Out of the Ordinary: Spectacular Craft by by Laurie Britton-Newell (Author), Glenn Adamson (Contributor), Tanya Harrod (Contributor), published by Victoria and Albert Museum (November 1, 2007) to accompany the exhibition by the same name. - 13 November 2007 - 17 February 2008 A V&A and Crafts Council exhibition.

Out of the Ordinary - a group of international artists who place craft at the heart of their practice, transforming everyday subjects and materials. … a showcase of examples of meticulous making and attention to detail. Challenging conventional ideas about craft, these artists use tradition to achieve unexpected outcomes. … artists included Olu Amoda, Annie Cattrell, Susan Collis, Naomi Filmer, Lu Shengzhong, Yoshihiro Suda and Anne Wilson.

Catherine Bertola - works with ephemeral material - dust. Carefully collecting and preserving the matter that V&A conservators and cleaners strive daily to remove, she transforms dirt and dead bugs creating a site-specific installation that tells a story about the history of a space.

caption: The property of Two Gentlemen (installation view), 2006, Household dust, pva glue, two Georgian chairs, engraved brass plaques. Photo credit: Douglas Atfield

Susan Collis’s work might at first glance appear to be out of place in an exhibition, and you have to look closely to discover it. Mundane things, seemingly left behind from a previous exhibition, are actually meticulously worked by hand. An apparently paint-splashed dust sheet or ladder which are in fact intricately embroidered or inlaid with lavish materials such as diamonds, silk and mother of pearl. Labouring for many months on a single piece, Collis consciously celebrates both the humility and discipline of making something really well.

caption: Susan Collis, Waltzer Wooden broom, 2007, Opals, turquoise, garnets, seed pearls, mother of pearl, black diamonds, white diamonds, fresh water pearls, coral, black onyx, marcacite, Image courtesy of Seventeen, © Susan Collis, Courtesy of Seventeen.

Yoshihiro Suda creates hyper-realistic flowers and weeds from wood. He carves and paints each piece, using traditional Japanese tools, taking many days to complete a single petal or leaf. His work has been compared to a haiku poem The carved pieces of magnolia wood that become flowers in his hands are whittled down to paper-thin petals, stamens, sepals, leaves and stem with incredible realism, in the same way that language is stripped in haiku, to a very small and pure thing; something momentary. Also, there is a structured and skilled approach to describing nature which exists in both; and further, a fine haiku is able to be very small and exercise a great deal of power. (from circa)

caption: Yoshihiro Suda, Weeds paint on wood, installation view at Naoshima Contemporary Art Museum 2002 , Courtesy Gallery Koyangi.

These are just three of the artists whose work appears in the exhibition - the book which accompanies this show is extraordinary as well, images and text give further information about heach artist, there are interviews with the artists as well as images of their studios and work practices - absolutely fascinating. Only a few days left to see this show - if you are in London you must go! more info here

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