ARTIST OF THE WEEK - VICTORIA KERSHAW

Victoria Kershaw produces functional tableware using concrete and silver.


She will be taking part in Goldsmiths Fair week 1 and a

few others shows before Christmas.



1 One favourite living craft maker?

Felieke Van Der Leest - Because her work is wacky


2 When and where did you first want to do what you do?

Ever since I was born I had an interested in art / craft / making things,

and it developed form there.


3 What place in the world has inspired you (and why?)

Japan - It is so different to so many other places in the world, so many

beautiful buildings, parks, objects with a real care and consideration to

detail. Plus we climbed Mt Fuji which was a truly incredible experience.



4 Last best read?

Memoirs of a Geisha


5 How much do you bend your 'vision' to suit the marketplace?

I don't


6 Where and what is your studio?

I have a lovely studio in a new complex called Butcher Works in Sheffield -

The building itself was part of Sheffield steel works. I am from Sheffield

and I really like being part of the silversmithing industry. I do work alone

but to keep in sane I do listen to the radio. At present I like to listen to

radio 2.

7 Surprising activity?

I love to snowboard, whenever I can.

8 Do you have a good work/life balance? Are you able to switch off from art work?

Sometimes but not very often


9 What one word would describe your feeling of doing your work?

Amazing


10 Would you rather be doing something else?

No


11 Do you think art and craft has any real importance?

Of course - life can be so busy, stressful, tiring at times its really

lovely to be able to enjoy, use look at the beautiful things around us.


12 Are their other fields that you'd like to apply some facet of your work into?

Buildings - one day I would like to look into producing large piece of work

for buildings or public art.


13 Guilty secret?

That would be telling!!


14 Can anything be 'art'?

No

Click Here to Read More..

ARTIST OF THE WEEK - RICHARD CORBETT

Richard Corbett

My work is about Nature. I strive to understand nature’s forms and layers, moods, and light.
Whether print or paint, or both combined, I work intuitively with the materials on a number of pieces at once to create a finished work that could evoke skies, aerial views, forests, rivers or seas. I always hope that it takes the viewer to another place, a memory of somewhere seen, or as Gerard Manley Hopkins puts it, the “Inscape”- the form that evokes the spiritual within us.

My work is on show at the Fusion Gallery, Bristol- www.fusion-gallery.co.uk

In September my work will be seen in three venues in Herefordshire during h-Art Including the Applestore Gallery:

I am also taking part in Art in Woodstock in October and I will be exhibiting at the Adam Street Gallery in the Strand in November.


1 One favourite living artist ?
Callum Innes work is breathtaking, because his beautiful big abstract paintings say so much with so little.



2 One favourite historical artist?
Samuel Palmer is a special artist, because he loved to study nature. His tiny sketchbooks can be seen at the British Museum and they are an absolute joy to look at. They are filled with minute drawings and notes to himself about the weather, the colours and the plants.

3 What place in the world has inspired you?
The rivers and the coast of the British Isles.

4 What was the last art thing you purchased?
I love my Tefko Press that I bought from TNLawrence. It stands proudly in the middle of my studio. It never grumbles when I shove old bits of wood and pieces of slate through it and if I treat it well it always makes a beautiful print.



5 Was there any individual who very much helped you on your way?
There have been two individuals in particular in my life so far who have helped me on my way. The first was my tutor, Nigel Stacey, at Watford College of Art. He opened my eyes to the world of art and taught me techniques and skills that I still use today.
The second was Sister Wendy Beckett: a friend of mine showed her my sketchbooks. She wrote me a moving letter about my drawings that inspired me to return to art after a 10 year gap.

6 Last best read?
Le Caprice recipe book, which has incredible photos of food and a great section on Martinis (I must point out, I have never been to the Caprice!!)

7 What do you have on your pinboard?
Photographs of loved ones and a map of the UK of places I have been to.

8 Where and what is your studio?
My studio is in an old stable block in Monmouth. It has its own front door, so once I am in there, I am on my own with all my work. I listen to Radio 3 as I love classical music: it clears my mind and takes my work off in surprising directions.



