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Design Nation at London Craft Week

Design Nation put together a lovely exhibition called Head, Hand and Heart with talks and demonstrations during London Craft Week 2018. The exhibition was held in Helen Yardley studio, where she designs and makes her bold, abstract rugs. Curated by Design Nation, Helen Yardley and leading design journalist Barbara Chandler, the show included Harriet Elkerton and Linda Bloomfield ceramics, Anna Gravelle, Angie Parker and Jacky Puzey textiles, Hugh Miller furniture, Christine Meyer-Eaglestone marquetry, Gizella Warburton textile vessels, Ruth Singer textile and found objects, and Clare Wilson glass vessels. There was a panel discussion chaired by Barbara Chandler, a pecha kucha session and demonstrations of weaving, rug tufting, porcelain throwing, marquetry and Japanese textured carving.

All the work was beautiful but the most intricate piece was the ‘In Shadows’ cabinet by Hugh Miller. Inside were beautiful ceramic cups with a crystalline matt glaze by a Japanese potter from Osaka, as well as wooden boxes containing coffee, exquisitely carved spoons and whisks. The slatted doors, outer ones in bamboo and inner ones slatted with thin brass rods, cast shadows to give a dimly lit atmosphere like inside a Japanese tea house. “‘In Shadows’ is inspired by Japanese applied arts philosophy and is made in British elm, Japanese Bamboo and Brass. The timber is stained black with Japanese calligraphy ink. Hidden within is a Japanese coffee set by renowned ceramic artist Saiko Fukuoka. Over 1000 man-hours have been invested in its construction, including the hand finishing of over 150m of solid drawn brass.” Hugh Miller. Photos by Dan Weill for London Craft Week. 

The exhibition will be travelling to Eunique trade show in Karlsruhe, Germany, 8-10 June 2018.

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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.