Amelia’s Magazine | London Fashion Week A/W 2010 Catwalk Review: Richard Sorger

Richard Sorger A-W 2010 Abigail Daker
Richard Sorger by Abigail Daker.

Before his A/W 2010 fashion show I knew nothing about Richard Sorger, side effects but I quite liked the graphic design of his invitation featuring a glossy printed bee – and sometimes this is enough to get me to a show.

Bee on the invite for the Richard Sorger show
Bee on the invite for the Richard Sorger show.

Richard Sorger A/W 2010. Photography by Amelia Gregory

The main area at Victoria House had been curtained off and the space in front had been turned into a small curved catwalk that the models walked around before stopping in a line up against the far wall. Due to a dearth of photographers I was able to take my place in what constituted the pit, as the girls tracked towards us. The lighting was a confusing patchwork so there was a lot of grumbling from the photographers around me, but I managed to take some moody shots with no flash.

Richard Sorger A/W 2010. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Richard Sorger A/W 2010. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Richard Sorger A/W 2010. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Richard Sorger A/W 2010. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Richard Sorger A/W 2010. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Richard Sorger A/W 2010. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Richard Sorger A/W 2010. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Richard Sorger A/W 2010. All photography by Amelia Gregory.

The small collection had none of the graphic simplicity seen in the invite, with the very basic dress shapes somehow grating against the excessive embellishment creeping across them – 3D embroidered bees and flowers alluding to the Swarm of the title, netting spilling willy-nilly off the front of one dress. The colour palette didn’t help – sludgy greys, beiges and menstruation red not being my favoured tones – and making the clothes somehow came across as leaden rather than glamourous.

Richard Sorger A W 2010 Abigail Daker
Richard Sorger A W 2010 Abigail Daker
Richard Sorger by Abigail Daker.

All in all I left finding it a bit hard to believe that Richard Sorger dresses some of the celebs listed on his website – including Courtney Love, Cindy Crawford (my wasn’t she beautiful back in the day?!) and Heidi Klum, but then maybe this collection was a big departure from his usual style because a further search of the blogosphere reveals that he has produced some much more interesting clothes; some of them available for a knock-down price over at ASOS.

I love his oversized flamingo and skeleton arm jersey tees – maybe a lighter, bright colour and feel should infuse Richard Sorger’s next catwalk collection. So much fresher than sludge!

Categories ,Abi Daker, ,ASOS, ,Bees, ,Cindy Crawford, ,Courtney Love, ,Embellishment, ,embroidery, ,Flamingos, ,Heidi Klum, ,London Fashion Week, ,Richard Sorger, ,Skeletons, ,Victoria House

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Amelia’s Magazine | London Fashion Week A/W 2010 Catwalk Review: Richard Sorger

Richard Sorger A-W 2010 Abigail Daker
Richard Sorger by Abigail Daker.

Before his A/W 2010 fashion show I knew nothing about Richard Sorger, but I quite liked the graphic design of his invitation featuring a glossy printed bee – and sometimes this is enough to get me to a show.

Bee on the invite for the Richard Sorger show
Bee on the invite for the Richard Sorger show.

Richard Sorger A/W 2010. Photography by Amelia Gregory

The main area at Victoria House had been curtained off and the space in front had been turned into a small curved catwalk that the models walked around before stopping in a line up against the far wall. Due to a dearth of photographers I was able to take my place in what constituted the pit, as the girls tracked towards us. The lighting was a confusing patchwork so there was a lot of grumbling from the photographers around me, but I managed to take some moody shots with no flash.

Richard Sorger A/W 2010. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Richard Sorger A/W 2010. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Richard Sorger A/W 2010. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Richard Sorger A/W 2010. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Richard Sorger A/W 2010. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Richard Sorger A/W 2010. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Richard Sorger A/W 2010. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Richard Sorger A/W 2010. All photography by Amelia Gregory.

The small collection had none of the graphic simplicity seen in the invite, with the very basic dress shapes somehow grating against the excessive embellishment creeping across them – 3D embroidered bees and flowers alluding to the Swarm of the title, netting spilling willy-nilly off the front of one dress. The colour palette didn’t help – sludgy greys, beiges and menstruation red not being my favoured tones – and making the clothes somehow came across as leaden rather than glamourous.

Richard Sorger A W 2010 Abigail Daker
Richard Sorger A W 2010 Abigail Daker
Richard Sorger by Abigail Daker.

All in all I left finding it a bit hard to believe that Richard Sorger dresses some of the celebs listed on his website – including Courtney Love, Cindy Crawford (my wasn’t she beautiful back in the day?!) and Heidi Klum, but then maybe this collection was a big departure from his usual style because a further search of the blogosphere reveals that he has produced some much more interesting clothes; some of them available for a knock-down price over at ASOS.

I love his oversized flamingo and skeleton arm jersey tees – maybe a lighter, bright colour and feel should infuse Richard Sorger’s next catwalk collection. So much fresher than sludge!



Categories ,Abi Daker, ,ASOS, ,Bees, ,Cindy Crawford, ,Courtney Love, ,Embellishment, ,embroidery, ,Flamingos, ,Heidi Klum, ,London Fashion Week, ,Richard Sorger, ,Skeletons, ,Victoria House

Similar Posts:

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Amelia’s Magazine | ‘Jolie Fleur’: In My Garden I am Queene by Fleur Oakes


Art Against Knives

4th-5th May 2009

The creme de la creme of East London’s artists and designers come together for Art Against Knives: a 2 day event and exhibition to raise awareness of knife crime in the community and to raise money for the medical treatment of Oliver Hemsley the 20 year-old Central St Martins student, shop buy who was left paralysed after being stabbed multiple times on Boundry Street.
Art Against Knives promises to be inspiring both artistically and socially.
art_against_kniveslistings.jpg

Art Against Knives, price this Monday and Tuesday only, approved see website for locations.

Flatland
ends 16th May 2009

Interesting 2 dimensional works and film sculptures from British artist Elizabeth McAlpine.
flatlandlisting.jpg

Flatland, until 16th May 2009, Laura Bartlett Gallery, 10 Northington Street, London.

Fresh Meat, The First Cut
10th May from 7pm

Evening of live illustration, animation screenings, raffle brought to you by art whizz kid Rose Blake and the rest of the This Is It Collective to raise money for their degree show at Kingston. There will be DJs as well as live music from Sheeps and Arthur Delaney. General fun will be provided in abundance.
freshmeat.jpg

Fresh Meat, The First Cut, 7pm until midnight 10th May, Notting Hill Arts Club, 21 Notting Hill Gate London.

Art in Mind
ends 11th May 2009

Eclectic collaborative show at the lovely Brick Lane Gallery featuring 13 contemporary artists. You can see our review here.
artinmindlistings.jpg

Art in Mind, until next Monday, The Bricklane Gallery, 196 Brick Lane, London.

The Red Room Platform Presents: Women’s Edition
6-9pm, 10th May 2009

Pan-generational artists, activists and thinkers validate the position of feminism in modern society through provocation, performance and debate.
410159.jpg

The Red Room Platform Presents: Women’s Edition, this Sunday, Bethnall Green Workingmen’s Club, 44-46 Pollard Row, Bethnall Green, London.

Fleur Oakes- The Glass Pingle “In My Garden I am Quenne”
showing now

A simply beautiful piece mixing embroidery and corsetry by Fleur Oakes illuminates the front window of knitters’ paradise Prick Your Finger. Review and interview with Fleur to follow this week in the mean time check out the knitting projects here.
corset.JPG

“In My Garden I am Queene”, Prick Your Finger, open Monday – Saturday, 260 Globe Road, London.

Beneath the pavement… The beach

Sexton (London) & Dominique Lacloche (Paris)
The exhibition consists of new work by the two artists work.

Art wars project space, 23 – 25 Redchurch Street, E2 7DJ
1st Apr – 5th May 2009

artwar1.jpg


Swine flu art masks- an exhibition of plague masks

Exquisite masks made due to the media hysteria regarding Swine flu, These masks are hand stitched and made as delicate collectable art object.

