Saturday 4 December 2010

Sat Dec 4th - BLISTERS BLACKOUT EXHIBITION at Print Club










Bloody hell, Jamie Reid and Clifford Richards are part of the latest Blisters exhibition at London's Print Club. This is big news for me as a big fan of both legends. Their screen print editions of 40 (as with the requirements for the poster show - 40 artists work, retailing at £40) use glow-in-the-dark ink. The theme for this year's concept is "Blackout" which has resulted in every entry incorporating the pastel lime green ink into their design which comes alive when under a UV light. Great idea - shame that Patternity devised it first for their "Tapestry of Dalston" show last year where they totally blacked out the gallery so the print's patterns popped out - the point being all about the contrast of shapes in this particular atmosphere. The technique was achieved by mounting just black & white screen prints back lit with white light and flooded with UV rays on the surface - simple but smart. With only one high street between the two spaces, I can't help but feel a little curious where this glow-in-the-dark poster show garnered its scheme......... a year after the original invention.

However, there is some beautiful work on show/sale so travel to Dalston this weekend to see all works including prolific super star screen printer Chrissie Abbott - a former resident at the club's studio.

Sat 4th & Sun 5th Dec (Public): 12pm-6pm
Unit 3, Millers Avenue, Dalston London E8 2DS Tel: 07837185927

Sat Dec 4th - Designer Sample Sale this weekend














Its an enslaught of sample sales down in Shoreditch this weekend but my absolute favourite is a collective of London's new school talent. The designers are there in person so its a really nice relaxed and chilled set up to meet the person behind the label and have a natter. The thing I really look forward to is finding rare archive pieces that are remaining in their personal collections. Its the perfect opportunity to invest in classics at accessible prices or snap up a special that has been made for the sale. Cooperative Designs have put together some cute little framed artworks and colourful block scalfes from remnants of past collections. Carolyn Massey even has show-pieces in her selection including these Swedish back pack splints from her last S/S runway show. Julian J Smith has a couple of one-off party dresses, one of which had been snapped up by Little Boots shortly before my arrival.......... so get down to Brick Lane quick to guarantee you get the bargains.......... or just have a snoop through the windows of the artists houses on Fournier Street (or is that just me? I love peering thru trying to guess whose house is who?!)

Top to Bottom: David David with an extensive set of garms & paper screen prints, Noel Stewart who has a couple of unique hats made for editorials including a massive black creation originally commissioned by Alex White for W Magazine, Anna Patternity who brought her own polka dot mugs for tea, Beautiful Corrie Williamson jewellery which I want to start collecting one day soon, Julian J Smith sporting one of Noel's Into Africa caps from The Darkroom series, Maria Francesca Pepe who has just launched an online shop for those of you who will miss this sale, Rebeka Vitka with her new line of jingly jangly stick men jewellery, Carolyn Massey's menswear with exquisite finishing and linings at excellent prices.

4 Wilkes Street , E1 10AM-6PM Sat & Sun

Sat Dec 4th - Eley Kishimoto Sample Sale







ELEY KISHIMOTO "MOTHER OF ALL SAMPLE SALES"

SAT 4TH / 11AM - 7PM
SUN 5TH / 11AM - 5PM

@MAURICE EINHART NEU GALLERY
30A Redchurch Street
London E2 7DP


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Friday 3 December 2010

Friday 3rd Dec: "National Wear Your Old Band T-Shirt To Work Day"



After last years various contributions including Lyndell Mansfield wearing Missing Persons 1...........this year Lyndell has sent in a snap of herself at the airport in Germany wearing Siouxsie Sioux - having put it on this morning without even realising its "National Wear Your Old Band T-Shirt To Work Day" today!!!! Every day should be about wearing old band tees.................. what's everyone else wearing?

