Feast of Irish Colour

Monica Boyle Falacies of Hope VI

Yesterday I was delighted to discover the Barbara Stanley Gallery on Connaught Street which shows Irish contemporary art. What a find. I recognise some of the artists and loved seeing lots of Irish landscapes, as my own dissertation at university was on Irish landscape art. The soft atmospheric colours in some of the paintings are typically Irish with the good old Atlantic weather fronts blowing in - usually bringing rain!
I was struck by the rich glowing colours in Monica Boyle and Cormac O'Leary's paintings.

Looking forward to seeing more Irish art in future shows at this Gallery, especially having had a warm welcome from the owner.

Cormac O'Leary All Soul's Night

New year, new series

I love January, hibernation month, spending time indoors - this year playing with ink and drawing.
I've really enjoyed sketching gorgeous flowering jasmine teas in glass. Studying majestic miniature underwater worlds.
Drawn and painted large-scale.

Great present from my sister-in-law.Thanks, Suzi!

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