I’m always a bit of a sucker for pearlescent materials: Chris Wood (also with Byard) favours the medium of Dichroic glass for angular abstract patterns.

It’s great to see an upsurge of interest in textile art. Claire Moynihan works in detailed felt and embroidery, and is best admired up close – her ‘moth balls’ are beautiful.

On the second floor of the exhibition I was able to pop in on Justin Hammond, hosting a display of great new Catlin Guide commissioned art pieces.

My favourites have to be Hannah Harkes (with a cowboy snogging an Indian) and the naif folk art of Tom Howse.

Next door Chris Pensa of Love Art London talked me through some of his upcoming tours – check out their website for ideas, I fancy me a tour with the fossil hunter! Read my review of an earlier tour here.

A strong theme of disaffection unsurprisingly runs through many artworks, including Laura Jordan’s Run Riot Run, an intricate map of the riots, shown with Galleryone.

Oona Hassim took as the starting point for her oil painting a photo of the Anti Cuts Demo in March 2011 in Piccadilly Circus. If I’m not much mistaken this is the UK Uncut parade that led to Fortnum & Mason – despite the blurry feel I recognise it, because I was there – those flags are a dead giveaway. The pieces are oddly energetic and beautiful but how odd to see direct action flogged as fine art!

Click here to view the embedded video.

At Woolff there was lots of upcycling going on. Special mention goes to Joanne Tinker who created rows of goblets out of sweet wrappers.

Susila Bailey-Bond is another butterfly papercut artist, concentrating on their decorative qualities.

Jess Littlewood at The Contemporary London collages together monochrome otherworldly scenes that are very ‘now’. Like a lot.

Porcelain, ink and wool are the preferred medium of artist Juz Kitson, who created wall installations of skulls, pulsating hearts and corals.

For the Cynthia Corbett Gallery Ghost of a Dream have produced an amazing collaboration that I first spotted at the graduate art fairs that I visited in abundance last year. The installation uses lottery tickets and the covers of romance novels, which are glued in patterns onto panels, mirrors and chandeliers.

Irish/Carribean artist and film director Zak Ove at Vigo Gallery cobbles together found objects to create religiously inspired ensembles.

At Bearspace I recognised Reginald S Aloysius from the 2011 Jerwood Drawing Prize. His overgrown temples are intersected by the paths of cross atlantic planes.

Jane Ward imagined a disturbed dystopian future of exploding buildings. I hope we don’t end up there!

Lastly I can’t go without mentioning the huge Nomad light sculpture by Beau McClellan in the entrance to the design centre: yours for just 250,000 euros. One for those Russian oligarchs me thinks.

You may remember from my previous blog that the launch of The Catlin Guide for the best graduate artists took place at the London Art Fair last week. I popped along to the Islington Business Design Centre to check out the completed guide, suss out which galleries are showcasing the best new talent, and find out what trends are hot in the art world right now.

Annie Whiles, detail.

First up at Danielle Arnaud I loved work by Annie Whiles, using simple line to create iconic shapes.

Simon Lewty, detail.

Simon Lewty for Art First showed amazing inked drawings: it’s well worth checking out the rest of his work.

Annie Morris, detail.

At Pertwee, Anderson & Gold, the first in a common theme was evident, rows of stuff: in this case hundreds of pegs, each decorated with a crudely drawn female figure. This Peg Piece was created by artist Annie Morris, who rose to fame after illustrating the children’s book The Man With the Dancing Eyes by Sophie Dahl.

Andrea Mastrovito, detail.

At Foley Gallery Andrea Mastrovito used intricate collaged paper for the Gulliver’s Travels series, which imagines a brightly coloured world of little people and puppet hands.

Diamond dust is hot news for use in prints, favoured by the likes of Damian Hirst, Peter Blake, and Justine Smith at TAG Fine Arts. Her lovely limited edition print of a bank note British Isles features oodles of the stuff. Common glitter was also a favourite enhancement for many artists.