Friday 3rd Dec: Josh Weller at Bush Hall









It seems fitting to be writing this feature on a Friday as I regularly choose Josh Weller in my #FF on twitter because he is one of the funniest people using the network. He's so funny I often wonder if he isn't a comedian and not a musician at all. But as it turns out he is infact a brilliant musical act as I found out at Bush Hall last evening for his solo show. The last time I saw him play was a very low key affair in the small North London venue "The Flower Pot". I really wanted to see the whole spectacle of his band, so I ventured out into the artic conditions to get over to Shepherds Bush for this concert. Bush Hall is a beautiful venue and perfect setting for Josh's vaudeville timeless style. Dressed in a tweed suit, open shirt, undone bow tie, signature spectacles and wild hair he would look excellent accessorized with a one-man-band instrument ensemble. His set shifted from catchy up-tempo sing-a-long numbers such as my favourite "Cruella" through to his "Push" pop anthem. Inbetween these perky percussioned ditties sat much quieter introspective slow soulful melodies perhaps akin to one of his heroes Chet Baker. The set was rounded off with a quirky cover of Billy Bragg's "Everybody Loves You Babe" which was performed as if it had been written for him with its bitter sweet romantic humour! For a festive encore Josh was joined onstage by Paloma Faith with whom he has a rare chemistry akin to the mesmerising connection of historical duets such as Johnny Cash and June Carter. These two should have their own show - utterly fantastic - star quality in lingering glances and cheeky knowing jibes! With an audience including The Fabulous Russella, Jacquetta Wheeler and Alan McGee, Im intruiged to see the path his fan base will take................. watch this space............ and follow his tweets!

Thursday 2 December 2010

Tuesday 30 November 2010

Thurs 2nd Dec: Designer Sample Sale this weekend ft. David David, Maria Francesca Pepe, Patternity

This weekend a whole host of hot young London designers are coming together for a joint sample sale to offer up some of their hidden treasures to help fulfill your Christmas Shopping lists. Initially organised by the Cooperative Designs crew, the list has grown to this extended family of fashion friends:

Cooperative Designs, David David, Maria Francesca Pepe, Noel Stewart, Darkroom Store, Scott Wilson, Corrie Williamson, Julian J Smith, Carolyn Massey, Rebeka Vitka, Patternity, Jean-Pierre Braganza

I suggested perhaps Noel Stewart should set up his own Santa's grotto but I'm not totally sure the idea has been welcomed with open arms! However, I have heard whisperings of mulled wine, mince pies and festive cheer from the designers involved to aid you in rifling around the selection of womens and mens clothing, jewellery and accessories. I contacted a few of them for photos to give you some insight into the goods up for grabs............ and at the same time asked David, Maria and Patternity to send a snap of their favourite thing at the moment.......... David's is a painting of sailing boats, Maria's little ghost friends and Patternity's "Please find attached our studio entertainment! A cluster of toilet brushes - (the studio cleaning rota has just been drafted out - so someone has gone and bought a years worth of toilet brushes from Dalston poundland in celebration - in our eyes they look like a pattern of beautiful white fireworkesque explosions!)"

4 Wilkes Street , E1 (just behind Brick lane)
Saturday at 10:00am - Sunday at 6:00pm

http://www.timeout.com/london/shopping/event/209164/wilkes-street-designer-christmas-sale


DAVID DAVID







Maria Francesca Pepe





PATTERNITY





Weds 1st Dec: Rosy Nicholas at Supermarket Sarah










Remember I mentioned that Rosy had something up her sleeve when I snapped her wearing THAT Christopher Kane dress? Well here it is............ she is the latest artist to take residency on the platform of Supermarket Sarah. Rosy Nicholas has curated her vision of an online shop which she set up as a site specific installation at her own east end studio. The range not only includes her own accessories and illustrations, but also cute 2nd hand finds ......... including a ceramic water melon salt'n'pepa pot............ also of note is also an original 90's "Moschinopoly Jacket" which is going to be snapped up before you've even noticed the random ying-yang emblem in the print.........
Head over to Supermarket Sarah to bag Rosy's knitting-nancy necklace or a spectrum CMYK print by Verity Keefe ........ or a couple of treats from my archive like these spectrum earrings or hair clips I made in gold specially for her Pharoah theme......... or the boombastic blue collar that Rosy made for Kim Howells and became one of the most "Loved" items on AnOther LOVES that week........