Amelia’s Magazine | London Fashion Week S/S 2011 Presentation Review: Lu Flux (reprise)

LFW Holly Fulton by KAYLEIGH BLUCK
Holly Fulton by Kayleigh Bluck.

For S/S 2011 Holly Fulton took inspiration from Joan Collins and 60s cruise wear as her “ladies” went on a fantastical tour of luxury living in all the most chic resorts: Monaco, nurse Egypt, Brazil, Hollywood. If this woman exists in reality she would surely be the most shallow creature on the planet, but such is the way of fashion: it thrives on escapism.

Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory
Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory
All photography by Amelia Gregory.

holly fulton by Michelle Urvall Nyrén
holly fulton by Michelle Urvall Nyrén
Holly Fulton by Michelle Urvall Nyrén.

This was the first Holly Fulton catwalk show I’ve attended, and being a fan I was intrigued to see how her aesthetic has held up in a year when her influence on the high street has been massive – particularly where large jewellery is concerned.

Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory
Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory
Holly Fulton by Aniela Murphy
Holly Fulton by Aniela Murphy.

The show started strongly with a bright orange cracked paving print blouse atop a tiered fringed pencil skirt before giving way to a look that I would say took as much inspiration from the flared shapes of the 70s as it did the decade before. Yellow skater style flared skirts featured laser cut cocktail patterns. Heels were so high one model was forced to remove hers for the finale.

Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory
Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory
LFW Holly Fulton by KAYLEIGH BLUCK
Holly Fulton by Kayleigh Bluck.

Holly is at her strongest when she puts together Aztec, Aboriginal and Memphis School inspired appliques on the front of long panels. Flares, shift dresses and maxi skirts provided ample opportunity for this, accessorised with the usual fabulous necklaces and decorated clutch bags. They were accompanied by suitably luxe big earrings and big hair.

Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory
Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory
Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory

The collection only started to falter once towards the end, when Holly sent a few dresses down the runway that seemed obviously tacked on to appease sponsors Swarovski. Goodness knows why she decided to finish on these less polished numbers, instead of interspersing them through the whole show.

Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory
Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory
Holly Fulton by Aniela Murphy
Holly Fulton by Aniela Murphy.

Like David Koma before her Holly used python, this time in its natural colouring as part of heavily textured patterning so that it was less obvious from afar. Maybe a luxury feel demands some kind of obvious domination over the rest of the world, but I’m not sure I like this new trend towards exotic animal skins. Other than his blip she remains an innovative and individual designer who’s very definitely one step ahead of her imitators.

Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory

LFW Holly Fulton by KAYLEIGH BLUCK
Holly Fulton by Kayleigh Bluck.

For S/S 2011 Holly Fulton took inspiration from Joan Collins and 60s cruise wear as her “ladies” went on a fantastical tour of luxury living in all the most chic resorts: Monaco, and Egypt, Brazil, Hollywood. If this woman exists in reality she would surely be the most shallow creature on the planet, but such is the way of fashion: it thrives on escapism.

Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory
Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory
All photography by Amelia Gregory.

holly fulton by Michelle Urvall Nyrén
holly fulton by Michelle Urvall Nyrén
Holly Fulton by Michelle Urvall Nyrén.

This was the first Holly Fulton catwalk show I’ve attended, and being a fan I was intrigued to see how her aesthetic has held up in a year when her influence on the high street has been massive – particularly where large jewellery is concerned.

Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory
Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory
Holly Fulton by Aniela Murphy
Holly Fulton by Aniela Murphy.

The show started strongly with a bright orange cracked paving print blouse atop a tiered fringed pencil skirt before giving way to a look that I would say took as much inspiration from the flared shapes of the 70s as it did the decade before. Yellow skater style flared skirts featured laser cut cocktail patterns. Heels were so high one model was forced to remove hers for the finale.

Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory
Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory
LFW Holly Fulton by KAYLEIGH BLUCK
Holly Fulton by Kayleigh Bluck.

Holly is at her strongest when she puts together Aztec, Aboriginal and Memphis School inspired appliques on the front of long panels. Flares, shift dresses and maxi skirts provided ample opportunity for this, accessorised with the usual fabulous necklaces and decorated clutch bags. They were accompanied by suitably luxe big earrings and big hair.

Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory
Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory
Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory

The collection only started to falter once towards the end, when Holly sent a few dresses down the runway that seemed obviously tacked on to appease sponsors Swarovski. Goodness knows why she decided to finish on these less polished numbers, instead of interspersing them through the whole show.

Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory
Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory
Holly Fulton by Aniela Murphy
Holly Fulton by Aniela Murphy.

Like David Koma before her Holly used python, this time in its natural colouring as part of heavily textured patterning so that it was less obvious from afar. Maybe a luxury feel demands some kind of obvious domination over the rest of the world, but I’m not sure I like this new trend towards exotic animal skins. Other than his blip she remains an innovative and individual designer who’s very definitely one step ahead of her imitators.

Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory

LFW Holly Fulton by KAYLEIGH BLUCK
Holly Fulton by Kayleigh Bluck.

For S/S 2011 Holly Fulton took inspiration from Joan Collins and 60s cruise wear as her “ladies” went on a fantastical tour of luxury living in all the most chic resorts: Monaco, troche Egypt, more about Brazil, Hollywood. If this woman exists in reality she would surely be the most shallow creature on the planet, but such is the way of fashion: it thrives on escapism.

Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory
Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory
All photography by Amelia Gregory.

holly fulton by Michelle Urvall Nyrén
holly fulton by Michelle Urvall Nyrén
Holly Fulton by Michelle Urvall Nyrén.

This was the first Holly Fulton catwalk show I’ve attended, and being a fan I was intrigued to see how her aesthetic has held up in a year when her influence on the high street has been massive – particularly where large jewellery is concerned.

Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory
Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory
Holly Fulton by Aniela Murphy
Holly Fulton by Aniela Murphy.

The show started strongly with a bright orange cracked paving print blouse atop a tiered fringed pencil skirt before giving way to a look that I would say took as much inspiration from the flared shapes of the 70s as it did the decade before. Yellow skater style flared skirts featured laser cut cocktail patterns. Heels were so high one model was forced to remove hers for the finale.

Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory
Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory
LFW Holly Fulton by KAYLEIGH BLUCK
Holly Fulton by Kayleigh Bluck.

Holly is at her strongest when she puts together Aztec, Aboriginal and Memphis School inspired appliques on the front of long panels. Flares, shift dresses and maxi skirts provided ample opportunity for this, accessorised with the usual fabulous necklaces and decorated clutch bags. They were accompanied by suitably luxe big earrings and big hair.

Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory
Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory
Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory

The collection only started to falter once towards the end, when Holly sent a few dresses down the runway that seemed obviously tacked on to appease sponsors Swarovski. Goodness knows why she decided to finish on these less polished numbers, instead of interspersing them through the whole show.

Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory
Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory
Holly Fulton by Aniela Murphy
Holly Fulton by Aniela Murphy.

Like David Koma before her Holly used python, this time in its natural colouring as part of heavily textured patterning so that it was less obvious from afar. Maybe a luxury feel demands some kind of obvious domination over the rest of the world, but I’m not sure I like this new trend towards exotic animal skins (see my David Koma blog for more on this). Other than his blip she remains an innovative and individual designer who’s very definitely one step ahead of her imitators.

Holly Fulton SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory


Illustration by Gemma Randall

I was so excited to see what progressive knitwear label Sibling would produce this season, sildenafil after featuring the brand in our menswear preview, sick that I legged it up the stairs to The Portico Rooms at Somerset House, almost tripping at the top. Such is the effect of scrambling around Somerset House to see labels that you love.

Luckily I escaped any kind of fall or serious injury. Inside the room, a large crowd had all ready formed to see what was on offer from Collection 5. Yet again Sibling had produced a quirky range of witty knits: a selection of sweaters with influences such as punk, Pop Art, and, erm, Tourettes?

Each piece offers a statement to the wearer. Large-scale polka dot patterns featured heavily in this collection, while Pop Art-esque stars appear in different scales. Static mannequins bore eery face masks, which featured a range of expletives. The highlight with Sibling is always the vibrancy of the colours – neon greens last season had this season been replaced with red and shades of blue.


Illustration by Gemma Randall

The show pieces, away from these inspired jazzy numbers, were a collaboration with zany artists Sue Noble and Tim Webster. Black jersey tracksuits had been embroidered with reflective tape to feature such profanities as ‘WANKER’ ‘SOD OFF’, C U Next Tuesday and, my personal favourite, ‘TAKE MY TITS.’ Oh, here we go again, I thought to myself…

Alongside the collection, a film by Alasdair McLellan and styled by Max Pearmain played on loop. This oozed style and featured a scallyish skinhead smoking, larking in the park and generally knocking around insalubrious areas. It was one of the best fashion films I caught this season, by far. Reminiscent of scenes from This Is England, the film was more punk than Pop Art, but it was a delight to watch. Enjoy:

SIBLING C5 film by ALASDAIR McLELLAN from SIBLING LONDON on Vimeo.

Knitwear for men can be quite elitist, with editors salivating over crew neck numbers that lack imagination. But if you’re after something with a little more punch, there ain’t anybody packing it like Sibling.

All photography by Matt Bramford

Illustration by Gemma Randall

I was so excited to see what progressive knitwear label Sibling would produce this season, more about after featuring the brand in our menswear preview, information pills that I legged it up the stairs to The Portico Rooms at Somerset House, view almost tripping at the top. Such is the effect of scrambling around Somerset House to see labels that you love.

Luckily I escaped any kind of fall or serious injury. Inside the room, a large crowd had all ready formed to see what was on offer from Collection 5. Yet again Sibling had produced a quirky range of witty knits: a selection of sweaters with influences such as punk, Pop Art, and, erm, Tourettes?

Each piece offers a statement to the wearer. Large-scale polka dot patterns featured heavily in this collection, while Pop Art-esque stars appear in different scales. Static mannequins bore eery face masks, which featured a range of expletives. The highlight with Sibling is always the vibrancy of the colours – neon greens last season had this season been replaced with red and shades of blue.


Illustration by Gemma Randall

The show pieces, away from these inspired jazzy numbers, were a collaboration with zany artists Sue Noble and Tim Webster. Black jersey tracksuits had been embroidered with reflective tape to feature such profanities as ‘WANKER’ ‘SOD OFF’, C U Next Tuesday and, my personal favourite, ‘TAKE MY TITS.’ Oh, here we go again, I thought to myself…

Alongside the collection, a film by Alasdair McLellan and styled by Max Pearmain played on loop. This oozed style and featured a scallyish skinhead smoking, larking in the park and generally knocking around insalubrious areas. It was one of the best fashion films I caught this season, by far. Reminiscent of scenes from This Is England, the film was more punk than Pop Art, but it was a delight to watch. Enjoy:

SIBLING C5 film by ALASDAIR McLELLAN from SIBLING LONDON on Vimeo.

Knitwear for men can be quite elitist, with editors salivating over crew neck numbers that lack imagination. But if you’re after something with a little more punch, there ain’t anybody packing it like Sibling.

All photography by Matt Bramford


Illustration by Gemma Randall

I was so excited to see what progressive knitwear label Sibling would produce this season, viagra after featuring the brand in our menswear preview, and that I legged it up the stairs to The Portico Rooms at Somerset House, information pills almost tripping at the top. Such is the effect of scrambling around Somerset House to see labels that you love.

Luckily I escaped any kind of fall or serious injury. Inside the room, a large crowd had all ready formed to see what was on offer from Collection 5. Yet again Sibling had produced a quirky range of witty knits: a selection of sweaters with influences such as punk, Pop Art, and, erm, Tourettes?

Each piece offers a statement to the wearer. Large-scale polka dot patterns featured heavily in this collection, while Pop Art-esque stars appear in different scales. Static mannequins bore eery face masks, which featured a range of expletives. The highlight with Sibling is always the vibrancy of the colours – neon greens last season had this season been replaced with red and shades of blue.


