Goldsmiths' Fair '09

Taking it easy today after a lot of standing yesterday - went to London to Goldsmiths' Hall for their annual jewellery and silverware exhibition. The most amazing array of talent here, and everyone willing to chat and discuss their work. Although the entries are for sale they were a little beyond my purse, but having said that, most of it was sensible pricing and some was affordable. It was the second week of the Fair (different exhibitors from the first week) and I think among my favourites were Amy Duggan ('Intriguing angles and surfaces discovered in the urban environment provide inspiration'), Adele Brereton ('gold and silver forms often combined with smooth handcarved wooden elements') and Sheila R McDonald's enamelling, which shows her love of colour and drawing. Finally, I have to mention the brilliant Jenny Edge's collection of colourful and sweeping curved pieces using the technique of anticlastic raising.


Jenny Edge Sheila McDonald Amy Duggan Adele Brereton

Joan Baez

All of those who remember the 60s - Joan Baez is still wonderful, voice as clear as a bell, can hear every word. Magic evening.

Three gifts

The goblet and bowl above took for ever and a day to make, but I am pleased with the result. I carefully carried them to London to be polished, and for the inside of the bowl to be gilded. The man who did such wonders is called Stephen Goldsmith, and he did a beautiful job. I am hoping that he will do the same for the bowl below when it is finished. The plan is to have the leaf sections gilded and the rest plain.

I have tried another computer skill! Managed (I hope) to scan the rough design I did for the bowl mentioned below, which shows where the tendrils are going to be. After the two previous items - a goblet and a bowl above, which were for present, this is my last one. That's all on this, I'm even boring myself, time for a g&t methinks...

Silver linings again

Had a lovely morning at the workshop working on the bowl I am making. Have managed to make it with several sections so that it can be taken to bits to polish. Am going to get the leaves and wavy stem section gilded. All I have left to do now is to make some tendrils out of PMC and solder them on to the disk section I have made - I say 'all' - I can foresee loads of difficulties between now and the finished product! Anyway, this is roughly what it looks like so far.

You know how it is...

Do you remember when you were a kid and got told off for doing something, you had to do it JUST ONE MORE time? Well, if you think the last entry was irritating....one more bird picture, one more leaf picture...

Colours

Oh dear oh dear, I knew this would be addictive.... The most glorious autumn today, and on my walk I just had to take a few photos, this will irritate everyone, as we can all take good pictures of autumn, but I don't care. After passing this little bird resting after doing his tightrope walk, I took a look at a few reds, and yellows...

Enough! I hear you cry. Oh. Okay.

Daylesford Organics

I think it's called Daylesford Organics - a lovely place in the Cotswolds where you can buy yummy fruits and vegs and cheese, all arranged in the most tempting way in beautiful surroundings. I went there recently with friends and a week or so later I heard that they had had a fire which had destroyed some of it - I hope it wasn't the old part of the barns. It was a bit posh, my VW Polo looked a bit of a poor relation, and you could cut butter with some of the expensively-dieted cheekbones passing by.