Also at TAG I loved the work of Claire Brewster. The Harbingers featured exquisitely cut and mounted birds, created from old maps: Maps are another massive trend, reworked into any manner of different outcomes. Good to see so much upcycling!

Tobias Till showed a fabulous set of prints – the London A-Z, available as a boxed set and selling very well if the red dots were anything to go by.

Witness – Detail, by Rachel Shaw Ashton.

Of course TAG also host the work of Rob Ryan (read a review of his TAG art exhibition in 2010 here). More beautiful papercutting (still a massive trend) came from Rachel Shaw Ashton, showing with JaggedArt. She layers paper with pins to create simple shapes in pure white to great affect.

I was also drawn to the 3D sculpture by Tracey Bush. Little Clod of Earth is a clump of wild plants made from the dog ends of paper packaging – oddly beautiful and strange.

JaggedArt also hosts the work of Francisca Prieto, who once more works with old atlases and maps to create beautiful 3D repetitive works of art. We wrote about her recent exhibition Unbound.

USA based artist Charles Fazzino creates astonishing scenes with layers of paper. He calls it 3D pop art; showing with Galerie Olivier Waltman from Paris.

On a completely different tangent I was surprised to see the work of fashion photographer Derrick Santini, who showed lenticular artwork with Scream. Forget those cheesy Jesus postcards, these artworks feature an astonishing amount of different angles. I can see city types absolutely loving one of these on their penthouse apartment walls!

Russian Bear by Karen Nicol.

The Rebecca Hossack gallery always hosts interesting craft based artworks: Karen Nicol’s Thread Bear utilised a vintage piece of French needlepoint as the basis, into which pieces have been embroidered and appliqued. I have a bad photo so here’s another similar piece.

Rebecca Coles also shows with Rebecca Hossack – you can read our extensive interview with this paper artist who specialises in butterflies here.

Rounding a corner I was pleased to see a wall of artwork by Simone Lia, who sells prints with Jealous Gallery. Her infamous Hello Sausage Hello Chicken has just been reissued in a new colour range. The gallery are also the purveyors of the prints from the Ghosts of Gone Birds exhibition, including the fab Ralph Steadman birds (read my review here).

More coming up shortly… don’t go away! *here’s part two of my review*

On the evening of 8th December, close to 50 people of all ages came together for something resembling a drop-in DIY craft party – the Crafternoon Tea Club Christmas Spesh with Etsy!

Taking place at Etsy’s Bevenden Street headquarters (aka The Trampery, or the Christmas Grotto), it was a chance to mingle, drink, dance and be merry, and learn a thing or two about sustainable gift-giving over the holiday period. Everyone attending was asked to bring along gifts they no longer wanted or needed, including homemade items, which could be repackaged and distributed to those who could make use of or enjoy them. A selection of ready-made gifts were to hand for those less organised, and incredibly, everything was free – I’m not sure it would have been possible to make this a more friendly, accessible event.

At the start of the night, Crafternoon Tea Club co-founder Beccy McCray explained a bit about the concept. Using the wonderful materials laid out on a table at the centre of the room, we were to wrap our gifts up using all the creativity we could muster. Once decorated, our presents would require a tag with a ‘gift story’ to explain where they came from. Then, they were to go under the Christmas tree, ready for re-distribution at the evening’s end.

The centre table was a place of crafty glee, and it was hard not to rifle through the glorious French magazines, colourful yarns and sparkly ribbons available. I spied retro jewellery, secondhand books and delicious preserves in the gifting mix, and was so impressed at the artistic techniques on display, including weaving, collage and some intricate hole-punching.

Strangers discussed their approaches to gift-wrapping, the Gaggle DJs played some festive tunes, and the wine and mince pies only added to the happy atmosphere. In a year of so much social and environmental upheaval, this gathering seemed to refute any notion of antisocialism taking its grip, or a consumerist society which ignores its environmental impact. Instead, we discussed just how much landfill space we occupy, why it is that we insist on buying all-new presents each year, and how we might use existing materials to recreate beautiful gifts with a conscience.