Hepsibah Gallery, 112 Brackenbury Road, London W6 0BD
30th Apr – 6th May 2009

flu1.jpg

Constellation

Clay Perry
The exhibiton showcases the photographers images of the 60′s avant-garde art scene.

England & Co
, 216, Westbourne Grove, Notting Hill, W11 2RH
Tuesday, 5 May from 11:00 – 18:00
Free entry

phot1.jpg


Etchings (Portraits)

Glenn Brown
A new collection of etchings from the artist.

Karsten Schubert, 5-8 Lower John Street,London W1F 9DR
Ends on the 8th May 2009, Monday to Friday 10am – 6pm

dark1.jpg


An exhibition of works by Paul Bennett and Ellie Good

Paul Bennett: expressionist paintings using oil and graphite on canvas.
Ellie Good: In this series of oil paintings and portraits exploring light.

Lauderdale House
, Highgate Hill, London N6 5HG
28th Apr – 10th May 2009, Tue – Fri 11-4pm, Sat 1.30-5pm Free entry

blueee.jpg

Art Against Knives

4th-5th May 2009

The creme de la creme of East London’s artists and designers come together for Art Against Knives: a 2 day event including exhibition to raise awareness of knife crime in the community and to raise money for the medical treatment of Oliver Hemsley the 20 year-old Central St Martins student, approved who was left paralysed after being stabbed multiple times on Boundry Street.
Art Against Knives promises to be both inspiring both artistically and socially.
art_against_kniveslistings.jpg

Art Against Knives, malady this Monday and Tuesday only, discount see website for locations.

Flatland
ends 16th May 2009

Interesting 2 dimensional works and film sculptures from British artist Elizabeth McAlpine.
flatlandlisting.jpg

Flatland, until 16th May 2009, Laura Bartlett Gallery, 10 Northington Street, London.

Annette Messager
ends 24th May 2009

Textured textile temptation at the Hayward’s retrospective of French feminist artist Annette Messager.
annette.jpg

Annette Messager, until 24th May 2009, The Hayward, Southbank Centre, London

Art in Mind
ends 11th May 2009
Eclectic collaborative show at the lovely Brick Lane Gallery featuring 13 contemporary artists.
artinmindlistings.jpg

Art in Mind, until next Monday, The Bricklane Gallery, 196 Brick Lane, London.

The Red Room Platform Presents: Women’s Edition
6-9pm, 10th May 2009
Pan-generational artists, activists and thinkers validate the position of feminism in modern society through provocation, performance and debate.
410159.jpg

The Red Room Platform Presents: Women’s Edition, this Sunday, Bethnall Green Workingmen’s Club, 44-46 Pollard Row, Bethnall Green, London

Isa Genzken: Open Sesame!
ends 21st June

Berlin- born Isa Genzken brings her colourful sculptures to the newly refurbished, East London favourite- Whitechapel Gallery
isa_genzkenlis.jpg

Isa Genzken: Open Sesame! Whitechapel Gallery, 77-82 Whitechapel High Street, London


Art Against Knives

4th-5th May 2009

The creme de la creme of East London’s artists and designers come together for Art Against Knives: a 2 day event including exhibition to raise awareness of knife crime in the community and to raise money for the medical treatment of Oliver Hemsley the 20 year-old Central St Martins student, ampoule who was left paralysed after being stabbed multiple times on Boundry Street.
Art Against Knives promises to be both inspiring both artistically and socially.
art_against_kniveslistings.jpg

Art Against Knives, this Monday and Tuesday only, see website for locations.

Flatland
ends 16th May 2009

Interesting 2 dimensional works and film sculptures from British artist Elizabeth McAlpine.
flatlandlisting.jpg

Flatland, until 16th May 2009, Laura Bartlett Gallery, 10 Northington Street, London.

Annette Messager
ends 24th May 2009

Textured textile temptation at the Hayward’s retrospective of French feminist artist Annette Messager.
annette.jpg

Annette Messager, until 24th May 2009, The Hayward, Southbank Centre, London

Art in Mind
ends 11th May 2009
Eclectic collaborative show at the lovely Brick Lane Gallery featuring 13 contemporary artists.
artinmindlistings.jpg

Art in Mind, until next Monday, The Bricklane Gallery, 196 Brick Lane, London.

The Red Room Platform Presents: Women’s Edition
6-9pm, 10th May 2009
Pan-generational artists, activists and thinkers validate the position of feminism in modern society through provocation, performance and debate.
410159.jpg

The Red Room Platform Presents: Women’s Edition, this Sunday, Bethnall Green Workingmen’s Club, 44-46 Pollard Row, Bethnall Green, London

Isa Genzken: Open Sesame!
ends 21st June

Berlin- born Isa Genzken brings her colourful sculptures to the newly refurbished, East London favourite- Whitechapel Gallery
isa_genzkenlis.jpg

Isa Genzken: Open Sesame! Whitechapel Gallery, 77-82 Whitechapel High Street, London

The spirit is there, check but where are the green fingers? When I was little I used to love watching my mum tending to the garden. I remember the pride and excitement she would feel when her flowers were in full bloom. As I got older, information pills I imagined that the desire to start growing plants, flowers and veg would manifest itself….. but it never really bloomed. It doesn’t help that my ‘garden’ is a small concrete balcony in East End London, and I had always imagined that gardening was essentially a bit of a chore. Then I realized that I was approaching this issue completely the wrong way. Gardening is not just about allotments, trips to garden centres on a Sunday afternoon, and Radio 4 playing in the backround (not that there is anything wrong with these things), its about having fun – creating produce; eating it, drinking it – you won’t disagree when you see the recipe for Grow Your Own Mojito – fundamentally, it is about achieving that sense of intense satisfaction when you realize… “I made that!”. With this newfound understanding, I could see that my lack of gardening space excuse was pretty flimsy. When you grasp that the world is your oyster, you can also see that it is your flowerbed as well.

With this in mind, the imaginative people behind “Growing Stuff – An Alternative Guide To Gardening” have put together a how – to guide to everything horticultural. With sections on guerilla gardening, growing carrots in Wellington boots, and the aforementioned guide to making your own mojito’s; this is not your typical gardening book. There are contributions by ‘punk’ gardeners, ‘worm farming junkies’, teenagers and artists, which makes ‘Growing Stuff’ as accessible as you could hope for. Absolutely every person, no matter their level of gardening skills – or lack of – will be able to grow stuff after reading this book.
I spoke with two contributors to Growing Stuff recently about their involvement with the book, as well as their other activities. Emily Hill and Will Gould are also artists who create ‘living sculptures’ that aim to walk a line between the man-made and the wild.

Hey Emily, I like the suggestions that you and Will have done in Growing
Stuff. There is definitely an element of fun and whimsy to your
gardening ideas; like Cartoon Cress, and Carrot Wellies. Is this the
style in that you two both work? And do you feel that this is the best way to
initiate would be gardeners?

Emily: Life’s too short, get out there and get your hands dirty, just give it a go! Of course it should be fun, and if it isn’t, it’s time to take a minute to think about what’s out of balance in your life; gardening’s a great leveller, and can really help you work things out. There’s nothing like a home-grown cherry tomato bursting in your mouth to cheer you up!
Will: There are plenty of books out there which describe how to grow plants but they are not necessarily accessible to people who don’t see themselves as gardeners. By making the growing a bit more fun and whimsical we hope to de-mystify the growing of stuff. Plants want to grow and if you give them half a chance they will, so we feel it is better to have fun and be creative while trying to grow something. After all even if you fail to grow anything, you’ve had some fun.

What other easy-peasy suggestions might you have for gardening
novices- especially ones in an urban sprawl?

Will: Just try buying a packet of salad seeds-lettuce and coriander are dead easy, plant them on top of some moist compost in a pot and put them on your windowsill. It’s hard to go wrong.
Emily: Tease out a passion, try growing something bright purple, or something that smells nice, or both! You don’t have to do much, just buy a plant and water it! I started with French Lavender on my balcony.

