Camilla Barnard

ARTS THREAD and Designersblock teamed up once again to bring you some of the best and brightest emerging design talents, this time at Interiors UK, Birmingham. From our Call for Entries, we selected six unique creatives from the realms of illustration, ceramics, product design and textiles.

University of Brighton 3D Materials Practice BA (Hons) graduate Camilla Barnard was there, displaying her three dimensional illustrations. Using wood, Camilla recreates everyday objects such as telephones, pencils and screwdrivers, all to surprisingly life-like effect.

Camilla explains: ‘I made the objects to trick my classmates. When they were looking for tools I would trick them into picking up the wrong ones. It will annoy them at first but I think it also makes them really appreciate the real thing once they have it.’

Catherine Frere-Smith

Catherine Frere-Smith also joined us to showcase her beautiful prints for interiors and fashion design. The Chelsea College of Art & design graduate also showed her lovely Old Farmhouse collection of hand embroidered fabric birds.

Sarahjane Harrison/Holly Wilson

We were pleased to see so many visitors at the Designersblock Design Village were enjoying sitting on Sarahjane Harrison’s Urbanisation chairs. The Liverpool Hope University Design BSc graduate printed the upholstery with photographs of Liverpool which she took during her investigation into how Chinese culture has affected the city.

If you visited The Local pub in the Design Village then you would have spotted University of Worcester Illustration BA (Hons) graduate Holly Wilson’s brilliant owl illustrations. The incredible amount of detail which goes into Holly’s illustration really impressed us and visitors.

Karin Soderquist/Katy Jennings

Camberwell College of Arts graduate Karin Soderquist had several of her 3D illustrations dotted around the Village while Royal College of Art
Ceramics & Glass MA graduate Katy Jennings had a display full of her ornamental Knitwear Birds. The birds are purposefully chipped during production in order to give each one its own individual ‘personality’.

Camilla Barnard
Catherine Frere-Smith
Sarahjane Harrison
Holly Wilson
Karin Soderquist
Katy Jennings

Kerry Peterson

‘Slip below’, the title of RMIT’s Ceramics Graduate Exhibition is a play on words: “To slip down might have a hint of slapstick about it, and even a fear of hurting oneself in the process, however in all seriousness this invitation is merely encouraging you to slip down to the ceramics studio in the basement of building 4 at RMIT university.”

Work from the ten BA Fine Art graduates featured in the exhibition is comprised of wheel thrown pieces, sculptural forms and installations. These works “have a sense of freedom which belies the constraints of traditional ceramics, introducing mixed media components and removing the pedestal plinth which for so long has dominated the medium.”

Kerry Peterson’s miniature garden is a “tribute to the delicate death and fleeting existence of the overlooked areas of our own yards”. More interested in the plants that aren’t supposed to be there than those that are, such as weeds, Kerry is fascinated by the simple, unappreciated beauty of these plants. Kerry’s delicate pieces demonstrate that ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder’ as she draws inspiration from “the detail in the world around me”.

Callum Donald

The manipulation and experimentation of crystalline glaze is the key component in Callum Donald’s pieces. Inspired by the work of John Payne, Callum visited John’s studio gallery in Bingie Bingie on the NSW coast. By blending various glazes together, Callum has created a contemporary collection of work that explores the traditional Song Dynasty forms. A highlight of Callum’s work is a copper green black crystalline glaze that features green and black crystals over a dark green background.

Esther Konings-Oakes

Esther Konings-Oakes’ work is inspired by the fragility and vulnerability of our coral reefs. Esther explains that “Our own expired coral reefs surround us all as either masonry or concrete. It is so seamlessly integrated into our lives we are not aware of its organic origin.” Ernst Haeckel’s and Albertus Seba’s lithographs of natural forms are a source of inspiration for Esther’s body of work. Our natural treasures, such as coral reefs are taken for granted when we overlook rises in water temperatures, which “cause the zooxanthellae (a symbiotic algae) to flee coral tissue causing it to lose its colour and source of energy”, says Esther. “Bleached they stand – weakened and vulnerable to infection and death. They await our mining, crushing and burning to make the cement that holds our metropolis together.”