9 What do think are crimes against good taste & decency in art/craft/design?
Big, boring paintings of trees by a well-known artist at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition.

10 If you could exhibit in any gallery which would it be?
Tate St. Ives, because it is a beautiful space in a magical spot.

Click Here to Read More..

MAKER OF THE WEEK - LUCIE PRITCHARD

Lucie Pritchard


I silk screen print onto fabric, and from that make interior and fashion accessories, such as cushions, scarves, purses, bags, and brooches.




1) Money spent on 'well made, good quality items' is never wasted.

2 What was the last art/craft/design thing you purchased?
I bought a hand made felt bag from a gallery retail area.

3 Last good read?
The Conjuror's Bird by Martin Davis

4 Who would you say buys your work?
I would say women between the ages of 18-40 buy my work

5 What is on you pinboard?
On my pinboard I have lots of leaflets with shows and exhibitions coming up. Website, shops and galleries of interest, and things to do.


6 Where and what is your studio?
My studio is in Clerkenwell Green Association. I rent a studio space for 1 day a week in a shared workspace area. There is usually someone else working/making/designing. We usually work with some music on.


7 Favourite Website?
www.hiddenart.com is one of favourite websites as there are lots of designers on there and new people joing all the time and I like to look and see what's going on.

8 Can you ever switch off from artwork?
I find it very difficult to switch of from doing art work. I always carry a notebook with me incase I think of any new ideas or things I have to do - that way I won't forget!

9 What one word would describe your feeling of doing your work?
Challenging

10 Would you rather be doing something else?
I wouldn't want to be doing anything else, even though sometimes it's tough I still love it!

Click Here to Read More..

ARTIST OF THE WEEK - ANGELA CHARLES

Angela Charles

Angela Charles is exhibiting at
Queens St Gallery, The Old Flour Mill, Emsworth, Hampshire 9 Aug - 1 Septand also showing at Gallery One, Cossways Road, Grayshott, Surrey.




One favourite living artist?

Antoni Tapies, in his 80s and still producing stunning work and lots of it.
His work really takes mixed media to the extreme. The Spanish respect him as
well, even producing a poster for Barcelona football club, would an abstract
artist in England be asked to do that? I doubt it. I always paint in a pair
of slippers after seeing a video of him painting with his slippers on.


One favourite historical artist?
Franz Hals For his incredible use of black. I did a series of paintings in 2005 based
on his work which started with one called 'Hals Black'.

When and where did you first want to do what you do?

I always wanted to be an artist, even though this was pretty alien for my
family. But it was when, as a teenager, I saw ' Charlene' by Robert
Rauschenburg in a gallery in Amsterdam that I realised art wasn't only about
painting recognisable things. That was when I knew exactly what I wanted to
do.
What place in the world has inspired you?

At the moment Dorset and Berlin are the two main ones but in the past it's
been places with more crumbling architecture, Morocco, Portugal etc. Places
have a major impact on my work whether it's something architectural or
something in the landscape or something manmade picked up along the way.

What was the last art/craft/design thing you purchased?

I bought a pot from the Falmouth College degree show this year, by Sharon
Bishop who was on the Contemporary Craft course. It is called 'Duel with
Sharks' and has brilliant drawings of sharks, divers, etc. on it, it was the
most exciting ceramic piece I'd seen, her sketchbooks that were the
inspiration for the pots were hysterical. I've also bought a Hannah Woodman
drawing from a gallery in Bath, which I have to wait to pick up until the
end of the exhibition which is torture.

Last best read?

Basquiat, A Quick Killing in Art by Phoebe Hoban
A really sad tale of drug taking and 1980s art world greed.
Basquaits work had a major impact on my own work in the early years of art
college.


What do you have on your pinboard?

A newspaper cutting of Jeff Koons 'Puppy', a photo of a carpark in Truro, a
postcard of a cement works, a magazine cutting of some trashed washing
machines and skips, a Rauschenburg postcard and a Kerry James Marshall
exhibition leaflet from Modern Art Oxford. These are all stuck next to a
rusty metal first-aid cabinet which I found in a roadside tip in Spain a few
years ago.