Illustration by Gemma Randall

The show pieces, away from these inspired jazzy numbers, were a collaboration with zany artists Sue Noble and Tim Webster. Black jersey tracksuits had been embroidered with reflective tape to feature such profanities as ‘WANKER’ ‘SOD OFF’, C U Next Tuesday and, my personal favourite, ‘TAKE MY TITS.’ Oh, here we go again, I thought to myself…

Alongside the collection, a film by Alasdair McLellan and styled by Max Pearmain played on loop. This oozed style and featured a scallyish skinhead smoking, larking in the park and generally knocking around insalubrious areas. It was one of the best fashion films I caught this season, by far. Reminiscent of scenes from This Is England, the film was more punk than Pop Art, but it was a delight to watch. Enjoy:

SIBLING C5 film by ALASDAIR McLELLAN from SIBLING LONDON on Vimeo.

Knitwear for men can be quite elitist, with editors salivating over crew neck numbers that lack imagination. But if you’re after something with a little more punch, there ain’t anybody packing it like Sibling.

All photography by Matt Bramford


Illustration by Gemma Randall

I was so excited to see what progressive knitwear label Sibling would produce this season, information pills after featuring the brand in our menswear preview, that I legged it up the stairs to the Portico Rooms, almost tripping at the top. Such is the effect of scrambling around Somerset House to see labels that you love.

Luckily I escaped any kind of fall or serious injury. Inside the room, a large crowd had all ready formed to see what was on offer from Collection 5. Yet again Sibling had produced a quirky range of witty knits: a selection of sweaters with influences such as punk, Pop Art, and, erm, Tourettes?

Each piece offers a statement to the wearer. Large-scale polka dot patterns featured heavily in this collection, while Pop Art-esque stars appear in different scales. Static mannequins bore eery face masks, which featured a range of expletives. The highlight with Sibling is always the vibrancy of the colours – neon greens last season had this season been replaced with red and shades of blue.


Illustration by Gemma Randall

The show pieces, away from these inspired jazzy numbers, were a collaboration with zany artists Tim Noble and Sue Webster. Black jersey tracksuits had been embroidered with reflective tape to feature such profanities as ‘WANKER’ ‘SOD OFF’, C U Next Tuesday and, my personal favourite, ‘TAKE MY TITS.’ Oh, here we go again, I thought to myself…

Alongside the collection, a film by Alasdair McLellan and styled by Max Pearmain played on loop. This oozed style and featured a scallyish skinhead smoking, larking in the park and generally knocking around insalubrious areas. It was one of the best fashion films I caught this season, by far. Reminiscent of scenes from This Is England, the film was more punk than Pop Art, but it was a delight to watch. Enjoy:

SIBLING C5 film by ALASDAIR McLELLAN from SIBLING LONDON on Vimeo.

Knitwear for men can be quite elitist, with editors salivating over crew neck numbers that lack imagination. But if you’re after something with a little more punch, there ain’t anybody packing it like Sibling.

All photography by Matt Bramford

For those of us looking for clothes we could really see our butts in next spring, pharm Elliott J Frieze hit the spot. Everything was accessible. Everything was wearable. Minus the blue lipstick.

Looking at the catwalk, I saw city-worker-attends-summer-garden-party. It was all laid-back utility workwear with trench coats, jumpsuits and easy dresses. Luxe-fabric and sexy tailoring were what then brought the elegance and bold femininity to the overall look.

It was a soft attempt to celebrate all that is quintessentially British – tailoring, textiles and all. However, I think a little more Vivienne Westwood Anglo-Oomph would have pulled it all together perfectly. Delicate gingham was used as well as duchess satins and a lot of cotton. But a little more tweed or tartan wouldn’t have gone amiss.

The male models (bless them) were also assigned the blue and white sparkling lipstick. Their wardrobe consisted of quirky, structured waistcoats and embroidered jackets. Everything was tailored well but a care-free feel ran strongly throughout. The clothes were, in a word, fun.

Then, in amongst the funky French house music (which I LOVED) and strange-lipstick action, something very random happened. The lights went down and ‘ooh lala’ beats faded to Doris Day echoing ‘When I Fall in Love’. Her sweet voice silenced the audience until a mysterious lady in head-to-toe satin appeared and sauntered, VERY slowly, up and down the catwalk. Turned out that this strange saunter was none other than actress Anna Popplewell, muse and friend to Frieze. Her smiling blue lips (yes, she too was victimised) appeared for a second time when Frieze stepped onto the catwalk holding her hand to receiving his endless applause. The audience’s reaction was pretty lively. To the point that an excitable man in camel chased Frieze & muse up the catwalk to get a close-up photo.  Now that’s dedication.

I imagine they’d have needed numerous crates of hairspray to prep the models for this show – hair was big. Very big. The towering quiffs and pulled-back tumbling curls added sixties glam and style to a traditional English foundation.

Half of the front row at Elliott J Frieze were occupied by friends and family – a pain to all fashionistas (who were lusting after those front row goodie bags) but, ultimately, a testament to this designer staying true to his roots and his British heritage (with added glamfactor).

I think I could take quite a bit from Frieze for my spring/summer 2011 wardrobe. Powder blues and yellows – definitely. Gingham  – maybe a little. I think I would even try out that ultra-huge hair. But I will never, I repeat, NEVER wear blue lipstick. I think I’ll leave that particular Elliott J Frieze look.

All photography by Jemma Crow

For those of us looking for clothes we could really see our butts in next spring, viagra Elliott J Frieze hit the spot. Everything was accessible. Everything was wearable. Minus the blue lipstick.

Looking at the catwalk, more about I saw city-worker-attends-summer-garden-party. It was all laid-back utility workwear with trench coats, jumpsuits and easy dresses. Luxe-fabric and sexy tailoring were what then brought the elegance and bold femininity to the overall look.

It was a soft attempt to celebrate all that is quintessentially British – tailoring, textiles and all. However, I think a little more Vivienne Westwood Anglo-Oomph would have pulled it all together perfectly. Delicate gingham was used as well as duchess satins and a lot of cotton. But a little more tweed or tartan wouldn’t have gone amiss.

The male models (bless them) were also assigned the blue and white sparkling lipstick. Their wardrobe consisted of quirky, structured waistcoats and embroidered jackets. Everything was tailored well but a care-free feel ran strongly throughout. The clothes were, in a word, fun.

Then, in amongst the funky French house music (which I LOVED) and strange-lipstick action, something very random happened. The lights went down and ‘ooh lala’ beats faded to Doris Day echoing ‘When I Fall in Love’. Her sweet voice silenced the audience until a mysterious lady in head-to-toe satin appeared and sauntered, VERY slowly, up and down the catwalk. Turned out that this strange saunter was none other than actress Anna Popplewell, muse and friend to Frieze. Her smiling blue lips (yes, she too was victimised) appeared for a second time when Frieze stepped onto the catwalk holding her hand to receiving his endless applause. The audience’s reaction was pretty lively. To the point that an excitable man in camel chased Frieze & muse up the catwalk to get a close-up photo.  Now that’s dedication.

I imagine they’d have needed numerous crates of hairspray to prep the models for this show – hair was big. Very big. The towering quiffs and pulled-back tumbling curls added sixties glam and style to a traditional English foundation.

Half of the front row at Elliott J Frieze were occupied by friends and family – a pain to all fashionistas (who were lusting after those front row goodie bags) but, ultimately, a testament to this designer staying true to his roots and his British heritage (with added glamfactor).

I think I could take quite a bit from Frieze for my spring/summer 2011 wardrobe. Powder blues and yellows – definitely. Gingham  – maybe a little. I think I would even try out that ultra-huge hair. But I will never, I repeat, NEVER wear blue lipstick. I think I’ll leave that particular Elliott J Frieze look.

All photography by Jemma Crow

For those of us looking for clothes we could really see our butts in next spring, sildenafil Elliott J Frieze hit the spot. Everything was accessible. Everything was wearable. Minus the blue lipstick.

Looking at the catwalk, price I saw city-worker-attends-summer-garden-party. It was all laid-back utility workwear with trench coats, jumpsuits and easy dresses. Luxe-fabric and sexy tailoring were what then brought the elegance and bold femininity to the overall look.

It was a soft attempt to celebrate all that is quintessentially British – tailoring, textiles and all. However, I think a little more Vivienne Westwood Anglo-Oomph would have pulled it all together perfectly. Delicate gingham was used as well as duchess satins and a lot of cotton. But a little more tweed or tartan wouldn’t have gone amiss.

The male models (bless them) were also assigned the blue and white sparkling lipstick. Their wardrobe consisted of quirky, structured waistcoats and embroidered jackets. Everything was tailored well but a care-free feel ran strongly throughout. The clothes were, in a word, fun.

Then, in amongst the funky French house music (which I LOVED) and strange-lipstick action, something very random happened. The lights went down and ‘ooh lala’ beats faded to Doris Day echoing ‘When I Fall in Love’. Her sweet voice silenced the audience until a mysterious lady in head-to-toe satin appeared and sauntered, VERY slowly, up and down the catwalk. Turned out that this strange saunter was none other than actress Anna Popplewell, muse and friend to Frieze. Her smiling blue lips (yes, she too was victimised) appeared for a second time when Frieze stepped onto the catwalk holding her hand to receiving his endless applause. The audience’s reaction was pretty lively. To the point that an excitable man in camel chased Frieze & muse up the catwalk to get a close-up photo.  Now that’s dedication.

I imagine they’d have needed numerous crates of hairspray to prep the models for this show – hair was big. Very big. The towering quiffs and pulled-back tumbling curls added sixties glam and style to a traditional English foundation.

Half of the front row at Elliott J Frieze were occupied by friends and family – a pain to all fashionistas (who were lusting after those front row goodie bags) but, ultimately, a testament to this designer staying true to his roots and his British heritage (with added glamfactor).

I think I could take quite a bit from Frieze for my spring/summer 2011 wardrobe. Powder blues and yellows – definitely. Gingham  – maybe a little. I think I would even try out that ultra-huge hair. But I will never, I repeat, NEVER wear blue lipstick. I think I’ll leave that particular Elliott J Frieze look.

All photography by Jemma Crow

For those of us looking for clothes we could really see our butts in next spring, nurse Elliott J Frieze hit the spot. Everything was accessible. Everything was wearable. Minus the blue lipstick.

Looking at the catwalk, website like this I saw city-worker-attends-summer-garden-party. It was all laid-back utility workwear with trench coats, jumpsuits and easy dresses. Luxe-fabric and sexy tailoring were what then brought the elegance and bold femininity to the overall look.

It was a soft attempt to celebrate all that is quintessentially British – tailoring, textiles and all. However, I think a little more Vivienne Westwood Anglo-Oomph would have pulled it all together perfectly. Delicate gingham was used as well as duchess satins and a lot of cotton. But a little more tweed or tartan wouldn’t have gone amiss.

The male models (bless them) were also assigned the blue and white sparkling lipstick. Their wardrobe consisted of quirky, structured waistcoats and embroidered jackets. Everything was tailored well but a care-free feel ran strongly throughout. The clothes were, in a word, fun.

Then, in amongst the funky French house music (which I LOVED) and strange-lipstick action, something very random happened. The lights went down and ‘ooh lala’ beats faded to Doris Day echoing ‘When I Fall in Love’. Her sweet voice silenced the audience until a mysterious lady in head-to-toe satin appeared and sauntered, VERY slowly, up and down the catwalk. Turned out that this strange saunter was none other than actress Anna Popplewell, muse and friend to Frieze. Her smiling blue lips (yes, she too was victimised) appeared for a second time when Frieze stepped onto the catwalk holding her hand to receiving his endless applause. The audience’s reaction was pretty lively. To the point that an excitable man in camel chased Frieze & muse up the catwalk to get a close-up photo.  Now that’s dedication.

I imagine they’d have needed numerous crates of hairspray to prep the models for this show – hair was big. Very big. The towering quiffs and pulled-back tumbling curls added sixties glam and style to a traditional English foundation.

Half of the front row at Elliott J Frieze were occupied by friends and family – a pain to all fashionistas (who were lusting after those front row goodie bags) but, ultimately, a testament to this designer staying true to his roots and his British heritage (with added glamfactor).

I think I could take quite a bit from Frieze for my spring/summer 2011 wardrobe. Powder blues and yellows – definitely. Gingham  – maybe a little. I think I would even try out that ultra-huge hair. But I will never, I repeat, NEVER wear blue lipstick. I think I’ll leave that particular Elliott J Frieze look.

