24.5.12

Right Royal Treats

This is the most fabulous Jubilee packaging on the High Street at the minute, those clever designers at M&S have really been adventurous, pulled out all the stops and delivered a fantastic, exciting and desireable collection for their Jubilee treats.  Fabulous!








19.5.12

AW13




Starting to pull together trends for AW13;  Emphasis is very much focussed on surface textures, natural materials and unfinished edges.  Smooth satin matt glazes and unglazed rougher edges for ceramics, heavy crochet & knits against soft sheens and velvets..  Very wintery and sparse.. softened with brighter, richer colours in textiles and surface patterns. 
I really like this grey palette with hints of creamy whites and ochres, probably should be more orange and tan leathery tones in there somewhere, but an inital start! 

17.5.12

Collect 2012

Gwyn Hannsen Pigot
Pale still life 2011
porcelain two bottles one bowl

I think this was the best of the show at Collect at the Saatchi Gallery.  Quiet, understated and beautiful.  



Walter Keeler
Set of 6 Mugs
Inkwash
I love this precision & tight repetition.  Wally Keeler used to be synonymous with thrown, earthy, salt glazing.  It's hard to see the thrown detail that used to be so apparent.  The appeal is with the almost industrial finish; the Queensberry Hunt-esque shape body & handle, the Germanic conical taper and sleek finish.  The reference to craft traditions with the extruded hand and decorative detail, such as bookbinding rillettes and the nod towards early industrial engine turning techniques, utilised so well by Wedgwood and Spode, is so satisfying.  Craft at it's finest, £325 for a set - Worth every penny! 


Claire Curneen

Claire, I love these figures, it's not just the scale, or the reticent pose, but the beautiful bleed, the depth of hue and the bloom from the flux of the cobalt underglaze is so so lovely;  something that would be so wonderful in industrial techiniques, but commercially is so restrictive, achieved occasionally but always at a premium, but without this vigour and refreshing freedom! 




Was this the Glasgow Gallery?  Looks like the cool, pared back simplicity from those clever Scottish jewellers. 


Fairly random, but interesting composition from one of the Dutch galleries. 

Tanya Gomez, always loved the boldness of colour and dynamic rhythm of the thrown and distorted forms.  The citric yellow glaze is really on trend, the break of the glaze on the edge and the blips in the surface of the glaze and the pulled tops all add to the interest and detail of the pieces. 

   Mak Yee-fun's simple  thrown forms..

The move on from cut and cast cut crystal objects is refreshing, providing a clear narrative of the tradition but a clear enjoyment of glass making and compositon of forms...  




It's interesting to see Michael Eden's journey from an established and highly skilled craftsman/potter, producing thrown and decorated traditional ware, to his recent research into additive manufacturing.  Collaborations with Wedgwood have provided a solid basis to develop his rapid prototyped range drawing on historical references for his cutting edge collections.  



It's curious too to have these forms placed in the same locality to Michael Eden's work, Andrew Wicks' thrown and carved vessels, have a look of rapid manufacture!  
Hitomo Hosono, press moulded and hand built forms
 
Junko Mori Fine forged silver
Junko Mori, Forged mild steel... Wouldn't it be wonderful to achieve this level of intricacy with the range of additive technologies that are available!

In contrast, the simplicity & elegance of these bowls was refreshing!
So brilliant to see David Clarke's witty, clever & charming Spoonie Collection, the last exhibit and the best!!

9.5.12

Lemony curd



I follow Nigel slater's recipe for a really luscious lemony tang, but believe it or not the WI suggest making it in the microwave ~ blast it at minute intervals and whisk, cuts down the double pan boiler trick by at least half! WI wooohooo!!

4.5.12