Embroidered maps and Japanese links in ES Magazine

Kusama Exhibition © Tate, London 2012

A busy March kicked off with a great exhibition (on at Tate Modern until 5th June 2012) at the Tate Modern – Yayoi Kusama, a bright and eclectic mix of innovative styles. I wish I’d taken the kids as they would have loved this, bright vibrant work. Yayoi’s self imposed psychiatric care shouldn’t offset what is a truly remarkable and exciting collection of her work.

Courtesy Gladstone Gallery, New York & Brussels
© Alighiero Boetti Estate by DACS / SIAE, 2012, courtesy Fondazione Alighiero e Boetti
Photo: Alex Jamison
© Tate, London 2012

Not a favourite, but visited Alighiero Boetti (on at Tate Modern until 27th May 2012) an influential Italian artist, but whilst the copying of magazines by students I found pretty uninspiring, it was the work – from what I could gather – undertaken at his instigation with the Afghans in the 1970′s creating amazingly bright embroideries, including the famed  Mappa, world maps which seem to have been at their brightest when colours were accidentally incorrect (pink oceans – because that was the material to hand) and then, as it worked so well, subsequently encouraged. Their size and rich colours requires them to be seen first hand… again worth a visit with the children once you’ve been through Yayoi (and skip over the awkward questions from the more perceptive kids!).

Fair use image of ''Girl with a white dog '', 1951 - 1952. Oil on canvas, by Lucien Freud. Artwork copyrighted to Tate, London

Friends kindly invited me to a viewing of Lucien Freud (National Portrait Gallery) a truly massive collection of his work, have to say an almost over whelming collection of flesh.. with the over whelming paintings of the benefits supervisor and his friend Leigh Bowery. The most striking contrast for me was the change from when painting what seemed like the rough textures of those who sat for months at a time for him (probably why so many of the subjects are unconscious), to the softer warmth of his painted children. The most striking works were his self portraits that seem to capture the strength and vitality of this man in a way that surpasses the works he spent on others… not to undermine the extraordinary capture of people, warts and all, with a strength and depth that defies your ridicule.

ES Magazine Feature (Duller Highlighters bottom right)

So following a visit to both of these exhibitions it came as a pleasant surprise that week to see our Duller Highlighters accompanied in the ES Magazine alongside Yayoi and Lucien Freud. It was a well framed piece (seen in our press section) and promoted them well… even if a bit on the small side! The pens if you don’t know them are a set of regular coloured highlighters, but with a delicate brush, modelled on Japanese ink brushes allowing for a more pleasant way to apply highlighting, but also an interesting artistic tool whether practising your character brush skills, enhancing comic illustration or enhancing your ink artwork.

Duller Highlighter available from Raw Dice £20.00

Duller Highlighter

Leo, Rob, John … and Eileen

Leonardo, Detail from The Burlington House Cartoon, about 1499-1500 Photo © The National Gallery, London

… In case you were  wondering whether this is a roll call of the men in my life, let me enlighten you – they are not. Last Friday I just managed to catch a glimpse of Leonardo Da Vinci’s work on display at the National Gallery exhibition. I say glimpse since it was so very busy when went, I guess due to the fact that the exhibition was due to end on the 5th Feb. Despite the civilised pushing and elbowing out of the way, I was amazed at the size and the level of detail of his drawings. His reputation as a great artist and polymath is undoubted, but nowhere in the literature about him did I see any mention of his fantastic eyesight! He must have had what we call ’20/20 vision’ and a great deal of patience and clarity, since the miniature intricate drawings are a marvel to see. I am no art historian or curator, but in my humble opinion (for what it is worth), I am guessing that his numerous drawings acted as a mini sketchbook for the big murals and pictures he created. Artists these days seem to work on a very large scale, hence the need for spaces like the Tate Modern to accommodate them. Which brings me nicely to my afternoon at the Tate Modern.

