All Things Considered

Leila’s Shop & Deli
Posted by Simon Lewin

We finally made it to Leila's Café just by Arnold Circus, London E2 the other weekend. The only shame was we'd already eaten breakfast so couldn't sample the food properly (the fried eggs & ham looked fab).

And we were recently introduced to a new website, Spitalfields Life, a personal blog covering the history, culture, personalities and domestic life of the area. They like Leila's too...

"It is almost impossible for me to walk past Leila’s shop without succumbing to curiosity and stepping inside to see what is new. Regularly, I leave clutching a small brown paper bag with a dark moist slice of gingerbread inside to lift my spirits. This is something that can make my day. When they are in season, I have bought highly scented Narcissi from the Scilly Isles here and Bluebells from Cornwall too. Leila always tries to keep English flowers in stock, in fact whenever I ask where any of her stock comes from, whether a little bag of Lapsang Souchong or a large jar of Honey, there is always a story attached." More

Leila's Shop & Café is at 17 Calvert Avenue, London E2 7JP. Photo courtesy of Spitalfields Life.

Posted by Simon Lewin on October 9th, 2009

Norfolk Yarn
Posted by Kate Sullivan

I'm currently getting my creative fix from crocheting. Hooking the yarn through a series of loops is extremely therapeutic and meditative. Crocheting also has the added advantage of being mess free and portable, unlike some of my other attempted hobbies. I'm drawn to charity shops for odd bags of yarn and have become a frequent visitor to Norfolk Yarn in Norwich who stock a great collection of wools and cottons from around the world.

Whilst in the shop one batch of yarns by Mirasol really caught my attention. I was then told that the sales of Mirasol yarn help an education project in Peru called The Mirasol Project.

'This project aims to raise enough money from the sale of alpaca wool and cotton yarns to finance the building and day-to-day running of a boarding centre at the ranch, to support the children of the alpaca shepherds in their educational studies. The boarding centre will focus on an integrated health and educational programme and provide a secure place for the children to develop their potential'

You can follow developments of The Mirasol Project via their blog.

Posted by Kate Sullivan on October 7th, 2009

POP! Goes the Weasel
Posted by Simon Lewin

Designer Richard Ardagh has collaborated with Graham Bignell of the New North Press on another lyrical letterpress poster, 'POP! Goes The Weasel'.

Based in North London, the Press produces a range of artists' books, portfolios and print editions on their Albion presses.

Back in April we featured 'The Travelling Barmaid' - published by the Press - and Graham and Richard will be at the Fine Press Book Fair in November to showcase the work.

Copies of the poster below can be purchased online from the New North Press website.

Posted by Simon Lewin on October 4th, 2009

Edward Bawden at the Bedford Gallery
Posted by Simon Lewin

Update: We now have copies of Entertaining À La Carte, a book profiling Edward Bawden's work for Fortnum & Mason available from our online print store.

Last week we delivered a selection of work by artists we represent at St. Jude's to the Bedford Gallery - the new exhibition venue of the Cecil Higgins Art Gallery and Bedford Museum.

We're pleased to be supporting their forthcoming exhibition of work by Edward Bawden and the prints we delivered are from a selection of artists who would cite Bawden as an influence on their own printmaking.

Between 1981 and 1989, Bawden donated the contents of his studio to the Cecil Higgins Art Gallery. The collection of over 3,000 items covers every medium he worked in with work from his student days in the 1920s right up to the commissions he received in the 1980s. The exhibition features his printmaking and painting alongside a selection of murals, wallpapers and commercial illustration and design. We had a sneak preview last week and it's an inspiring selection of work.

The exhibition runs from the 3rd of October 2009 until 31st January 2010 and there are a number of lunchtime talks, artists' talks and workshops running throughout. Four of these are with artists exhibited at St. Jude's...

Saturday 10th October (11.30-15.30) - Christopher Brown will be giving a talk and linocut demonstration and you'll have a chance to make your own linocut print.

Monday 26th October (14.00-15.30) - Jonny Hannah will be running a poster design and illustration workshop for children 8+.

Saturday 7th November (14.00-16.00)  - Jonny Hannah hosts an illustration and typography workshop.

Saturday 23rd January (14.00-16.00) - Mark Hearld will be hosting a collage workshop.

Admission to all of these events is free of charge but booking is essential. To reserve a place please call 01234 353323.

Edward Bawden at The Bedford Gallery, Castle Lane, Bedford. From 3rd October 2009 until 31st January 2010. More

Posted by Simon Lewin on October 1st, 2009