Crafternoon Tea Club was informally started by Beccy McCray and Hannah Elbourne as a bit of post-break-up art therapy in 2001, and began more officially in 2007. Since then it’s grown rapidly, first in parks and pubs, and now spreading to larger spaces. The Club is run by a collective of close to a dozen craft-lovers who work across different industries. They’ve previously held similar events at venues such as the Barbican and the National Theatre, and this was their fourth this year.

Beccy told me, ‘We wanted to get away from having workshops and just have a party: a positive, inclusive event.’ They’ve certainly achieved this and more – a spring event is close on the horizon, and there are murmurs of overseas happenings in Brazil and Japan. Watch this crafty space!

Crafternoon tea club. All photography by Caitlin Sinclair.

Vintage Tea Party by the fabulously named Angel Adoree could not come at a better time, offering ‘a complete guide to hosting your perfect tea party‘. It’s a beautifully designed and illustrated (by Adele Mildred) volume from the queen bee of The Vintage Patisserie, which offers to turn tea party dreams into reality. It all has a very personal touch, with an opening intro that explains how Angel (original name Angela) got in touch with her inner tea making glamour puss, and plenty of handwritten typefaces.

The book takes the reader through every aspect of creating an event that recalls the bygone leisure of former eras, when the art of tea was an important part of the social fabric. What makes Vintage Tea Party different from other cook books is the abundance of ideas that sit alongside recipes for delicious cakes, scones, sandwiches and extravagant teas. In Vintage Tea Party you will also find lots of crafty suggestions, style tips and retro hairdo ideas to accompany a brunch, afternoon or evening event. All of these are modelled by Angel Adoree and her glamourous friends. The personal touch means that the book feels more like a diary, and the emphasis on real life characters makes this kind of fabulous lifestyle seem attainable. Count me in!

Vintage Tea Party is published by Mitchell Beazley, part of Octopus Books. If you like the look of this make sure you check out my review of Emma Block’s Tea and Cake.

Just in time for a last minute eco Christmas round up before the Royal Mail goes totally pear shaped….

Firstly, I am a bit in love with Kirsty Allsopp, either that or I am just really bloody jealous – how did she get to the position where she has managed to forge an entire career out of learning to craft? That’s like my ideal job. And her own entire range at Marks & Spencer? If you fancy yourself a bit of Kirsty why not take a peek at some of the gift packages she’s put together. They’re a bit girly for me, so I’m gunning for this Marks & Spencer baking set, currently on special offer for £15. With all the things you need to make festive treats over Christmas in a pretty red and white heart tin. Get in.

On a purely decorative from how about these? I love these candy wrapper stars from Re-Found – they’re the kind of thing that I would make out of my rubbish in that alternate Kirsty Allsopp world where I have lots of spare time… handily these ones come ready made.

One of the best place to hunt for interesting eco goodies is Nigel’s Eco Store, which is a veritable treasure trove of environmentally aware goodies, including this pretty silvered tea light holder, made from recycled glass.

Tara Starlet, an ethical fashion designer who is featured in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, has put together this adorable Patchwork Pooch kit from leftover fabrics, vintage buttons and recycled ribbons: so adorable, and the perfect project to keep crafty types happy over Christmas.

Lastly, I couldn’t go without mentioning Culture Beyond Oil, a publication put together by my friends at Platform and perfect for the environmentalist and art enthusiast in your life: as recommended by me in a recent interview about arts and activism with Sierra Club online. Not If But When: Culture Beyond Oil is a long hard look at the way that oil funding has infiltrated our art institutions, with contributions from a range of top artists including Banksy and Matthew Herbert. This line of investigation could not come at a better time, as proved by an article in the Guardian only today which confirms that four of the UK’s biggest cultural organisations – the British Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, the Royal Opera House and Tate – have announced they are to renew sponsorship deals with BP worth £10m despite protests from environmental campaigners. Here’s to more positive news on that front in 2012.

