Maker of the Day - Fiona Hesford / Sewgirl

Fiona Hesford trades as Sewgirl producing knit folk, dolls, quilts, cushions and other textile accessories.

One favourite living craft maker.
My favorite living craft person at the moment has got to be Natalie L'Ete. She makes ceramics, paints, illustrates and makes soft toys and is uber cool! I love her!

What was the last art/craft/design thing you purchased?
The last thing I purchased was a creramic hand which I'm going to cover in paper mache and use to display my button accessories at MADE.

At age 18 who influenced your style? Was there any individual who very much helped you on your way?
When I was 20 ish I met textile designer Lucienne Day when I was researching my dissertation for my degree,she inspired me in a big way.

What’s currently on your i-pod, cd player, tape recorder?
I'm presently listening to The Martini Kings on the CD player,a fab lounge duo from L.A who we fell in love with at 'Vintage at Goodwood' this summer.

Where and what is your studio?
My studio is at home in Worthing,I have a large bright room where I also hold my workshops where the light is best in the mornings. Because I work at home I never really switch off, and I'm 'passionate' about ideas for new products and ways to display them.



Do you think art and craft has any real importance?
I would describe art/craft as food for the soul and therefore essential to life and society. I'm happiest when I'm working on new ideas.

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Maker of the Day - Henrietta Fernandez

Henrietta Fernandez is a Brighton based jeweller who will be showing her work at MADE10. Hernrietta designs and makes silver jewellery enhanced with gold and semi-precious stones. Her inspiration stems from organic patterns found in textile design and graphics. Shapes are kept simple with clean-cut lines and finished with a fine semi-matt finish.

One favourite living craft maker.

Wendy Ramshaw – because she taught me a lot as her apprentice. Her designs are timeless and beautiful, and she has influenced so many (me included)

What was the last art/craft/design thing you purchased? What one product/item do you really covet?
A limited edition screen print by Ken Eardley called Lovebirds. And a ceramic glazed bowl made by my mother in the 50’s when she was at art school, which I covet. It’s not 50’s inspired-it’s the genuine article!

What’s currently on your i-pod, cd player?
Darkstar- North

Where and what is your studio?
At home in my work room and sometimes Firefly in Brighton

What is your favourite (art) website?
Not really art, but at the moment its the Camper website- beautiful, quirky, funny and lovely shoes too...

Surprising activity/hobby?
Skiing- love it.

Do you have a good work/life balance? Are you able to switch off from art work?
At the moment no, but ask me again in February

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

Do you think art and craft has any real importance?
Art and craft is part of our heritage-YES

What do think are crimes against good taste & decency in art/craft/design?
I think that the proposed cuts in the Arts Council are criminal.

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Maker of the Week - Paul Johnson - BLOQ

Paul Johnson of contemporary furniture company Bloq will be bringing the range to MADE10 .

One favourite living craft maker
Pachadesign based in Devon / Cornwall. They re-use materials from the local area and transform them into beautiful pieces. They use a clever mix of oak and slate.

What was the last art/craft/design thing you purchased?
Last thing purchased was a hat by Karen Henriksen.

At age 18 who influenced your style? Was there any individual who very much helped you on your way?
I was always influenced by Lego which is evident in my work. My main DT teacher, Mr Thompson, made me think outside the box.

What’s currently on your i-pod, cd player, tape recorder?
The Gaslight Anthem and Arcade Fire

Where and what is your studio?
I have a workshop in Surrey and a showroom in Putney, London

What is your favourite (art) website?
Don't have one that comes to mind

Surprising activity/hobby?
Mad and bad tennis player, about 4 times a week, weather permitting

Do you have a good work/life balance? Are you able to switch off from art work?
I have a good balance that fits with me. I work 7 days a week and it never really gets me down. I'm not able to switch off as my work is my life. Sad isn't it.

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

Do you think art and craft has any real importance?
Definitely, the world would be a very boring uneventful place without it.

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Book Launch and Exhibition

A week today the Emma Mason Gallery in Eastbourne launch their book on artist and printmaker Robert Tavener (1920-2004)

"Oh Mr Tavener I wish I had the Original!" Robert Tavener printmaker & Illustrator is written by Emma and Richard Mason and published by Bread and Butter Press. The book covers Tavener's lifetime of printmaking and has over 100 colour plates of his work.

The book launch takes place at the Emma Mason Gallery from 5-7pm next Friday 12th November. Alongside the new book is an exhibition of Tavener's work at the gallery, most of which will be for sale and it will include rarer works from Tavener's collection. The exhibition runs from Saturday 13th November to Saturday 11th December. The exhibition will also be on line on the exhibitions pages of their website http://www.emmamason.co.uk/

In their current issue Sussex Life Magazine have written a piece about Tavener and the book and exhibition which you can read at:

http://www.greatbritishlife.co.uk/article/local-printmaker-teacher-and-illustrator-robert-tavener-eastbourne-26328/

The book is priced at £20.00 (plus £2.00 p+p)

Trade terms available by contacting Emma Mason.

