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Dialogues exhibition

Last Saturday was the opening of our exhibition at Sarah Wiseman Gallery in Summertown, north Oxford. I met Sarah Spackman many years ago at a craft fair and she bought some of my pots to paint. Then, when we were both demonstrating at Art in Action at Waterperry Gardens near Oxford, we swapped a painting for some pots. For the Dialogues exhibition, I made some bottles inspired by Giorgio Morandi’s still life paintings and Sarah included them in some of her new paintings. I particularly like the painting below which includes some of my bottles and a plate of cherries. Sarah trained at Camberwell and loves painting still life compositions with hints of bright colour.

Centre Left, oil on linen 56x76cm £2,850

Earlier in the year we visited Sarah’s studio in Oxford and bought a painting. Sarah has shelves of pottery and objects which she arranges in still life compositions. She likes likes to paint fruit or flowers in season, often from her allotment or a friend’s tree.

The exhibition continues until 30 September. You can see the exhibition catalogue here.

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Marks and Tools exhibition with Design Nation

Last week I took part in an exhibition on Marks and Tools put together by Design Nation at Oxo Tower Wharf. The curator was Liz Cooper, who brilliantly pulled together all the work from 23 different makers and designers. Interiors journalist Barbara Chandler wrote an online showcase about the makers and their tools. As well as ceramics, glass, textiles and furniture, there were photographs of all the makers using their favourite tools and talks from textile artist Margo Selby,  glass blower Michael Ruh and ceramicist and printmaker Hannah Tounsend. Other exhibitors included Anna Gravelle who makes tufted textiles, Gillies Jones who make beautiful glass bowls and furniture designer Hugh Miller. What I loved about the exhibition was that it showed furniture, tableware, textiles, lighting and wall pieces together as you would have them in your home, rather than the way they are usually separated into different categories in museums. Design Nation bring together designers and makers from different areas, encouraging collaboration and innovation.

Vases and bottles by Linda Bloomfield, bowls by Heidi Harrington, teapot and mug by Sue Pryke, wall cabinet by Christine Meyer-Eaglestone, wall embroidery by Zara Day.

 

Glass bottles by Sam Sweet, teapots and mugs by Sue Pryke, vessels by Hannah Tounsend, wall embroidery by Zara Day, wall map quilt by Ekta Kaul.

 

Vases by Linda Bloomfield, side table by Simon Yates, textiles by Ekta Kaul, window graphics by The Unloved.

 

Forth Bench by Angus Ross, platters by Taz Pollard, Undergrowth stand by Simon Yates, vase by Linda Bloomfield.