Sophie Moorhouse Morris

Sophie Moorhouse Morris is drawn to “detailed and time consuming work”. This type of work appeals to her “because it allows my ideas, insights and movements with materials to flow”. Sophie’s latest work is no exception to this philosophy, demonstrated through her intricate circular structures that are formed with fine thread in an assortment of colours. Sophie is also influenced by “material, texture, pattern and or space” and the way these elements communicate and make us feel.

Lizzie Burke

“The texture of the clay is a vital part of my work. Each form is unique in exterior and surface,” explains Lizzie Claire Burke. Lizzie uses a technique called ‘coiling’ to make the clay swell naturally. Her resulting work features four unique columns that are part of a collection or ‘family’ that are designed to “interact with each other; so as they appear to reach out and react to the other.”

Jono Warren

Inspired by landscape, and in particular tree rings, Jono Warren’s work “represents the simple use of line and pattern found in the environment, highlighting its important sense of history”. Jono’s final collection consists of three forms that have been hand-thrown on the pottery wheel and then hand carved. The resulting pieces carry a sense of age and history, like a stalagmite that has taken hundreds of years to develop.

Tonia Kwok

“What if I lost a limb or any part of my body somehow? Could I replace that part with ceramic?” questions Tonia Kwok. Tonia’s work has been largely inspired by Aimee Mullins who is a successful athlete, fashion model and actress. Aimee was born without fibula bones, so both of her legs had to be amputated when she was a baby. Tonia explains that “the concept for this project is about expressing a new function and the rebuilding of particular body parts – eyes and hands.” Whilst Tonia’s pieces may consist of assorted body parts, each piece has been carefully considered and lovingly crafted. Tonia’s work is elegant, sensitively tasteful, and leaves viewers with a powerful message.

Anna Rowbury

“Excitement, anticipation and danger” are just some of the emotions that Anna Rowbury experiences when she visits the shed on her country property in the Otway Ranges, Southern Victoria. Anna’s work identifies “some of my key touchstone experiences of the farm: objects I use, life observed and nature studied” that maintain her attachment to rural life. “I detail the architectural elements of the farm, in particular the metal gates, tools and vessels I use,” says Anna. Anna’s collection of simple, traditional tools is charming and sure to evoke happy memories for many viewers who also grew up in the country or enjoy being outside.

Jia Jia Ji Chen

“I was determined in my final year to stay within the confines of my ‘craft’ and create a rather laborious, technically skilled and intensely handmade series of works,” explains Jia Jia Ji Chen. All of Jia Jia’s efforts have certainly paid off through an intricate collection of pieces created under the theme, “Blanket”. Each piece has been meticulously crafted and some pieces have been added to others to form an impeccable larger body of work.

Erica Tursan D’Espaignet

Exploring the relationship between the natural and man-made environments, Erica Tursan D’Espaignet has recreated an antique chair in clay and incorporated this with various natural elements. Erica explains that the empty chair has several functions: “as metaphor for presence or absence of a body and also as an invitation to sit, reflect and contemplate the passage of time.”

Erica was drawn to RMIT’s course to increase her technical skill and understanding of ceramics, including glaze testing and firing a kiln. “I was also attracted by the freedom you are given to follow your own interests with ‘alternative studio’ subjects.”

Erica’s advice to other prospective students considering a similar course is to “be open to trying a variety of different things: play, experiment and test. Also, trust your own instincts and make work that appeals to you, not work that fits other people’s criteria for success.”

Images by Noble Photography.

Sian Zeng, 'Magnetic Wallpaper'

While some of you might have headed to the high street for your Christmas shopping last weekend, ARTS THREAD were scouting for one-of-a-kind handmade gifts at Cockpit Arts’ Christmas Open Studios. Now in it’s 25th year, the award winning Social Enterprise and ‘creative business incubator’ for designer makers opened its Holborn studio doors to the public for three days, and will be doing the same at the Deptford studios this weekend.

We found the quality of everything on show really impressive, with nothing below par, and some really original concepts across all crafts. There was a great variety of jewellery, fashion, homeware, textiles and lighting.

