Flux Open Studios this weekend

You are invited to join us for our Open Studios at Vanguard Court SE5 8QT to meet both new and world-established makers. Incredible range of hand-crafted art and design - and a glass of mulled wine too!

Dulwich Fair 2014

I thoroughly enjoyed being at Dulwich Craft Fair yesterday, meeting designers and customers. I was delighted to have a table for my art, as well as for the jewellery and silversmithing and I sold one of my original paintings.

Now it's time to get ready for our Open Studios at Flux which starts on Thursday evening with our private view. We'll be open all weekend as part of Camberwell Arts Week

MADE London this weekend

I'm showing my newest collections at the Design and Craft Fair MADE London from 24-26 October.

It's the 'annual showcase for the best and most original contemporary designer-makers in the country and beyond', in the beautiful building One Marylebone. 

You can see my collections on the House of Jewellers stand.

RUA 2014 Ulster Museum

The Ulster Museum once again hosts the Royal Ulster Academy 2014 Annual Exhibition which opens today 17th October - 4th January. I've seen some pics of the show and it looks better than ever - can't wait

 to see it when I'm back home in Belfast. 

You can see the latest works from some of the best Irish artists - a great combination of established artists and fresh new talent featuring not only paintings but also sculpture, glass, ceramics, photography and film. 

....look for my little Butterfly Cloud Bowl - tiny in comparison to some of the amazing oil paintings, but it's there on a plinth alongside the sculptures!

New: Black Flower in Rose Gold Collection

Branch Necklace £245

Here's a sneak preview of my newest collection - the Black Flower in Rose-Gold Setting - about to arrive in Johnny Rocket's Gallery and at House of Jewellers

Black Flower Studs £130

Small Black Flower Ring £150

RUA Annual Exhibition 2014

Good news! 

I'm totally delighted that my new Butterfly Cloud Bowl has been selected for the Royal Ulster Academy Annual Exhibition in the Ulster Museum 17th October 2014 - 4th January 2015.

The inspiration for my silver bowl is the Butterfly Spring in Dali, SW China, where every spring time people come to see literally thousands of butterflies, attracted to a pool and the surrounding blossom, creating a spectacular sight.

Summer Sale until the end of August

My Summer Sale has started with 20% off all jewellery in my Red Rose and White Pearl Collections.
Please contact me at clairehartdesign@gmail.com for prices and details.

 

First painting sold

I've been experimenting with inks and oil pastels in my Jasmine series over the past few months. I've loved layering sumptuous colours in different media in dozens of studies.

Huge jasmine flowers suspended in water become surreal floating landscapes with depth.

I've sold my first finished Jasmine painting, after many many studies and it's gone to a lovely home in Belfast! 

Floating Jasmine

Summer shows are now over and I've loved getting back to playing with paint again, inspired by colour saturation on the west coast of Sweden.

Here is a preview of my new series 'Floating Jasmine' with underwater flowers in luscious colours.

I'll soon be back in Flux Studios working on my new silver collections, ready for autumn. Revving up for a summer of creating.

Wisley Arts Fest

If you're free this weekend, call in to the fabulous RHS Garden Wisley Art Fest.

Jewellery making demonstrations and jewellery workshops with House of Jewellers designers, bookable in advance - contact jane@houseofjewellers.co.uk

Workshop details
28th-29th June 2014
9am-6pm Saturday and Sunday
RHS Garden Wisley, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB

Flux Open Studios Summer 2014

Summer's here and it's time for the stunning Flux Open Studios in the one and only Vanguard Court,  Peckham Road.

Join us this weekend at any of the times listed below see top quality designer jewellery hand-made by us at Flux. 

This show includes amazing designer pieces by our newest members.

Luxe By Me June 2014

A collective of designers Luxe By Me  is exhibiting stunning jewellery in Craft Central, Clerkenwell.

The Jewellery Showcase is open every day from Monday 2nd June until Sunday 8th June, with late night shopping on Thursday night. 

There is also an Etsy craft party on Friday where you can make your own jewellery. Places are filling up fast, so click on this link to book your place Craft Party.

