Conversational Concert in Bloomsbury

Hokusai's Great Wave off Kanagawa

I've just returned from the intimate surroundings of Pushkin house in Bloomsbury, where I heard piano duets by the fabulous Karl Lutchmayer and David Alexander: performing Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony, followed by Debussy's La Mer.

Karl sets the scene as always with his anecdotes and insights into the composers' lives and music - I want to find out more about them. Debussy was inspired by the Javanese gamelan music and Japanese art and architecture that he heard and saw at the first World Exhibition in Paris, 1889. He had the Japanese woodblock engraving on the front cover of an early recording of La Mer.

Brazil and Spider Silk

Late at the V&A in January was a lively Brazilian carnival atmosphere with live drummers and dancing.

I loved the suspended umbrellas in the main entrance hall, not far from the incredible Chihuly masterpiece. I'm never disappointed each time I go to the V&A - this has to be London's best gem of a museum.



The amazing garment woven from spider silk



Butterfly Bowl and Spoon

The Butterfly Bowl is 58mm in diamter, the spoon 68 mm in length

I have completed my smallest ever spoon, which fits the exquisite Butterfly Bowl perfectly. It will soon be on its way to Belfast.

Panicale

Sunshine in January is a wonderful way to start to 2012

Olive Groves in Tuscany

The January winter light catching the silveryness of the olive leaves.

Bologna Lights

Happy New Year!!

Loved the festive lighting in Bologna





Dramatic uplighting on the murals in the museum



Pippa Small

What an incredible story.  Read about http://www.pippasmall.com/index.html and check out her blog

Flux Open Studios from 1st Dec

Only five days to go until Flux Open Studios. Check us out! Browse! Engage! Find perfect gifts!

If you’re a Vogue and Harpers reader you will know some of these names. Come and meet us

Barbara Yarde / Ilona Guest / Kyle Hopkins / Maggie Laing / Bev Holden
Natascha Kotsoupoulou / Claire Hart / Imogen Belfield / Vicky Forrester
Yuki Sasakura / Alex Yule / Becky Dockree / Dickie Wilkinson
Commission your favourite jeweller to make something unique.
We have lots of new work to show you – catch a glimpse of the new season’s collections from our group of hip, happening jewellers; get it here before it hits the high street!
Claire Hart's new Butterfly Lovers' Collection and newly engraved sterling silver blossom spoons will be on show for the first time

Winter Collection

 We are proud to present the latest addition to Claire Hart Design Winter Collection: the Mother of Pearl Rose Ring. 

Each beautiful carved rose is set in a hand-sculpted sterling silver claw, on a silver stem which wraps perfectly around the finger.

There are now only five days left before exhibiting at Collect 2011 at Castle Ward!

Jazz-Live @ The Rivoli Ballroom



Giant Chinese lanterns and Austrian chandeliers



What better way to spend a Saturday night than at the Jive Party at the famous

vintage Rivoli Ballroom in Crofton with a live band playing? It felt like we were celebrating the 

end of the Blitz! 



Forties Birthday Girl




The ballroom before 600 people descended on the dance floor



Only Fools and Horses @ Frank's

The last week of Frank's Bar (yes, it was a few weeks ago) on top of the Peckham multi-storey car park, was as cool as ever.  Dingy stairwell to walk up, giant awnings stretched across to make a tent-like roof, superb views across London, and gigantic art from Camberwell college. I had the best burger ever, we were entertained by dancers and I got a photo of the iconic Trotter-mobile 'New York - Paris- Peckham', which I see around Peckham occasionally - though the last time I saw it , it was being towed....can it really be on its last legs?

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.