Week Two of Origin was as full of interesting makers as Week One. I went around with an eye for traditional techniques or unusual materials and found lots of British makers to tell you about.
Jennifer Collier works with paper, fabric, wax and found materials to create amazing sculptural and decorative pieces. Her paper shoes keep popping up in magazine features and they are even better in the flesh. She also makes jewellery from haberdashery and bits and pieces set into resin.
Whitby Jet is a very unusual material. Jet is a fossilised wood that is common to the Yorkshire coastal town of Whitby. This amazing material was used for Victorian mourning jewellery, but Jacqueline Cullen is the only designer working Jet in a contemporary way.
I love vintage kitchenware and thought Steve Handley’s way of re-using implements as decorative elements in wood furniture was just great.
There were several fabulous milliners at the show – it was hard to pick just one to mention here. Rosy Naylor caught my eye with her vaguely vintage shapes with added twists and folds and decorative stitching.
I first saw Cleo Mussi’s mosaics on display at Hove Museum a few months ago and was totally captivated. She uses recycled materials to make whimsical and charming pieces, both small and large. I think mosaic has been a bit under-rated in recent years, and it’s great to see Cleo in this show.
As a textile designer, I am always interested in how other people extend the boundaries of thread. Betty Pepper’s stitched jewellery is delicate and pretty but has an underlying narrative which is enhanced by her use of old books to make containers for the jewellery and as constructed decorative pieces in their own right. She also had one of the nicest stands.
Sarah Thirlwell makes elegant and simple vessels from turned wood with colourful detail. Unlike most turned wood products, Sarah’s work seems very fresh and original. She also makes jewellery and other interior products using acrylic.
Explore more exhibitors yourself by looking at theExhibitors list and Springboard.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Great post! I love the Jennifer Collier´s sculptural .
Cleo Mussi came to our town to work with the ‘underprivileged’ children, and one of the places she visited was my daughter’s school. They made some fabulous mosaics (though I think it was mostly Cleo!). All my girls and I went to see them at the museum and only two other children came, so all my kids were roped in for the newspaper photographs.
The paper “map” shoes are an excellent example of re-purposing old ephemera–something I try to encourage with my blog. I really enjoyed seeing the item featured on your blog. Great post.
wow, just discovered your site via susan/artesprit. great collection. will put it on my blogroll. paper shoes and textile jewelry are pure eye candy and most inspiring.