All photography by Jemma Crow

Lu-Flux-by-David-Merta
Lu Flux by David Merta.

The Lu Flux presentation was one that suffered slightly from inexperience. On arrival at an upmarket Soho members’ club on Greek Street we were ushered into the back garden where we were left twiddling our thumbs until the presentation started. Fortunately I didn’t accept the offer of an expensive members’ drink from a loitering waitress, ailment and a short time later we were shown into the darkened arches of the chapel.

Lu Flux SS2011 photo by Amelia Gregory
All photography by Amelia Gregory.

As we walked through the doorway we remained uncertain of what to do until Lu eagerly ushered everyone into the darkened recesses of the church, what is ed tea served in one corner, and delightful miniature home made fairy cakes in another, all served by ladies in last season’s applique lion dress. I’m not usually a fan of cupcakes but hunger persuaded me to try these ones and they were very yummy and nice, made by Yummy Nice in fact.

LFW-LUFLUX-JOCHEUNG Rob Logan
Rob Logan models Lu Flux, by Jo Cheung.

I immediately spotted my friend Rob, who had been asked to model a very fetching outfit of navy polka dot shirt, green trousers, yellow socks and blue shoes and clearly thought he would get away with it unnoticed by pesky mates such as me who are bound to take the piss (just a tiny bit). He should have known better with me loitering around the fashion world.

Lu Flux SS2011 Rob Logan photo by Amelia Gregory
Lu Flux SS2011 Rob Logan photo by Amelia Gregory
Rob chats with some of the other models and takes a look through the charming illustrated look book.

It was a wonderful setting to show a collection but my heart sank almost immediately. No decent lighting. How then to take good photos? Flash simply never looks as nice in a setting such as this. It’s so so important to consider what you want to achieve from a show or presentation, but aside from introducing buyers and press to your collection it must surely be to ensure that fabulous images find their way out into the universe. It’s not that much to hire decent studio lights and they are a massive boon.

Lu Flux photo by Amelia gregory
Lu Flux photo by Amelia gregory

Lu had staged a delightful little scenario, whereby the models were able to move about and take their turn to be drawn by one of the illustrators who has contributed a lovely updated china plate pattern to her latest collection. Lu described how it features not only herself and her boyfriend but also their dog and various other assorted friends – I thought it found a particularly fetching home on a shorts suit for men. As the live sketches were finished they were hung from a clothes line to be admired by the visitors.

Lu Flux SS2011 photo by Amelia gregory
Lu Flux SS2011 photo by Amelia gregory

Lu Flux creations are wonderfully playful without being too childish and I love the way that she makes the most of the smallest of details. This colourful collection featured gorgeous embroidered pockets, origami inspired folds, looped ribbons and one off appliqued shoes done in collaboration with Green Shoes of Devon.

Lu Flux SS2011 Green Shoes photo by Amelia Gregory
Lu Flux SS2011 Green Shoes photo by Amelia Gregory
Lu Flux SS2011 Green Shoes photo by Amelia Gregory
Lu Flux in collaboration with Green Shoes.

Lu-Flux-shoes-by-David-Merta
Lu Flux by David Merta.

Despite a few teething problems it’s great to see that a few ethical designers are making a real effort to present their collections in an inspiring way that sets them alongside the bigger names of LFW. For it is only when ethical thinking starts to permeate the more mainstream byways of fashion, as standard practice, that things will really start to change for the better.

Lu Flux SS2011 photo by Amelia gregory
A close up of the china plate pattern.

You can read Sally Mumby-Croft’s review of the same presentation here.

Categories ,cupcakes, ,David Merta, ,Devon, ,ethical, ,Green Shoes, ,Jo Cheung, ,lfw, ,London Fashion Week, ,Lu Flux, ,Rob Logan, ,Soho, ,Yummy Nice

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Amelia’s Magazine | Kickstarter: Support the GroCycle Urban Mushroom Farm

Growing Colums - grocycle
Adam Sayner and Eric Jong are the guys behind GroCycle, a social enterprise that takes used coffee grounds and turns them into delicious gourmet oyster mushrooms! Just as their Exeter based business is taking off they have been forced to move premises, and to cover the costs they are running a Kickstarter campaign, with great rewards such as grow-your-own mushroom kits. Adam Sayner began his fascination with mushrooms whilst studying ecology at the University of Sussex and was growing mushrooms in the Devon area for a living when he met Eric Jong (who had recently left the corporate world) at Schumacher College.

GroCycle-Adam and Eric
When did you first come across the idea of growing mushrooms on used coffee grounds?
It was 2011 and I was growing gourmet mushrooms in the traditional way on straw and sawdust as a small business at the time. I came across the idea of growing on coffee grounds online and it was a lightbulb moment as I realised it was a simpler method of growing Oyster mushrooms and made use of all that waste. Overnight I switched focus and have been doing it like this ever since!

roasted coffee beans
What are the practicalities of collecting coffee grounds to create the mushroom farm?
The coffee gets pasteurised in the brewing process which is great for growing mushrooms. But it also means we need to use it whilst it’s still fresh, so we pick up the grounds daily from Exeter’s largest cafes on a cargo bike.

grocyclefarm
What incentive is there for coffee shops to take part?
Apart from a great story and the personal satisfaction of the staff in each cafe knowing the grounds are going to good use, it also reduces the cost to the cafe of having this part of their waste collected.

Urban Mushroom Farm Close Up
Why oyster mushrooms?
Oyster mushrooms are incredible in their ability to grow on many different food sources (paper/card/spent brewery waste – even jeans), and they are the only type that happily grow on pure coffee grounds. They also happen to be some of the easiest mushrooms to grow and taste delicous!

Tray of Oysters
Do you have any other ideas for sustainable urban agriculture?
We’re inspired by a lot of what is going on right now in Urban Agriculture – especially aquaponics systems and growing in abandoned spaces or even underground. It’s the perfect use for space which no one else wants, and it gives the chance to re-connect people with fresh healthy food grown within metres of where they live.

Oyster mushroom gills
Where are your new premises and what does a mushroom farm look like?
The new premises are also in the centre of Exeter, on the 3rd floor of an office building which has been empty for a while. A mushroom farm basically consists of 2 main grow rooms – one warm and dark like summer, and the other like autumn; cool and damp with lots of fresh air. We build these grow rooms within the existing room and it provides quite a spectacle for people who visit straight off the high street full of shops.

GroCycle Kits
How do people take part on the online course, and what is the best part about growing mushrooms at home?
The online course is made up of 5 main modules and a forum where members from around the world share their experiences and ask questions to help in their learning. Members work through the modules at their own pace and then put the growing into practice wherever they live. There’s currently members in 15 countries around the world! The best thing about growing mushrooms at home is actually just watching them grow – it happens so fast and it’s a wonder of nature. Check out the time lapse video below that a customer of ours made to see what I mean.


Support the Kickstarter campaign here.

Categories ,Adam Sayner, ,Aquaponics, ,Coffee, ,Coffee Grounds, ,Devon, ,Eric Jong, ,Exeter, ,Gourmet mushrooms, ,GroCycle, ,Kickstarter, ,Mushroom Farm, ,mushrooms, ,Oyster Mushrooms, ,University of Sussex, ,Urban Agriculture, ,Urban Mushroom Farm

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Amelia’s Magazine | Mildred the Surfing Sheep works her charm for Finisterre.


David LaChapelle’s ‘Rape of Africa’, viagra order illustrated by Lisa Stannard.

I first discovered the deliciously decadent fantasy world of David LaChapelle as a spotty teenager when I used to flick through my stylish older sister’s copies of Vogue. His sexed-up, approved over-the-top, glitzy style and explosive colour schemes – which shamelessly celebrated glamour, popular culture and materialism – were mesmerising, especially to a shy thirteen year old whose most fashionable outfit was an all-in-one stone-washed denim number (this was the first time around when it wasn’t cool).

Over the years, in a fantastic plastic kind-of-way, I have grown to admire LaChapelle’s razor sharp aesthetic, despite the crass nature of some of his chosen themes. Amongst celebrity and fashion circles, he is a master when it comes to knowing what makes a pretty picture so when I heard that his first political show, controversially entitled ‘Rape of Africa’, had opened at Robilant and Voena in Mayfair, I bolted down to the gallery like a horse on speed to check out the kitsch king’s take on more serious affairs.

Having turned his attention to fine-art in recent years, LaChapelle’s latest work is an open critique of western consumerism, presented as a mash-up of Italian Renaissance art and his glossy signature style. The show lends its name to the centre-piece, a tribute to Botticelli’s ‘Venus and Mars’, with a modern day twist. At first glance the photograph features a regal and supine looking Naomi Campbell as Venus in elegant tribal attire with one breast exposed and a handsome semi-naked model, Caleb Lane, as Mars in a post-coital state, surrounded by young angelic boys. On closer examination the boys are carrying guns and Mars is casually resting a finger on a gold human remain, possibly an arm/leg bone, with gold hand grenades, treasures and a diamond-encrusted skull scattered beneath him, in contrast to the African Venus’s more modest surroundings of a goat and cockerel. Behind the opulence, a hole is blown through a neon-lit montage of ‘Sun Bleach’, an American-stylised brand of detergent, to reveal a war-torn landscape with several cranes busy at work, destroying what is left of the distressed land.

Make no mistake, this is LaChapelle’s unapologetic statement piece, drawing our attention to child soldiers, unethical gold and diamond mining, and the derogatory view of African women being viewed as an exotic commodity by Western cultures, as their homes and countries are ravaged for the consumer’s benefit.


David LaChapelle’s ‘American Jesus: Hold me, carry me boldly’, illustrated by Lisa Stannard.

LaChapelle continues in this vein using models in art history to point a finger at the world’s obsession with materialism. In the gallery’s library, a vibrant colour-infused piece streaked with flowing pale blue, yellow and pink ribbons explodes from between the bookshelves. Another photograph inspired by Botticelli, ‘The Birth of Venus’, depicts Venus’s emergence onto the eden-like landscape, looking serenely into the distance, flanked by two male admirers who replace the Zephyr wind-gods and Nymph in the original painting. On closer inspection, LaChapelle again highlights contemporary consumer society by drawing our attention to Venus’s bling footwear (aquamarine diamond-encrusted shoes), with her male admirers wearing gold Puma trainers and a diamante-encrusted fishnet vest, with a metallic blue Nike tick sprayed onto the barefoot of one of the men.

Perhaps the most controversial piece likely to cause offense is ‘Thy Kingdom Come’, an image depicting the pope sitting on a gold throne inside a grand cathedral atop of mounds of treasure troves filled with pearls and gold, with four bloodied naked bodies, bound, blindfolded and scattered beneath the valuables in various states of trauma.

Similarly, a triptych of Michael Jackson in various messiah and saint-like poses flirts with the viewer’s tolerance. The first photograph, entitled ‘American Jesus: Hold me, carry me boldly’, shows an illuminated Jesus sitting amongst a rugged forest landscape, carrying the dead body of Michael Jackson as his white, diamond-encrusted glove lies limply on the floor just beneath his hand. The subsequent panels present Jackson in a saint-like pose with a gold pocket watch and a white dove resting in his hand, standing alongside a female holy saint. The final panel shows Jackson as an Archangel with white feathered wings, contrasting with his black Thriller-style outfit with tears streaming from his eyes, as Jackson’s right foot stamps down authoratatively on the devil’s chest.


David LaChapelle’s ‘Archangel Michael’, illustrated by Lisa Stannard.

As I wandered around the gallery examining the photos, I found myself underwhelmed by LaChapelle’s rather uninventive, shallow and juvenile take on the various themes. Although the photos were distinctively LaChapelle in their refined visual quality, there was no intellectual interpretation required here, challenging you to think beyond what was presented. However, as I pondered further, I realised that it was actually me who was missing the point.

LaChapelle’s work has always been known to be bold and gaudy, compelling and repelling in equal measure, a formula which he uses to leave an imprint on your inner psyche. For example, ‘Rape of Africa’, viewed from afar is a stunning visual of beautiful colours portraying beautiful-looking people, commanding your attention; however, once you are drawn in, it presents you with a harsher reality, hammering on the door of your conscience. Thus, for the MTV and Twitter generation, LaChapelle may be more effective in using a hard-hitting pop culture imagery to bring home the message to a much wider audience than, say a political activist might, through more traditional forms of communication.