Where and what is your studio?

I work in a room in my home. I've tried working in studios with other people
but it's best for me to be alone. I work with music on, at the moment it's
Super Furry Animals, Zutons, Maximo Park I like slower stuff like John
Parish and Radiohead but some tracks are more painting friendly than others.
The music can really influence the work. I did a painting once called
'Hidden Track' that everyone assumed was about the landscape, it was really
about a hidden track at the end of a cd, I did come clean to the person who
bought it.
Surprising activity/hobby?

Watching AFC Bournemouth. My husband's been a life long fan, he introduced
me about 14 years ago at the perfect game, there were sendings off and loads
of goals, unfortunately Bournemouth lost 4 - 0! I was hooked. I bought an
old battered red cushion from the football club (one they would hire out as
the seats were so uncomfortable, in that first game they were thrown at the
ref) when they where raising money for their new ground. This cushion has
been inspiration for more than one painting.

Are you able to switch off from art work?

I paint, work part-time as a curator and spend a lot of free time going to
galleries. I very rarely switch off from art work whether it's my own or
others. I totally switch off when I go to football.

What do think are crimes against good taste & decency in art/craft/ design?

Hand painted silk ties, anything 'novelty' made to hang in a car i.e. mini
football strips, baby on board signs...do people actually design them?

Click Here to Read More..

Green Chair Letterpress

Letterpress printing is undergoing something of a revival in the USA . I found this maker on Etsy the 'ebay' for handmade goods. Green Chair Press is based in California and their beautiful and inventive cards and books are produced on a vintage platen press just like the one oiled and unused in my garage - waiting for the day. when we have time to play

Click Here to Read More..

MAKER OF THE WEEK - ZELDA WONG

Zelda Wong Jewellery

Contemporary silver jewellery inspired by botanical forms


1 Favourite living craft maker
Tord Boontje is my favourite product designer, his design are beautiful, romantic and clever.

2 What one product/item do you really covet?
Ron Arad - Well Tempered chair, surrealistic and ironic.



3 Last best read (book)
Marian Keyes - Anybody out there


4 Who would you say buys your work?
Women of all ages, women who perhaps love gardening or pretty delicate flowers, or ladies who might want to get noticed, they both share the same principle: a piece of jewellery that is unique, beautiful and will make them feel good.



5 How do you set about starting a new project?
I get bored so easily, so I will have to work on new designs very often to keep me excited. I start with a theme or object and try to create a little story of each collection.

6 What do you have on your pinboard?
Images of flowers & plant, and a picture of Marc Chagall's L'Anniversaire


7 Where and what is your studio?
A small green workshop, only big enough to fit one person. I have my music on all the time such as Bjork, Stranglers, Timbaland and Chinese music. I can't live without music.

8 What is your favourite website ?
klimt@klimt02.net news of Art Jewellery from around Europe. Good source of research material.


9 Do you have a good work/life balance? Are you able to switch off from art work?
No, I wake up late (sometimes) and work till late, and I work weekends, if I am not making jewellery, I will work on the admin or my images or my website.

10 Would you rather be doing something else?
If I am not making jewellery, I would love to work in the movies ( Not acting obviously )


11 If you could exhibit in any gallery which would it be?
Sculpture to Wear - Santa Monica, United States






Click Here to Read More..

ARTIST OF THE WEEK - GRAHAM CARTER

Graham Carter

Printmaker & Illustrator


1 One favourite living artist ?
David Shrigley. He probably shouldn’t be as successful as he is considering
his work is akin to sketchbook doodling. But he is consistently coming up with
visual gags that I wish I’d thought of first.....


2 When and where did you first want to do what you do?
I was about 7 or 8 years old when I forced my mother to drive me to the
shops where I had seen a spray-painted Garfield on the wall. I sat and copied it,
then started up a (rip-off) Garfield comic . From that I began making up my own cartoons/characters, then I went to art college......and have blagged it ever since!

