Vintage vases

I only realised recently that I have a bit of a 'thing' for vases. It was only when I looked around my home that I realised how many I have, in all shapes and sizes. So I really enjoyed drawing these vintage vases. I tried to capture the raised design on each one, as well as the  vivid colours.

 

Happy Monday

Happy Monday! I hope a good weekend was had by all. The weather here in London town was beautifully sunny. On Sunday I went to Kew Gardens and it was glorious to be outside, surrounded by the beauty of the gardens and to spend time with my good friend Jane. I also went there to check out the Handmade at Kew event, which is an international craft event with over 150 designer-makers displaying their wares. This included ceramics, jewellery, fashion and textiles, glass, paper, furniture, metalwork, sculpture and interior accessories.

Wallflower London was one of my favourite designers, with beautiful ceramic flowers that can be hung on the wall.

Helaina Sharpley is a wirework artist who produces painstakingly intricate wirework art.

Little Axe produces cushions, curtains and wallpaper using digitally printed designs that start out as lino prints. The current collection Wild Habitats is inspired by Scottish wildlife, focusing on rare and endangered species. I love the little zipper pouches.

Sadhu is a company that produces beautifully soft handwoven cashmere scarves in contemporary colour combinations. Each one is handwoven in Kashmir using the best quality fleece. 

Witts Design is a mother daughter team who has combined their knowledge of fashion, interiors and print to create a collection of screen printed and digitally printed nature-inspired printed items for the home.

Tradition with a twist

Since I got back to the UK, I seem to have been drawn to two rather traditionally British design icons that have been artfully reinvented.

The first is a collection of plates that were designed by a company called Flux. It was established by students from the MA Ceramic Design course at Staffordshire University, who had a desire to regenerate the pottery industry that the area was known for. They have done it with a quirkiness that also pays homage to tradition.The second is a collection by Brit homewares label House of Hackney which uses prints inspired by the East End of London in Victorian times. My favourite is the dip-dyed "Dalston Rose" wallpaper which has been described as 'Colefax and Fowler on acid'........

Stig Lindberg

I thought I would write a little piece about Stig Lindberg, one of Sweden's most famous postwar designers. He was a bit of an all-rounder, creating ceramics, glass designs and textile designs, as well as painting and illustrating. He was famous for his eccentric forms and whimsical decoration and even today, it still looks clean and modern. I love the earthy colours, as well as the wonderful textures on his ceramics.