Gabi finds Merci in Paris

You can shop while also giving to charity at this shop, which was recently opened by the founders of Bonpoint, the children’s store. Here are five stores in one, featuring some designers at discount prices, and items like a set of six multicolored bamboo plates, all chosen by the owner, Marie-France Cohen, sister of the late Annick Goutal, the famed perfume designer. There is a large second-hand bookstore and cafe, a floral shop, and Goutal fragrances at a discount. Profits go to a children’s charity in Madagascar.
Blvd.Beaumarchais

Grayson Perry strikes a chord.

Towards the end of Grayson Perry's amazing Show at The British Museum this was written on a panel.
"Wear,damage,dirt,corrosion and decay are a large part of the language of authenticity.We give things that look old the benefit of the doubt.Age lends authority to an object.An aged object inveigles its way into the grand events of history.My work often borrows the shabby familiar clothes of the antique so as to lend gravitas to what it has to say.The look of age is also an important component in what we find beautiful"
Quote from Grayson Perry"The Tomb of the Unknown Craftsman.
Grayson has managed to articulate something I have always considered to be essential in my work,by creating layers of faded texture and degraded images/motifs,creating something that looks as if it may have had history or life .Creative endeavour  constantly surprising.

A Family Affair

Claire Halsey of The Bell Jar Norwich, has collaborated with her son Josh Hallaghan to produce a lovely hybrid cupboard.With beautiful french doors Claire found on one of her sorties across the Channel,Josh has built an elegant cupboard to give them a home,The very finest up-cycling I've seen.

My friend Roger Ackling

Roger Ackling finds pieces of wood at the sea’s edge. He works on these found objects in a  very extraordinary manner .By means of a magnifying glass he focuses the sun’s light, searing into the timber small dots, which slowly join together to form lines, which build into and become integral to the found object.

Effectively he is drawing with light.

His exquisite pieces are  created at the mercy of the elements, harnessing the most primal creative force, the sun’s energy.

He imprints real time upon something that already has a history and has been modelled by the elements.

Roger has works in major private and public collections  and frequently exhibits at major Galleries  throughout the world.

See my interview with Roger

Original Little Bird on its way to the V & A.

Four of the five cases I am delivering to the Victoria and Albert Museum tomorrow.They will be in the shop in the Spring!!!

Weekend

Sunday with my camera in Claire Halsey's lovely shop The Bell Jar,

Norwich. My lovely cases all set for the V & A in March.

Hockney Show at Royal Academy

"David Hockney is lounging on a sofa in the studio on the top floor of his beachside house. On the wall in front of him are 18 television screens, all showing films he shot of the landscapes near his home. Does it conjure images of an unchanging blue Californian sky?"......Interview Nicholas Wroe in The Guardian

I have my ticket and I am impatient!

Photoplay.

Playing with Instagram

Purple dye on hands again

Hand dip dyed pom pom trim for my cushion,so subtle and always the exact colour I want.

Why didn't I think of it before?

The Gothic Trend, Living etc,My beautiful cushions

More photos of Obscure Object of Desire cushion  here and more cushions too. 

February issue Living etc, Brilliant Magazine.Harriet Paterson and Antony Crolla,

Great combination!

New Logo for Occupy

A Jonathan Barnbrook-designed identity has been chosen as the new logo for the Occupy London movement, after winning out in a public vote
The new identity, which has been created pro bono, will now be used by the movement on its website and social media communications, and will also be available for use on flyers, badges and other collateral. It can be downloaded for use here.

Occupy London spokesman Spyro van Leemnen says the identity will also be used for Occupy Everywhere protests planned for 15 December. Van Leemnen says that although the logo is available for use, Occupy protesters are free to use their own designs as well. ‘We are an open movement’, he says.

Occupy London had previously been using an identity based on the Transport for London roundel, but last month TfL’s lawyers ordered them to stop using this.

The movement then launched an open competition to find a new identity, which would be chosen by a public vote.

A total of 18 logos were shortlisted and put anonymously to the public vote. Van Leemnen says he approached Barnbrook to take part in the competition, as his Bastard font had already been used in the movement’s newspaper - the Occupied Times of London.

Memories of New York.

Brilliant company,most delicious Chinese !

A warm and sunny November and winter shrinks

Lovely sunny day in November, a walk in Richmond Park in search of a Stag.

Preparation for delicious Birthday dinner,Endive in all their glory!

More pretty Pony Girl.

                                                   Wouldn't you like to take her home!!

Pony Girl in the shop

Beautiful  Autumn day,perfect for taking photos in Claire Halsey's lovely shop The Bell Jar,

on Upper St Giles. Norwich. Sunshine pouring through the window making my Pony Girl cushion look like she belongs!

New website up and running thanks to Sheila at Burlingham Hall who brought all my ideas to life,just have to finish the store and all is good. Do have a look Original Little Bird

Occupy Wall St,October

Clever? No.