Eileen White inspired paper cuts

It was freezing in London last Friday, so I took refuge in the afternoon, prior to my evening visit to the National Gallery, at the Tate Modern. Currently, there are no major exhibitions on, so I spent my time going around their collections. I was really pleased to see two paintings (Marguerite Kelsey  1928) & (Portrait of a Young Woman  1935) by Meredith Frampton, which I have discovered from my  regular post updates from The Persephone Books. I also discovered the very enlightening photographs of Akram Zaatari, dating from Studio photos taken in Lebanon in the 1960s and 1970s (situated on Level 5 New Documentary Forms – Tate Modern). Looking at these photos I felt as if I knew some of the people and could associate with them. Perhaps, spending part of my childhood in Turkey meant that they were not totally alien to me.

As for Rob and John, one sunny January afternoon, I had wandered over to Mottisfont Abbey (A National Trust property in Hampshire), to see Cutting Edge Contemporary Paper Art Exhibition. It showcased works from contemporary artists such as Rob Ryan, John Dilnot and Eileen White to name a few. Eileen White also held a workshop at Mottisfont, which I attended with a friend and my daughter. Her work in the house at Mottisfont Abbey called “Come, Heavy Sleep” 2011, was very inspirational and by far the most moving of all the art on display. On our workshop session she guided us through her method of visualising the subject matter and transforming it. The inspiration for her creation was the Winter Garden at Mottisfont Abbey. This is where we too began, sketching and then translating our sketches into paper and then cutting. Needless to say I have not produced a work of art that will be shown anywhere, but I think Isabella was very much inspired. She has been drawing trees and plant life ever since and now carries a sketch book with her most of the time.

Wallpaper and other stories

Where did November go? I have been asking myself this question when I realised that I hadn’t written anything for such a long while! Apologies to you all. Life seemed to go up a gear in November for me with multiple birthdays, multiple exams, pink days (breast cancer), yellow days (children in need) and etc. Phew, thank goodness this month is over!

Raw Dice has been taking off too. We’ve been shipping to the States, Europe etc. It feels good to have a global voice. Of course, leading up to Xmas is a busy time too. We’ve been looking at getting in new stock.

I have been decorating too. With the purchase of a new piano, a lot of furniture maneuvering has been going on. I also came across a couple of rolls of wallpaper that has transformed the setting. There is a bit of a story behind the wallpaper, which I will share with you.

I was out in Salisbury one day back in October when a particular shop display caught my attention. They had some wallpaper on a roll just hanging there, amongst their display of clothes (which is primarily what they sell). The designs of the wallpaper were very distinctive and eye catching, so I went in to ask who they were made by. Alas, they were not available since it was made as a commission for themselves. Never being one to be discouraged by such a minor inconvenience, my next question was what they were planning to do with them once they changed their display? My phone number was duly noted and I was told they would let me know. Roll on a month or so, I was out in Salisbury once again when I noticed that the display had changed. I go in and ask, and yes they can sell me the wallpapers, they only have 2 rolls of each design. I snap up a roll of each (at this moment I have no idea what to do with them).

Roll on a day and my purchases are discovered by David. Not difficult since I had put them next to the new piano. Given that the wallpapers are quite distinctive, I thought that he would ask me what I was thinking of and was I mad to even contemplate such a busy pattern in a north facing room with low ceilings! Saved, David being a man of infinite taste. So he was up for wallpapering there and then, choosing between the 2 designs. I did have to go and buy some more rolls from another branch. Here are the results to see. It really did transform the room and I am very happy with it.

The story goes on. A few years ago, when we were out visiting Lewes in Sussex, we went into one of our favourite haunts – Bow Windows Bookshop. It is a beautiful bookshop selling old and rare books. My copy of R.D. Blackmore’s Lorna Doone came from Bow Windows as a suprise present from David. The wallpaper has extracts from Lorna Doone. So, the piano, wallpaper and Lorna Doone now all sit happily together.

A trip down memory lane

After an unusually hot few weeks in October, it looks like autumn has finally arrived. Although exciting, preparations for the pop-up shop and taking part in London Design Festival meant that September flew by. I met some really interesting people during the Design Festival week and came away with lots of new ideas, all of which I hope to share over the coming months.

Back in Raw Dice HQ, I am prone to daydreaming of the last few months and years…

It seems like only yesterday, but early in September we were foraging for blackberries in the hedgerows. Cow parsley was still flowering in the fields. Although their main flowering season is April to June, apparently it can also be found flowering sporadically the rest of the year. Such wholesome fun (!) reminded me of our holiday in southern Sicily a few years ago.