Having made his name through photographing the rich and famous, many of whom epitomise the consumerist attitudes that he now criticises, this show is a brave and interesting turn for LaChapelle. As I stepped back out into my dull monochrome surroundings devoid of his magical splashes of colour, it gradually dawned on my inner cynic that the exhibition whiffed slightly of hypocrisy. Apart from the preparatory drawings for ‘Rape of Africa’ included in the exhibition, all of the other portraits are up for sale. How much was LaChapelle making from this show I wondered, and how much of that money was he planning on donating to African NGOs?

I guess whether you’re wearing jewels indirectly responsible for destroying a continent or producing meticulously crafted portraits about jewels indirectly destroying a continent, beauty always comes at a cost.

David LaChapelle: The Rape of Africa is currently on show at Robilant and Voena, First Floor, 38 Dover Street, London W1 until 25 May 2010 (robilantvoena.com/exhibitions).

Having spared the time to attend Mr LaChapelle’s exhibition and write a review of his work leading to increased exposure for him, Amelia’s Magazine had a bit of a nightmare experience with Robilant and Voena’s press office in trying to obtain images for this piece, which are apparently available on request (depending on who you are). So, in the absence of official images from the gallery (and to avoid having to deal with snooty, unhelpful people), we took the liberty of coming up with our own and a few more from the ‘LaChapelle Studio’ as seen below (all illustrations by Lisa Stannard).


Amanda Lepore


Angelina Jolie


Brittany Murphy


Cameron Diaz

bex_glover_mildred_the_sheep
Mildred the Surfing Sheep by Bex Glover.

Hi Stuart, sildenafil could you give us a brief potted history of Finisterre. When did you start the brand and what kind of clothing do you make for whom?
Finisterre was started in Tom (the founder’s) bedroom with a laptop and dialup internet connection around seven years ago in Cornwall, when he realized that there were a lot of surfers who were getting waves in cold water locations who were not well equipped in terms of gear to keep them warm before and after their surfs. Tom started selling amazingly warm fleeces that were popular with guys on the water. The team grew to about five, and the range now includes merino base layers, super warm insulation jackets, gilets, and waterproof jackets. The business was started with surfers in mind, but the reach has expanded into other areas such as climbing, snowboarding, skiing, and cycling, and this is reflected in the ambassadors and product testers that we work with. We have top ten big wave surfers, round the world cyclists and guys climbing Everest working with us and refining our gear – it’s an exciting atmosphere. That’s about it. We generally hold the idea that Finisterre stands for three points of commitment – Product, People and Environment. Other than that, Finisterre is simply a vehicle for our passions, surfing and outdoor pursuits.

When did you start stocking your own sheep herd? And who looks after it?
There is a lady based in Devon, called Leslie, who managed to find the last remaining Bowmont sheep in the UK. Our design director, a fiber fanatic, met Leslie and they started talking about her small flock and sheep. Realizing the potential of the small herd, Tom kept in touch, and the relationship has gone from there as we have got more involved in the work on the farm in Devon. We visit the farm a lot – it’s a small drive away, to see the lambing and sheering. It’s a great farm tucked away in a stunning part of Devon and Leslie makes us feel so welcome. The animals have a great life – and are sheared with utter care by a chap called Raymond.

bex_glover_mildred_the_sheep
The Finisterre Bowmont Herd by Bex Glover.

The Bowmont sheep is apparently on the edge of extinction – where does this sheep come from and what makes it’s wool so good for use in your clothing?
These sheep are a cross breed of Saxon Merino and Shetland. Starting in early 80s, it took the Macaulay Institute of Scotland 20 odd years to stabilise the breed. The ambition was to capture the brilliant fibre of the Saxon Merino with the hardy wild instincts of the Shetland. The finished Bowmont sheep is roughly 75% of the former and 25% the latter. It was intended to give the Scottish hill farmers another type of sheep with increased value coming from the very fine wool. Unfortunately there was not enough demand within the market place and the project was eventually given up. The Bowmont flocks that had been bred were sold on with flocks still existing in Scotland, Wales and Devon. Unfortunately many of the flocks that were sold have been either slaughtered or crossbred with Shetlands, thereby thus losing their pure Bowmont fibre quality. It turns out that Lesley – the North Devon fibre fanatic, has now collected all the remaining pure Bowmonts and is the only one to be breeding pure Bowmont. Currently we use Merino wool in many of our garments – our technical base layers (for running, cycling etc), and hoodys and jumpers. Merino wool is great and it’s one of the finest wools out there, however we just can’t source it in the U.K, we have to go abroad like everyone else to Australia and NZ – and that is something that we can work on with the Bowmonts for the future.

bex_glover_mildred_the_sheep
A Bowmont Sheep by Bex Glover.

How many sheep do you have in your flock? Where do they live? Can you describe a bit more about the environment for both sheep and workers at Finisterre?
We started with around 30 Bowmonts found from the length and breadth of the UK. With Lesley’s work the flock is now up to around 65. Super exciting for us, and we get very nervous around lambing times. We are often crossing our fingers that everything will be ok! The sheep live in the beautiful green pastures of Devon – it might sound a cliché – but for me Devon just has the most stunning rolling fields of anywhere I have been. The sheep seem happy with that living on the small farm. Leslie also keeps some other rare breeds.

I was a bit disappointed to find out that Mildred the surfing sheep was the product of an advertising agency plot to promote your wool. Surely there was more to it than that? Why was this particular sheep chosen to shove in the waves?
The agency in London saw what we were doing with the Bowmont flock and our wool garments and were really fired up by the story and the sheep initiative. We spoke with them and were keen to shoot a short video. They got in touch with Dom and Nick – both talented directors, to feature one of our sheep surfing – they had the skills on video and sound – it was super fun and great to work with them and the rest of the team who came down. Mildred was chosen due to her character, being hand reared as a lamb she’s very friendly and always stoked to be involved.

Can you give us any inside info from the day that you shot the video?
It was a fairly sunny day in Cornwall – we met up with Dom and Nick, who helped us shoot the video on some handheld waterproof cameras. They have the knowhow and have worked on the likes of the Chemical Brothers videos before so we were stoked to have them down. We generally just let Mildred walk down the beach and get used to the surroundings – there was no one about so she was really relaxed and had a good bleat. All in all, it went really well. She didn’t have to do anything crazy that she didn’t wasn’t to, had some lunch then went back to the workshop and Mildred went back to the fields.

How does Mildred respond to getting wet? She almost looks as if she is smiling when she climbs out of the surf. Do you think she genuinely enjoys this?
She enjoyed it. We have about four or five dogs in the office at any one time and we’re always taking them for walks – they have a good life – and it was no different making the video with the sheep. Working with Mildred on the beach meant that we had to have special permission from local authorities, we also brought our local vet along to make sure everything was ok by him. Everyone was happy, we also brought the lady that hand reared Mildred – she was stoked to see Mildred become so famous! Mildred’s even on Facebook now – I’d take a guess that she is the world’s second famous sheep after Dolly.

Where did her name come from? Was that also the result of a meeting or was it more spontaneous? Do all the flock have names?
She was already called Mildred and from the moment we met her she was super friendly and inquisitive. A fair few of the flock have names – HMS Finisterre is the name of one of our young rams…

Mildred surfing sheep-sandra diekmann
Mildred by Sandra Dieckmann.

Have any of the workers at Finisterre stopped eating lamb since getting acquainted with Mildred?
Definitely been a talking point for some! Personally I’m not a vegetarian – but in my opinion there’s definitely some issues around the way some animals are treated for breeding and then transported all over the place.

What are your plans for the future? Will you ever consider doing a more fashion orientated range or collaboration with a designer that might interest my readers?
We’re still super small – there are usually only six of us here in the workshop now, so we’re often stretching to do a lot of things at once. Having said that we love pushing things forward, and we’re always thinking about future initiatives and new products and fabrics. We are working on expanding our range slowly – and continuing our work with our team of athletes and product testers. We’ve got some new t-shirts out this month – collaboration between us and Surfers Against Sewage across the road. Their a small grass roots charity who do some good stuff pressing for better protection of our coastlines. The tees will reflect their campaigns and we will be donating money back. For us it’s essential that as we grown we continue on without compromising the outstanding customer service and the trust we have built with our customers alongside the quality of our gear. In general we will stay within the outdoor market – it’s what we do best, and it’s where our expertise lies. We work with a range of designers, and athletes – collaborating with them on various garments – so it’s always an ongoing process and the doors our always open for a chat!

Thanks Amelia for the time – and if you or any of your readers want to know more email me or check out our website and blog.

Categories ,Ad Campaign, ,Advertising, ,Bex Glover, ,Bowmont Sheep, ,Chemical Brothers, ,Cornwall, ,Devon, ,Finisterre, ,Macaulay Institute of Scotland, ,Mildred the Surfing Sheep, ,Promotion, ,Sandra Dieckmann, ,scotland, ,sheep, ,Snowboarding, ,Surfers Against Sewage, ,Surfing, ,sustainability, ,Viral Video, ,wool

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Amelia’s Magazine | Mildred the Surfing Sheep works her charm for Finisterre.

bex_glover_mildred_the_sheep
Mildred the Surfing Sheep by Bex Glover.

Hi Stuart, could you give us a brief potted history of Finisterre. When did you start the brand and what kind of clothing do you make for whom?
Finisterre was started in Tom (the founder’s) bedroom with a laptop and dialup internet connection around seven years ago in Cornwall, when he realized that there were a lot of surfers who were getting waves in cold water locations who were not well equipped in terms of gear to keep them warm before and after their surfs. Tom started selling amazingly warm fleeces that were popular with guys on the water. The team grew to about five, and the range now includes merino base layers, super warm insulation jackets, gilets, and waterproof jackets. The business was started with surfers in mind, but the reach has expanded into other areas such as climbing, snowboarding, skiing, and cycling, and this is reflected in the ambassadors and product testers that we work with. We have top ten big wave surfers, round the world cyclists and guys climbing Everest working with us and refining our gear – it’s an exciting atmosphere. That’s about it. We generally hold the idea that Finisterre stands for three points of commitment – Product, People and Environment. Other than that, Finisterre is simply a vehicle for our passions, surfing and outdoor pursuits.

When did you start stocking your own sheep herd? And who looks after it?
There is a lady based in Devon, called Leslie, who managed to find the last remaining Bowmont sheep in the UK. Our design director, a fiber fanatic, met Leslie and they started talking about her small flock and sheep. Realizing the potential of the small herd, Tom kept in touch, and the relationship has gone from there as we have got more involved in the work on the farm in Devon. We visit the farm a lot – it’s a small drive away, to see the lambing and sheering. It’s a great farm tucked away in a stunning part of Devon and Leslie makes us feel so welcome. The animals have a great life – and are sheared with utter care by a chap called Raymond.

bex_glover_mildred_the_sheep
The Finisterre Bowmont Herd by Bex Glover.

The Bowmont sheep is apparently on the edge of extinction – where does this sheep come from and what makes it’s wool so good for use in your clothing?
These sheep are a cross breed of Saxon Merino and Shetland. Starting in early 80s, it took the Macaulay Institute of Scotland 20 odd years to stabilise the breed. The ambition was to capture the brilliant fibre of the Saxon Merino with the hardy wild instincts of the Shetland. The finished Bowmont sheep is roughly 75% of the former and 25% the latter. It was intended to give the Scottish hill farmers another type of sheep with increased value coming from the very fine wool. Unfortunately there was not enough demand within the market place and the project was eventually given up. The Bowmont flocks that had been bred were sold on with flocks still existing in Scotland, Wales and Devon. Unfortunately many of the flocks that were sold have been either slaughtered or crossbred with Shetlands, thereby thus losing their pure Bowmont fibre quality. It turns out that Lesley – the North Devon fibre fanatic, has now collected all the remaining pure Bowmonts and is the only one to be breeding pure Bowmont. Currently we use Merino wool in many of our garments – our technical base layers (for running, cycling etc), and hoodys and jumpers. Merino wool is great and it’s one of the finest wools out there, however we just can’t source it in the U.K, we have to go abroad like everyone else to Australia and NZ – and that is something that we can work on with the Bowmonts for the future.

bex_glover_mildred_the_sheep
A Bowmont Sheep by Bex Glover.