Do you think that growing stuff is becoming more of a young persons
game now?

Will: It’s about time, why miss out on all those glorious years of growing.
Emily: It’s definitely something that has caught our generation’s imagination, maybe its something to do with our collective childhood memories. I remember picking raspberries with my granddad; it was like finding little ruby coloured droplets of edible treasure at the bottom of the garden!

How did you and Will get into gardening, and how did you end up
collaborating with this book?

Will: I grew up in a small house with a big garden, so it kind of came naturally. The book came from a request for artists who work with living things to submit ideas.
Emily: We both grew up in the country, all neglected and wild! For me, artistry came naturally, getting into gardening came later, when I found a bit of outdoor space to cultivate. We saw an advert on the Arts Council’s website and just went for it!

I have read that you two create ‘Living Structures’ – can you tell me a
little about this? What future projects are you working on?

Emily: We started off by making a portable composting toilet for our allotment with old bits of shed and two huge cartwheels; we made a cubicle that looked like a Victorian beach hut and planted a garden on the roof and gave it two window boxes full of flowers. We wanted to recycle ourselves, so we mixed our own wee with rainwater collected from the roof, and created a system to pump the mixture around the plants to feed them, anything left over drained into a reed bed at the back of the structure. It was quite charming really, and very popular…have a look, its called ‘The Jakes’ and was submitted for Margate Rocks last Spring (www.margaterocks.com).
Will: We are both interested in structures, which have a life of their own. For us, this involves growing plants, which either make up the structure, or contribute to the working of a functional building.
We are currently working on outdoor environmental projects in schools and incorporate the growing of stuff wherever possible and it is always possible!

Artist AJ Fosik’s sculpted characters look like your high school mascot that went AWOL and ended up at a full moon party in Thailand. Or perhaps the stuffed and mounted head of some big game he vanquished in a spirit dream and was able to sneak back under the border patrol of consciousness (quite a feat really I hear they’re rather tight). His technicolor wooden sculptures certainly carry the sense of having seen the otherside and with their hypnotic fluorescent eyes they seem all too than eager to take you there as well.

aj%20fosik1.jpg

According to his myspace page AJ Fossik is 66 years old. Sure, unhealthy maybe on his second time round on the carousel of life. perhaps wise beyond his years, what is for certain is that this Philadelphia born artist is onto something. Currently exhibiting printed works at Giant Robot Gallery in NY, it is his psychedelic sculptures which have really roared onto the scene. Made of hundreds of small, individually cut and hand painted wood, his animal effigies and their symbolism strike a chord with the collective consciousness, especially in the US. Aside from being the California state animal, a campsite mischief, cartoon character and omnipresent sports team icon, the bear is one of the largest and most regal North American animals, a reminder of the vastness and awesome natural beauty experienced by the earliest pioneers.

aj%20fosik3.jpg

A country whose experience at the moment consists of what is referred to as a “bear market”, one in which stockholders, all in the same blind panicked, decide to sell! sell! sell!, driving the value of stocks deep into the ground (sounds familiar). Not that far off really from the wooly winter hibernator’s image of reclusion and introspection. To Native American shamans the bear represents qualities of steadfastness and patience making excellent teachers. In dreams, bears represent a healing cycle, where the dreamer has retreated into himself in order to regenerate and to create something new and valuable in his life.

aj%20fosik5.jpg

For this particular breed of artist the road out was not a conventional one. After years as a teenage urban nomad on the streets of Philadelphia, a city often at odds with itself, Fosick eventually drifted to NY where he obtained a degree in illustration from New York’s Parson’s and a 2007 solo show in the city’s Jonathan Levine Gallery. The name he goes by he adopted from an Australian “verb to describe the act of people sifting through mine washings or waste piles to look for any gold that might have been missed; sorting through the garbage to find gold.” However, like many things in our global soup it apparently seeped into another language where it means something different altogether. “From what I can gather,” he says with a good natured appreciation of irony, “the spelling I use means ‘to shit oneself’ in Hungarian.”

aj%20fosik4.jpg

A peek into the global origins of this furry ursine idol is just as intriguing. In Hindu mythology the bear’s name “riksha”
(also in Sanskrit, Celtic, Greek and Latin believe it or not) derive from the word for star, which in turn comes from the word light, shine, illuminate. Ahhhha.
The term for Great Bear, “sapta riksha”, is also the symbolic dwelling of the Seven Rishis, whose name is related to “vision” and are called the Seven Luminaries. It was through them that the wisdom of the past was transmitted to the present. A rich past for the unassuming bear.

aj_fosik_2.jpg

AJ Fosick is an artist who, one could argue, has an abnormal fixation with carving his own path through the great unknown. No wonder then that he refers to his pieces as “existential fetishes”. And hey, who couldn’t use one of those? And perhaps the missing little league mascots and unemployed stockbrokers of the world have joined Albert Camus on a beach somewhere in South East Asia and are doing some soul searching. In my dreams.

The spirit is there, look but where are the green fingers? When I was little I used to love watching my mum tending to the garden. I remember the pride and excitement she would feel when her flowers were in full bloom. As I got older, ask I imagined that the desire to start growing plants, physician flowers and veg would manifest itself….. but it never really bloomed. It doesn’t help that my ‘garden’ is a small concrete balcony in East End London, and I had always imagined that gardening was essentially a bit of a chore. Then I realized that I was approaching this issue completely the wrong way. Gardening is not just about allotments, trips to garden centres on a Sunday afternoon, and Radio 4 playing in the backround (not that there is anything wrong with these things), its about having fun – creating produce; eating it, drinking it – you won’t disagree when you see the recipe for Grow Your Own Mojito – fundamentally, it is about achieving that sense of intense satisfaction when you realize… “I made that!”. With this newfound understanding, I could see that my lack of gardening space excuse was pretty flimsy. When you grasp that the world is your oyster, you can also see that it is your flowerbed as well.

attempt1growingstuff.jpg

growingstuffbicycle.jpg
Photographs by Rosie French

With this in mind, the imaginative people behind “Growing Stuff – An Alternative Guide To Gardening” have put together a how – to guide to everything horticultural. With sections on guerilla gardening, growing carrots in Wellington boots, and the aforementioned guide to making your own mojito’s; this is not your typical gardening book. There are contributions by ‘punk’ gardeners, ‘worm farming junkies’, teenagers and artists, which makes ‘Growing Stuff’ as accessible as you could hope for. Absolutely every person, no matter their level of gardening skills – or lack of – will be able to grow stuff after reading this book.
I spoke with two contributors to Growing Stuff recently about their involvement with the book, as well as their other activities. Emily Hill and Will Gould are also artists who create ‘living sculptures’ that aim to walk a line between the man-made and the wild.

Hey Emily, I like the suggestions that you and Will have done in Growing
Stuff. There is definitely an element of fun and whimsy to your
gardening ideas; like Cartoon Cress, and Carrot Wellies. Is this the
style in that you two both work? And do you feel that this is the best way to
initiate would be gardeners?

growingstuffcress.jpg
Photograph by Rosie French

Emily: Life’s too short, get out there and get your hands dirty, just give it a go! Of course it should be fun, and if it isn’t, it’s time to take a minute to think about what’s out of balance in your life; gardening’s a great leveller, and can really help you work things out. There’s nothing like a home-grown cherry tomato bursting in your mouth to cheer you up!
Will: There are plenty of books out there which describe how to grow plants but they are not necessarily accessible to people who don’t see themselves as gardeners. By making the growing a bit more fun and whimsical we hope to de-mystify the growing of stuff. Plants want to grow and if you give them half a chance they will, so we feel it is better to have fun and be creative while trying to grow something. After all even if you fail to grow anything, you’ve had some fun.

What other easy-peasy suggestions might you have for gardening
novices- especially ones in an urban sprawl
?

