Made

Saturday, 6 April 2013

Image of the Day - Paul Hird

Paul Hird is a landscape painter abstracting from landscape and conveying our sometimes uneasy relationship with unknown or unfamiliar landscapes.


Ravaged Field, Oil on canvas, 40in x 30in

Paul Hird will be exhibiting at the Palace Art and Craft Fair at Fulham Palace 16-19 May 2013

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Friday, 5 April 2013

Image of the Day - Emma Clegg

Having studied Fine Art, Emma Clegg has come full circle by returning to a potters studio, having spent a lot of my childhood in her father's pottery factories.

The inspiration for her work stems from an old Edward Raby piece. It is a tiny wreath, about 6 cms across and consisting only of unglazed porcelain flowers. It was buried for around 40 years under the New Cross in Park Street, Bristol, and on it’s removal was still perfectly in tact.

Her own work is decorated with 3 dimensional porcelain flowers and berries, giving the appearance of fragility and following the theme of vanitas, but by contradiction, the work is actually very robust as it is fired to 1280 degrees centigrade.

All of her work is made of porcelain, and have been made by throwing or hand building techniques. The wild flower range was developed for the Fortnum and Mason’s ‘Hand Made’ exhibition in 2010. Other work has been developed from my contribution to ‘The Big Egg Hunt’, London 2012.

My studio is in the old Blacksmiths forge in our village in the North Cotswolds.

Emma Clegg will be exhibiting at the Palace Art and Craft Fair in May

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Thursday, 4 April 2013

Image of the Day - Tanja Ufer

Tanja Ufer is Sussex based jewellery designer and silversmith.

Tanja Ufer started designing and making jewellery with an apprenticeship at Pforzheim Goldsmithing School, Germany, in 1993. She spent two years there learning from a broad range of courses including: silversmithing; goldsmithing; enamelling; engraving; gemmology (the study of gem stones); technical drawing and the history of art & craft.
The apprenticeship continued with a two year placement working for well-known jewellery designer Peter Haarstick, in Bremen, Germany. Here she gained further experience in working with highly precious materials, one off pieces and commissions.

Her apprenticeship successfully culminated in a Journeyman exam in 1997. The Journeyman piece was awarded a grant from the Bremen County Council, which enabled Tanja to accept an offer for an Master of Arts in Metalwork and Jewellery design at Sheffield Hallam University. The freedom of thinking and exploration, broadened her understanding of jewellery as an ideas medium, integrating a conceptual approach into her work.

Tanja Ufer will be exhibiting at the Palace Art and Craft Fair at Fulham Palace 16-19 May 2013

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Wednesday, 3 April 2013

Image of the Day - András Győrfi


András Győrfi: Princess of Babylon, oil on canvas, 50 x 50cm

The Atelier Art Gallery is a gallery specialising in contemporary Hungarian artists. András Győrfi is one artist they will be representing at the Palace Art and Craft Fair

"Many of András' paintings are somewhat allegorical portraits of him, with a central character and a group of people who often look out of the picture. Apparently they are different people but they always have the same face, which is the artist’s face broken down into pieces, representing his various thoughts"

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Maker of the Week - Charlotte High

Charlotte High is a contemporary jewellery designer producing work inspired by nature. She will be exhibiting with the Rosehill Studio Group at the Palace Art and Craft Fair

At what age did you know you wanted to become a maker?

I was 25 when I was teaching in Lisbon and making simple jewellery to sell at weekend craft fairs. I started a silver jewellery course in Portuguese and immediately loved it. I then returned to the UK and did a LOCF course at Chelsea College in London followed by a
part time HND at the Guildhall. On relocating to Brighton I did evening courses and studied for an advanced crafts City and Guilds in fine jewellery at Chichester.

Is being a designer your only job?

Now its my only job, other than looking after 3 children, 2 kittens, 2 guinea pigs and a hamster. I am also a casual crèche worker.

If you could be anything else what would you be?

An explorer, tour guide, photographer, architect, or best of all David Attenborough’s assistant.

One favourite living artist / designer?
Hmm. Think it’d have to be Tracey Emin. It’s not necessarily her art…it’s her raw attitude and depth that get me and the eventful life she has led.

One favourite historical artist / designer?

Claude Monet because he was a brilliant artist and his famous painting ‘Sunrise’ which gave rise to the Impressionist movement is awe inspiring.

Who / what has had most influence on your work?

The raw essence of nature.

What is the most interesting / fun job you have had?

I worked on a prawn trawler. We used to be out at sea for 2 weeks at a time, waking at night to trawl and sort the catch. I was in Australia and in many places the sea, at night was lit up by phosphorescent algae – a true spectacle.

What is your most prized item of art / design / craft?
I love classic cars, but sadly don’t have one at the moment. I used to have an electric blue VW Beetle, K reg, that came to live in Portugal with me. We had lots of wild adventures but she had to go to scrap when I returned to the UK as she failed the MOT.

What item of design / craft do you covet most?

Sticking with cars I think it’d have to be a Karmen Ghia, but then old Porsches and E-types are pretty cool too.

Last book / film that blew your mind?

I love Quentin Tarantino films, particularly Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill. I find these films clever in their circular plots, the adrenaline, danger and humour

What are you listening to?

Pat Metheny Group –Travels (Live) Goin’ Ahead/as falls Wichita, so falls Wichita falls. I saw him play in Brighton and thought he was brilliant

How many hours do you waste on the internet each day?
Too many and not enough. I always get side tracked ….I can even lead myself up the garden path.

 If you could live anywhere, where would it be and why?

I love living in Brighton, but would like it to be hotter and cheaper…oh, and I would like a sandy beach, a boat and a big house with a lawn reaching to the sea. Where is this place?

 Where and what is your studio?

I work at the Rosehill Workshops with a collective of very talented and creative artists. There are 11 of us working there, all self employed, but at the same time working together to create a professional, inspiring and supportive atmosphere.

Three words that describe your feeling of doing your work?

Passion, fulfilment, engrossed.

Chips or mash?

Chips –they’re more social

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Tuesday, 2 April 2013

Image of the Day - Stuart Jenkins

Fine artist cum silversmith Stuart Jenkins creates highly textured vessels and boxes with contrasting metals and finishes always with the marks of the making evident on the finished piece.