How many sheep do you have in your flock? Where do they live? Can you describe a bit more about the environment for both sheep and workers at Finisterre?
We started with around 30 Bowmonts found from the length and breadth of the UK. With Lesley’s work the flock is now up to around 65. Super exciting for us, and we get very nervous around lambing times. We are often crossing our fingers that everything will be ok! The sheep live in the beautiful green pastures of Devon – it might sound a cliché – but for me Devon just has the most stunning rolling fields of anywhere I have been. The sheep seem happy with that living on the small farm. Leslie also keeps some other rare breeds.

I was a bit disappointed to find out that Mildred the surfing sheep was the product of an advertising agency plot to promote your wool. Surely there was more to it than that? Why was this particular sheep chosen to shove in the waves?
The agency in London saw what we were doing with the Bowmont flock and our wool garments and were really fired up by the story and the sheep initiative. We spoke with them and were keen to shoot a short video. They got in touch with Dom and Nick – both talented directors, to feature one of our sheep surfing – they had the skills on video and sound – it was super fun and great to work with them and the rest of the team who came down. Mildred was chosen due to her character, being hand reared as a lamb she’s very friendly and always stoked to be involved.

Can you give us any inside info from the day that you shot the video?
It was a fairly sunny day in Cornwall – we met up with Dom and Nick, who helped us shoot the video on some handheld waterproof cameras. They have the knowhow and have worked on the likes of the Chemical Brothers videos before so we were stoked to have them down. We generally just let Mildred walk down the beach and get used to the surroundings – there was no one about so she was really relaxed and had a good bleat. All in all, it went really well. She didn’t have to do anything crazy that she didn’t wasn’t to, had some lunch then went back to the workshop and Mildred went back to the fields.

http://www.vimeo.com/11309707

How does Mildred respond to getting wet? She almost looks as if she is smiling when she climbs out of the surf. Do you think she genuinely enjoys this?
She enjoyed it. We have about four or five dogs in the office at any one time and we’re always taking them for walks – they have a good life – and it was no different making the video with the sheep. Working with Mildred on the beach meant that we had to have special permission from local authorities, we also brought our local vet along to make sure everything was ok by him. Everyone was happy, we also brought the lady that hand reared Mildred – she was stoked to see Mildred become so famous! Mildred’s even on Facebook now – I’d take a guess that she is the world’s second famous sheep after Dolly.

Where did her name come from? Was that also the result of a meeting or was it more spontaneous? Do all the flock have names?
She was already called Mildred and from the moment we met her she was super friendly and inquisitive. A fair few of the flock have names – HMS Finisterre is the name of one of our young rams…

Mildred surfing sheep-sandra diekmann
Mildred by Sandra Dieckmann.

Have any of the workers at Finisterre stopped eating lamb since getting acquainted with Mildred?
Definitely been a talking point for some! Personally I’m not a vegetarian – but in my opinion there’s definitely some issues around the way some animals are treated for breeding and then transported all over the place.

What are your plans for the future? Will you ever consider doing a more fashion orientated range or collaboration with a designer that might interest my readers?
We’re still super small – there are usually only six of us here in the workshop now, so we’re often stretching to do a lot of things at once. Having said that we love pushing things forward, and we’re always thinking about future initiatives and new products and fabrics. We are working on expanding our range slowly – and continuing our work with our team of athletes and product testers. We’ve got some new t-shirts out this month – collaboration between us and Surfers Against Sewage across the road. Their a small grass roots charity who do some good stuff pressing for better protection of our coastlines. The tees will reflect their campaigns and we will be donating money back. For us it’s essential that as we grown we continue on without compromising the outstanding customer service and the trust we have built with our customers alongside the quality of our gear. In general we will stay within the outdoor market – it’s what we do best, and it’s where our expertise lies. We work with a range of designers, and athletes – collaborating with them on various garments – so it’s always an ongoing process and the doors our always open for a chat!

Thanks Amelia for the time – and if you or any of your readers want to know more email me or check out our website and blog.




Categories ,Ad Campaign, ,Advertising, ,Bex Glover, ,Bowmont Sheep, ,Chemical Brothers, ,Cornwall, ,Devon, ,Finisterre, ,Macaulay Institute of Scotland, ,Mildred the Surfing Sheep, ,Promotion, ,Sandra Dieckmann, ,scotland, ,sheep, ,Snowboarding, ,Surfers Against Sewage, ,Surfing, ,sustainability, ,Viral Video, ,wool

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Amelia’s Magazine | EAT course 2011: Earth Activism Training at Landmatters in Devon, UK

E.A.T.course-July-2009-0598
EAT participants 2009 at Landmatters in Devon. All photography by Amelia Gregory.

Way back in the misty days of summer 2009 I was lucky enough to be chosen to participate on the EAT course, tadalafil which stands for Earth Activist Training: planting the seeds of change.

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory

Designed to combine spiritual, earth based philosophies with the more fervant strand of environmental activism, the EAT course is held several times a year in America. It doesn’t come to the UK that often – so this is the first year it comes back since 2009, and it will once again be hosted by Landmatters, a super inspiring low impact Permaculture co-operative in Devon. The course is always co-hosted by the amazing Starhawk, or Star to friends, a well known and highly revered activist and white witch.

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory Starhawk
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory Starhawk
Starhawk gets stuck in.

It’s A permaculture design certificate course, grounded in earth based spirituality, and with a focus on organising and activism. What this means that it is a jam packed two weeks of intense training – learning all the ins and outs of Permaculture through hands on experiential learning. On my course we were trained by the head of the Permaculture Association, Andy Goldring, who will once again be co-running EAT this year. He was an extremely joyful and bouncy tutor who managed extremely well when faced with awkward questions about meat farming (from staunch vegans) and I learnt a huge amount of truly fascinating stuff about the way in which we can best live with the earth.

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory Andy Goldring
Andy Goldring teaching on EAT.

Permaculture provides an incredibly solid basis for any ongoing work, be it gardening, art activism, general life organisation, social planning or community-wide projects. For instance an EAT course inspired artist and activist John Jordan to set up the Laboratory of Insurrectory Imagination, or LABOBFII, as an arts organisation based on the principles of permaculture. The beautiful and radical Landmatters was set up by six people who met on EAT and were inspired to live the change they wanted to see in the world. The first Climate Camps were planned on Permaculture principles to ensure that tents, facilities and neighbourhoods were placed in the most harmonious way possible.

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
Lessons take place inside a spacious yurt.

Activism is a key component of the course, and during my time at Landmatters I met many other people who were working on Climate Camp alongside those who work with No Borders, queer rights and urban land projects… to name just a few. It was inspiring to listen to people’s tales whilst enjoying the amazing vegan food at every meal time, sometimes so different and yet so very similar.

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory

Many activists don’t really spend any time considering the spiritual side of their engagement with the planet – and even though the opportunity to learn from Starhawk was one of my top reasons for wanting to go on the EAT course, there were some on my EAT course who were very resistant to her rituals and chants. But needless to say by the end of two close weeks together everyone felt differently, with even the hardest of activists softened around the edges, and all of us more grounded and connected to the reasons we feel the urge to engage in our individual choices of activism.

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
Rooh Star of Landmatters was one of our guest teachers.

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
Some of the amazing dwellings at Landmatters.

Taking cue from Jon Young‘s teachings we also spent time alone at our sit spots each day, developing our nature awareness. I chose a spot that overlooked the wonderful woods that surround Landmatters, and every day looked forward to reconnecting with the shifting patterns. A time to relish in the fast wash of my life.

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory

The EAT course was undeniably hard work, but so incredibly fabulously worth it. You can read some inspiring testimonials here.

If you fancy applying for the next course, due to take place between August 20th and September 4th 2011, then you don’t have long left to apply RIGHT HERE – only until the end of April. You will need to define your particular activism and talk passionately about your plans to spread the ideas that you will learn. This really is a chance in a lifetime and I urge you to take it!

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory

The full cost of the course is expensive, but EAT does its best to offer many partial or whole scholarships, depending on need – which in these cash strapped times is greatly to be admired. To ease funding problems this year’s course will be partly crowd-funded so if you can’t go yourself but you understand the importance of the work the EAT course does then please do donate at IndieGoGo. The hard working volunteer organisers need all the help they can get to ensure that those who are underfunded are still able to attend this year. People like me!

Permaculture, Magic, Social Change – nothing could be better, as EAT demonstrates.

Categories ,2011, ,activism, ,Activists, ,Andy Goldring, ,Climate Camp, ,Co-operative, ,community, ,Crowd Funding, ,Devon, ,E.A.T., ,EAT, ,EAT course, ,Indiegogo, ,John Jordan, ,Jon Young, ,LABOBFII, ,Laboratory of Insurrectory Imagination, ,Landmatters, ,Nature Awareness, ,No Borders, ,Pagan, ,permaculture, ,Permaculture Association, ,Queer Rights, ,Rituals, ,Rooh Star, ,Sit Spot, ,Star, ,Starhawk, ,White Witch, ,Witch

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Amelia’s Magazine | EAT course 2011: Earth Activism Training at Landmatters in Devon, UK

E.A.T.course-July-2009-0598
EAT participants 2009 at Landmatters in Devon. All photography by Amelia Gregory.

Way back in the misty days of summer 2009 I was lucky enough to be chosen to participate on the EAT course, tadalafil which stands for Earth Activist Training: planting the seeds of change.

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory

Designed to combine spiritual, earth based philosophies with the more fervant strand of environmental activism, the EAT course is held several times a year in America. It doesn’t come to the UK that often – so this is the first year it comes back since 2009, and it will once again be hosted by Landmatters, a super inspiring low impact Permaculture co-operative in Devon. The course is always co-hosted by the amazing Starhawk, or Star to friends, a well known and highly revered activist and white witch.

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory Starhawk
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory Starhawk
Starhawk gets stuck in.

It’s A permaculture design certificate course, grounded in earth based spirituality, and with a focus on organising and activism. What this means that it is a jam packed two weeks of intense training – learning all the ins and outs of Permaculture through hands on experiential learning. On my course we were trained by the head of the Permaculture Association, Andy Goldring, who will once again be co-running EAT this year. He was an extremely joyful and bouncy tutor who managed extremely well when faced with awkward questions about meat farming (from staunch vegans) and I learnt a huge amount of truly fascinating stuff about the way in which we can best live with the earth.

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory Andy Goldring
Andy Goldring teaching on EAT.

Permaculture provides an incredibly solid basis for any ongoing work, be it gardening, art activism, general life organisation, social planning or community-wide projects. For instance an EAT course inspired artist and activist John Jordan to set up the Laboratory of Insurrectory Imagination, or LABOBFII, as an arts organisation based on the principles of permaculture. The beautiful and radical Landmatters was set up by six people who met on EAT and were inspired to live the change they wanted to see in the world. The first Climate Camps were planned on Permaculture principles to ensure that tents, facilities and neighbourhoods were placed in the most harmonious way possible.

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
Lessons take place inside a spacious yurt.

Activism is a key component of the course, and during my time at Landmatters I met many other people who were working on Climate Camp alongside those who work with No Borders, queer rights and urban land projects… to name just a few. It was inspiring to listen to people’s tales whilst enjoying the amazing vegan food at every meal time, sometimes so different and yet so very similar.

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory

Many activists don’t really spend any time considering the spiritual side of their engagement with the planet – and even though the opportunity to learn from Starhawk was one of my top reasons for wanting to go on the EAT course, there were some on my EAT course who were very resistant to her rituals and chants. But needless to say by the end of two close weeks together everyone felt differently, with even the hardest of activists softened around the edges, and all of us more grounded and connected to the reasons we feel the urge to engage in our individual choices of activism.

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
Rooh Star of Landmatters was one of our guest teachers.

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
Some of the amazing dwellings at Landmatters.

Taking cue from Jon Young‘s teachings we also spent time alone at our sit spots each day, developing our nature awareness. I chose a spot that overlooked the wonderful woods that surround Landmatters, and every day looked forward to reconnecting with the shifting patterns. A time to relish in the fast wash of my life.