Will: Just try buying a packet of salad seeds-lettuce and coriander are dead easy, plant them on top of some moist compost in a pot and put them on your windowsill. It’s hard to go wrong.
Emily: Tease out a passion, try growing something bright purple, or something that smells nice, or both! You don’t have to do much, just buy a plant and water it! I started with French Lavender on my balcony.

growing%20stuff1Carnivorous%20plants.jpg

Do you think that growing stuff is becoming more of a young persons
game now?

Will: It’s about time, why miss out on all those glorious years of growing.
Emily: It’s definitely something that has caught our generation’s imagination, maybe its something to do with our collective childhood memories. I remember picking raspberries with my granddad; it was like finding little ruby coloured droplets of edible treasure at the bottom of the garden!

How did you and Will get into gardening, and how did you end up
collaborating with this book?

Will: I grew up in a small house with a big garden, so it kind of came naturally. The book came from a request for artists who work with living things to submit ideas.
Emily: We both grew up in the country, all neglected and wild! For me, artistry came naturally, getting into gardening came later, when I found a bit of outdoor space to cultivate. We saw an advert on the Arts Council’s website and just went for it!

growingstuffEmily%20Hill-Will%20Goulds%20window.jpg

I have read that you two create ‘Living Structures’ – can you tell me a
little about this? What future projects are you working on?

Emily: We started off by making a portable composting toilet for our allotment with old bits of shed and two huge cartwheels; we made a cubicle that looked like a Victorian beach hut and planted a garden on the roof and gave it two window boxes full of flowers. We wanted to recycle ourselves, so we mixed our own wee with rainwater collected from the roof, and created a system to pump the mixture around the plants to feed them, anything left over drained into a reed bed at the back of the structure. It was quite charming really, and very popular…have a look, its called ‘The Jakes’ and was submitted for Margate Rocks last Spring (www.margaterocks.com).
Will: We are both interested in structures, which have a life of their own. For us, this involves growing plants, which either make up the structure, or contribute to the working of a functional building.
We are currently working on outdoor environmental projects in schools and incorporate the growing of stuff wherever possible and it is always possible!

Tuesday 05/06/09

The Real Dirt on Farmer John

PermaculturePictureHouse-1.jpg

Permaculture Picture House
7.00pm
Upstairs at Passing Clouds, visit web
1 Richmond Road, salve E8, abortion ?just off Kingsland Road behind the pub. 

A monthly evening of films, presentations, poetry, drink, food and fun ?focusing on positive solutions in the current state of crisis.  Each evening ?will have a different theme and begin with a film or presentation followed by? space to meet with others till closing time.? ?When?
1st Tuesday of every month, doors open at 7pm.  Films, (when shown) start at 8pm. 
How much?
£2.00 donation on the door.
Please try to arrive by 8pm when films are being shown to avoid disruption. ?Entry may be restricted once film has started. ?5th May:   The Real Dirt on Farmer John. (82 mins)
Follows Farmer John’s astonishing journey from farm boy to counter-culture? rebel to the son who almost lost the family farm to a beacon of today’s ?booming organic farming movement and founder of one of the nation’s largest? Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms. The result is a tale that ebbs ?and flows with the fortunes of the soil and revealingly mirrors the changing ?American times.

Wednesday 06/05/2009

Controversies in The Economics Of Climate Change

London School of Economics
Houghton Street,
London WC2A 2AE, UK;  
Tel: +44 (0)20 7405 7686

The Stern Review stirred up the controversy surrounding the economics of climate change. This lecture will review these issues and give an assessment of the debate – where it is leading and what issues remain open.

Geoffrey Heal is a visiting professor at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at LSE, Paul Garrett Professor of Public Policy and Business Responsibility, and professor of finance and economics at Columbia Business School.

This event will take place from 6.30-8pm in the Hong Kong Theatre, Clement House, LSE, Aldwych. If you would like to attend this event, please email me on V.Pavey@lse.ac.uk

partyovercard_print-1_copy.jpg

LeaJaffyEnergy3world.jpg
Illustration by Lea Jaffy

Art Not Oil

6pm -7pm
British Museum
Great Russell Street,
London, WC1B 3DG
Oil goliath BP, already forced to postpone its centenary party at the British Museum on April 1st, has rescheduled the event for May 6th. Art Not Oil will be throwing A Wake for BP as guests arrive at the British Museum between 6pm and 7pm on the new date.
People wanting to come and say: “BP — your Party’s over!” and wish the behemoth a ‘happy last birthday’ are more than welcome. The British Museum’s main gate on Great Russell Street will find a contingent of the Brazen Pranksters playing tunes to usher in a new era of Climate Justice and Ecological Sanity.

Thursday 07/05/09

Earthwatch Lecture — Conserving Biodiversity in the Americas

7pm – 8.30pm
Earthwatch

Royal Geographical Society,
1 Kensington Gore, London
SW7 2AR

Contact: Simon Laman
(01865) 318856

events@earthwatch.org.uk

www.earthwatch.org/europe/get_involved/events08/lecture09-americas/

Speakers: Dr. Richard Bodmer (Durrell Institute of Conservation & Ecology, and the Wildlife Conservation Society) & Dr. Kathleen Sullivan Sealey (University of Miami). Chaired by explorer, writer and TV presenter Dr. George McGavin.??The very fact that the Amazon and the Caribbean are such attractive locations renders them all the more vulnerable to over-exploitation. Hear how Earthwatch scientists are addressing this issue in the Peruvian Amazon and on the coasts of the Bahamas.

Saturday 9/10th May

Permaculture Introductory Weekends

permaculture%3Anaturewise.jpg

Hornsey Rise Gardens, North London
For any further information or to register contact londoncourses@naturewise.org.uk
The Introductory weekend, is a ‘potted’ permaculture course, looking at the foundations of permaculture and learning about some of the practical tools it offers. The weekend course can be considered a ‘stand alone’ introduction to Permaculture ethics, principles and design, or else can be a lead-in to the more in depth full 72 hour Permaculture Design Course. Photos from past courses.

9/10th May, 8/9th August, 7/8th November.
Led by: Mark Warner Graham Burnett and, Nicole Freris ??Fees: Introductory Weekends: £120 full cost, concessions/flexibility available subject to discussion
                            
The beautiful window display this month at Prick Your Finger is bound to catch the eye of even the most unobservant passer-by; Fleur Oakes has embroidered a corset by with mystical and magical creatures and symbols that is bound to have the whole of Bethnal Green gaping.
P5010045.JPG
(front view of corset)

In My Garden I am Queene is a stitched homage to yester-year; Fleur sourced the corset pattern from 1585, sale and the style and many of the techniques were those used in the 17th century, cialis 40mg even it’s name is a play on a quote from Pre-raphealite painter Burne- Jones.
The past echoes through the piece from these aesthetic choices to the vintage kid gloves lining whose ghostly fingers that hang down in macabre decoration.
P5010039.JPG
(back view with faggot stitch detail)

The corset is lovingly embroidered with intricate flowers, viagra 100mg lace moths, eyes, a magnificent menagerie of bizarre creatures with some of the best names in the history of mytho-zoology, taken from the book ‘House of the Spirits’ by Isabelle Allende. A modern novel that still manages to fit into the quintessentially Elizabethan feel of the piece.
IMG_2457.jpg
(1 of 6 moths all in needle lace, they take 3 hours to make.)

Personal favourties here at Amelia’s Magazine HQ are the Marbat- a combination of marsupial with bat wings, the Maladapard – a mallard’s head with a leopard’s body (of course) and this chap: the Boarfinch.
boarfinch%205.jpg
(Boarfinch detail in long and short stitch)

Fleur’s work really needs to be seen to be believed, so head down to Prick Your Finger for a peek and to pick up one of Fleur’s embroidered buttons.
P5010040.JPG
(Fleur Oakes embroidered buttons on sale now)

For all you embroidery aficionados more specific details about technique, the lovely staff at Prick Your Finger will be more than happy to oblige .

Prick Your Finger, 260 Globe Road, London.