3 Do you work best on your own or in collaboration ?
Definitely work better on my own, as I usually feel restricted and under more pressure
In a group environment. There’s a little too much compromise on ideas working with other people. Unless somebody employs you to ‘do your thing’ and doesn’t interfere ,
Which was more or less the case when I worked in a team with Graham-Rawle for an installation
For EXPO 2000 in Germany.

4 Last best read ?
Bill Hicks Autobiography. I love the idea of anykind of creative genius -
Be it in art, music , film, comedy or whatever. Comic genius especially inspires me,
And humour is a big part of my work

5 How do you set about starting a new project ?
by sitting down with my sketchbook and scribbling ideas. I find it helps to be
In a different environment. That may be a coffee shop or park or on a train etc
Anywhere away from the studio/home. I usually just wait for a visual idea to form
In my head, then sketch out some compositions. Then I’ll start adding to it on the
Computer before printing

6 Where and what is your studio?
Have been working from a studio for a year at New England House, but just moved
To a larger space at Beaconsfield Studios where I share a space with friends.
Listen to our collective itunes usually and occasional radio comedy shows.

7 What is your favourite website?
Couldn’t really pick one – but here are a few. I just appreciate people with a strong vision/identity
Like Allan Sanders’ Loopland or Pete Fowlers’ Monsterism and associated vinyl toys/prints.
And you can’t go wrong with the quality of animation at studioaka.
Gallery Nucleus California


8 Do you have a good work/life balance? Are you able to switch off from art work?
When I worked from home I couldn’t really switch off at all – but thankfully now,
being in a shared studio it’s much easier. However , I am constantly thinking about
upcoming shows that I have to do work for – and in that sense I never completely switch
off until the exhibition is over.....
9 Do you think art and craft has any real importance?
I like to think that if you have the ability to cheer somebody up/make someone’s day, then the work does have an important function (considering the state of the world today etc). That seems to be the driving force of my work currently – making people smile (and part with money)

10 Can anything be 'art'?
If somekind of craft ,skill or intention has gone into it’s making/choosing, then I guess it can. This debate will go on forever because of personal tastes, but I’m highly skeptical about a lot of ‘modern art’ that just seems to be striving to be ‘different’ for the sake of being different. I’m old fashioned that way -
I like to see evidence of talent......



Graham Carter has been a printmaker and illustrator for almost 10 years, bringing his own style of wit and humour to the public. Following on from a degree in illustration at Brighton, Graham studied at a post graduate level at Central St.Martins, London. In 1998 Graham became one of the founding members of the critically acclaimed London based Peepshow illustration collective. From very early on in his career this gave him the opportunity to work for clients such as the BBC, Diesel Jeans, on Graham Rawle’s Expo 2000 installation, and exhibit in shows throughout the UK & Europe.

Since 1999 Graham has primarily been working for editorial and advertising companies in a very different style to his recent silkscreen and giclee editions. This somewhat more ‘cartoon’ like approach has attracted clients such as Bupa, Orange, Saatchi & Saatchi, Visa and Monster.co.uk.

The Silkscreen/Giclee portfolio is where Graham’s true passion lies. Some of the subject matter comes from children’s stories; others are developed thumbnail –sketched ideas, purely based on character, composition and colour which he slowly builds on, using found imagery/textures as well to create the visually exciting images displayed online and in respected art galleries (Art Republic / Ink-D) today.

Graham is currently living and working in Brighton, and recently won the Visual Arts Prize 2007 as part of the Brighton Fringe festival.

Click Here to Read More..

East Beach Cafe

Living just along the south coast we took our lunch break at the new East Beach Cafe in sleepy Littlehampton. The building was commissioned by Jane Wood and her daughter Sophie from Designer / sculptor / architect Thomas Heatherwick it's a stunning, iconic and original building shaped (it looks to me) like drift wood on the beach, with contours of welded oxidised Corten Steel making up the shell with the plastered inside echoing the shape of the shell like a high white cave.