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory

The EAT course was undeniably hard work, but so incredibly fabulously worth it. You can read some inspiring testimonials here.

If you fancy applying for the next course, due to take place between August 20th and September 4th 2011, then you don’t have long left to apply RIGHT HERE – only until the end of April. You will need to define your particular activism and talk passionately about your plans to spread the ideas that you will learn. This really is a chance in a lifetime and I urge you to take it!

E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory
E.A.T.course-July-2009-photography by Amelia Gregory

The full cost of the course is expensive, but EAT does its best to offer many partial or whole scholarships, depending on need – which in these cash strapped times is greatly to be admired. To ease funding problems this year’s course will be partly crowd-funded so if you can’t go yourself but you understand the importance of the work the EAT course does then please do donate at IndieGoGo. The hard working volunteer organisers need all the help they can get to ensure that those who are underfunded are still able to attend this year. People like me!

Permaculture, Magic, Social Change – nothing could be better, as EAT demonstrates.

Categories ,2011, ,activism, ,Activists, ,Andy Goldring, ,Climate Camp, ,Co-operative, ,community, ,Crowd Funding, ,Devon, ,E.A.T., ,EAT, ,EAT course, ,Indiegogo, ,John Jordan, ,Jon Young, ,LABOBFII, ,Laboratory of Insurrectory Imagination, ,Landmatters, ,Nature Awareness, ,No Borders, ,Pagan, ,permaculture, ,Permaculture Association, ,Queer Rights, ,Rituals, ,Rooh Star, ,Sit Spot, ,Star, ,Starhawk, ,White Witch, ,Witch

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Amelia’s Magazine | Hedgespoken Travelling Theatre & Storytelling Project on Indiegogo

hedgespoken by starlight
Hedgespoken is a vehicle for the imagination: a travelling off-grid theatre, storytelling project and home created on the chassis of an old Bedford lorry by artist Rima Staines and poet Tom Hirons. It’s an ambitious and wondrous plan, from two amazing people who want to share a more authentic way of life with as many people as possible.

Hedgespoken
Hedgespoken is very much a partnership, when did you first meet and how did you chance across the idea so early in your relationship?
R: ​We met four and a half years ago in a Dartmoor wood, our paths having crossed via a Lithuanian folktale​, a drawing, two poems and a very long journey. In that wood our creative selves immediately began the dance that they have continued to do these following years, and imagined into being a phantasmagoria of liminal story and otherness that has grown into Hedgespoken, which has at its heart our common deep love for the old magic that we are so drawn to, and a keen desire to reconjure and rewild it.
T: Rima lured me from South Wales with a gorgeous map, tucked into one of her paintings. Under the illusion that I was collaborating on a Lithuanian folktale about a hedgehog, I found myself drawn deeper and deeper into a spiralling Chinese-box-world of the imagination, a simulacrum of reality in which myth, reality and the tricky edge between them gyred and waved. I woke up in Devon. I’m still not sure what happened. Hedgespoken emerged as our best shared dream in the heady early days of our courtship.

Hedgespoken-tom and rima storytelling on dartmoor
When did a desire to live an authentic life first start to impact your choices? and in what way?
R: ​For me, there has always been a stubbornness to live a life that makes my heart sing, and to not let my soul die a ​slow grey death on the conveyor belt of mediocrity. I grew up with artist parents who always struggled to make a living but did what they loved to do, and so I learnt that it was OK to follow your creative desire in life, and that poverty wasn’t worth fearing for the sake of fulfillment. After I finished art college, I was spat out into the London world with no clue about how to make my living from my art, and have been trying to figure it out ever since. I did all sorts of supplementary jobs to pay the rent and feed myself but was adamant I couldn’t and wouldn’t work in an office or call centre or some similar scenario where my soul would have to wear a grey suit. I was pretty sure that would have sent me mad, and so, instead, I worked in a museum as a Victorian kitchen maid, I taught art lessons, I busked accordion, I was poor, and all the while I painted away and tried to sell my work, slowly building up a portfolio and a sense of the life I wanted to create for myself. This is the compass by which I have continued to navigate – the waymarker of the heart and the hand – and it hasn’t always been easy by any means, but I couldn’t do it any other way.
T: An authentic life? I learned to navigate towards it in the depths of chronic depression in my late teens. It seemed like the best shot at staying both physically and emotionally alive. I can still remember grappling with all those difficult questions like ‘what is a meaningful life?’ and ‘what is beauty?’ – I looked in all the wrong places, just like you’re meant to, and it took a very long time to learn the right soul-language to be able to hear the answers. I think I heard the words most clearly in a whale’s tail and a dewdrop on a Welsh leaf, and more often at the bottom of the well than on the mountain-top.

hedgespoken vision sketch
What is the most important thing that my readers should know about your indiegogo crowdfunding project?
R: This is our first foray into crowdfunding, and its a bold leap into a dream: “Hedgespoken is our best shot, our way of taking our skills and our love of story, of art and magic, and living in a way that means we’re using all of that, all the time. And, it’s our promise, to ourselves and to our children, that we will refuse to live half-lives…” Both of us are well used to living well below the breadline, and so this time, we wanted that poverty not to hold back the possibility of making something really well, and making it beautiful and making it soon! We love the idea of crowdfunding being a kind of People’s Arts Council when funding for the arts in mainstream society is being cut left right and centre. We love the fact that this way people can choose the kinds of art and wonder that they want to have in their lives by supporting projects like Hedgespoken with whatever pennies they can.
T: we are crafting a device for creating enchantment and for spreading wonder. This is what a portal into the soul – and spirit-worlds looks like – it’s proper magic. It’s a travelling off-grid theatre, but more than that, it’s a node of condensed conjury around which the miraculous can occur. Join us…

Hedgespoken-the alchemist - watercolour & gold wax 2012 - by rima staines
The Alchemist, watercolour & gold wax 2012, by Rima Staines.

What kind of rewards can backers pledge for?
R: We have a unique and generous array of wonderful artful things to be got in return for supporting us – they range from handwritten thank yous through print bundles of my work (rimastaines.com), illustrated books of Tom’s poetry (coyopa.net), handmade clocks, calendars, paintings, drawing lessons, storytelling workshops, golden tickets to the first ever Hedgespoken show in an unspecified woodland on an unspecified evening, to becoming a Hedgefather or Hedgemother – a patron of the liminal arts, with your name hand-carved into the travelling Hedgespoken stage!
T: not to forget Smickelgrim handmade carnival masks!

Hedgespoken-baba yaga - watercolour 2010 - by Rima Staines
Baba Yaga, watercolour 2010, by Rima Staines.

Rima, where did you learn your art and what have been your influences over the years?
R: I think my first and foremost and most influential art school was my childhood. I grew up watching my sculptor parents making art around me all the time and learnt a lot about image-making that way. I have always drawn and painted; it seemed like I had no other choice. After A-levels I studied for a degree in Book Arts & Crafts at the London College of Printing, where I got to make my own illustrated books for three years, but I feel I’m still painting and learning, painting and learning…
I’m inspired by many visual artists – from medieval illuminators to women surrealists, to outsider and folk artists, to 19th century children’s book illustrators, to peasant craftspeople, to many East European illustrators and artists working today. But I also find inspiration in the roots and moors and trees and birdsong and in other people living their truths creatively and boldly, and music – that’s really important to me too.

Hedgespoken- wing giver - oils on wood 2013 - by Rima Staines
Wing Giver, oils on wood 2013, by Rima Staines.

You are also an accordionist and puppeteer, how do you juggle your various loves?
R: I don’t really see my various arts as very separate, I feel like my life is lived expressing these creative urges, which sometimes come out in paint, sometimes in music, sometimes in three dimensions… But on a more practical level, time-managing my work is something I really struggle with. There’s the ongoing niggle of needing to earn money and be an expert in accounting, self promotion, web design and marketing, when all I want to do is paint! Juggling is something you have to get really good at if you want to work as a self-employed artist in this digital age! I do love how the various strands of my work feed each other, though. There’s tunes in my paintings, and puppetry too… All the strands weave together to make my inner world a kind of minor-keyed folktale, and that is the old, melancholic, snow-blanketed, wonder-sung place from which I’m trying to express my truth.

Bedford van
Tom, how did you become a poet and storyteller? What path led you to this place?
T: I’m learning to be a poet – it’s going alright so far, but I think I’ll get good at it in about twenty years time. This word-apprenticeship to wild nature is a strange and wonderous process – learning to let the land speak more loudly than all the annoying cleverness in me is tricky. Currently, I’m working on writing very, very slowly. But, I began writing because I believed that I could – one Scottish May day in 1994, I thought I could write a novel, about a boy who becomes a falcon. By some grace or youthful bravado, I seized the moment, dropped out of university (for the second time) and began. That was some kind of strong commitment to the Word – I learned to storytell a few years later, embarrassed that I, as a word-worker, had nothing to offer in the way of poetry or song at an old-style ceilidh. Ashamed, I recollected Russian folk-tales I’d been told as a boy. Cue all kinds of trouble with Baba Yaga and firebirds and iron shoes and the thrice-nine lands… Storytelling began as the most terrifying thing I could imagine, me who was painfully shy and wracked with self-doubt – now, I can’t get away from it. I’m trapped. I surrender.

dark mountain - oils on wood 2011 - by Rima Staines
Dark Mountain, oils on wood 2011, by Rima Staines.

What led you to Dartmoor, and what is your favourite bit about that part of the world?
R: I arrived on Dartmoor when I was living on wheels the last time. I’d come to visit someone and only intended to stay for a week. Five years later I am still here! The grey-green singing land grabbed me straight away, and I fell in love with this place – with the granite and moss and gnarled oaks, with the wide, wild spaces and hidden nooks, with the artistic and supportive community we have here, and with the spirit of milk and honey I felt in the land. It has become beloved to me.
T: see above about being lured here! I had no idea what to expect – I was brought up in Suffolk and then lived for almost 20 years in Scotland. I never expected to live in England again – it’s too crowded and owned and full of No Trespassing signs. Having the good fortune to be lured here, I then found that this bit of Devonian land is extraordinary. It’s a great beast, brooding, singing, whispering. I’ve never loved an area like I love this one. I can’t begin to explain or understand it, but it’s the community around us here that’s the true gold. There’s amazing land all over – as Wendell Berry writes, ‘There are no unsacred places; there are only sacred places and desecrated places.’ But when you find a community that really, really works for you – that’s the grail, or one of them… Hold it preciously to your chest. Ask the right questions. Treasure it, serve it.

Despite your love of the natural world and a very grassroots way of living you are also both very good at connecting on the internet. What tension do you feel between the new and the old, and how do you manage do you manage such different modes of communication so well?
R: I’m glad you think we do this well! I actually feel a great ambivalence toward the internet because it is a soul-sucking addiction that is too big for our primitive brains and spirits to cope with, and which I feel takes the space of our necessary spirit-dreaming, though this causes much tension for me as without it I wouldn’t be able to live the life I’ve described! It has enabled me to reach other folks worldwide who connect with what I do, and buy my work, it has enabled me to make a creative living inspite of not having an agent, publisher or gallery representing me. The internet enables us to reach out directly to people, and to network with likeminded folks no matter where we or they are, it democratizes information and brings much inspiration and learning. But in the long run I dream of living in the woods far from any cables or wifi, where the only communications I have with people (of all species) are face to face, heart to heart, dream to dream…
T: We’re both communicators, like you – we love words, and speech and song and shaping letters of all sorts on all manner of media – and so we do well on the internet. And we’re massively grateful for that – and also very aware that we’re in a privileged position of being tech-savvy, articulate and possessed of the right equipment to do what we do. But, here at the tail-end of this age, it’s the medium that’s available to communicate with a large number of people – if we were in another era, it might be through pamphlets or posters or graffiti or murals on town hall walls… So, we’re using it to let people know about our dreams and aspirations for a life that’s less tied to a computer screen and a wireless connection – we are both, essentially, creatures of the woods and the hills and the river, and that’s what we’re trying to return to. If the internet collapsed and disappeared tomorrow, my mourning would last about as long as it took me to walk to the moor from here. We’d forget about facebook and news feeds and we’d congregate on village greens and wastelands to tell and hear stories, perhaps from a stage on the side of a beautiful vintage vehicle. We’d look at the stars more and diffuse ourselves less across the thousand worlds of the web. The hour is late, but we’re ready! See you there?