Full details on the website.

http://www.emmamason.co.uk/

Emma Mason Gallery

3 Cornfield Terrace

Eastbourne

East Sussex

BN21 4NN

T. 01323 727545

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Opening of 'Much Ado'

It's great to see good independent bookshops flourishing. On Saturday we went along to the grand opening of Much Ado books in Alfriston, who have just moved up the road to larger premises (in a converted builders yard?)


They now have a bookshop facing the village square, with new books on the ground floor and a great selection of second hand books on the first floor. A landscaped yard leads to the barn where talks and events take place and a collection of antiquarian and rare books can be viewed by collectors, and a small letterpress press.

(Great taste in books - they have Sarah's Greek Myths in pride of place!)

Congratulations to Cate and Nash for getting such a great bookshop and space together and hope that they can have a rest soon!

(apologies - photo's taken on my i-phone - great phone, rubbish camera)

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Ryan Kealey, Boatbuilder at MADE10

We are thrilled that Sussex based boatbuilder Ryan Kealey will be exhibiting one of the beautiful boats that has recently undergone an extensive restoration programme at his workshop, in the Foyer at MADE10.

After five years as a carpenter making scenery for the theatre, Ryan yearned to create something that would last for decades rather than a season and began repairing Thames river skiffs under the guidance of Master Craftsman Mark Edwards of Richmond Bridge Boathouses. In June 2008 he set up his own boat-building business with the aim of preserving Sussex’s maritime history through the maintenance and repair of wooden boats using traditional methods and he has been rewarded with a series of commissions and growing business.

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Maker of the Week - Kate Wood

Kate Wood is a jewellery designer / maker and works from her studio in London. Kate will be exhibiting at MADE10 in November.

One favourite living craft maker.
Perhaps more of a designer than a maker, but Ted Muehling’s work is simple and perfect. I love the abstracted natural shapes.

What was the last art/craft/design thing you purchased or what one product/item do you really covet?
I bought a little unglazed bud vase with a spiky texture by Shan Valla at the Curiosity pop-up shop, round the corner from my studio. I wish I could buy more craft! I’m particularly drawn to ceramics at the moment.

At age 18 who influenced your style? Was there any individual who very much helped you on your way?
My 6th-form pottery teacher was quite inspiring and encouraged me to explore different textures in clay, which might have fed into my jewellery work later on. At 18 I was more focused on music and going to the pub, reading a lot and looking forward to going off to study French at university in London. Making jewellery was something I always did as a hobby and I hadn’t considered it as a career until later on, when I was working as a museum archivist.

What’s currently on your i-pod, cd player, tape recorder?
I go through phases. At the moment lots of miserable stuff like Elliott Smith, along with a bit of swing-era Billie Holliday. I work with big headphones on, plugged into my iPod, it helps me focus. I’ll listen to something to death and then abandon it for the next obsession.



Where and what is your studio?
I moved into a studio at Cockpit Arts in Holborn in January this year. It’s a large studio that I share with 3 others – Abigail Brown, Suzanne Goodwin and Soner Ozenc. I was working from home before that so it’s been wonderful to have somewhere to work on my jewellery without distractions like washing up and TV, and a bit of interaction with other creative people too. I don’t have a computer at the studio so I can just go in and make things, which is a real luxury. Another bonus is the location – a 25 minute cycle ride from my home in Dalston, and just round the corner from the Hatton Garden jewellery district which is very handy when I run out of silver wire at the last minute.

What is your favourite (art) website?
I read quite a few art and design and style blogs. Jewellery-wise the Golden Smith, Australian jeweller David Neale’s blog, is great.

Surprising activity/hobby?
Trampolining! I haven’t been for a while but it’s a lot of fun and keeps you fit too.

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

Since moving into my studio my work life balance has really improved but it’s a work in progress! It’s great to be able to shut the door and leave my work behind but I still think about it a lot when I’m not there. I also work better in the afternoon and evening, which can be pretty anti-social. But compared to a 9-5 job it’s a breeze, I can’t complain.

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

Do you think art and craft has any real importance?
Yes – of course I would say that! Objects designed by an individual and made by a human hand have a ‘soul’, for want of a better word. It’s good to feel connected to the objects around you. And rewarding to be able to make something from scratch.

What do think are crimes against good taste & decency in art/craft/design?
There are lots of things that I find absolutely hideous and I’m quite opinionated about it but I don’t want to name names! Things that have been carelessly thrown together for a fast buck offend me, and some things I just don’t like on an aesthetic level. But as long as something has been made with care and an individual point of view then it’s valid and has its own integrity.

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