Spring is one of my favourite seasons (the other being autumn), burgeoning with new life and vitality. Spring time in Sicily did not disappoint. Having no need to pack for the beach, we were free to roam amongst the almond groves of Greek Temples and follow the footsteps of the Normans and explore the remains of their castles. We were close to Agrigento, where you can find the Greek Temple of Concordia. The views were a sight to behold.

We stayed in a rustic farmhouse Azienda Agricola Mandranova. The owners Giuseppe and Sylvia made us feel very welcome, treating us like guests in their home. I particularly enjoyed cooking the evening meal for all the guests with Sylvia (she runs private cookery lessons). I love food, especially cooking and eating it! The style was very much home cooking, using the freshest of ingredients with lots of olive oil (resort produces its own), prepared without fuss or pretension.

The other vivid memory I have of our Sicilian idyll is of the array of wild flowers that were in full bloom. They were in abundance everywhere, especially on the verges. Now, I am reminded of this holiday and the images of the wild flowers whenever I look at the ceramic lighting and vases we have of Liz Emtage’s. She too draws her inspiration from summer holidays and the beauty of the natural world. Her vases become translucent when lit and never fail to evoke images of a very pleasant holiday and allow me to day dream. Capturing the essence of  happy memories, makes life worth living and makes me feel connected to the here and now.

Liz Emtage Cowparley Lamp

Liz Emtage printed tea lights/vases

To see the full range of Liz Emtage ceramics we have on offer, go to Raw Dice.

By the way, despite investing in a jam thermometer, I still managed to have a disaster in my blackberry jelly making attempt. First try, it didn’t set. Now it has set too much and is difficult to spread! The crab apple jelly from a few weeks ago is too runny! The raspberry jam is a hit though. They say third time lucky!

Book Club

There is a pretty cool place around the corner from us in Shoreditch called ‘The Book Club‘. It serves food and you can play pool if you so wish. They have monthly listings for events ranging from music, poetry, talks and readings to workshops etc. All under one roof! Is this what they call a ‘cultural revolution’?

So sitting here I thought I would start up my own Book Club. Well sort of… the usual modus operandi is that everybody reads the same book and it gets discussed at another meeting (usually with liquid refreshments). I am pretty particular about the books I read (stuck in the mud, I guess), so I don’t usually go in for book clubs.  I thought I would tell you what I am reading and you could let me know if you’ve read it and liked it. If not, then I don’t mind, we don’t all have the same taste in books, clothes, art and films, do we?

Did I tell you about my obsession with books and their covers? I do have a passion for them and in another 10 years I will have to move to a bigger house to accommodate them all! I decided to revisit Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’. It is the Penguin Hardback Classics clothbound edition.

These are some old books we have collected of Aubrey Menen, just because we like the jacket designs. I’ve only read one called ‘Dead Man in the Silver Market’. It was very amusing. There is a great website for second hand books AbeBooks.

Today, I’ll mostly be wearing…

Day 2: me at the raw dice pop-up shop

Jeans! It’s so difficult to find the right one. I usually never feel comfortable in them, either. Low waisted jeans are no good if you have hips. I was very happy when I eventually found some jeans from a little boutique shop in Spitalfields called Precious. The Paige Jeans I have are high waisted and fit really well.

The blouse is from Cos. I liked the design of the fabric. Some of Cos’s clothes remind me of Marni, without the hefty price tag.

I have to apologise for these pictures, I feel very self-conscious having to pose for a photo. I never know what to do with my arms, legs etc. My modelling days are obviously over before even getting off the ground!!!

It’s our private view tonight, so I will change into a coat which I wear as a dress. I have no nice photos of the coat/dress with me wearing it, so here is a picture of the coat instead.

Favourbrook dress

Dress fabric

Street Art

Around Shoreditch we are surrounded by a huge array of graffiti, that come and go mysteriously with the night. David has a keen eye for these and regularly spots them on his way to work. He happily snaps these on his jolly jaunts, happily off to another day at the office! I thought I would share David’s photos with you.

I have been out this morning, before opening the pop-up shop, snapping away. Here are a few from today.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.