Playground stuff.
Rummage. Spy.Voyeur.Pry.Gawp.Gape.Prurience.
Why not follow me on Twitter if you don't already!

New York October.

"The Theatre of Protest" Occupy Wall St.

So many reporters and photographers  recording personal opinions,feelings of dissatisfaction with society,capitalism,politics.Don't feel this is really getting the kind of coverage it deserves.

From the Guardian

Protests inspired by the Occupy Wall Street movement in New York and the "Indignants" in Spain have spread to cities around the world. Tens of thousands went on the march in New York, London, Frankfurt, Madrid, Rome, Sydney and Hong Kong as organisers aimed to "initiate global change" against capitalism and austerity measures. There were extraordinary scenes in New York where at least 10,000 protesters took their message from the outpost of Zuccotti Park into the heart of the city, thronging into Times Square.

So, we have started listing all the events we can find verified news reports for. There's not 951 yet, but we do have most of the major ones.You can see them mapped here
                                                            http://bit.ly/pH0vLt

New York October.

New York sunday ,it has to be the Hi Line and then the galleries,not hugely impressed by much of what we saw ,we breezed in and out grading each show from A to E .I saw alot of D- sadly.

Then Nick Cave's show and what a joy .Overwhelming , pattern and texture,like a frozen moment in an exuberant tribal/alien performance,a world fizzing with colour.

Nick Cave, an African American, was born in Missouri in 1959. He is a sculptor, dancer and performance artist, who trained under the tutelage of Alvin Ailey. Now in Chicago, Cave was the one-time director of the graduate Fashion program at School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

"For Now , on view at Mary Boone Gallery, is like a West Indian Carnival, a riot of color, Mardi Gras in a box. It is aptly described as an open playground. You literally walk into a frozen frame of Soundsuits caught in the act of freely interacting, without rules. It is a celebratory release of color, chaos, and exuberance. These circus acts and volatile vignettes are candy for the eyes and the mind."

Interior of The English House with Pony Girl .

Photo of the Pony Girl cushion,taken at my friend's cottage "The English House"

in Norfolk indoors keeping cool 

on a glorious Indian summer day.Pony girl has found her spiritual home.

Will soon be available on the website

Preview for Tent London,Sneak a peak!!!!!

Just about to put the delicate linen print of the beautiful "Pony Girl"

onto its wooden base.That will be another thing ticked off the list in my preparations for TENT ,not long now!

Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Half of the showcase that I set up last week in Wakefield at the Amazing Yorkshire Sculpture Park.Things look very different through  a window,it allows you to be detached from the object.My work will be on show from now,September until the end of October.

YSP has been nominated for Retailer of the year in the Elle Decoration awards.Please go online and vote for them ,the shop is great!!!

Get your diary out and make a note of this

Launching "The Soho Papers" at Tent this year 

Visit us at Tent London 
Stand 'F12'

22-25 Sept 2011 at the Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London E1 6QL.

Trade & Press visitors can register here and save £10 entry fee*

http://www.eventdata.co.uk/Visitor/TentTrade.aspx

*Trade & Press Registration will close on Friday 16 Sept 2011.

Weekend in Paris

Paris does not disappoint ! Photo taken on drizzly day ends up like a  tinted vintage postcard,no photoshopping at all!
Stayed at the lovely  Le Citizen Hotel du Canal.An independent hotel with a passion for detail, design and people.The very charming Sophie and her attentive team are relaxed ,welcoming and helpful.
Breakfast is lovely and includes homemade cakes and confitures ,the rhubarb jam especially good and being surrounded by interesting arty books makes one want to linger even longer with another cafe creme

Right on the Canal St Martin,a very cool quartier,the only problem is working out where to go for diner in the neighbourhood and making sure you book as they all seem to be very inviting and are all packed by 8.30

                                                          Hotel du Nord,

is just up the road from the hotel.It's both hotel and restaurant.

Tasty grub,lively, loads of atmosphere ,good lighting and quirky decor,very buzzy ,photo taken in afternoon when wisely booking table for evening.

Finally Le Comptoir General,like some 

guerilla,pop up bar in downtown Jamaica, part museum,part seedy dive,part schoolroom but thrilling in its randomness with a twist.Again,photo taken in afternoon before the crowd descended.

Pop-UP Shop,Saxmundham .Suffolk 9th - 16th July 2011

Hidden in Saxmundham Suffolk a rare event.A brilliant Pop-up Shop For this week only.Full of the most desirable,woven mats,African textiles,English Design,Blankets,Satchels, Ceramics,Carved spoons,so much that is beautiful and irresistable, impossible  to keep your purse closed!!!!!!Oh and Original Little Bird is there too.

Weekend at The English Cottage,Suffolk

Exploring the shadows and natural light.

Roger Ackling Show

My great friend Roger Ackling has a new show that I will visit when next in London.

Check out my conversation with him on my website .

Beautiful hand written labels by Sheila Gates