Call for Entries - BAF, PAF, MADE11

Applications are open for
Brighton Art Fair
Palace Art Fair and
MADE11 - Brighton's Design and Craft Fair

Application forms can be downloaded from our websites and applications can be made online until 31 March 2011.

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Maker of the Week - Maria de Haan / Noa Ceramics

Maria De Haan makes functional tableware with Eastern influences.

One favourite living craft maker
I really respect the work of Akiko Hirai, simple forms but very organic and earthy. I am not really into over complicated or highly decorated work, as in my own work I like ceramics to have a calming effect on its audience, for me less is definitely more.

What was the last art/craft/design thing you purchased?
I bought an Antique cabinet from Afghanistan about 7 years from a friends furniture shop in London. I love it. It is incredible it has two carved wooden swing doors that open outward with three very simple wooden planks of wood. Its very rustic and absolutely gorgeous. Its lives in my kitchen but I use it for exhibitions sometimes to display my work.

At age 18 who influenced your style? Was there any individual who very much helped you on your way?
Aged 18!? Well trying to think back,... possibly my Mum, she is Spanish and had a bit of a bohemian chic thing going on.



What’s currently on your i-pod, cd player, tape recorder?
Bombay Bicycle Club, and Ray Lamontagne.

Where and what is your studio?
NW10 Studios, Near Kensal rise in North West London. The area is not that pretty, train spotters would love my studio! the view is industrial, but my studio is on the 2nd floor and the natural light is amazing. There are a real mix of people in the building from painters, furniture restorers and music producers and other ceramicists, they all have studios there. We all work with our doors open so its a very friendly and creative place.

What is your favourite (art) website?
I don't have one, but I get regular updates from the Craft Council in London.

Surprising activity/hobby?
I am into antiques, something with a history or a story behind it. I also like to play chess.

Do you have a good work/life balance? Are you able to switch off from art work?
NO if I have a deadline on then my life gets put on hold!!! Ceramics always take longer than you think, so you can never make plans for an evening as you will always have to cancel.

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

Physical.

Do you think art and craft has any real importance?

Yes most definitely, if we didn't have art and couldn't express ourselves creatively the world would be a very grey and soulless place.

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

Not really, each to their own, although I do have a strong aversion to plastic as a material !

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Maker of the Week - Michaela Gall

Michalea Gall is a ceramicist producing domestic ware in majolica, painted with oxides and mostly thrown. Folk and Islamic influences feature in her work.

One favourite living craft maker.

Christiane Fischer is a Brazilian jeweller, she uses raw chunks of stone like unpolished ruby- sliced it looks like a piece of pastrami- wonderful!

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

I bought a cup from Kaori Tatebayashi, it's ink black glazed stoneware, I almost bow to it.

At age 18 who influenced your style? Was there any individual who very much helped you on your way?
I was influenced by anything early and religious, icons, trecento painting, partly from the nun who taught us history of art at school then I went to live in Florence so it was all classical for a while.

What’s currently on your i-pod, cd player, tape recorder?
n/a or broken, but Radio 3 and if the kids interfere 1.

Where and what is your studio?
In a stable.

What is your favourite (art) website ?
No favourite just random trawls.

Surprising activity/hobby?
Singing with the hoover as my orchestra?

Do you have a good work/life balance? Are you able to switch off from art work?
I probably do more thinking about my work than transferring ideas. Everything is food for my work it's just a question of nailing it down.

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

Do you think art and craft has any real importance?
Well if stone age (wo)man hadn't made rock gongs and adzes then I wouldn't be on a computer now.

What do think are crimes against good taste & decency in art/craft/design?
The benches at Charing Cross Station must rank pretty high, metal, slatted, like shards of ice in winter.

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Maker of the Week - Gemma Wheeler

Gemma Wheeler is a silversmith and jeweller who enjoys the challenges of the design process from paper to three-dimensional form.

