All Things Considered

Osbert Lancaster
Posted by Simon Lewin

Yet another exhibition that I'll be leaving until the last few days to get to see...

'Cartoons and Coronets: The Genius of Osbert Lancaster' runs until Sunday 11th January at the Wallace Collection in London.

"Sir Osbert Lancaster (1908-86, knighted 1975), cartoonist, painter,
theatre designer, architectural historian, travel writer and more, gave
the British middle classes their primary education in architecture and
a vocabulary to talk about it. He knew that if you want Brits to take a
subject seriously, you have to make it funny." Read this full review in the Independent.

Frances Lincoln Limited publish a book to accompany the exhibition.

Posted by Simon Lewin on December 31st, 2008

London
Posted by Simon Lewin

"Our Father, who art in Hendon, Harrow Road be Thy name..."

Martin Grover has just produced this "Bus Driver's Prayer" print, based on the lyrics of an Ian Dury song.

It took a move from London to Norfolk to remind me just how much I love the city. And it was joy to read Ted Kessler's piece on Caught By The River...

"I love The Embankment. I love Chapel and Walthamstow Markets. I love the residential streets of Hammersmith, Hackney and Islington - although the rapid poncification of Upper Street is testing that. I love Blackfriars and Waterloo Bridges. I love Hyde Park. I love walking towards Loftus Road in the spring. I love Tabor Road. I love Great Titchfield Street and the hands-in-pocket, ipod-on stroll from my office off Oxford St up to Regents Park to play football, with, yes, jumpers for goalposts, just as I have done since the dawn of time. " Read in full >

I'm already looking forward to February, when we'll be in London for our St. Jude's In The City exhibition at the Bankside Gallery. If you'd like to join us at the private view on Monday 2nd February please sign up for our gallery newsletter.

Posted by Simon Lewin on December 27th, 2008

Merry Christmas!
Posted by Simon Lewin

 

Posted by Simon Lewin on December 24th, 2008

An alternative view
Posted by Simon Lewin

I should stress that Angie and I are both fairly keen on the concept of Christmas, though since running the gallery we've found that attention to our own festivities is left fairly late in the day. Like now.

But I did enjoy coming across this alternative view of Christmas by Philip Larkin, in a letter to Judy Egerton...

32 Pearson Park, Hull
17 December 1958

My dear Judy.

What an awful time of year this is! Just as one is feeling that if one can just hold on, it won’t get any worse, then all this Christmas idiocy bursts upon one like a slavering Niagara of nonsense & completely wrecks one's entire frame. This means, in terms of my life, making a point of buying about six simple inexpensive presents where there are more people about than usual, and going home. No doubt in terms of yours it means seeing your house given over to hoards of mannerless middle-class brats and your good food & drink vanishing into the quacking tooth-equipped jaws of their alleged parents. Yours is the harder course, I can see. On the other hand, mine is happening to me...

Merry Christmas from all at St. Jude's!

Posted by Simon Lewin on December 24th, 2008

Adrian Mitchell
Posted by Simon Lewin

"Adrian Mitchell, the playwright, poet and children’s author known as the Shadow Poet Laureate, has died at the age of 76.

Mitchell was known for a forthright voice often laced with tenderness and wry satire, and the social conscience of his poems dealt with nuclear war, Vietnam, prisons and racism, leading the socialist magazine Red Pepper to dub him “Shadow Poet Laureate” in 2002." Read the full Times obituary

Posted by Simon Lewin on December 22nd, 2008

Kickers
Posted by Kate Sullivan

Not everyone's cup of tea but I quite like the new range of limited edition Kickers designed by The Buzzcocks, Hacienda nightclub and Groove Armada.

Kickers, synonymous with the 1970's, just keep on producing the sturdy practical boot. My four year old has a pair in hideous two tone pink - not my choice.

I particularly like the suede teal shoes designed by Groove Armada but I know others out there will feel some nostalgic familiarity with both The Buzzcocks pale blue, red and blue boots inspired by the artwork from the "Ever Fallen in Love" single sleeve, and the Hacienda Factory 51's black and yellow boot, which pays homage to the iconography of the infamous 1980's nightclub.

Posted by Kate Sullivan on December 20th, 2008

The Albannach
Posted by Simon Lewin

Just back from a couple of days on the wild west coast of Scotland. Treated ourselves to a stay at The Albannach which we'd been meaning to try for years. Run by Colin Craig and Lesley Crosfield, it's homely, warm, comfortable and confident.We enjoyed some of the best food we'd tasted in years.

Had a car-free day on Sunday, taking the path north from the hotel to Achmelvich beach (see below).

Back south via Loch Assynt, Ullapool and Inverness to a soundtrack of E.S.T.'s Seven Days Of Falling and lots of Underworld.

Posted by Simon Lewin on December 17th, 2008

3D Snowflake
Posted by Kate Sullivan

We've designated tomorrow as the day to get into the festive spirit. We'll be heading to Norfolk Christmas Trees in Salle for our tree, then letting the girls dress it up with what ever they can lay their hands on.

Whilst they are doing that, I plan to be drinking mulled wine and trying my hand at making 3D paper snowflakes. Over the past few weeks, I've been scouring the Internet for some simple and attractive snowflakes designs. Here are two of my favorites:

WikiHow's 3D snowflake

 

 

Instructables 3D paper snowflake

3d PAPER SNOWFLAKE - More DIY How To Projects

Posted by Kate Sullivan on December 13th, 2008

350 Miles – An Essex Journey
Posted by Simon Lewin

As the web grows in size by the day, it becomes even more of a pleasure to find those little corners where you instantly feel at home. A recent find has been Caught By The River, edited by Jeff Barrett, Andrew Walsh and Robin Turner. A sort of fishing website? Much more really.

The site features a shop of related books, music etc. and a book - "350 Miles - An Essex Journey" by Ken Worpole and Jason Orton caught my eye...

‘In the early months of 2005, we walked, cycled and occasionally drove, separately or together, much of the 350 miles of coastline, taking in the atmosphere, the landscape, and the abiding relationship to the sea. At the end of the journey we appreciated, more than ever, that the Essex shoreline is especially memorable for its obstinate refusal to conform to conventional notions of what is beautiful or picturesque. This landscape is singularly rich in history, and full of layered meanings and visual pleasures to those who give it the time and attention it deserves’ Ken Warpole

You can purchase a copy via the Caught By The River shop.

Posted by Simon Lewin on December 12th, 2008

The Mini Picture Show
Posted by Angie Lewin

I called into the Bankside Gallery on Sunday to drop off a few wood engravings, adding to the growing collection of framed and unframed works by members of the Royal Society of Painter Printmakers and the Royal Watercolour Society.

When the Mini Picture Show opens on Wednesday evening there will be a great range of small scale prints and watercolours, all available to buy and take home with you. The exhibition runs up to Christmas and beyond. Visit www.banksidegallery.com for further information and opening hours.

Posted by Angie Lewin on December 2nd, 2008