You can back the Hedgespoken dream here. I have, will you?

Categories ,artist, ,Baba Yaga, ,Bedford lorry, ,Book Arts & Crafts, ,Crowdfunding, ,Dartmoor, ,Devon, ,Hedgespoken, ,Indiegogo, ,London College of Printing, ,People’s Arts Council, ,Poet, ,Smickelgrim, ,storytelling, ,theatre, ,Travelling theatre, ,Wendell Berry

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Amelia’s Magazine | Jerwood Drawing Prize 2011: Exhibition Review

Jerwood Drawing Prize review 2011-Homage to Anonymous by Gary Lawrence
Homage to Anonymous by Gary Lawrence (detail).

This year the Jerwood Drawing Prize grows more influential than ever. During his speech at the opening of the exhibition last night art historian Tim Marlow told us that there were a record number of entrants this year: 1, ampoule 779 artists submitted 3, ambulance 354 entries in total. In describing the continuing importance of drawing judge Tim Marlow drew our attention to the new Degas exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts which opens this weekend. It concentrates on Degas‘ relationship with the new disciplines of photography and film as he explored ways of recording movement in ballet 150 years ago. Despite the prevalence of these other mediums today they can never entirely replace the visual discipline of drawing.

Without further ado here’s the work of the winners, order and my favourites from a selection of everything else.

Jerwood Drawing Prize review 2011-Homage to Anonymous by Gary LawrenceJerwood Drawing Prize review 2011-Homage to Anonymous by Gary Lawrence
I was drawn to Homage to Anonymous by Gary Lawrence the minute I stepped foot in the gallery. This giant biro drawing is a complex, surreal, fantastic piece of artwork. Gary accepted this years Jerwood Prize turned out in scruffy tracksuit bottoms with a greying beard and described his drawing as ‘a tribute to all the anonymous artists through history who made work but are unrecognised.’ The Essex based artist took a year to create his work of art, which was based on a view of Pothea on the Greek island of Kalymnos, which he visited on holiday. Over time the drawing gradually transmogrified into something far more complex, taking on historical references to town views by other artists across time.

The Cut (detail) by Jessie BrennanJerwood Drawing Prize review 2011-The Cut (detail) by Jessie Brennan
The Cut (details) by Jessie Brennan.

Jessie Brennan‘s five metre long The Cut was inspired by oral histories of the Lea River Navigation Canal, and features a delicate array of found objects piled up in curious arrangements. Scale becomes distorted when you realise the presence of little people at the foot of the drawing.

Sketch by Nicki Rolls
Nicki Rolls took second prize in the Student Awards for her Sketch, a black and white film that screens against a sketchbook.

Lake by Kristian Fletcher
A very well deserved first prize went to Kristian Fletcher of the University of West England, who boasts ten years experience in the construction industry. His dimly lit Lake consists of an eery industrial space where hard edged architecture looms over an ominous section of chainlink fence.

Jerwood Drawing Prize review 2011-Pattern of Faerie Tales by Iain AndrewsJerwood Drawing Prize review 2011-Jerwood Drawing Prize review 2011-Pattern of Faerie Tales by Iain AndrewsJerwood Drawing Prize review 2011-Jerwood Drawing Prize review 2011-Pattern of Faerie Tales by Iain Andrews
Surrealism was a common theme amongst short listed entries. I particularly liked Pattern of Faerie Tales by Iain Andrews, which was stacked up loosely on a table. Giant fish lie on chicken feet tables and maidens sit beneath crepuscular bugs, in scenes inspired by the words of Tolkien.

Interior by Adam Bainbridge
Adam Bainbridge‘s Interior combines memories with absurd imaginings: tracking the formation of clay ornaments in soft focus.

Gefallener by Johanna Love
Gefallener by Johanna Love.

Untitled 2 by Janine Rook
Untitled 2 by Janine Rook.

The abstract patterns of dirt were big news: Johanna Love and Janine Rook traced the minutest amounts of fluff in delicate detail.

Untitled by robert Battams
Abstract paper layers featured in several artworks. Robert Battams used graph paper to stack patterns inspired by the fragmentations of digital recording.

Organic Structure, Animation still by Kasia Depta-Garapich
Kasia Depta-Garapich‘s Organic Structure, Animation Still merges drawing, sculpture and animation in a curious fluttering object of semi-transparent layers.

Untitled by Leahy Clark
Simon Leahy-Clark stacked newspaper in random grid formations created around the missing content.

Polly Yates (folds)
Polly Yates considers herself a weaver of paper: circular cutouts and felt tips create the push and pull of space in Untitled (Folds).

Jerwood Drawing Prize review 2011-Lottie Jackson-EelesJerwood Drawing Prize review 2011-Lottie Jackson-EelesJerwood Drawing Prize review 2011-Lottie Jackson-Eeles
Explosions of colour and pattern will always turn my eye. I loved Imagery Imaginary Volume 1 by Lottie Jackson-Eeles, a concertina-ed sketchbook tracing her journeys through London in glorious colourful detail. Peeks between the pages reveal details such as wind mills and towerblocks. Do take a look at her website: there is some fabulous work on there.

Shepherd's Fry Up by Steven Lowery
Steven Lowery‘s artwork is a protest agains the mindlessness of celebrity infested tabloids and reality TV, set against a love of improvisational music – the tightly crafted words and images curling in and out of each other in Shepherd’s Fry Up.

Mouth Full of Triangles by Sally Taylor
Mouth Full of Triangles 4 by Sally Taylor is a clever and curiously amusing piece.

Jerwood Drawing Prize review 2011-Ground Truth and Deep Grief by Louisa Fairclough
Ground Truth and Deep Grief by Louisa Fairclough are simple watercolour paintings of tents, formed after ritual cycle rides taken along the Severn river at full moon. She sleeps on the ground, at the edge of the river: feeling the pulse of the tides.

Drawing Room by Fran Richardson
Drawing Room by Fran Richardson is a large charcoal artwork, an evocative space of flouncy curtains that invites the viewer inside.

Girl Bag by Evju_Kristian
Photorealism in Girl Bag by Kristian Evju cleverly catches the sense of limbo within a narrative.

25a GF067 by Reginald S. Aloysius
Reginald Aloysius used pencil and enamel paint to create an eery netherworld, where ancient temples and airplane routes collide.

Tree (catocala) by Ash Summers
Fashion meets art. Inspired by memories and moths, Tree (Catocala) by Ash Summers perhaps unwittingly echoes the ikat patterns of the new season’s fabrics.

This year there was a greater prevalence of barely there diminutive abstracts, surely a reflection of influential judge Rachel Whiteread‘s tastes.

The Jerwood Drawing Prize is a must for all practicing artists, whatever your discipline. It runs until 30th October at the Jerwood Space and then heads out to BayArt in Cardiff and Burton Museum & Art Gallery in Devon. Full listing information here.

Categories ,2011, ,Adam Bainbridge, ,Animation Still, ,Ash Summers, ,BayArt, ,Burton Museum & Art Gallery, ,cardiff, ,Charcoal, ,Deep Grief, ,Degas, ,Devon, ,drawing, ,Drawing Room, ,Essex, ,Fran Richardson, ,Full Moon, ,Gary Lawrence, ,Girl Bag, ,Ground Truth, ,Homage to Anonymous, ,Iain Andrews, ,Imagery Imaginary Volume 1, ,Interior, ,Jerwood Drawing Prize, ,jerwood space, ,Jessie Brennan, ,Judge, ,Kalymnos, ,Kasia Depta-Garapich, ,Kristian Evju, ,Kristian Fletcher, ,Lake, ,Lea River Navigation Canal, ,Lottie Jackson-Eeles, ,Louisa Fairclough, ,Mouth Full of Triangles 4, ,Nicki Rolls, ,Organic Structure, ,Papercutting, ,Pattern of Faerie Tales, ,pencil, ,Photorealism, ,Polly Yates, ,Pothea, ,Rachel Whiteread, ,Reginald Aloysius, ,review, ,Royal academy of arts, ,Sally Taylor, ,Severn, ,Shepherd’s Fry Up, ,Simon Leahy-Clark, ,Sketch, ,Steven Lowery, ,Student Awards, ,surrealism, ,The Cut, ,Tim Marlow, ,Tolkien, ,Tree (Catocala), ,University of West England, ,Untitled (Folds)

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Amelia’s Magazine | Jerwood Drawing Prize 2011: Exhibition Review

Jerwood Drawing Prize review 2011-Homage to Anonymous by Gary Lawrence
Homage to Anonymous by Gary Lawrence (detail).

This year the Jerwood Drawing Prize grows more influential than ever. During his speech at the opening of the exhibition last night art historian Tim Marlow told us that there were a record number of entrants this year: 1, ampoule 779 artists submitted 3, ambulance 354 entries in total. In describing the continuing importance of drawing judge Tim Marlow drew our attention to the new Degas exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts which opens this weekend. It concentrates on Degas‘ relationship with the new disciplines of photography and film as he explored ways of recording movement in ballet 150 years ago. Despite the prevalence of these other mediums today they can never entirely replace the visual discipline of drawing.

Without further ado here’s the work of the winners, order and my favourites from a selection of everything else.

Jerwood Drawing Prize review 2011-Homage to Anonymous by Gary LawrenceJerwood Drawing Prize review 2011-Homage to Anonymous by Gary Lawrence
I was drawn to Homage to Anonymous by Gary Lawrence the minute I stepped foot in the gallery. This giant biro drawing is a complex, surreal, fantastic piece of artwork. Gary accepted this years Jerwood Prize turned out in scruffy tracksuit bottoms with a greying beard and described his drawing as ‘a tribute to all the anonymous artists through history who made work but are unrecognised.’ The Essex based artist took a year to create his work of art, which was based on a view of Pothea on the Greek island of Kalymnos, which he visited on holiday. Over time the drawing gradually transmogrified into something far more complex, taking on historical references to town views by other artists across time.

The Cut (detail) by Jessie BrennanJerwood Drawing Prize review 2011-The Cut (detail) by Jessie Brennan
The Cut (details) by Jessie Brennan.

Jessie Brennan‘s five metre long The Cut was inspired by oral histories of the Lea River Navigation Canal, and features a delicate array of found objects piled up in curious arrangements. Scale becomes distorted when you realise the presence of little people at the foot of the drawing.

Sketch by Nicki Rolls
Nicki Rolls took second prize in the Student Awards for her Sketch, a black and white film that screens against a sketchbook.

Lake by Kristian Fletcher
A very well deserved first prize went to Kristian Fletcher of the University of West England, who boasts ten years experience in the construction industry. His dimly lit Lake consists of an eery industrial space where hard edged architecture looms over an ominous section of chainlink fence.

Jerwood Drawing Prize review 2011-Pattern of Faerie Tales by Iain AndrewsJerwood Drawing Prize review 2011-Jerwood Drawing Prize review 2011-Pattern of Faerie Tales by Iain AndrewsJerwood Drawing Prize review 2011-Jerwood Drawing Prize review 2011-Pattern of Faerie Tales by Iain Andrews
Surrealism was a common theme amongst short listed entries. I particularly liked Pattern of Faerie Tales by Iain Andrews, which was stacked up loosely on a table. Giant fish lie on chicken feet tables and maidens sit beneath crepuscular bugs, in scenes inspired by the words of Tolkien.

Interior by Adam Bainbridge
Adam Bainbridge‘s Interior combines memories with absurd imaginings: tracking the formation of clay ornaments in soft focus.

Gefallener by Johanna Love
Gefallener by Johanna Love.

Untitled 2 by Janine Rook
Untitled 2 by Janine Rook.

The abstract patterns of dirt were big news: Johanna Love and Janine Rook traced the minutest amounts of fluff in delicate detail.

Untitled by robert Battams
Abstract paper layers featured in several artworks. Robert Battams used graph paper to stack patterns inspired by the fragmentations of digital recording.

Organic Structure, Animation still by Kasia Depta-Garapich
Kasia Depta-Garapich‘s Organic Structure, Animation Still merges drawing, sculpture and animation in a curious fluttering object of semi-transparent layers.