Categories ,corsetry, ,embroidery, ,knitting, ,london, ,prick your finger

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Amelia’s Magazine | Jasper Garvida: London Fashion Week A/W 2012 Catwalk Review


Jasper Garvida A/W 2012 by Amy Smith

After seeing KTZ at the main show space at Somerset House I froze on the spot for longer than was necessary. My camera battery was dying (as per at fashion week) and I was exhausted. Should I make the trek up to Bloomsbury to catch Jasper Garvida? Yes, I know the journey from Somerset House to Bloomsbury isn’t of Captain Scott proportions. Well, clearly, I decided to go or I wouldn’t be writing this review. Anyway…


Jasper Garvida A/W 2012 by Emily Robertson


All photography by Matt Bramford

Jasper returned to the Bloomsbury Hotel‘s grand ballrooms to present his collection. As I took my seat I wondered how it was going to work – at one end of the catwalk (floor) stood an aggression of photographers (a collective noun I’ve created myself), at the other end, a brick wall. It transpired that models were entering from the middle and doing a loop, which must have been pretty taxing.


Cheers then – those photographs you’re taking on your iPhone are lush… can I have a copy? Grrr…


Gah.

I haven’t been to one of Jasper‘s shows before but I’d heard good things and our Alia interviewed Jasper last season, so I was keen to see what he’d present this time.


Jasper Garvida A/W 2012 by Amy Smith

The show began with simple neat tailoring in a camel colour, embellished with big gold buttons. I don’t know if the seats were a little lower or the heels bigger than at other shows, but these models were enormous. I almost felt quite scared as they lurched towards me. Long, fitted dresses that were perfectly tailored hung off them effortlessly, though.

The collection then brought pleated skirts with mesmerising digital prints. These were cut just above the knee at a level where neither femininity or morals are compromised. Jasper certainly knows a good silhouette.

Then came fitted jackets with tight-fitting cropped trousers. More intriguing prints here, along with more gold buttons and oversized zips that added a real luxurious flavour to the collection. One jacket, with a high collar and sweeping neckline, featured stunning gold embroidery on each lapel.

My favourite pieces were to be found at the end of the presentation. Long black body-con numbers were reminiscent of 1990s Versace – carrying gold embroidery around necklines, harness straps and thick gold chain draped casually across the torso, and I’ve already earmarked a shorter number with huge gold tassels draped from the shoulders for my next red carpet walk.


Jasper Garvida A/W 2012 by Sophy Henn

It’s a bold woman (in vertiginous heels) that is a Jasper Garvida woman; a woman who oozes sex appeal and isn’t afraid to celebrate their femininity.

The lighting was a little awkward to work with, hence why my photographs are a little sub-standard in this review. They don’t do this superb collection any justice.

Categories ,A/W 2012, ,Amy Smith, ,AW12, ,black, ,Bloomsbury Hotel, ,Buttons, ,catwalk, ,embroidery, ,Emily Robertson, ,Gold, ,jasper garvida, ,London Fashion Week, ,Matt Bramford, ,review, ,Sophy Henn, ,Tall, ,Versace, ,Womenswear

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Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with Kelly Goss, aka Rock ‘n’ Needle


Illustration by Pieter de Groot

When did you found Rock ‘n’ Needle and why? 
It was in 2008. I started designing and making clothes alongside studying at The Fashion Retail Academy. Although I was studying fashion retailing I still had a passion for making clothes. I wanted to design under a name and came up with Rock ‘n’ Needle. I started organising photoshoots in London through Model Mayhem and received a great response. This inspired me to develop the clothing into a brand. I took part in a fashion show in Mayfair which led to exhibiting at FaCshion exhibition. I really enjoyed taking part in these events and decided to set up the brand full time once I’d finished my course.  


What insires you, then?
I love tattoos, although I don’t have any! Tattoo designs work really well with embroidery and there’s so much inspiration from different styles. I am also inspired by music- I’m a huge rock fan, my favourite band being Motley Crue. I love musicians who have an extravagant and iconic image. I also enjoy seeing what’s happening on the streets. To me this is the biggest inspiration – to see what people are wearing now.



Photograph by Marta F. Andrés

How do you create these tattoo-tastic designs?
 I machine embroider all the designs. It starts with a drawing and develops on the computer until it is ready to be embroidered. There is a lot of sampling involved with the imagery. I use pretty basic fabrics for the clothing, using mainly cotton; the fabric needs to be suitable for embroidery. With the bows I can experiment a bit more, adding PVC, denim and all kinds of colours!  


Does your label consider the environment?
 Yes. Any material left over I try and create into the bows and brooches. I hate fabric waste, although it isn’t always easy to incorporate it into something new. I am currently in the process of re-designing the bags, for events such as Clothes Show Live. I’m also designing Rock ‘n’ Needle tote bags which will be available to buy online soon. They will have the embroidered designs on and will use environmentally-friendly cotton.  
 


Photograph by Ryan Bater

Which other designers or creatives do you admire?
My biggest admiration has been for Vivienne Westwood. I was absolutely delighted that Rock ‘n’ Needle’s first stockist was Ad Hoc on the Kings Road, near her iconic shop. The last couple of years I have been inspired by Henry Holland, who has exploded into the fashion industry – it’s really inspiring considering he started with slogan t-shirts and now has concessions Debenhams. To me, these designers have broken so many boundaries and to have such an incredible influence on people’s wardrobes. 


What has been your proudest moment so far?
 Last year I was delighted to win ‘VQ Young Learner of the Year’ for Wales: with over 500 entries it was a tough competition! I was nominated by Swansea College and the event took place at The Senedd in Cardiff with the Welsh Assembly Government. Most recently I was in the top 100 of future fashion retail leaders with Drapers Magazine. I entered the competition online and won a place at their Next Generation Academy in London, which was a one day event with industry experts. I felt honoured to be part of it. 
 

What did you get out of your time at the Next Generation Academy?
It was an invaluable day which covered a variety of topics including e-commerce, new technologies and self promotion. Henry Holland gave an interview which was a great insight for me as a designer. I met some lovely people from Success Appointments, and witnessed inspirational talks from Drapers ‘30 under 30′ feature. There was a lot of networking opportunities which was really useful as you don’t meet people as influential as this every day!


Illustration by Pieter de Groot

How do you see your collections developing in the future?
I will soon be introducing new-style tops comprising of short sleeved t-shirts and vests. I have also designed a couple of cropped tees for Summer. Next month Rock ‘n’ Needle tote bags will be available to buy, and this Winter I am launching Rock ‘n’ Needle hoodies which will carry the signature embroidered motifs. In the future I’d love to create Rock ‘n’ Needle jeans and lingerie, and maybe even menswear!
 


Do you have any other projects on the go?
Currently I am concentrating on developing the Rock ‘n’ Needle product range to expand from t-shirts and sweaters. I would love to collaborate with a fellow designer or musician/artist. I am extremely interested in the environment and animal welfare and I’d like to develop my work with these considerations. In the early stages of Rock ‘n’ Needle I have had to be fully focused on the brand, but I’m excited about broadening my scope in the future.


Photograph by Ryan Bater

What do you do in your spare time?!
 I don’t have much spare time at the moment as I’m exhibiting at Clothes Show Live London in June! There’s so much to prepare and I am launching new products which will be available to buy at the show, and then online on my website afterwards. When I do have spare time I love music and could quite happily spend hours on YouTube! I enjoy going to gigs, reading, going out for coffee and browsing in shops. Most recently I have been reading blogs – and I love Audrey Kitching’s. Her style is awesome and I always feel motivated to create when I have been reading her work!
 

I have to ask – would you ever get a tattoo?
Not in the near future, I love them but I couldn’t imagine picking a design and being happy with it for the rest of my life! I really like Fearne Cottons’ tattoos and I once worked with Ann French, who has some pretty cool ones, which can be seen in some of the Rock ‘n’ Needle pictures. I think you have to be quite a decisive person to have one and when it comes to what I wear or look like I am very indecisive.
  