John Moore anodised aluminium earrings by Janneke De Jong

It’s the evening of Thursday 8th December, a rainy night, and I’m peering through the windows of the Lesley Craze gallery with anticipation. The windows are currently decorated with a glittering Christmas tree, jewels nestled in its branches, but it’s those it holds inside I am interested in. I have visited the gallery quite a few times in the last year, originally drawn in by the work of a personal favourite, Wendy Ramshaw. Earlier in the week, I had received an invitation for a special Christmas late night opening, and as always, intrigued to see what they have in, I’ve come along for a look, and a welcoming glass of wine.

I’m always surprised when I mention the gallery in conversation, to find out that many people are unaware of it’s presence. I credit the gallery with being well curated, well presented and the staff as always smiling and helpful. The glass cabinets are always gleaming with wares, and as I wander down to the lower room, my attention is grabbed by a huge cabinet that contains the work of John Moore.

John Moore earrings by Miranda Williams

Moore, now based in Brighton, is without a doubt, the embodiment of the label ‘jewellery artist’. With a degree in 3D design, his work is wearable art. The gallery was showing work from two of his collections, but it was the 5 pairs of earrings that enchanted me. These are part of his ‘Elytra‘ collection – an eyecatching range of brightly coloured anodised aluminium designs.

Moore worked on this collection whilst in his final year at university, and is inspired by nature and natural forms. I found some great images of birds feathers on his website; the vibrant colours of the exotic plumes now reflected in his Elytra collection. Apparently the shape was initally inspired by a beetles wing, an influence that you can also identify in the gleaming colour of the treated aluminium. His statement earrings are wondrous. They also hide a secret feature. They can be reversed by passing the top hoop through the opposite end of the drop, to invert the metal petals, or feathers. Combined with their emphasis on colour, they fit perfectly into the S/S 2012 trend for large, statement earrings.

Thomas David bangles by Karolina Burdon

I spotted a familiar collection of work that I had seen at New Designers earlier this year, a bangle set from Sheffield Hallam graduate Tom Wilson, who works under the brand name Thomas David. His designs are dark and moody – blackened copper bangles, which have been made to look like corrugated card – industrial and hard wearing. I also really like the intricate patterns in the bangle collection made from stainless steel and birch plywood. Inspired by now retro spirograph kits, they remind me of when I was a child and plastering pieces of paper with concentric circles. Tom’s designs are a converse combination, tough and uniform, but detailed and delicate.

Ebony Revolution rings, photo courtesy of Simone Brewster

British designer Simone Brewster’s Ebony Revolution rings are the perfect example of her influences from African woodwork and geometric forms. She graduated from the RCA, and I first came across her work when she designed a copper necklace for the store DARKROOM, as part of a charity event in June this year called Love from Darkroom. The rings are made from materials such as ebony, tulipwood, copper, bronze and leather. I also like her large necklaces, which are like Art Deco murals.

Maud Traon rings by Stephanie Brown

On one of my previous visits to the gallery, I was wowed by Maud Traon’s rings for obvious reasons. Her designs conjure up thoughts of My Little Pony on a strong acid trip. The rings demand attention – pops of neon colours, sprayed with glitter, and sometimes mixed with star shapes, or kitsch toy objects. Maud likes to explore the relationship between the idea of value and wearability.

The rings are made from combinations of materials such as clay and copper. I’m not exactly sure just how wearable these are for most, bulky, and often extended height, but they certainly will please those who like their jewellery to be noticed, and would be a great addition to any collection.

Dorothy Erickson brunhilde collar by Karolina Burdon

The work of Western Australian born and trained jeweller Dorothy Erickson is always a pleasure to see. She is known for her ‘kinetic’ jewellery, or body pieces as they are alternatively called. She makes jewellery for the body that includes the wearer as part of the principal design – the jewellery reacts to the wearer’s every move.

