A Celebration of Creativity
‘In life, we obsess over, alter, poke peel and prod at our bodies, praying at the altar of our physicality. This funerary mask is inspired by the opulently decorated skeletons unearthed from Roman catacombs, as well as contemporary body modification through plastic surgery. It is intended to highlight futility and the removal of humanity from our definition of beauty.’ You can view more of Ariella’s work here
Elevating (literally) food presentation to a fine art Tatjana Giorgadse with spoon by Stian Korntved Ruud.
You can watch how German jeweller Laurin Kilbert makes his unique pieces here
‘Punk was defined by an attitude rather than a musical style’ – David Byrne
‘If I were a politician, I would make a law in every city that everything from the ground to ten metres and higher should float and not touch the ground….the ground should be given to people and gardens, not buildings‘. A quote by the maverick architect Will Alsop. As far as I am aware there is no particular website dedicated to his work however you can get a good flavour of the man via his obituary in the Guardian here
Inari said of this brooch ‘I picked up this perfect bundle of old wire from the ground in the city somewhere. Just added a pin’. You can follow this extraordinary jewellers work on Instagram here
‘We doodle absent mindedly – doodling is a kind of half-conscious creative work. It is both a distraction, and also thought to help you concentrate on whatever you are doing at the same time. All three members of Front used doodles they had made during design meetings to create the sofa’s pattern. The decoration is a kind of by-product of Front’s creative process, inscribed onto the folded half circle of the sofa’s form.’
You can see the original doodle below along with the sofa in all its glory. It is such a wildly tactile object and must a delight to sit on. I can imagine losing myself in the labyrinth of lines and being transported to sofa heaven. You can view more of Front’s projects here and further pieces by Moroso here
One of the founding members of Troika ceramics, Benny Sirota explained the origin of the name. ‘ My grandfather escaped from Russia dressed as a woman on a troika – a sledge with three horses…..there were three of us who started the firm – and it just gelled’. You can read more about the pioneering ceramic studio here
Romilly Saumarez-Smith’s artworks and jewellery are made from the detritus found by metal detectorists that she sources from e-bay. I had the good fortune to see her work at Ruthin Craft Centre and have rarely come across a maker with such a deep passion for their work – ‘I often say it was like falling in love, that you cannot think of anything else’ she said of her first six months of making jewellery. Watch her beautiful video ‘Amanuensis’ here
Continuing my series of ‘Paired’ images I have put together a drawing by Pierre Bonnard and a photograph of Lee Miller. Bonnard famously used his wife Marthe as his muse and in this drawing I feel she bears a strong resemblance to Lee with her svelte frame and tightly cropped hair. You can read more about Lee Miller here and Marthe Bonnard here
In 1939 Guernica was exhibited at The Whitechapel Gallery at the request of The Stepney Trade Union Council in order to raise awareness of the atrocities being committed during the Spanish Civil War. Entry was free however, Picasso suggested people may consider donating ‘ a pair of boots, in a fit state to be sent to the Spanish Front’ destined for the refugees displaced by the war and the volunteers of the International Brigade.
Four hundred pairs of boots mounted up under the mural over the two week exhibition period and it is a powerful example of how art can not only offer ‘hope’ in a time of crises but something ‘practicable’ too.
This quote by Miro is one that I return to time and again when I feel the need to up my creative game. It gives me the courage to be bold with my materials, to take risks and create the circumstances in which the unexpected can happen. Collage is one of the techniques I use in order to achieve this and by combining both ceramic and print give the spectator my own unexpected ‘blow between the eyes’.
Beautiful Creative Minds 