Our favourite discovery was the interactive magnetic wallpaper by Sian Zeng (above), which features magnetic paper characters that can be moved around an illustrated scene, as well as speech bubbles that can be written on to create a personalised, ever-changing narrative. The concept is based around the changeable nature of fairytales, in which things are not always as they seem, frogs become princes, and vice versa. A Central St Martin’s Textiles graduate, Sian creates unique interior products with strong visual narrative, and her wallpapers have been chosen as one of Heal’s Christmas Picks this year. Sian’s collection of stuffed toys, Christmas cards and cushions all feature her quirky illustrations.

Tania Clarke Hall

Another highlight was Tania Clarke Hall’s dynamic leather jewellery. Inspired by tribal jewellery, Japanese wabi sabi and ‘the beauty of geometric solutions’, Tania explores the potential of leather as a material in jewellery, by bending, weaving, slashing and manipulating vegetable tanned leather in a variety of rich colours.

Sena Gu

We also loved Sena Gu’s tableware featuring fruit and vegetables cast in porcelain. Her cauliflower range seemed to be attracting a lot of attention and we also liked the simplicity of the lemon squeezer. A Royal College of Arts graduate, Sena aims to inject humour and a sense of vibrancy into her work, pulling away from the stereotypes associated with traditional tableware.

Some other stand-out designers deserve a mention – tailor Justin Oh, ceramicists Yoyo Ceramics and Shan Annabelle Valla and Zoe Miller of Tangent Accessories with her beautiful lambswool accessories.

The Deptford Christmas Open Studios will run from 2-4 December at 18-22 Creekside, London, SE8 3DZ. Opening times are 11am- 9pm on Friday and 11am – 6pm on Saturday and Sunday.

For more information:

Cockpit Arts Website.
Sian Zeng
Tania Clarke Hall
Sena Gu

Helen Stevens, 'SurfacePhilia'

Surface Designer and Illustrator Helen Stevens, founder of design brand SurfacePhilia recently launched her gorgeous ‘Navajo’ wallpaper range at Tent London. The range holds five distinctive designs which draw inspiration from American bird types, feathers and the patterns found within Native-American jewellery. ARTS THREAD caught up with Helen to talk about her career, university days and future plans for SurfacePhilia.

ARTS THREAD: Talk us through your creative process

Helen Stevens: I am interested in pushing boundaries between many areas of design such as illustration, repeat pattern, traditional painting and drawing techniques and surface embellishment. I like to play on the unexpected and introduce unusual combinations of imagery into my work and products. With my wallpaper designs I tried to bring as much innovation into flat print as possible, by playing with scale, heavy patterns, colour and overly complicated repeats.

AT: What made you want to become a designer and more specifically what lead you to specialise in surface design?

HS: As a child all I ever did was draw, paint and observe how things look, from flowers and birds to the fashions and interiors in films. I was lucky enough to travel the world at a young age due to my fathers job, I saw many interesting sights, colours and textures. I think things you absorb as a child form who you are as an adult. I have always been interested in both fashion and interiors and couldn’t decide between the two subjects. Studying a drawing and pattern based course made sense and I found that the Textiles and Surface Design course at CCAD would enable me to be involved with both fields of design and also continue to expand my drawing skills.

Helen Stevens, 'SurfacePhilia'

AT: What would you say was your first ‘big break’ after graduating?

HS: When I graduated I moved to London and began designing prints for Red Or Dead. It was a great experience and I learned a lot about working within industry and designing on a commercial level. Getting a break doesn’t necessarily come easy, with so many design degree’s and thousands of students leaving education each year, only the more determined and motivated will stand a chance of employment or becoming recognized as a standalone designer.

My biggest break has only been in recent months after the official launch of my surface design business, at London Design Festival. My work was picked up by Liberty London who are now wanting to represent my debut wallpaper collection in store. I also made contacts with international agents, interior designers and stylists who are interested in working with me. Again, this required a long period of hard graft, manufacturing issues, marketing, generally juggling of a lot of balls! It doesn’t come easy.

Helen Stevens, 'SurfacePhilia'

AT: What do you wish you had been told in college/university about the real world of working?

