Shaun Leane @ Goldsmith's Fair



Leane's Hawthorne Cuff

I walked up the stairs at the Goldsmith's Fair Private View this evening and the very first person I spoke to was my most favourite designer, Shaun Leane. I've seen, and tried on his jewellery in Selfridges, at IJL and I've read about him, but wasn't expecting to meet him. Putting on his jewellery is like wearing cool silk, it is so smooth and beautiful.
He showed me his latest work, the Bound Collection, inspired by Masai tribespeople. He absolutely loves going to Africa. He told me that he has an outlet in Hong Kong and is soon opening in Beijing and Shanghai. I wish him lots and lots of success in China! He looked so busy the rest of the evening, so the opportunity to chat with him was a real treat.

Shaun Leane exhibits every year, but I hadn't registered him before as I only discovered his incredible work earlier this year.......Better late than never!

Other work and makers I enjoyed seeing this evening were
Wright and Teague and the stunning pared down
minimalist works of art by Vladimir Bohm.

Kanji + i



Japanese Embassy on Piccadilly



Another trip to the Japanese Embassy, this time for a Sake (and Sushi) evening, in aid of victims of the Earthquake earlier this year. There were over 300 people present, listening to speeches and seeing videos about help being given in Japan. There was also a heartfelt and moving exhibition of paintings and cards made by pupils in London schools, sending their best wishes to Japanese people in the aftermath of the earthquake. The book of condolences in the Embassy continues to grow with entries from around the world.

Vessels

Getting back to painting once more, with the gorgeous hand-made oil bars I bought in Sweden, plus a few more from Bradbury Graphics in Belfast.

Cloud Busting Day

There's nothing like a bit of Cloud Spotting on your birthday on the beautiful Swedish island of Gotland !



Visby arch

Colour Saturation

Colours have been my joy and I felt that they loved my hands

Emil Nolde

The Emil Nolde exhibition at Nordiska Akvarllmuseet was a feast for the eyes and surpassed all our expectations.

Oppet Hus

Loved seeing the sculpture on the west coast of Sweden this month.

Lots of summer exhibitions, now coming to a close. Favourites were the Villa Bro Skulpturpark, with monumental works by Viktor and Ann Korneev, paintings by IngerWihl and textiles and paintings by designer, Annika Wihl.





Bivaxoljekritor

Rosehips



Puer tea cup

Two days spent in a creative workshop on the west coast of Sweden, led by my friend, the artist Eta Hedman. Fantastic inspiration where we played with colour. So absorbed that we all lost track of the time.

We had the opportunity to use chunky handmade beeswax oil crayons, made by a local artist. Beautiful rich colours and thick textures that you can move around the page with a knife.

I splashed out and bought some to play with, back home.
This should see me through the grey London winter.

miniature landscapes



Shadow



Masterpiece

One and a half hours weren't enough to take it all in. But after a day at work, it's all you can do. This is the first time I've been to Masterpiece at Chelsea and I'll be back next year.

Loved getting a lift on the the buggy to save us a 15 minute walk. Once there, it was hard to know where to start with all the amazing antiques, art, craft and jewellery. Things that caught my attention were:

Gregg Baker's Asian Art where we were enchanted by the silver leaf screen with electric blue kingfishers, one darting and one seated 

Martyn Gregory's Far Eastern antique paintings of Shanghai and Hong Kong

Loved the jewellery of course - saw someone choosing a magnificent Theo Fennell ring. 'Jar Parfums' had a beautiful  display, the rare books were mesmerising, especially 'Les Enluminures'. Over one hundred shop fronts, dealing in antiques and exquisite art and craftsmanship. Masterpiece was, as it says,
'The best of the best from around the world'.
Sadly, we didn't even have time to stop for a leisurely drink at Harry's Bar, there was so much to see. 

Cockpit Arts 25th Birthday



Charlotte Sale Glass



What a treat to see the incredible talents of the artists of Deptford at Cockpit Arts. I went to the last day of the open Studios which was a couple of weeks ago now. Loved meeting and chatting to Naomi Ryder,  Charlotte Sale and many others.




Naomi Rider



I met a violin bow maker - first one I've ever met. His work is exquisite, using silversmith techniques, wood-carving, pearl-setting techniques- plus of course, horse hair setting.

Westminster Hog Roast

A fun relaxed evening spent in one of the gardens in the grounds of Westminster Abbey for a bbq with people from the Home Office, Foreign Office and friends. One friend was visiting from Hong Kong (who I stayed with when I was stranded due to the volcanic ash last year) and a doctor from Shanghai. Of course I had to try out a little sentence in mandarin. I was kind of understood - but at least I tried.... Finding the word order difficult to get right. We talked about China (in English) and I heard about the biggest bridge in the world - near Shanghai of course, where else? It is 26 miles across.  Can that be true? Apparently it has a hotel in the middle so you have the sensation of being in the middle of the sea.

Sometimes I get vertigo just hearing these things about China.

To reach the hog roast, we walked through the cloisters, past private gardens and off the usual tourist track to arrive in this secluded part of the Abbey, so it felt really special.





We had umbrellas up occasionally. Great British BBQ weather: but the fine mizzle, which is all it really was, didn't dampen the mood. In the twilight with Parliament towering behind us, the Abbey on the other side and live music, including plenty of Irish and Scottish ballads, it was atmospheric.

Waterfront@Belfast

I'm back in London from a busy weekend at the Waterfront in Belfast - at the conference Focusfest. Great to meet so many friendly people on home territory - customers and fellow stallholders!

                                                                               

Looking forward to returning to Northern Ireland soon.



Eden Jewellery

 




Spoon collections



Floating

 I like the way objects are suspended on walls and in glass at the V&A, from small coins to entire house fronts.





C17th house front





'Floating' building reflection





C16th carved stairwell