Untitled by Leahy Clark
Simon Leahy-Clark stacked newspaper in random grid formations created around the missing content.

Polly Yates (folds)
Polly Yates considers herself a weaver of paper: circular cutouts and felt tips create the push and pull of space in Untitled (Folds).

Jerwood Drawing Prize review 2011-Lottie Jackson-EelesJerwood Drawing Prize review 2011-Lottie Jackson-EelesJerwood Drawing Prize review 2011-Lottie Jackson-Eeles
Explosions of colour and pattern will always turn my eye. I loved Imagery Imaginary Volume 1 by Lottie Jackson-Eeles, a concertina-ed sketchbook tracing her journeys through London in glorious colourful detail. Peeks between the pages reveal details such as wind mills and towerblocks. Do take a look at her website: there is some fabulous work on there.

Shepherd's Fry Up by Steven Lowery
Steven Lowery‘s artwork is a protest agains the mindlessness of celebrity infested tabloids and reality TV, set against a love of improvisational music – the tightly crafted words and images curling in and out of each other in Shepherd’s Fry Up.

Mouth Full of Triangles by Sally Taylor
Mouth Full of Triangles 4 by Sally Taylor is a clever and curiously amusing piece.

Jerwood Drawing Prize review 2011-Ground Truth and Deep Grief by Louisa Fairclough
Ground Truth and Deep Grief by Louisa Fairclough are simple watercolour paintings of tents, formed after ritual cycle rides taken along the Severn river at full moon. She sleeps on the ground, at the edge of the river: feeling the pulse of the tides.

Drawing Room by Fran Richardson
Drawing Room by Fran Richardson is a large charcoal artwork, an evocative space of flouncy curtains that invites the viewer inside.

Girl Bag by Evju_Kristian
Photorealism in Girl Bag by Kristian Evju cleverly catches the sense of limbo within a narrative.

25a GF067 by Reginald S. Aloysius
Reginald Aloysius used pencil and enamel paint to create an eery netherworld, where ancient temples and airplane routes collide.

Tree (catocala) by Ash Summers
Fashion meets art. Inspired by memories and moths, Tree (Catocala) by Ash Summers perhaps unwittingly echoes the ikat patterns of the new season’s fabrics.

This year there was a greater prevalence of barely there diminutive abstracts, surely a reflection of influential judge Rachel Whiteread‘s tastes.

The Jerwood Drawing Prize is a must for all practicing artists, whatever your discipline. It runs until 30th October at the Jerwood Space and then heads out to BayArt in Cardiff and Burton Museum & Art Gallery in Devon. Full listing information here.

Categories ,2011, ,Adam Bainbridge, ,Animation Still, ,Ash Summers, ,BayArt, ,Burton Museum & Art Gallery, ,cardiff, ,Charcoal, ,Deep Grief, ,Degas, ,Devon, ,drawing, ,Drawing Room, ,Essex, ,Fran Richardson, ,Full Moon, ,Gary Lawrence, ,Girl Bag, ,Ground Truth, ,Homage to Anonymous, ,Iain Andrews, ,Imagery Imaginary Volume 1, ,Interior, ,Jerwood Drawing Prize, ,jerwood space, ,Jessie Brennan, ,Judge, ,Kalymnos, ,Kasia Depta-Garapich, ,Kristian Evju, ,Kristian Fletcher, ,Lake, ,Lea River Navigation Canal, ,Lottie Jackson-Eeles, ,Louisa Fairclough, ,Mouth Full of Triangles 4, ,Nicki Rolls, ,Organic Structure, ,Papercutting, ,Pattern of Faerie Tales, ,pencil, ,Photorealism, ,Polly Yates, ,Pothea, ,Rachel Whiteread, ,Reginald Aloysius, ,review, ,Royal academy of arts, ,Sally Taylor, ,Severn, ,Shepherd’s Fry Up, ,Simon Leahy-Clark, ,Sketch, ,Steven Lowery, ,Student Awards, ,surrealism, ,The Cut, ,Tim Marlow, ,Tolkien, ,Tree (Catocala), ,University of West England, ,Untitled (Folds)

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Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with illustrator Faye West, as featured in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration

(Commision which came about from Amelia's Mag feature) by faye west
Commission which came about from Amelia’s Magazine feature, by Faye West.

Faye West‘s whimsical watercolours first came to my attention nearly four years ago when she had just graduated from university. Since then a lot has changed, but her unique take on fashion illustration remains the same – beautiful, timeless and finally gaining the recognition it deserves. Since appearing in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration 2011 has been a busy year for Faye and 2012 looks set to be even more so, with a big move to London imminent. Time to check in with one of Amelia’s Magazine’s most prolific and delightful contributors…

My Fave 'Amelia's' piece by Faye West
Faye West‘s favourite illustration for me. This was to illustrate the Gossypium dress and bag that comes free with issue 10 of Amelia’s Magazine, and appears in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration.

You first came to my attention several years ago when you delivered some gorgeous (and yummy) hand decorated cupcakes to my door – what prompted the idea and what persuaded you to get in touch again last year?
My London College of Fashion friends finished their Fashion Journalism degree with a bit more of a clue in what was going on than I had (Faye studied at Fashion Promotion and Illustration at University for the Creative Arts), and knew Amelia’s Magazine was highly illustrative so we devised a plan to woo you with illustrated cupcakes. I had always meant to follow it up with some illustrations, but it was before I was twitter-conscious and the next brief I happened to see was in fact the ACOFI, or Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration open brief.

Faye west Cupcakes
Those infamous cupcakes! I wish I had taken a better photo… alas they have long since been demolished…

Florian-Jayet-by-Faye-West
Florian Jayet S/S 2012 by Faye West for Amelia’s Magazine.

How has producing fashion illustrations for Amelia’s Magazine and ACOFI developed your perception of the fashion and illustration worlds?
It has basically been a way to stay working to briefs, in the way you do as a student. It’s very hard to stay motivated without someone else setting you a brief because you are only doing self-authored work which tends to get a bit stale. The variety of images you then produce are so wide and interesting that your work just evolves through all the experimentation. Amelia’s Magazine is almost like a giant spider gram of illustration opportunities.

Finalist entry for V Mag Gaga comp
Finalist entry for V Magazine Lady Gaga competition.

You’ve just launched a sexy new website, what prompted the redesign?
I wanted to get a website up and running that was a bit more of a platform for my pieces, almost as though someone had decorated a Faye West shop for all of my work to be displayed or sold in. It was also a little challenge to myself to get to grips with the creative side to website building.

Sketchbook Magazine image by Faye West
Sketchbook Magazine image by Faye West.

What was behind your decision to create Edit Collective, and can you describe a bit more about the project?
I had just spent a while contacting galleries, local to Devon and London and had a very negative response. Which is all part of the business but having graduated over 6 years ago, exhibiting was a goal that was proving unobtainable. So I thought I’d see if anyone else was having the same issue and the idea of a group exhibition started. Edit Collective is basically to show off the work we have produced over the last year, all the JPegs sat on computer desktops, and original pieces filling up portfolios not seeing the light of day. I was so bowled over by the interest from other artists that it involves near to 30 artists. I hope to continue expanding this number each year, keeping to the proviso that it is editorial work. Fellow ACOFI featured illustrator Gemma Milly is partnering my venture and the majority of artists have come to know each others work through contributing to magazines such as Amelia’s Magazine.

Faye West Self Portrait
Faye West Self Portrait.

How did you get involved with Think Act Vote, and can you give us a taster of what you’ve produced?
I was sent a lovely email asking if I would like to take part in their upcoming publication. As a student I was away with the fairies, I had no political view point at all which seemed to vex my tutors a bit. But in my old age I am starting to become very interested and unfortunately angry at the current state of affairs. This is what drew me to to illustrate Katherine Hamnett‘s piece in particular. I have illustrated something playing on her infamous slogan tshirts, mixed with the idea of a figure representing Democracy in the same vein as the Statue of Liberty.

for Ballad of Faye West
Illustration for Ballad Of by Faye West.

What is the VV Collective and what you have done for it?
This is Vivian Vile, a collective put together by two artists who feel that young female artists can often be overlooked. I am always drawn to the feminine, and feel quite proud to be alongside some wonderful artists and photographers in the ‘Members Lounge‘ They were involved with Ladyfest this year which was something I had wanted to get involved with since being a student interested in Riot Grrls and the like. They have just launched a competition to submit a self portrait which, if successful will be exhibited at Cultivate on Vyner Street. I decided to really set myself a challenge and paint on canvas with acrylic which was a little more time consuming and frustrating at times compared to my usual water colours. 

Harriet Gray's Dream by Faye West
Harriet Gray‘s Dream by Faye West.

Gareth Hopkin's Dream by Faye West
Gareth A Hopkin‘s Dream by Faye West.

You’ve built up quite a friendship with Ukraine based illustrator Daria Hlazatova, recently creating Lupine Osmunda together – how did this come about – both meeting and doing a project together?
I am her number one fan. I just loved her work so much, it makes me feel like a child starting at fairy tales again! So basically I commissioned her to illustrate me scenes from the Twelve Dancing Princesses because it was a story book I had as a child with illustrations which fascinated me. We often chat on twitter and email and our discussions would turn to the bizarre dreams we were having so we decided to illustrate each others and turn it into a project.

Teatum Jones by Faye West
Teatum Jones S/S 2012 by Faye West for Amelia’s Magazine.

Apparently you have some exciting news, that you will be will soon be in-house illustrator for Ballad Of. How did this come about and what will you be doing?
Yes, it’s all very new so not started anything yet. But I really enjoyed doing some pieces for the girls for their last issue. They have a two submission limit to give everyone an opportunity to have their work showcased. It was the last submission for me which I was rather sad about! So I asked them to consider me if they were ever looking for someone to help out with little illustration jobs. They liked the idea and agreed to have me on board, so I am looking forward to their next issue and to start writing some of the Illustration blogs for them. Ballad Of is one of the things I found through fellow Amelia’s Magazine illustrators on their blogs and through twitter; a wonderful example of how many doors have opened from the advice you gave me to get some internet presence!

Ballad of Bag Faye WEST
Ballad Of tote bag by Faye West. Photo courtesy of Lindsey and Claire.

GLITTER love Faye West
GLITTER love by Faye West.

What has been the most exciting thing to happen because of your involvement with Amelia’s Magazine and ACOFI?
Has to be seeing my work on printed silk dresses for Beautiful Soul and finding out that I was one of the 30 illustrators going in to Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration! Also I designed an exclusive limited edition tote for Ballad Of‘s last launch party and I had a special Courtney Love commission (see above) from a blogger who like the image I did of the singer for Topshop Boutique a few years ago.

Tallulah pet portrait commission by Faye West
Tallulah pet portrait commission by Faye West.

Anything new coming up? What will you be up to in 2012?
At the moment I am working on portrait commissions for Christmas presents, I have had a high number of dog portrait requests this year! Very sweet. I love being asked because you know you’re helping someone give a special and unique gift. I plan to move back to London, get Edit Collective‘s exhibition under way, and I would really like to concentrate on some more print design. Here is a link for portrait commissions which I have just put together! Do get in touch!

Morris-Dancers-by-Faye-West
Morris Dancers by Faye West for Amelia’s Magazine.

You can see more of Faye West‘s beautiful work in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration. Buy both my books together with four rare back issues of Amelia’s Magazine (including the one with the bag illustrated above) for just £50. A bargain! And I can’t wait to see how Edit Collective evolves.

Categories ,ACOFI, ,Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, ,Ballad Of, ,Beautiful Soul, ,Courtney Love, ,Cultivate, ,cupcakes, ,Daria Hlazatova, ,Devon, ,Edit Collective, ,Fashion Illustration, ,Fashion Promotion and Illustration, ,Faye West, ,Gareth A Hopkin, ,Gemma Milly, ,gossypium, ,Harriet Gray, ,interview, ,Katherine Hamnett, ,London College of Fashion, ,Lupine Osmunda, ,Pet Portraits, ,Riot Grrls, ,Sketchbook Magazine, ,Statue of Liberty, ,Think Act Vote, ,Topshop Boutique, ,Tote bag, ,Twelve Dancing Princesses, ,UCA, ,University for the Creative Arts, ,Vivian Vile, ,VV Collective, ,Vyner Street

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