House of Jewellers feature

Claire Hart talks to House of Jewellers about design, travel and
cultural influences and inspirations

Claire, you have travelled and lived in China, how has this influenced your jewellery designs?
'My jewellery designs have emerged from significant time spent in Yunnan Province, Southwest China, and my narrative has been strongly inspired by my return trips to that region. I am intrigued by features ranging from breath-taking landscapes, unusual details in architecture, through to the tiniest fragments of crafted objects I find in Yunnan markets.'

'I lived in Kunming, capital of Yunnan, which is known as ‘Spring City’ and is becoming famous for being the largest flower export base in Asia. I also make trips to the old city of Dali which is famous for its skilled silversmiths, some of whom I’ve met and spoken to. Dali is known in China for its ‘Butterfly Spring’ which attracts thousands of butterflies every year. The classic themes of roses and butterflies recur throughout all strands of my art, silverware and jewellery.' 

Inspirational landscapes in China. Claire's silverware and jewellery designs are inspired by her travels.

Why did you decide to become a jeweller?
'I had one of my first jewellery exhibitions in China at the 2008 Kunming Loft Fair in Nordica Gallery alongside local artists and designers and this was a key event that launched me into making jewellery and working with silver. When I returned from China I discovered Flux Studios which had just opened up round the corner from my home in SE London. That’s when I started learning silversmithing techniques, finding ways to set stones I had bought in China.' 

What is your background in the Arts?
'I trained as an Art teacher and so I use a lot of creative ideas for my work in inclusion at an East End secondary school. I've run small design-based businesses with my students and have also taught jewellery making techniques to parents in the Bengali community.'

'I am from Belfast and my degree is in Art History from St Andrews University. After my degree I pursued my interest in art and literature by making my own artist’s books during my Foundation year at Chelsea College of Art and Design, incorporating hand-made paper, drawings, photography and poetry.'

'I love artists’ books and have continued to make my own books and now have dozens of sketchbooks – both bought and hand-made. Some of these books contain the original visual and written ideas for designs I am producing now as a silversmith and jeweller. My drawings and art are at the heart of my designs.' 

Sketch books are central to Claire's design process

Where else do you find inspiration for your work?
'Museums and events in multi-cultural London are always a rich source of inspiration for me – my favourite places are the V&A and British Museum, amongst the wealth of galleries and international art exhibitions all around. I particularly love the adventure of travel as I am fascinated by cultural differences and in seeing fusion where cultures merge. I travel as often as I can to China, Hong Kong, Sweden and Italy. I love discovering unusual connections, some of which are described in my blog ‘South of the Clouds’.' 

'On my first ever trip to China, I was introduced to an elderly local artist in Chongqing whose work I happened to have seen the year before in a ground-breaking Chinese Art exhibition at the British Library. It was a rare privilege to be shown around the old established artists’ community by this gentleman and to be given a Chinese ink brush painting as a gift from another artist – painted there and then on the floor in front of me.' 

Sketches made at museums in London and Northern Ireland

What silversmithing techniques do you use to create your beautiful jewellery and silverware pieces?
'The coral roses, which I first spotted in Guangzhuo, are carved by hand in China and therefore require bespoke settings which is challenging. I have spent much time, with supervision from a top UK claw setter developing my settings for the red rose and pearl flowers. I sculpt and file all my silver by hand, refining my own branch designs to showcase the flowers and butterflies of my brand.' 

What is next for you?
'I am working on a new jewellery collection made with silver with rose gold which will soon be at the House of Jewellers. I have been extending my silversmithing techniques, learning from a number of established makers, and I am currently making an exquisite new silver bowl ‘Butterfly Cloud’ which will be seen later in the year.' 

New Rose Gold Collection - coming soon!

'My portfolio of work continues to expand with my growing collection of artist’s books and more recently with my paintings. They are made with hand-made oil bars from Sweden – I started with a still-life series of Chinese teacups and fragments of materials bought in Yunnan markets. I will be back in Sweden later this month for a painting holiday to develop my still-life series. These in turn influence my ideas for my silver collections, particularly my bowls and spoons.'

Pieces from Claire's Pearl Rose and Butterfly Collection

We look forward to seeing Claire's new silver and rose gold pieces very soon, watch out for updates on our Facebook and Twitter pages! Take a look at Claire Hart's beautiful jewellery and silverware collections here.