I really love the articulated metal choker and bracelet, which reminds me of jewels to be found in collections at the British Museum, or vintage YSL pieces. Chunky, bold and well crafted – I’d wear this necklace and feel empowered. The gold clasp, paired with the silver metal, makes it even more special, a combination that I’m not always a fan of, but works so well here.

Dorothy Erickson bracelet by Fay Newman

One of Erickson’s main inspirations is the unique flora of her native Australia, which has helped to produce the beautiful designs of her precious stone rings. She is also influenced by the work of Viennese painter Gustav Klimt. Big solid rocks hold a firm place in these rings, but they are elegant and refined.

Wendy Ramshaw Geometric Earrings by Sam Parr

Last but certainly not least, Wendy Ramshaw’s selection of works continues to wow me. Wendy is one of Britain’s best known jewellers, and looked up to by many other well-known designers such as Dorothy Erickson. She was born in Sunderland, studied illustration and fabric design in Newcastle, and then undertook postgraduate studied at Central Saint Martins.

Wendy’s signature designs are her divine ring sets, made up from abstract designs in precious metals and finished with gemstones. The stands they are frequently displayed on have also become ornamental designs in their own right.

Wendy Ramshaw Lucciole Necklace by Sam Parr

Her designs are heavily influenced by geometry, and as a fan of this, I always find myself lusting after her geometric gold drop earrings. Made with gemstones such as amethyst, pink tourmaline, blue topaz, and fire opal, they are a gorgeous combination of colour. A design that I had not seen before, the Lucciole necklace, a blown glass ball run through with gold thread was fantastic.

So from one champion of contemporary jewellery, back to another, I urge you all to take a visit to the Lesley Craze Gallery, and enjoy the great selection of work from British, and global, designers.

For those readers who don’t know much about Analogue, how would you describe your business?
We’re an independent bookshop in Edinburgh, specialising in art and design books and magazines. Over the years we have held almost 40 exhibitions, published a range of zines and books as well as hosting a few intimate gigs and talks. But mostly we just like sourcing interesting books and publications and chatting to the good folks who come in.
 

It’s been ten years! What have been the most fondly remembered highlights of the journey so far?
Ah, so many! Right back at the start, picking up the keys to the shop was so exciting – terrifying but just so exciting. At the risk of sounding soppy, meeting so many customers that have become good friends is lovely. Likewise, for nearly all our exhibitions the artist or artists spent a few days or more with us which was always really enjoyable, so far we’ve met some great people and made some good pals. Good times.
 

Have there been any memorable disasters involved in running your own business? 
Ah, so many again! Being rejected for a bank loan the day after we signed the lease was worrying, to say the least. A few years back, our electrician managed to drill a hole in our mains water pipe causing a pretty high powered jet of water to pour out into the shop – as you can imagine, water and paper goods should not mix. The police showing up at openings isn’t always the most desirable thing either but there was never any real trouble. There were also a few naive, expensive mistakes early on regarding online orders from Indonesia that were made using stolen credit cards.

What are the most popular books in your stock right now? Any trends you’ve noticed?
We’ve always sold a lot of Nigel Peake’s books and zines – partly because we published some of them but also because his work is so beautiful and seems to attract such a diverse audience. We also sell a lot of Nobrow’s titles, they’re so perfectly produced and have such a strong line-up of artists. There’s a host of great cycling-related books and magazines available now, like The Ride Journal and Boneshaker, that do really well. Field Notes notepads always do well too, they’re so simple and practical.

In terms of trends, I’d say that although we’ve stocked zines right from the start, over the last year or two there’s definitely been an increase in interest in them, both in terms of the amount we sell and with people asking for advice about how to make them. It’s also been nice to see the healthy number of magazines and periodicals like The Travel Almanac that have been appearing in the last year or two, going against the assumption that print is dead. These are interesting times in terms of publishing, with people increasingly expecting content for free, but there will always be a hardcore who love to hold a magazine, book or journal in their hands and smell the ink.
 
So, which books would you recommend for Christmas?

