All Things Considered

A conversation with Ed Kluz
Posted by Simon Lewin

We're pleased to announce the launch of a short film about the work of Ed Kluz.

Filmed and edited by Alun Callender, Ed Kluz discusses his work, inspiration and working practices. The film is shot on location at Racton Tower in West Sussex and at Ed's Brighton studio and home.

Ed is currently collaborating with us at St Jude's on a range of fabrics and wallpapers. You might like to take a look at his Painswick and Lionheart fabrics.

Ed will also be taking part in an exhibition of prints, paintings and collages that we're organising in Edinburgh in July.

Posted by Simon Lewin on April 10th, 2013

Ed Kluz – Open House – Brighton
Posted by Simon Lewin

Artist, designer and illustrator Ed Kluz opens his home in Brighton this weekend with a selling exhibition of paintings, prints, drawings and paper collages inspired by local history and landmarks. His screen-printed fabrics designed for St Jude’s will also be on show with cushion covers available for purchase. A range of Christmas decorative papers and items will also be on sale.

The exhibition is on the third floor of an 1820s townhouse on Norfolk Square. Be prepared for stairs. Find out more

Posted by Simon Lewin on December 12th, 2012

Knockando Woolmill – the opening ceremony
Posted by Simon Lewin

I took a trip up to Speyside last week for the opening ceremony of Knockando Woolmill. 

We're working on another project with the Mill - more on that soon (you might like to sign up for their newsletter for details of this - and to enter their monthly prize draw).

Here are some words from Dr. Jana Hutt, chair of the Knockando Woolmill Trust, about the event...

"The Woolmill was filled with over 120 guests, Trustees, volunteers and staff to greet HRH The Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay. We were celebrating the (almost) completion of the restoration of the Woolmill. The sun shone and the autumn colours glowed.

The Duke had visited the Woolmill prior to restoration and we were anxious that that he would be pleased with the results. luckily, he seemed delighted with all he saw. He met a variety of people involved with restoration project from funders to the main contractor. He was especially interested in the Old Shop, the Design Studio where all our cloth is designed, the cafe, where he discussed the merits of different quiches, and, of course, the machinery. The refurbished carding set and spinning mule ran beautifully. Before leaving, the Duke then 'unveiled' the commemorative paddle by starting the waterwheel going.

The guests then had a celebratory drink and lunch. Huge thanks to all who worked so hard to make the day a stunning success."

Find out more about Knockando Woolmill - including details of opening times, tours and other events via the Knockando Woolmill website.

Posted by Simon Lewin on October 17th, 2012

Edward Bawden – Farmyard tapestry
Posted by Simon Lewin

Took a trip to Edinburgh's Dovecot Studios on Saturday to see their centenary exhibition Weaving The Century, bringing together the largest collection of tapestries ever exhibited in the UK.

The exhibition features works by David Hockney, Paul Gauguin, Elizabeth Blackadder, Sir Peter Blake, Edward Wadsworth, Cecil Beaton, Graham Sutherland, Eduardo Paolozzi, Louise Nevelson and Claire Barclay.

One favourite piece was a tapestry designed by Edward Bawden. We'd encourage you to take a trip to the exhibition to see this up close.

But here's the working watercolour design for the piece, held by our friends at the Fry Art Gallery in Saffron Walden.

Posted by Simon Lewin on August 19th, 2012

Edward Bawden’s House
Posted by Simon Lewin

In 1989 photographer Roy Hammans was asked to record the interior of Edward Bawden's house in Saffron Walden, shortly after his death, by artist Olive Cook on behalf of the Fry Gallery.

Roy's photographs give us a great insight into the home and studio of this influential artist. View the the full set of photographs.

We'd also recommend a visit to the Fry Art Gallery in Saffron Walden where you can see work by Bawden and Cook - alongside many other artists who lived in or had connections with Great Bardfield.

Photographs © Roy Hammans 2010. All rights reserved.

