Art & Design at Chatsworth House

 A few weeks ago I went to Chatsworth House, I hadn't been in the house for years and loved how they mix new modern design and artworks with the traditional ancient pieces of the house. 

Here's a few of my fave things:- beautiful ceramic vessels in the fireplace and upcycled wooden chairs in the wood paneled salon...

 

 a Damien Hirst bronze sculpture of a man holding his own skin in the Chapel, and more ceramics in fireplaces...

  

Amazing frescoed ceiling in the main hall...

 

 Beautiful carpets and more frescoes...

 

 Geology cabinet collection and Georgiana (Keira Knightley played her in the Duchess film)...

   

Marble busts and paintings galore...

 Draped beds & Hand-painted Chinese wallpaper in the most gorgeous green colour...

Minimal landscapes & huge chandeliers.

If only I could have sneaked some of those ceramics, the geology collection, carpets and the wooden chairs in my bag!

{I also went in the garden, but that's a whole other post - stay tuned!}

Eric Ravillious

 

A few weeks ago I came across the beautiful illustration work of Eric Ravillious. His works have such an beautiful, quiet charm, I love his use of muted colours of green landscapes and grey skies, his charming interiors, shop fronts and the chalk horses of Wiltshire. He served as a war artist and died in action in WWII in 1942 at the age of 39.

Then a couple of weeks ago I was visiting Manchester Art Gallery and came across a few of his designs he did for Wedgwood pottery including these coronation mugs . . .

 

and a lemonade jug featuring his garden implements design. So fun; perfect for pink lemonade in the garden on a wet English summer's day!

{Click the images for source links}

Art to See: Spring 2014

 

Michael Craig-Martin at Chatsworth

Do you remember my Art to See Series I did last year? Well I miss it so here's a few spring shows to lift your heart, fill your mind, make you think and inspire. Here's what I would see this Spring (near me in Derbyshire & in London):-

 

Against the Grain: Wood Engravings from Sheffield’s Collection

Art & Life at Kettle's Yard


 Abstract Drawing at the Drawing Room




 Gavin Turk: Neons at Bowes Museum


Ellen Gallagher at Hauser & Wirth London


 Lines at Hauser & Wirth Zurich

Hockney Printmaker at Dulwich Picture Gallery

 
 Louise Hopkins at Mummery & Schnelle



 Richard Deacon at Tate Britain 

 
 Matisse: The Cut-Outs at Tate Modern 


Maria Nepomuceno at Victoria Miro

What will you see this Spring?

{all images from gallery links}

Snail Mail Project

 Here's the little package I got in the snail mail project organised by Mirta from Mi + Ed Design. I love the attention to detail on all the packaging and envelopes.

 

   I received such a cute little fabric purse, I'm using to house my business cards, some vintage hankies, cute notes and quotes, a sweet bike card and a yummy chocolate brownie recipe. Thanks so much to my snail mail partner Jael!

 

New Hand-stamped Goodies in my Etsy Shop

 

I've been working on some new patterns for a few new things in my etsy shop. You can't get better than the classic spots and stripes so here's some on cushions, tote bags and notebooks. The cushions come in yellow and blue, check them all out and more in my shop here

 

 

These notebooks come in a Blue and Red Criss-Cross Design & a Yellow and Green Zig-Zag Stripe Design and you can choose from 2 sizes: Large or Small! 

 I've also just started experimenting with lino and made these landscape lino stamped prints, love the call of the wild.

 

I always use a cotton bag whenever I go shopping nowadays, they're so useful to carry around and fit everything I need to buy! So I made a collection of handstamped cotton bags using linocut stamps of circles, lines and crosses and my favourite colour - red! Check them all out here in my shop!