For an arty boyfriend?
It’s not a book but we have a pretty impressive calendar by The Human Empire, a great shop and design studio in Hamburg – the 2012 Nature calendar is huge and has 12 images by 12 excellent international artists: Bjørn Rune Lie (NO) Vincent Mathy (BE), Mike Perry (U.S.) Anton Weflö (SWE) Marcus Oakley (UK) Human Empire ( DE) Adrian Johnson (UK) Merijn Hos (NL) Sergio Membrillas (ES) Karin Rönmark (SWE) Nan Na Hvass / Sofie Hannibal (DK) Adam Highton / Yule Bringer (UK). I love it.

A crafty girlfriend?
Conversations on the Coast is a lovely little book by graphic designer and photographer Nick Hand. He cycled around the coast of Britain and documented the inspirational makers and craftsmen/women of all sorts, from a weaver, boat builder, screen printer, cheese maker, tea taster, letterpress printer, spinner, a glass maker, and lots more, whom he met on the way. The project was called the Slowcoast and you can see some of the films he made about this online, but it’s lovely to see it in book format.
 

A DIY tastic mum?
DIY Furniture is a great book featuring designs by leading designer-makers from around the world. It shows you how to use simple techniques to make furniture, seating and storage, your own bed, wardrobe, lighting and garden furniture, all from scratch. All using materials that can be found at your local hardware shop, it’s so inspirational.

And a dad who likes to cook?
Fire and Knives is an excellent quarterly for food lovers, featuring personal stories, short essays, interviews, reviews, great illustrations and it’s all art directed by the very excellent Rob Lowe. It’s a beautiful thing.

Finally, what will you be doing for your 10th birthday celebrations?
We’ve collaborated with a fantastic chocolatier in Edinburgh called Coco, to make some big bars of chocolate for a Willy Wonka style golden ticket give-away, where the winners get vouchers to spend in our shop. The chocolate tastes amazing and the wrappers were designed by Eleni Kalorkoti so they look good too. For those who are not able to make it into the shop we’ll be offering 10% discounts on line too, just join us on Facebook, Twitter @analoguebooks or sign up to our mailing through our Analogue Books website to keep up to date with us. And there might also be some sort of party if we can stay up late enough…

You can of course also buy Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration and Amelia’s Anthology of Illustration instore at Analogue Books, just as you could buy Amelia’s Magazine in print before them… surely the perfect excuse to make a trip down to their gorgeous shop sometime soon.

I loved Olga Szynkarczuk’s show on Sunday. BIOmimicry featured plenty of neon fabrics mixed with clever textured knitwear, sheers and laser cut showpieces, all worn with oversized perspex visors and accessorised with on trend clutches. Shapes were rounded at hemlines and around shoulders, with cut-out details a big feature of summery ice-cream coloured separates. Metallic highlights culminated with the most amazing final creation – a flexible laser cut top with a huge hooped train.

Olga Szynkarczuk S/S 2012. All photography by Amelia Gregory.

I was delighted to discover that Olga Szynkarczuk works according to fair-trade principals, using organic materials where possible and working with craftspeople to modernise traditional techniques. Her exhibition was inspired by an exhibition called My Way by artist Jean Michel Othoniel (who designed the new Swatch watches) and the spectacle of Planet Lem at the Biuro Podrozy Theatre. ‘It is an analysis of society and its weaknesses contrasted with the superhuman world of outer space and robots.’ She is currently based in London, and I was told that she has just secured a full time job designing for a well known high street brand. I hope she still finds the time to create her own collections, because her talent is too good to be lost.

It shouldn’t really be possible to deduce trends in the art world, should it? Yet that is exactly what I was able to do at Frieze Art Fair. By housing a spectacular array of galleries all alongside each other in vast tents, some with work by the same artist shown on different continents, the sameness of much art is highlighted. And I say trends because none of these similarities can really be named a movement, not when the artists are flung so far and wide that they can have no possible involvement with each other than a fleeting knowledge gleaned from the media or touring art shows.