HS: Whilst in university you are concentrating on developing your style and being as innovative as you can be – whilst you can, before moving into industry. I would have benefited from learning all about the ‘business’ side to design, such as finances and marketing. And being told about the realistic side to self employment, your earnings, out goings, the jobs you have to juggle in order to support your dream of designing. You sacrifice a lot – long working hours, putting any spare cash back into the business, the many roles you have to play within the business, but I definitely wouldn’t want it any other way!

AT: If you could travel back in time, what advice would you give to yourself as a student?

HS: Concentrate and commit to your studies from the first year. I lectured in Textiles and Surface for seven years and students always step it up in the final year, I did it as well. Something just clicks (I think it might be called pressure!?) and you see some amazing results, even squeezed down to the last months. You always hear stories of regret after seeing what can be produced in such short periods of time. Many students feel they could do with an extra year afterwards to keep going at that standard and producing more incredible portfolio work.

Helen Stevens, 'SurfacePhilia'

AT: You set up Designers Marketplace three years ago, what was the reasoning behind this idea?

HS: Working as a lecturer for those years and also running my own design business (on a smaller level) I recognized the need for support and encouragement for designers after and outside of education. If you’re in certain areas of design and want to work within industry the likelihood is you will have to leave your area and move to London or abroad. Having left London to move back to the North East, I really felt isolation in what I did. It was taking the idea of a Portobello or Spitalfields and bringing it back north, using it to encourage people to continue using their skill sets, knowledge and talent after graduation.

AT: How do you see the ‘SurfacePhilia’ brand expanding?
HS: I have a lot of ideas for the future but I need to remember to take baby steps, learning to walk before running and making sure my standard of work remains high and my business remains loyal to what I want it to be about, rather than moving down every commercial route possible.

Right now I am launching my debut wallpaper collection and working on lifestyle products such as cushions and china ranges to sit as a collection. What I am really interested in is working with large companies and organisations on a commission basis, working with interior designers, stylists, other design brands, hotels. Mural painting and collaborative projects with other designers is also what I want to focus on. I am still very keen on experimenting with techniques and applications within surface design including screen printing and hand embellishment. I want a strong conceptual and innovative approach behind my ideas for both the commercial and not so commercial side of the business.

SurfacePhilia website.

Designers Marketplace website.

Oskar Peet & Sophie Mensen ,'Syzygy'

Why are things the way they are? This is the question which the twelve participating creatives tackled when producing their new work for ‘Objects Rescoped’ at the Galerie van de Water during this year’s Dutch Design Week. The meanings behind ordinary objects were challenged by the designers, making us re-think and re-appreciate things around us.

Exhibition goers were invited to walk around the space and observe the work through conical ‘viewers’, directing your gaze towards specific details.

‘Syzsygy’ by Oskar Peet and Sophie Mensen is a continuous light source which draws inspiration from the moon, sun and planets of our solar system. The light features three disks, two of which can be turned to produce solar eclipse effects.

Monique Habraken, 'Tapestry from a collection of feathers from one male duck'/Eefiene Bolhuis, 'Barley'

Monique Habraken’s tapestry made entirely from duck feathers was one of the highlights of the show. The rich colours and textures from the feathers, which Monique sourced from a slaughterhouse, are absolutely stunning. Nearby, Eefiene Bolhuis’ ‘Barley’ swayed carelessly in the breeze provided by a small fan. The beautiful moving jewellery looked surprisingly realistic.

Florian de Visser, 'Animatorium' / Eva Gevaert, 'Babushka'

Florian de Visser showcased ‘Animatorium’, a low-tech Florian developed to make scale models and videos which were combined together to create a surreal visual experience. We really liked Eva Gevaert’s wooden ‘Babushka’ vessels. Each vessel is made from several completely different parts which fit perfectly together even though they look as if they wont fit.

Dutch Design Week 2011 website.

Oskar Peet
Sophie Mensen
Monique Habraken
Eefiene Bolhuis
Florian de Visser
Eva Gavaert

Photography by Ruud Peijenburg

Zsófia Neuzer / Erzsébet Lehoczki/ Márton Varga

BA graduates from the Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design’s (MOME) Ceramics, Glass and Metal design departments exhibit their best designs at the Klauzál13 Contemporary Art Gallery, Budapest. ARTS THREAD picks out a few of the best pieces from the show.