Categories ,30 under 30, ,Ad Hoc, ,Ann French, ,Bags, ,Bows, ,Brooches, ,Clothes Show Live, ,Drapers, ,embroidery, ,Fearne Cotton, ,Henry Holland, ,Kelly Goss, ,Kings Road, ,london, ,Next Generation Academy, ,PVC, ,Rock ‘n’ Needle, ,Success Appointments, ,Swansea College, ,Tattoos, ,Vivienne Westwood, ,VQ Young Learner of the Year

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Amelia’s Magazine | New Designers 2013 Surface Design for Fashion and Interiors: The Best Graduate Designers

floral antlers by Lucy Madeleine
One of the great thing about surface design as a discipline is that it encompasses so many design possiblities. Here’s my round up of the rest of my fab discoveries at New Designers 2013, encompassing wall art, textile design for clothing, cushions, accessories and embroidery. At Notthingham Trent University I loved these floral antlers by Lucy Madeleine.

New Designers show 2013-Isabelle Gallagher
This lovely art deco architectural print is by textile designer Isabelle Gallagher.

New Designers show 2013-natalie wilkins
Accessory designer Natalie Wilkins created these extraordinary collars out of paper. She rather oddly shares the same name as another 2013 graduating fashion designer called Natalie Wilkins from Birmingham City University, who I discovered on a google search – what are the chances?! Well worth a look too!

New Designers show 2013-Chak Yan Alex Kwan
MA Textile Design Innovation designer Chak Yan Alex Kwan titled this wonderful design Reborn.

animal cushions for kids by Verity Sparks
These animal cushions for kids are well cute, by Verity Sparks at Somerset College, who already runs a successful business, Sparks Clothing, in partnership with her mum.

New Designers show 2013- - charlotte buller
At Falmouth University Charlotte Buller had fun with giant 3D embroidery and beading.

New Designers show 2013-lily emma tennant
Bespoke woven trims by Lily Emma Tennant of Loughborough University. She won an award for her pretty display, made using old books as shelves.

Amelia Constance Seale
Outrageous fun: these 80s style collage feature ricrac designs are by Amelia Constance Seale, who specialised in knitwear at Central Saint Martins.

New Designers show 2013-Elizabeth Ashdown
In fact, fancy embellishments were everywhere – another stunner came from Elizabeth Ashdown, who had created a collection of hand woven Passmenterie.

New Designers show 2013-George Morgan
George Morgan presented intricately woven panels of lightweight woods. He wasn’t sure what commercial application these might have but I could see them as beautiful room dividers.

wall piece by Rachael Hopper
This bright neon wall piece is by Rachael Hopper.

New Designers show 2013-Silvia Imbergamo
Silvia Imbergamo displayed this intriguing primary coloured 3D design.

3D paper art by Emilie Osborne
More paper art by Emilie Osborne
I adore this amazing 3D interior art based on optical illusions and mathematical nets by Emilie Osborne from Arts University Bournemouth. Either piece would be a fitting centrepiece for any room wishing to make a statement!

New Designers show 2013-Krishna Odedra
Krishna Odedra at De Montford University was another designer seduced by the possibilities of woven strips of fabric. The beautiful results have applications for both fashion and interiors.

Grace Sheldrick embroidery
I discovered the delightful 3D embroidery of Grace Sheldrick at the Royal School of Needlework. I had no idea such a college still existed, but it makes me hopeful that the old handcrafting arts will not only survive but thrive in the years to come. She has also used her embroidery skills to create jewellery that mimics the natural formations of gems, which you can buy these over on etsy.

Phew, that is finally it for my New Designers part one reviews, still New Blood and part two to go though! *Many of these images first appeared on my instagram feed, where you can view my pick of design graduates as I find them.*

Categories ,2013, ,3D Design, ,accessories, ,Amelia Constance Seale, ,Arts University Bournemouth, ,Birmingham City University, ,Central Saint Martins, ,Chak Yan Alex Kwan, ,Charlotte Buller, ,De Montford University, ,Elizabeth Ashdown, ,embroidery, ,Emilie Osborne, ,Falmouth University, ,fashion, ,George Morgan, ,Grace Sheldrick, ,Interiors, ,Isabelle Gallagher, ,Krishna Odedra, ,Lily Emma Tennant, ,Loughborough University, ,Lucy Madeleine, ,Natalie Wilkins, ,New Designers, ,Notthingham Trent University, ,Passmenterie, ,Rachael Hopper, ,Reborn, ,review, ,Ric-Rac, ,Ricrac, ,Royal School of Needlework, ,Silvia Imbergamo, ,Somerset College, ,Sparks Clothing, ,Verity Sparks, ,Woven trims

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Amelia’s Magazine | Satoshi Date: London Fashion Week A/W 2012 Exhibition Review

Satoshi Date AW 2012 by Claire Kearns

Satoshi Date AW 2012 by Claire Kearns

Satoshi Date, an ethical fashion designer featured in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, returned to an archway space on Holyrood Street near London Bridge to exhibit his A/W 2012 Lines 1 and 2 during London Fashion Week. He presented his S/S 2011 collection in the same gallery and in quite a similar way, having his designs hung from the ceiling along with other fabric elements so that the whole formed an installation.

Satoshi Date AW 2012 photo by Maria Papadimitriou

Satoshi Date AW 2012 photo by Maria Papadimitriou

The exhibition had the fascinating subject of Alchemy woven into it. Satoshi Date had named it Alchemist’s Mind, Re-Fashioning Masterclass as in truth it was not just an exhibition, but also a drop-in workshop whith special areas and sewing machines at the ready where someone could bring old clothes and turn them into somehting special they would love to wear again. I liked the fact that upon entering the space I was given a ‘Menu’ with what I could do during my time there, which humorously included ‘Talk to Satoshi Date about: how to manipulate your vintage fabric, how to make redundant objects reborn again, how to heal your current problems, how to deal with your love relationships, how to modify the items you brought’. In the same vein, I also enjoyed that one of the films projected somehow suggested that this process of up-cycling material objects could help us look at past experiences, traumas or relationships in the same way and be creative with them rather than carry them as baggage – what great advice.

Satoshi Date AW 2012 by Love Amelia

Satoshi Date AW 2012 by Love Amelia

Satoshi Date AW 2012 photo by Maria Papadimitriou

Satoshi Date AW 2012 photo by Maria Papadimitriou

As in previous collections Satoshi Date included a lot of intricately woven found bits of fabric into his shawls, dresses or hats as well as recycled, felted and hand-dyed wool.

Satoshi Date AW 2012 by Kristina Vasiljeva

Satoshi Date AW 2012 by Kristina Vasiljeva

Satoshi Date AW 2012 photo by Maria Papadimitriou

Satoshi Date AW 2012 photo by Maria Papadimitriou

Satoshi Date AW 2012 photo by Maria Papadimitriou

Satoshi Date AW 2012 photo by Maria Papadimitriou

Some of my favorite pieces were white cotton shirts with little printed illustrations in unexpected places. It has to be noted here that Satoashi Date is an artist/designer who apart from making clothes, also draws, paints, makes films, music and photographs.

Satoshi Date AW 2012 by Jo Ley

Satoshi Date AW 2012 by Jo Ley

Satoshi Date AW 2012 photo by Maria Papadimitriou

It also, and most definitely, has to be noted that Satoshi Date was a lovely young man with a friendly, welcoming, involved and funny attitude, which made him a pleasure to meet.

