts that got me. Show me a good wooden stool and I go weak at the knees; […]

Meet the Manufacturer

As the autumn shows come around, it seemed timely to remind designers and makers of the Meet The Manufacturer event which took place earlier in the year. I worked in fashion textiles in a previous life so was intrigued to see the comprehensive selection of companies based in the UK specialising in different skills. Take, for […]

A Rum Fellow textiles

Seen in the House of Detention during Clerkenwell Design Week (hence the fuzzy photos as it’s very dark down there) A Rum Fellow, run by Caroline Lindsell and Dylan O’Shea, showed their Mayan range of textiles. Dylan helpfully told me about their mission to promote traditional crafts skills in a contemporary way. I can’t agree with him […]