Metal graduate Zsófia Neuzer came up with a clever and playful little solution to stop shoelaces from coming untied. The colourful clips she has created are practical yet eye-catching and will be particularly useful for young children who are constantly tripping over their own shoelaces!

Erzsébet Lehoczki produced what appeared to be a set of knuckledusters made from sponge. The materials used for her design clearly contradict the initial purpose of knuckledusters, therefore turning the object which is usually associated with violence into something playful.

Also combining hard and soft aesthetics was ceramics designer Márton Varga’s who produced a set of simple serving dishes which incorporated both sharp, geometric corners and rounded edges at once.

Eszter Kovács/ Bernadett Kiss

We really liked the contrasting materials used in Eszter Kovács’ elegant tea set and in Bernadett Kiss’ kitchen condiment holders. Eszter complimented the opaque surfaces of her ceramic tea pot and cups by adding a translucent handle, while Bernadett added some unconventional wooden lids to her bulb shaped ceramic containers.

The Ceramics, Glass, Metals exhibition runs from 2nd – 30th October at the Klauzál13 Contemporary Art Gallery and Bookstore, 13 Klauzál tér, Budapest 1072

Budapest Design Week website.

Sophie Woodrow

Ceramic highlights at Origin this year ranged from uncanny realism to shameless fantasy.

ARTS THREAD was charmed by Sophie Woodrow and her collection of bizarre white porcelain creatures. Pulled directly from her imagination, Sophie created these magnificent sculptural pieces using the age-old technique of coiling and pinching. Inspired by the beauty and variety of animals, the surreal creations are intended to reflect on the separation between human culture and the natural world.

Penkridge Ceramics

Serving as a sharp contrast to Sophie’s surreal designs, Penkridge Ceramics presented some stunningly realistic ceramic and pewter fruit, vegetables and horse chestnuts. They were so convincing that we wondered what a grocer was doing exhibiting at a craft fair! On closer inspection we realised that, through attention to detail, highly skilled development and application of glazes, the designers at Penkridge had achieved the impossible and recreated natural objects so that they are pretty much indistinguishable from the real thing.

Charlotte Sale

Glass artist Charlotte Sale, of the BBC’s ‘Britain’s Next Big Thing’ fame, is one of only a few female glass blowers in the country. Her high quality, dynamic vessels are incredibly tactile and available in a range of vivid colours. Now selling at Liberty’s she has come a long way in a short time since graduating in 2009 from the Royal College of Art.

Lilly's Lightbox Company

Upcycling is a concept ARTS THREAD comes across more and more and at London Design Festival we found it applied in many varied ways to furniture. At Origin, we found Lilly’s Lightbox Company, run by Berliner Felicia Strehmel. Incorporating her passion for photography, Felicia uses individual drawers from reclaimed antique chests of drawers to create light boxes that feature her photographs. The result is a lovely retro, nostalgic aesthetic.

Visit the Origin website for more information on this year’s show. To discover more about these designers:

Sophie Woodrow
Penkridge Ceramics
Charlotte Sale Glass
Lilly’s Lightbox Company

Kami Pots, Ett La Benn

Interiors store Mint explores the unconventional in this year’s LDF, featuring the work of 60 designers from around the world, with an emphasis on the use of materials to produce the least likely of products and finishes. Open until Friday September 30th, look out for everything from seating, tables and lighting to jewellery, ceramics and much more.

Kami Pots are a beautiful collection of both pots and home lighting designed by Ett La Benn. Inspired by innovation and high aesthetics Ett La Benn likes to produce products that bring ‘innovation into reality.’ The Kami Pots do just this, manufactured from 100% biodegradable cellulose and manufactured by air-drying. This attention to ecological developments in their designs allows the natural raw finish to be visible.