One favourite living craft maker.
As a maker we all get to go to the fairs, even if it is work. The advantages of this is we also get to see other makers work. I really like the work of Gwen Bainbridge, it is very delicate, I like the contrast of the floral pattern against the bright white of the china.

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

The last thing I bought surrounding art was a book on Iron jewellery, I love looking through books on anything and everything, I get really inspired.

At age 18 who influenced your style? Was there any individual who very much helped you on your way?
At 18 I would say I was influenced by a style rather than an individual, but if I did have to choose one I would say Clarice Cliff. I liked the geometric style she created in her ceramic forms.

What’s currently on your i-pod, cd player, tape recorder?
Johnny Cash is on the i-pod and cd player, I love to listen to him in the workshop.

Where and what is your studio?
My workshop is in Cropredy, Oxfordshire, I converted the space which is above my Dad's business. Its five minutes from my house, so I get to walk to work everyday.


What is your favourite (art) website?
Most art websites I visit are to purchase materials from, I couldn’t say they are my favourite sites though! Although the site I have chosen isn’t an art site it is some where I visit to purchase books for my inspiration, this of course is Amazon!

Surprising activity/hobby?
I can't say that I have any surprising hobbies. I’m very much a maker, I love ceramics and have just bought a new camera which I’m looking forward to experimenting with after the Christmas rush.

Do you have a good work/life balance? Are you able to switch off from art work?
I do find it hard to completely switch off, I find myself always looking around for inspiration and new ideas. I would say I have a good work/life balance even though I only get Sundays off I make the most of them and the evenings.

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

Do you think art and craft has any real importance?
I think that you only have to look back over the years to see the positive impact art/design has had on the world, there have been some really interesting concepts.

What do think are crimes against good taste & decency in art/craft/design?
I think every one has their own tastes and what one person loves another will hate, this applies in two ways the original designing of a piece and then the individual who is viewing the piece. I find that at the same time that I may not love the look of something I can appreciate the skill that has gone into making it. I would never openly point out individual designs or designers for examples as someone has spent time creating this and must think it is worth the viewing.

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Three books for Christmas

As we get near to Christmas I thought I would do a quick post about three new books which are great for Christmas presents!

All three have just been published this Autumn/Winter and they are available from Amazon or from the artists involved. I have added the relevant links by each books so you can have a browse and maybe find a book, or three, that you like!


Robert Tavener Printmaker and Illustrator by Emma & Richard Mason. www.emmamason.co.uk or via Amazon


Angie Lewin Plants and Places by Leslie Geddes Brown
www.angielewin.co.uk or via Amazon


Greek Myths by Ann Turnbull and Sarah Young
www.jontutton.theartistsweb.co.uk or via Amazon

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Maker of the Week - Miranda Hughes

Miranda Hughes designs and handcrafts jewellery that is distinctive and unique. Contemporary design combined with a love for all things vintage forms the starting point for many designs. Antique objects, words, colours and patterns are used as precious charms and details. This gives these seemingly valueless elements a new life; reinventing them into something wearable and beautiful.

One favourite living craft maker.

I love the work by Rob Ryan at the moment, it brings such a smile to my face; particularly his paper creations. His pieces are whimsical, narrative, delicate, beautiful, romantic and witty!

What was the last art/craft/design thing you purchased?
A gorgeous little porcelain jug made by Rebecca Callis when I was exhibiting at the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair last month.

At age 18 who influenced your style? Was there any individual who very much helped you on your way?
Stylewise I loved the ‘retro’ look and must have watched Breakfast at Tiffany’s countless times. As much as I tried I doubt my personal style appeared anything as elegant as Audrey! I had a weekend job in Habitat, which luckily was a much more inspiring environment than working in my local supermarket or pub.
I was quite poorly for a while around this time, bad timing as far as my A-Levels were concerned, so had to catch up on all Photography and Art coursework in a very short space of time. Compared to the Business Studies A-Level it didn’t actually feel like too much hard work, and triggered something in me which make me realise I didn’t want to stop my artistic pursuits and sit in an office just yet. An inspiring art teacher and support from friends & family led me to continue on with creative education and pursue it as a career. Somehow I’ve managed as yet to successfully avoid any dull office jobs!