Living ourselves in a somewhat forgotten part of the South Coast away from the news inches of trendy Brighton it is instructive as to what a single small iconic building can do to a town. Whilst I'm sure it won't right all wrongs and lead to a total transformation and renaissance of Littlehampton from a depressed seaside resort - it has got a huge ammount of favourable national press and TV coverage for the building, the cafe and the town. What is even more impressive is that it was commissioned by a couple of individuals with a vision and enthusism to invest proper money in their vision. Small town councillors should take notice. It will be interesting to see if all the other cafe owners trumped by East Beach will start redeveloping!

Also the food was good! A little on the pricey side for a boggo caff on the beach, but not too expensive for great food in a fantastic building with a view of the sea and a sandy beach nearby.

Click Here to Read More..

ARTIST OF THE WEEK - KATE WALTERS

Kate Walters


Kate Walters works with drawing to explore the body and its relationship to various phenomena and how we can gain understanding about our lives.
The body is the material base; it is simultaneously evidence of, and sensory alerting mechanism to, all our experience as humans on earth.
As she works Kate seeks to inhabit an intuitive, open place which Agnes Martin calls ‘Free and easy wandering’; that is, she allows her drawings to find their own way to the surface of the paper.
Kate makes her drawings with ink, gouache, watercolour, charcoal and shellac on gesso [which she prepares herself] on paper.
Her works are not large; it is important for the viewer to be close to the work, to be intimate.


1 Favourite living artist - is Eiija-Lisa Ahtila, Film maker from Helsinki, saw her work at Venice Biennale[05], beautiful, poignant, loving films about our inner existences, loss, love, synchronicity, joy, song.

2 Favourite historical artist - Giotto. His frescoes in Basilica di San Francesco in Assisi are breath-takingly beautiful, serene, full of spirit.

3 When and where did you first want to do what you do? - As a little girl when I constantly drew horses and faces, I could escape into my own little world that way. Then later, seeing an early abstract work by Kandinsky opened a door for me, relating to the relationship between art and consciousness.

4 What place in the world has inspired you - Italy, Cornwall and Hebrides. I like wild, open, natural places.
5 Do you work best on your own or in collaboration - I always work on my own.

6 What was the last art/craft/design thing you purchased - I love unusual/top quality clothes. My father bought me a John Galliano jacket for my Birthday. It was in the Harrods sale, very reduced because it had lost a button. I have some antique jet buttons so I will put one on, it should be a fine jacket then!

7 At age 15 who influenced your style? - Age 15 my style was influenced by Biba, the store in Ken High St. I had just discovered London with a friend, and I painted my bedroom brown and filled it with velvet, feathers and mirrors.

8 Last best read - 'Stigmata' by Helene Cixous.

9 How much do you bend your 'vision' to suit the marketplace? - I don't bend my vision at all. Not even 1%!


10 How do you set about starting a new project? - I start a new project by a gradual process of development from a previous one. I let it cook in my unconscious, I wait for signs.

11 What do you have on your pinboard? - In my studio on the wall I have photos of my family, my horses, my friends, other animals, a few postcards.

12 Where and what is your studio? - My studio is one of the living rooms in my home. I always work alone, always playing music, usually Bach, Beethoven, Schubert, Mahler. I need the music to help me reach deep places, to let go.

13 Do you have a good work/life balance? - I have a good work/life balance. I am able to juggle and to let go. I don't like to be away from my studio for too many days though.

14 What one word would describe your feeling of doing your work - Discovery.

15 Would you rather be doing something else - I gave up a good teaching career to pursue my dream of being an artist. It has been a struggle financially but I wouldn't want to do anything else.



Kate is showing at the Todds Gallery in Hastings in September in a show called Approaching Rapture

Click Here to Read More..

Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden

The other day we visited the Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden which we had been recommended to go to by Anne-Marie. The Sculpture Garden is set in 10 acres of a wooded valley landscaped and designed by Hannah's husband Anthony Paul who is originally from New Zealand and the planting and feel of the garden has a real feel of the best of New Zealand with architectural planting and mossy paths leading to the clearings where the sculptures are sited.