Satoshi Date AW 2012 photo by Maria Papadimitriou

Satoshi Date AW 2012 photo by Maria Papadimitriou

All photography by Maria Papadimitriou

Categories ,Alchemist’s Mind, ,alchemy, ,Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, ,Antique Wooden Buttons, ,Claire Kearns, ,Customise, ,Embroidered, ,embroidery, ,Exhibition Review, ,Fashion Film, ,Felted Wool, ,Felting, ,film, ,Hand-dyed, ,Hand-made, ,illustration, ,illustrator, ,installation, ,jersey, ,Jo Ley, ,Kristina Vasiljeva, ,London Bridge, ,London Fashion Week, ,Love Amelia, ,Maria Papadimitriou, ,Masterclass, ,musician, ,Organic Cotton, ,painting, ,photography, ,Re-Fashioning, ,Recycled Wool, ,Satoshi Date

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Amelia’s Magazine | Museum of Everything: A Review of Exhibition #3

Design Museum fashion talk by Leeay
Design Museum fashion talks Marc Jacobs A/W 2010, approved illustration by Leeay
Abi Daker The Museum of Everything
The Museum of Everything by Abigail Daker

Returning for the third time the Museum of Everything’s simply named Exhibition #3 has been put together with the help of British pop artist Sir Peter Blake. It only opened on the 13th October to coincide with the Frieze art fair and is due to close again at Christmas so get down there quick before it’s gone, page I promise you’d be sorry to miss it. A strange little place, the Museum of Everything can be found tucked away down a back street in Primose Hill next to the local library. However, although small in stature this curious museum will still require a good portion of your morning or afternoon to get round because every little space, spot, and shelf is covered with intriguing things to peer at.

themuseumofeverything by Emmeline Pidgen
Illustration by Emmeline Pidgen

Entering through the colourful striped doorway and paying a voluntary donation to a lady in a small kitsch ticket booth and you may be well on your way to guessing that the circus is the theme this time round. Indeed circus mirrors greet you, transforming you into a giant, a dwarf and…God forbid! Someone wider than they are tall! Apt then that round the corner is the ‘gallery of unusual people’ and the beginning of an interesting peek into the world of the carnival and the freak show. The gallery is a selection of historic sideshow memorabilia depicting everyone from bearded ladies and dwarves to a man with the completely smooth appearance (yes! including ‘downstairs’) and webbed feet of a frog. This vast collection of posters and postcards are a “celebration of difference” because “nobody’s perfect”, or at least that’s the idea as Sir Peter Blake himself explains in a video later on.

museumofeverything by emmeline pidgen
Snake Charmer by Emmeline Pidgen

Giant banners advertising, among other things, “strange little people”, and “the world’s most grotesque creature” are strewn all over the walls in the main hall. Painted by the so-called ‘king of the sideshow banner’, Fred Johnson, his is just one among the many all but defunct crafts that are revered at the Museum of Everything. There’s even a wardrobe door emblazoned with a leopard painted by sign painter Joe Ephgrave, who also painted the iconic drum skin on the award-winning cover of the Beatles’ Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album that Sir Peter Blake designed.

museum of everything
Girl by Ted Willcox

In fact that’s the really lovely thing about the Museum of Everything, iconic artworks are mixed in without fanfare among work from less known, brilliant, and usually eccentric artists’ – like the embroidery of Ted Willcox. Ted was taught to sew in hospital while recovering from injuries incurred in WW2. He then went on to spend the rest of his life indoors finding inspiration in everything from Alice in Wonderland to pictures of reclining bare-chested beauties, recreating them all in needle and thread.

Natasha-Thompson-Museum-of-Everything-Boxing-Squirrels
Squirrels Boxing by Natasha Thompson

In many ways the Museum can be viewed as a potted history of Great Britain, though told from a thoroughly left field point of view. Nothing sums this up better than the Walter Potter section, an example of Victoriana at its most bizarre if ever there was one. Cleary no relation to animal lover Beatrix, Walter Potter’s tableaux are made up of stuffed rabbits, a variety of birds, squirrels, rats, frogs, puppies and kittens – all in a surprising range of poses. They are completely grotesque but also fascinating, and of course, today taxidermy is very much back in vogue with artists like Polly Morgan picking up and popularising the ancient craft once again.

Walter Potter Rabbit School by Holly Trill
Walter Potter Rabbit School by Holly Trill

The Museum of Everything managed to impart on me the same kinds of feelings that I imagine may have flashed through the minds of the archaic freak show audience. A mix of morbid curiosity, delight in viewing the strange, and a childish excitement over being reminded what a beautiful and odd world we live in. Catch it while the circus is still in town!

Open Wednesday – Sunday, 10.30 am – 6.30 pm until Christmas. More information on the Museum of Everything website here, and don’t forget to check in with our review from their last show in 2009, which was just as wonderful.

Categories ,Abigail Daker, ,art, ,Banners, ,Carnival, ,Circus, ,Collections, ,embroidery, ,Emmeline Pidgen, ,Freak show, ,Fred Johnson, ,frieze, ,Holly Trill, ,Icon, ,Joe Ephgrave, ,Memorabilia, ,Museum of Everything, ,Natasha Thompson, ,Polly Morgan, ,Primrose Hill, ,Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, ,Side Show, ,Sign painting, ,Sir Peter Blake, ,Taxidermy, ,Ted Willcox, ,the beatles, ,Walter Potter

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Amelia’s Magazine | My Mum’s A Hippy: an interview with illustrator Monique Jivram

British-Columbian artist and illustrator Monique Jivram sits down with Louisa Lee to discuss her work…

You have a background in textile art, illness when and how did you become more interested in illustration? I chose to study textile art as am drawn to sculpting, seek manipulating and working with soft fibres. Although I have an affinity for textiles, I think, like most artists’, sketching and drawing is the basis of what I do. I find sketching and drawing help me work through ideas and problem solving. When I recall a memory I find myself pulling images together and making a sort image collages in my head. As I think in pictures I find drawing the best way to express myself. Drawing helps me pattern make and link my ideas, I love it, when I draw I feel like my mind empties out and I’m somewhere else.

Who or what influences and inspires your work? I spend lots of time travelling through London on busses and trains and I started to note down snippets of conversation that I overheard. When two people are talking they are completely immersed in each other. Travelling on London transport you become accustomed to lack of personal space so just tend to blank out those around you, carrying on in your own world. I found conversations I was over-hearing frequently un-intentional naïve and very funny. I was hearing things that made me smile and were so quirky and honest to each person that they became the starting points of my work. I think we’re programmed to believe we must all see beauty in the same thing. Conditioning (advertising, friends, books etc) tells us that we must see beauty in traditional things like a dewy morning  or  the sun setting over  the sea that we almost forget to see the simple beauty in human diversity and differences. I value that people are quirky and odd, using these humorous snippets of conversations hopefully act as insights of how funny we can be. Since people have heard that my work comes from snippets of over heard conversation they have started to tell me about ones that they overheard and made them laugh. A few ‘overheards’ for my next project might be: ‘Lou, man, she ‘ad a tache, like she’d just finished a cappuccino’ -‘sooner or later everyone loses their balls’. -‘Mate, you really gotta learn to bottle things up’ -‘Do you always wear sunglasses? It’s always sunny when your cool’ -‘I shaved my feet and they look so pretty’ -‘My father was killed by ninjas I need money for karate lessons’

Your illustrations have a wonderful naivity about them but are clearly highly-skilled and often labour intensive. How do you normally work- are they fairly spontaneous or do you plan your drawings in advance? My work is spontaneous, I hear something that strikes me as funny and honest and I find myself mapping out images that support and develop the words. I rely heavily on the concept of schemas’, the idea that we have unconsciously developed an image of an object/stimuli through experience fascinates me. I like play on words, mnemonics, absurd definitions, innuendos and train of thoughts. “briefly thyself remember” –Lear

I really like your embroidered works, how do you go about making them? Are they all done with a sewing machine or are some of them hand-stitched? I use a mixture of hand sewing and machine stitch. The embroidery gives me time to think about the snippet of conversation that the piece is based on, giving it time evolve. I use embroidery to highlight the key points of the work. I believe that technical skill is just as important as concept/meaning in art work. I’m in awe of traditional techniques like tapestry and weaving. Skills that require deep knowledge and take require a lot of time make something.