Claire Hart Design in the Yard Gallery

For those of you back in NI, the next time you're in Holywood have a coffee at The Yard Gallery where you can see two of my newly-arrived paintings -  Chinese teacups with blossom. They were framed at my favourite local gallery Great Expectations in Camberwell, SE London - and what a fantastic job they've done. I'm looking forward to calling in to The Yard next time I'm back in Belfast.

Designer of the Month

I'm so pleased to be featured as Designer at House of Jewellers for the month of May! 

...and it's a busy time with three shows coming up this spring/summer:

RHS Wisley: now showing until Bank Holiday Monday - in the Glass House with British Festival of Silver.

2-8 June - Luxe By Me at Craft Central, Clerkenwell

21-22 June - Flux Open Studios, Camberwell

see my website for details.

RHS Garden Wisley, May Bank Holiday

I am showing my jewellery and silverware with British Festival Silver at RHS Garden Wisley over the Bank Holiday weekend. We will be in the Glass House - call in and see the best of silversmithing, jewellery and craft in the UK.

New Collection 2014 at Johnny Rocket's

My new collection in silver and rose gold makes its debut at Johnny Rocket's Gallery this week. 

More additions to the collection to follow - and will be available in my other outlets later in the year. 

Rose Gold Branch Wrap Ring

Rose Gold Branch Necklace

Angels at the Royal Academy

We had to climb high to see them, but it's not often you get such a close up look at these details in the Royal Academy. We loved looking through one of the portholes of the enormous wooden installation to unexpectedly find a golden angel.

The Sensing Spaces exhibition was interactive and peaceful to walk around. Busy as it was the last night, but fun - and for a non-architect like me it opened my mind to new ideas of 3-D space. 

Favourite quote by Li Xiaodong: 'Allowing room for the visitors imagination is essential if a space is to become a satisfying physical experience'

   Favourite installation was Kengo Kuma's  for the atmosphere he created

Kengo Kuma at the Royal Academy

Jasmine Tea

At last we made it to Ping Pong, the Chinese restaurant at Southbank which I've often walked past and wanted to go to. The range of dim sum was excellent, we sat out in a heated terrace and I loved the flowering jasmine tea. Served in large thermos glasses, they kept the heat in constantly. 

It reminded me of the first time I had this tea at Huxingting, the oldest teahouse in Shanghai, back in 2008. You could get flowering jasmine tea in the UK a few years ago, but it was not as easy to find it back then. Not a problem now - another sign of China emerging in London.  

Flowering Jasmine tea at Ping Pong

Flowering Jasmine served in glass teapots at Huxinting Teahouse 2008 

Celebrating Women's Day 2014 at Wow Festival Southbank

I'm enjoying a delicious cup of Assam tea bought from Tea People at the Women of the World Festival  this afternoon.  I had a chat with Dilip, the stall holder, and realise I know more about his company than I first thought, namely through the multi-talented designer entreprenuer, Gillian Gamble, who is behind so much of the creative work of this exciting young social enterprise.  I'm looking forward to seeing their new film about tea workers and their families - coming out soon. They're also in the April edition of Vogue.

I had called over to look around the WoW Festival, having run stalls there for the past two years - selling my own jewellery and the products made by my SEN students from Mulberry. I am glad that the business has been carried on this year by an enthusiastic member of staff and that we had the students colourful products being sold there once again. The Mulberry stall looked fantastic as always - we're very proud of the girls!! I hope they make a good profit after all the hard work.  Other Mulberry students will return on Sunday to sell more products - bath salts and other gifts.

Preparation for new silver bowl

Adding the finishing touches to some of my new paintings. Then I'll be ready to start a new silver butterfly bowl this week, with paintings as my starting point

Happy New Year!

...with love from Chinatown, London, UK 2014  xxx

Pontobosio Mist

I've enjoyed playing with ink in the last few days, remembering atmospheric walks in Italy at new year. Now I'm back in London, it's fun to recreate my own abstract version of the morning mist-covered mountains that were all around us, near a village called Pontobosio.  Here's a small selection: 

Sketch 1, 2014

I've enjoyed doing a more precise drawing, alongside the looser palette knife paintings, since coming back to London after New Year. This is a small teacup on my Puer teatray. I like the patterns of word carvings in the wood.

It's been added to 'sketch'   . 

Happy New 2014

Blue skies in Italy- Buon Anno!