The sculptures on our visit comprised a huge range of media - glass, stone, ceramic, wood, clear resin, bronze, steel - styles, and prices. Some of my favourites were Peter Randall-Page with his monumental and simple carved stone sculptures (above).



Neil Wilkin's glass 'explosions' or flowers busting out of the lake. Christopher Marvell's strong naive bronzes of birds, fish and people.

and Yasemen Hussein's beautiful bronze 'hair pieces'


The garden wasn't at all busy when we went and is a lovely relaxing place to be, sit and relax on Anthony Paul's and others sculpted wooden benches.



Hannah Peschar's Sculpture Garden is in Surrey near the village of Ockley between Horsham and Dorking. It's signage is somewhat discrete so make sure you print out the map from the website - we didn't and got a little lost. It is open Friday Saturday and Sunday during the summer.

Click Here to Read More..

MAKER OF THE WEEK - CORRINA ROTHWELL

Corrina Rothwell Textile Art


I work solely in machine embroidery. There are two main strands to what I do – the first is postcard-sized cartoon-like pieces in black and white, of which I can repeat the designs to order. The second is one-off framed pieces for exhibition. I’m currently exploring new ways of working. Previously my work was intensively stitched and very colourful, but now my interest is in much more stark and ‘honed-down’ pieces with a more illustrative feel. I’m also developing a collection of one-off bags which will be more colourful and decorative, and am exploring the idea of stitched books based on my ‘cartoon’ pieces.


1 Money spent on Holidays is never wasted.
It’s easy to neglect yourself as an artist and not give yourself time off because you think you can’t afford it. Of course you often can’t, but I think it’s a priority to try, because you and your work can get stale and worn-out if you never have a break.

2 Favourite living artist ?
Anthony Gormley. I love his sense of fun and inclusiveness.

3 What place in the world has inspired you.
Turkey. The combination of music and history, freedom and restriction was intoxicating. I took lots of close-ups of ruined statue faces, they all seemed to be distraught and tragic in some way. I’m looking for ways to use them in my work.

4 At age 15 who influenced your style?
At 15 I was (typically I think!) really into the Surrealists….since then Jean Dubuffet really influenced me a lot, because I was always embarrassed that I couldn’t draw people properly, then I saw how Dubuffet painted in a naïve kind of way and I thought ‘haha!’, it’s ok to do people looking a bit weird!


5 Last best read?
‘Red’ by Orhan Pamuk. It’s an amazing insight into the lives of miniaturist painters in Istanbul during the 16th century.

6 Who would you say buys your work?
I’m lucky in that my work seems to appeal to a wide range of people, probably because it’s very direct and is about everyday stuff….people recognise themselves in it.

7 How much do you bend your 'vision' to suit the marketplace?
I don’t bend my vision as such but I try to come up with ‘products’ that will have mass appeal. I can’t pretend it’s my favourite thing to do but at the end of the day I have to make money.

8 Where and what is your studio? Do you work alone? In silence, radio?
I work in my attic. I did have a studio but freezing my **** off for half the year, never seeing anyone anyway and paying for the priviledge seemed pointless. I always work to music – usually crazy stuff from Eastern Europe or the Middle East – then I can have a bit of a dance when I start siezing up at the sewing machine.


9 Do you have a good work/life balance? Are you able to switch off from art work?
Too much life, not enough work! The problem at the moment is not switching on enough….I feel like I’m skating around on the surface of my work and not getting in deep enough. Worrying about making money gets in the way.

10 Would you rather be doing something else?
I often feel I’d rather be doing something else, but I don’t know what it is so I’m not doing it!

11 Are their other fields that you'd like to apply some facet of your work into?
I’d like to be a ‘documentary embroiderer’, attending different events or environments and making humourous pictures of people – like stitched photographs.

12 Guilty secret?
My cheese in the fridge has teeth marks.

Click Here to Read More..