What’s currently on your i-pod, cd player, tape recorder?
Mumford & Sons, Hot Chip, The Killers and old favourites Beth Orton, Portishead, Massive Attack, Simon & Garfunkel…

Where and what is your studio?
Hatfield in Hertfordshire; in a small spare room in my parent’s house. Quite a strange, yet comforting feeling as it’s my old bedroom. It’s not ideal, and hope to be able to work from my own home one day, but as I live with my boyfriend in a small one bedroom flat that’s not really an option at the moment. However, I am so very grateful for my parents to offer me the space, especially as I’m sure I make more noise and mess now than I did in my teenage years!

What is your favourite (art) website?
I don’t think I’ve explored enough yet, but I do like to glance at the V&A website every now and again to see what’s going on.

Surprising activity/hobbies?
I do love a good pub quiz. And if I go to a beach, I can spend hours searching for the ‘perfect’ pebble.

Do you have a good work/life balance? Are you able to switch off from art work?
I do try to switch off, but find it difficult as there’s always something I feel I should be doing, and there just never seems to be enough hours in the day. Unfortunately I don’t work on my jewellery full time yet; I have two other part time jobs at the moment so my working life is extremely busy, but varied; which I enjoy. My work as a designer/maker feels like a real treat and escape.

What one word would describe your feeling of doing your work?
Home.

Do you think art and craft has any real importance?
Yes, it has such an influence on culture & society so acts as a fantastic record of the times we live in, from cave paintings to popart. I believe craft has a real importance today; our lives are being taken over by technology & mass produced items, so unique products produced with skill, craftmanship, heart and soul are vital. Most importantly, our world would be a very miserable, dull and empty place without it.

What do you think are crimes against good taste & decency in art/craft/design?
I really get angry at those chain style “art galleries” that you see in shopping centres full of awful, reproduced, cartoon like “paintings” and “sculptures”. I get even more angry when I realise they must have enough customers to keep them happily in business, when so many real art & craft galleries find it more difficult.

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Maker of the Week - Esther Coombs

Esther Coombs is a practicing artist living and working in Hampshire, who believes life is a story and that narrative is best told with drawings.

One favorite living craft maker.
Too many to mention them all, so this is difficult, I have always admired John Dilnot, his amazing bird boxes have always inspired me.

What was the last art/craft/design thing you purchased?
The last time was a amazing little match box with a drawing that pulls out of it by Alice Gabb, who's work is so beautiful!


At age 18 who influenced your style? Was there any individual who very much helped you on your way?
Honestly I can't remember, which we can maybe put down to a great time at art college, although in a broader sense my foundation course at Maidstone KIAD was a real eye opener, so many different types of media to try, enthusiastic tutors and great people who were into the same stuff as me it was a revelation.

What’s currently on your i-pod, cd player, tape recorder?
I just down loaded the Puppini Sisters which was so good I down loaded their second album too! :)

Where and what is your studio?
My studio is a lovely big shed at the end of our garden, about to be a lot nicer next week, when I get a wood burner in its pretty cold out there at the mo! :)

What is your favorite (art) website?

I couldn't live without my design sponge update daily! http://www.designspongeonline.com/

Surprising activity/hobby?
Not that surprising, but I like to run when I have time

Do you have a good work/life balance? Are you able to switch off from art work?
Nope can't help it, it wakes me up, and is in the back of my mind even when I'm pretending to be interested in something else.

What one word would describe your feeling of doing your work?
Hectic! (mostly!)

Do you think art and craft has any real importance?
Of course, items created by hand, with consideration and thought have every place in our society and importance in our lives!

What do think are crimes against good taste & decency in art/craft/design?
I'm pretty much a each to their own kinda person, beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

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