Posted by Simon Lewin on July 18th, 2012

The Kayak House
Posted by Simon Lewin

Regulars to All Things Considered will be aware that we've worked with architect Mary Arnold-Forster of Dualchas on the renovation of our steadings up here in north east Scotland.

Here's another of our favourite Dualchas buildings. The Kayak House (top) with replaced an old shed (below) on a small island off the coast of Skye. Would love to see it for ourselves sometime. Find out more via Archetcetera

Posted by Simon Lewin on June 19th, 2012

IAA Awards
Posted by Simon Lewin

Last night we attended the Moray heat of the Inverness Architectural Association awards and were delighted to win the 'New Life For Old Buildings' category for our steading conversion up here on Speyside.

Credit for this award should be shared by our architect, Mary Arnold-Forster of Skye based practice Dualchas and our tireless main contractor, Willie Grant. This blog posting is really our way of publicly thanking them for doing such an amazing job.

There are five more local regional heats to go (the awards cover a vast area from Shetland to Lochaber, from the Western Isles to Moray) with the final awards being announced in November.

Here are a few snaps of the project, with a some 'befores' to start off with...

Posted by Simon Lewin on June 13th, 2012

Emily Sutton’s High Street
Posted by Simon Lewin

As part of our St. Jude's In The City exhibition in London which opens to the public on 24th May 2012, Emily Sutton will be exhibiting a series of High Street paintings.

Born and raised in the depths of North Yorkshire, Emily studied at the Edinburgh College of Art. With a lifelong love of drawing, painting and crafting, Emily uses a combination these approaches in her current work, producing paintings, prints and handmade birds - as featured in World of Interiors magazine.

Emily is inspired by the relics of a bygone era and afternoons immersed in the contents of the Museum of Childhood in Edinburgh and recently illustrated a children's book for the V&A Museum in London - now in its second edition.

View the rest of the series of High Street paintings and find out more about our St. Jude's In The City exhibition.

Posted by Simon Lewin on May 18th, 2012

Ed Kluz – Theatre Britannica
Posted by Simon Lewin

Work commitments means that we're very reluctantly able to be in London tonight for the opening of Ed Kluz's Theatre Britannica exhibition hosted by Ben Pentreath and Bridie Hall.

The exhibition features drawings, collages and other works by Ed who is fascinated by the objects of our cultural heritage. He seeks out the eccentric, the lost and the overlooked. Follies, curiosities, vanished buildings and folk lore inspire artworks which explore themes of renewal and reinvention.

Ben and Bridie have very kindly let us display Ed's fabrics for St. Jude's in one of their Rugby Street windows. I have to say we're delighted with how Painswick is looking in situ.

Theatre Britannica runs until 26th May 2012 at Ben Pentreath, 17 Rugby Street, London WC1N 3QT.

Here are some of the works exhibited. From top to bottom: a window display featuring Ed's Painswick fabric, Old London After Canaletto, Dundee Arch, Gothick Cottage, A Norwich Prospect and The Dunmore Pineapple.

Posted by Simon Lewin on May 9th, 2012

Bauhaus at the Barbican
Posted by Simon Lewin

The biggest Bauhaus exhibition in the UK for 40 years, Bauhaus: Art As Life, opens at the Barbican on 3rd May 2012.

From expressionist beginnings to a pioneering model uniting art and technology, this London exhibition presents the Bauhaus’ utopian vision to change society in the aftermath of the First World War.

The exhibition will feature work from Bauhaus Masters including Josef and Anni Albers, Marianne Brandt, Marcel Breuer, Walter Gropius, Johannes Itten, Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Hannes Meyer, László Moholy-Nagy, Oskar Schlemmer, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Gunta Stölzl.

Find out more about the exhibition and book tickets online via the Barbican website.

Photograph: Lis Beyer or Ise Gropius sitting on the B3 club chair by Marcel Breuer and wearing a mask by Oskar Schlemmer and dress fabric by Beyer, c.1927. Herzogenrath, Berlin. © Estate Erich Consemüller

Posted by Simon Lewin on April 27th, 2012