This year the biggest trends seemed to follow only a couple of themes.. deducible even as I zipped around the fair in a matter of hours. I must admit that I make judgements on what I like within milliseconds at such events, so by default most of the art that I picked up on were things that spoke to me (and not always for a good reason).

After by Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster.

From the River by Christina Mackie at Herald St.

Map of Truths and Beliefs by Grayson Perry.

Isa Genzken.

Neon letter artwork and giant typography in general are popular (Tracey Emin, hello), as are craft inspired pieces that pile together assortments of materials to create something that often looks similar to a school art project. Add to this ceramics, tapestry (Grayson Perry, you have a lot to answer for, and I love you) and old toys, and the potential to create something exciting becomes seriously viable – though that line between primary school art project and stroke of genius is often hard to distinguish.

David Altmejd at Andrea Rosen Gallery.

Ramiken Crucible by Andra Ursuta.

This trend sometimes crosses over with a very strong theme that says a lot about the spiritual deficit of our current lives: curious creations that bear significant reference to tribal deities and animist beliefs but also often with strong links to our present lives. Think crystallised heads on sticks, strange shaped skulls with flapping teeth, a flattened woman who looks like she’s just been removed from a peat bog: her body glistens with a jelly like substance, yet she wears trainers.

Joy by Tomoaki Suzuki.

Elmgreen and Dragset.

In opposition to this present day esotericism I also found realistic figures in banal situations, often in miniature size. Or play dead, high heels and Blackberry at the feet or a morgue trolley. Ring a bell, Ron Mueck?

Doppelganger (Blue) by Peter Liversidge.

Gert and Uwe Tobias at Contemporary Fine Arts Berlin.

Odd arrangements of objet trouvé on shelves have never been more popular. As ever I was also attracted to all the colourful decorative paintings. Aesthetically pleasing, and close in many ways to illustration.

Pierre Huyghe: Recollection.

And then of course there was the hermit crab in Pierre Huyghe’s Recollection. That funny creature in a darkened room, benignly going about his own business in a small tank with only smaller creatures for friends. He bears a sculpted head on his back ( a replica of Brancussi’s Sleeping Muse) as he is coo-ed over by the moneyed hordes, marvelling at out total dominion over nature. But maybe the last laugh is on us? For what cares the hermit crab where he makes his bed.

Colourful art world characters.

In the past I have been put off attending Frieze Art Fair by what I have heard about the experience. And it was, indeed, a bizarre one. Whilst the plethora of artwork on display undoubtedly provides loads of inspiration, I think a whistle stop tour is necessary to weed out all the dross (of which there is much) and retain a modicum of sanity. But the event undeniably left a curiously icky feeling inside: I’ve never seen so many rich people in one place, and Frieze stank of serious wealth. Ridiculous, unnecessary wealth, of the kind that sucks the lifeblood out of whole nations and forces us to reevaluate our connection the universe. Do you sense the irony? We all know that art is a huge commodity in our money obsessed times, but here it is laid bare for all to see… and it’s disheartening to realise just how much the art world relies on the buying and selling powers of the mega rich to survive. Surely art is about more than this?

Frieze Art Fair continues until Sunday 16th October – you can visit the Sculpture Park for free, more details here.

Plenty of fab ceramic design at the Renegade Craft Fair last weekend. Here’s my favourites.

Melanie Roseveare – aka Melody Rose – prints new designs onto upcycled bone china crockery. Her work reminds me of plates reconstructed by Carrie Reichardt as art pieces, but has a slightly more commercial edge. Her range comes in three collections: Urban Nature, Modern Surrealism and Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Zosienka & Rosie had produced some beautiful ceramic heart necklaces.

It was nice to see that since the Bust Craftacular last Christmas the range of plates by James Ward (working under the name by JimBobArt) has expanded to include lots of new designs and other ceramic goods.

Take a look at my other Renegade Craft Fair blog posts.