You’ve also done some book illustration. How did this come about? Would you like to do more? The book illustrations happened by chance; I was contacted with a script outline and was asked if I would illustrate a some of the scenes, I think the writer found me through my website. I draw from images or from real life so I had to get my friend to pose for me, the first book was an adventure book so we had lots of laughs doing it. I found myself wanting to stick exactly to the script getting each character to look just as the writer had intended, I’m naturally quite meticulous so although it  was a lot of fun, it meant a lot of researching and planning . I’m defiantly glad I illustrated for both books, it was a massive learning curve for me. I’m used to giving my work space to evolve and with these projects I had to stick to every description given, which is why I think is so different from my other work. Will I do another book?……….Who knows? If the right books comes along….

I noticed that you’ve had some exhibitions as well as worked for magazines such as ‘Who’s Jack?’.  Do you prefer to exhibit or to be commissioned for work? I love both exhibiting and commissions. With commissions people approach me because they like the style of my work, its lovely to be able to merge my ideas with someone else’s  ideas’ creating a piece together. I also like being given a brief or journalistic article to illustrate for. Having a starting point and watching the work evolve is one of my favourite things. When I look back at the work I can see my train of thought like stepping stones that led me to where I finished. I feel all art should be given lots of room and time to evolve. I’m now part of a collective that means I get to exhibit with a group. As a illustrator/textile artist / artist its hard to find group exhibition my work fits in. I’m not really a crafter or not really a fine artist, most exhibitions group artists’ together by craft, fine art, painting, illustration, textiles or sculpture. I don’t really completely fit into any of theses areas so I did a lot of solo shows so it nice to be part of a collective that have a similar vein of thought running through their work. The collective area group of artist who use thread or fabric in a conceptual contemporary art way rather than fashion way. As a group we have similar interests in that we are drawn to working with fibres. I did a lot of solo shows as I didn’t really fit in anywhere but it’s now lovely to be surrounded by a group of artist who hold similar interests to me. A while ago textiles where considered only as fashion, now it seems textiles are becoming more of an accepted art form. Threads and fibres can be seen can be seen in contemporary art and advertising, its really good to see it start to be considered as art!

You also make ‘Wearables’ out of your embroideries. Do you see your work developing more in this direction? I don’t know a lot about fashion, my degree was textile art but considered in the fine art arena. Throughout my time as a practising artist I have started to become interested in wearing my work. I started to realise the most commonly seen and used blank canvas was our clothing. This led me to make a few pieces into ‘wearables’ . I love the idea of opening a locket and seeing a piece of work or popping a piece of art work into your hair. Just before I was making these pieces I visited lots of Mexican day of the dead exhibitions, I was considering how every wearable surface was covered. I liked that every time I looked back at a person who was dressed up, a shrine or decoration I noticed something new. I think these influences can be seen in my wearables.

What would be an ideal design brief for you? I like being inspired by words, so I guess that an ideal brief would be text based. I’d love a brief that would encourage me to see and highlight human quirks finding the abnormal if it was considered as normal, something that would encourage me to draw attention to the humour in every day life. My ideal brief would be something I could be colourful and free with and of course if part of the brief was a paid research trip to Mexico, Peru, Brazil, Rio, Thailand, Vietnam, Egypt, Spain you wouldn’t hear me complaining.

Where we will next see your work? I’ve got a few pieces in the Cactus Gallery in May 2010. They have invited 64 different artists to exhibit work, which they will put together in a patchwork style, it sounds really interesting. I can’t wait to see it. Noise Festival the ‘online arts portfolio’ have recently selected my work to use on their postcard, which should be available soon. And finally the collective I’m in are looking for a space to work and exhibit in. We’ve been looking at empty shops in London. We’d like to find a space we can open to the public who can visit us whilst we’re making our work and then use the same space to exhibit in. As soon as we find something it will be on my website.

You work under the name ‘my mums a hippie’, Is your mum a hippie? Yup, She’s most defiantly a hippie!

Categories ,cactus gallery, ,day of the dead festival, ,embroidery, ,illustration, ,mexico, ,monique jivram, ,noise festival, ,textiles

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Amelia’s Magazine | Fine Craft Textiles with Japanese Flair: An interview with designer Nazanin Kamali

Cushion Collection, Nazanin Kamali
Furniture and Interiors designer Nazanin Kamali introduced her debut textiles collection at the Home London show in January – here she explains the reasons why she has turned to fine craft and what inspired the designs of her new range of cushions, embroideries and wallhangings.

Nazanin Kamali 2010
Chrysanthemum 2 (Styled), Nazanin Kamali
I recently discovered your debut textiles collection at Home London earlier this year – what was the reception like at this show?
It was the first time I had shown my textile designs so it was great to receive feedback on the range, particularly from bloggers and stylists who were very complimentary.

Hexagon Cushion (styled), Nazanin Kamali
You originally trained as a furniture designer, receiving an MA from the RCA, what prompted the move into textile design in more recent years?
I’ve always been more interested in craft than commercial design, even though my career path initially led me down that route. I’m drawn to the storytelling aspect of crafting and when my mother passed away in 2006 shortly before I fell pregnant, I found myself turning to the therapeutic craft processes of embroidery to help me work things through. I was inspired by Isabel Allende’s familial novel The House of the Spirits, which I first read as a teenager, and began to create a vast patchwork blanket constructed from seventy-seven hand-sewn squares, each one reflective of a different aspect of my life. The blanket took two and a half years to complete but the process helped to focus and heal my mind, and led me down the path I’m on today.

Crane Cushion (styled), Nazanin Kamali
Chrysanthemum 1 (Styled), Nazanin Kamali
How does this textile interiors brand sit alongside your other design work?
As a founding designer for Case Furniture my furniture designs reflected the attention to precision detail and intricate repetitive forms found in Japanese arts, which have long fascinated me. But whereas my previous furniture designs have always fit within specific design parameters, my textile collections are deeply rooted in my own personal fascination with cultural mythology, with an underlying melancholia and hint of the macabre.

Shrimps Cushion (styled), Nazanin Kamali
The cushion designs which form the backbone of the brand feature embroidered designs inspired by Japanese heraldic symbols: how did you choose the designs and what do they mean?
My interest in Japanese Kamons stems from work I did on the interior of Brighton-based restaurant Oki-Nami back in 1994. The six Mon designs – Chicken, Crane, Shrimp, Hexagon and Chrysanthemum (1 & 2) – were mostly chosen for their beauty, but a unifying mythological undercurrent runs through all the designs. The Crane symbolises 1,000 years while the Shrimp, with its resemblance to an old man hunched over with a beard, represents longevity. The Hexagon, resembling the shell of a wise tortoise, represents good luck.

Wedding Vows Runner (styled), Nazanin Kamali
Suicide Suitcase, Bespoke Commission by Nazanin Kamali
Why did you decide to concentrate on embroidery techniques and where do you get your products made?
My mother was a dressmaker and had taught me when I was younger, so I returned back to the craft after she passed away as a way of feeling closer to her. All my original prototypes and bespoke pieces I make by hand myself, while my collection pieces are produced in India. It was very important to me to find a manufacturer that offered a high quality of material and the production methods they use have allowed me to offer much more intricate embroidery details than I could ever have produced by hand.

Patchwork Tapestry, Bespoke Commission, Nazanin Kamali
Your height chart and advent calendar are based on original designs made for your son: how do you scale these into mass production?
I work very closely with my manufacturers to ensure their capabilities in turning my prototypes into high quality production pieces and consulted on all steps of the process. It was really fascinating to see the evolution of the project through, and I am delighted with the final results.

Chicken Cushion (styled), Nazanin Kamali
Do you have any other exciting projects in the pipeline that you can share with us?
I have a number of exciting things in the pipeline and, amongst others, am beginning work on a project involving giant embroidered buttons for an upholstered headboard, as well as designs for felt doll chess pieces.

Categories ,Case Furniture, ,Chicken, ,Chrysanthemum, ,craft, ,Crane, ,embroidery, ,Furniture, ,Hexagon, ,Home London, ,India, ,Interior Design, ,Interiors, ,interview, ,Isabel Allende, ,Japanese Kamons, ,Mon, ,Nazanin Kamali, ,Oki-Nami, ,rca, ,Shrimp, ,textiles, ,The House of the Spirits

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