NEW YEAR notices
Tuesday, 05 January 2010
Very warm wishes for a "Happy New Year". Time to set goals and re-assess priorities. The Guild has established some important ties in the last couple of years and this would be a good moment to list some of them and let you know what they are up to this year.
Very warm wishes for a "Happy New Year". Time to set goals and re-assess priorities. The Guild has established some important ties in the last couple of years and this would be a good moment to list some of them and let you know what they are up to this year.
1. While studying the craft industry in Spain I was made aware of how well the British organize themselves and how much more effective independent associations can be than well intentioned but bureaucratic government initiatives. An English weaver married to a Spanish basket maker introduced me to the Heritage Craft Association, chaired by Robin Wood, a wood turner himself, who has got together with heads of various specialized craft associations is actively lobbying for Government to aid apprenticeships in the same way they give financial aid to degrees and career development schemes.
The Heritage Craft Association would like all craftsmen and women to fill out a short questionnaire, please go to their website for further information: http://heritagecraftsassociation.blogspot.com/2009/12/heritage-crafts-association-seeks-input.html
2. Towards the end of the year I was invited to a presentation by the British Crafts Council, they have come up with the seemingly vacuous notion of getting as many people as possible to sign a petition saying you care about Crafts "CRAFT MATTERS". However, as banally obvious as that is to us, perhaps having a significant amount of signatures is what is necessary to lobby on behalf of our industry and so I urge that you do, in fact, sign this silly thing - no pain no gain!
To sign up to the statement 'I'm signing up to Make Craft Count because Craft Matters to me', visit www.craftscouncil.org.uk/craftmatters.
The Art Workers Guild is a Partner of the Cultural Bloomsbury networking group: http://www.culturalbloomsbury.org/breakfasts.html
Interesting exhibition to see: CRAFTIVISM in Bristol: http://www.arnolfini.org.uk/whatson/exhibitions/details/549
November Notices
Wednesday, 04 November 2009
1. Daphne Gradidge has a foyer exhibition of her paintings at Turner Sims at the University of Southampton, which runs until the 6th November.
2. Next Life Drawing Class is on the 26th November – sign up with Monica
3. A refurbishment project by Stephen Oliver at Church in Wolverhampton
Other Guildsmen who worked directly on this include Rory Young and Katie Worthington.
The project can truly be described as a Guild collaboration – it came via Fr Anthony Symondson (a good friend of the Guild) to Hugh Petter and thence to Stephen Oliver. Brother Rory Young was helped out on site by Andy Mitchell, so from its earliest stages of the project, the Guild has been there!
4.
5. The Christmas Fair this year will fall on Sunday 6th December, please come and support with friends and family. There are still some stalls left to hire, contact the Guild Secretary as soon as possible if you are interested to participate in this very social and festive event!!
Barcelona 1
Friday, 31 July 2009
My first interview is with 'Artesania Catalana', I was told at the beginning of my trip that Catalunia is the most advanced province in terms of helping crafts gain recognition.
This office was set up specifically to promote traditional and contemporary crafts. They have a gallery space, publish a monthly magazine called "", and they organize different projects. Significantly Barcelona has some of the best schools in ceramics, graphics and design. It also has more Museums than other provinces and the Decorative Arts museum is better than the one in Madrid!
Since 2007 they have started putting modern designers together with traditional craftsmen to produce new products using the traditional methods. They have had some success, although when I asked where could I see this collection of objects I was told that the objects belonged to the designers so there was no link between them, they where trying to produce a website with all the objects on them.
The offices where situated in the old part of the city and it was interesting to see that here you do find antique shops selling Spanish antiques other than religious artifacts. I also saw workshops for upholsterers and furniture restorers. I arrived early for the interview so that I could have a quick peak at the famous "Bour" Market.
On the Wednesday I had a busy day first seeing Oscar Abba, an Italian jeweler living in Barcelona for a very long time.
He studied Philosophy at University in Rome and then came to Barcelona to do jewelry at the famous Massana School.
He admits to being a bit of an odd ball and prefers to work in projects where his client asks him to produce something relating to a piece of art or building. He has had commissions from the Porche Foundation and the V&A.
We talked more about philosophy over a cup of coffee.
I then went to see Leo.
He and his partner set up a gallery (klimt@klimt02.net) specializing in contemporary jewelry and a website that offers a very comprehensive view of the "advent guard" jewelry scene. I was surprised that no one had asked them their opinions on how to market/improve Spanish jewelry, neither the government, or the schools.
In the afternoon I went to see the ONLY wallpaper producers in Spain. I was quite excited about this because as some of you know I am a Trustee of the Wallpaper History Society, so this meeting was a must!
Dani is the third generation in the family working in the firm and the and his brothers have revolutionized the business by getting famous designers to produce designs for them and improving distribution so that the can deliver anywhere in Spain within 24 hours. The get all their papers printed in Valencia and use rollers, no digital printing yet. This year is the first year they are also producing some fabrics. www.trestintas.com
You can see their product in Chelsea Harbour!
My final picture was taken inside the famous design shop Vincom, full of fab gadgets we can probably live without, but a really well designed shop with very tasteful things, well worth a visit.
They had an exhibition on the Barbie phenomenon, which I had to resist.