Funky Dread Stool, Jolanda van Goor

Jack, Jacob and Jim coatstands, Silo Studio

Silo Studio contributes with these vibrant Jack, Jacob and Jim coatstands. The form is inspired by the act of hanging your clothes and the material is soft to reflect the items falling onto the skin. Manufactured by a simple and expressive technique, the details of the stitch and grain of the textile are a prominent feature. The material used is ‘Not So Expanded Polystyrene’ and by adding a variety of coloured granules the desired ‘noisy pixelated’ quality is achieved.

Sachetto Armchair, Spalvieri Del Ciotto

Spalvieri Del Ciotto displays this wonderfully versatile seating at Mint this year. The Sachetto Armchair is a celebration of the material Tyvek, a non-woven high-density polyethylene, which aesthetically looks like waxed paper. Tyvek is a waterproof and uv-resistant material allowing it to live happily both in and outside. Manufactured using a modern ultrasonic soldering technique, the Sachetto Armchair is incredibly resistant but still maintains a delicate appearance.

If I had a Heart, I could love you, Malene Hartmann Rasmussen; Fear of the dark, Sarah Birnie

Look out also for two designers who were also at Designersblock with ARTS THREAD, Malene Hartmann Rasmussen with her ceramic installation If I had a Heart, I could love you and Sarah Birnie‘s Fear of the Dark, also in ceramics.

Mint Explores, Mint, 2, North Terrace, Alexander Square, London, SW3 2BA, runs until 30th September. Open Mon-Sat 10:30am-6:30pm, Sun 12pm-5pm.

Ett La Benn
Jolanda van Goor
Silo Studio

Designersblock

ARTS THREAD are at Designersblock in the Farmiloe Building, Clerkenwell offering valuable portfolio advice and guiding visitors to the incredible work of 10 fresh talents found on the ARTS THREAD Portfolio site. We’ll be here until Sunday so make sure you pop in to say ‘Hi’!

Communication Art and Design MA graduate Chris Stoneman showcases his new wall piece for Somerset House. The piece looks intriguing set up against the wall and windows on the first floor of the Farmiloe building.

Textiles graduate Emma Lundgren displays her ‘Future Folklore’ project on the first floor. Emma’s pieces are hung from the ceiling allowing them to be viewed up close and at 360 degrees.

Chris Stoneman/ Emma Lundgren

Rosie Thompson’s digital print project ‘Snowdon’ is interestingly displayed through a wall projection and 3D concept models. Visit the first floor to see textile graduate, Rosie’s surface design project.

Next door, Hannah Coxeter showcases two pieces – ‘Waiting Game’ and ‘Social Behaviour Order.’ Bright and bold, Hannah’s display is a real eye-catcher and shows off her love of plastic and metal materials.

Hannah Coxeter/ Rosie Thompson

Tim Pryde puts fun into charity donating by creating ‘Don-8r’, a robot that moves when it receives money. Currently Tim is using the robot to raise money for The Pluto Appeal.

Malene Rasmussen showcases a selection of her ceramic work from her final RCA show. Beautifully displayed on a plinth are most pieces from ‘If I had a heart I could love you,’ the centerpiece of this collection can be captured in her display posters or you can visit Mint Explores in South Kensington to see the real piece.

Tim Pryde/ Malene Rasmussen

‘The Windsor Family’ and ‘Underconstruction’ are two pieces on display on the ground floor by London Metropolitan graduate Ornella Stocco, who is inspired by unusual craft techniques.

Sarah Birnie, a graduate from the University of Brighton displays her ceramic-based installation, ‘Fear of the Dark on the Ground Floor. Displayed vertically between two structural columns Sarah’s piece fits naturally into its surroundings.

Ornella Stocco/ Sarah Birnie

‘A world of yesterday’s tomorrows,’ a fascinating illuminated piece by Nottingham Trent graduate Nadine Spencer. Nadine has taken inspiration from all over the world to create this beautiful chandelier-like piece.

Satoru Kusakabe’s exciting ‘Street View Vandalizer’ is on display on the ground floor, the concept is for graffiti artists tags to be able to show up on Google viewfinder.

Satoru Kusakabe/ Nadine Spencer

Designersblock at the London Design Festival runs from September 22-25 2011 at Farmiloe Building, Clerkenwell, London website.