artist David Cass

Currently on exhibition at The Scottish Gallery in Edinburgh is the solo exhibition by artist David Cass titled Years of Dust and Dry.

"I document what I see, I never thought I’d paint, I always thought I’d be a photographer, a film-maker even. These aren’t really paintings, they’re hybrids, snap-shots of a journey. And they don’t stand alone, they speak to each other, tell a story."

"I only paint subjects I have an emotional connection with – though in actual fact some of the time I document places which have negative memories of some sort. Sometimes I work with photographs to relive the experience, so painting itself becomes a process of re-earthing." 

"I’ve always been a collector. Since I remember my family laughed at me – first it was simply scrap wood, then wooden drawers, matchboxes, postcards and most recently tabletops. I collected all the way through art school. In fact, it was at college that I started to collect wood. I got so much of the stuff that I didn’t know what to do with it. I began using the wood to create sculptural work, almost to use it up really. When this ran its course, I started using wooden off-cuts in place of canvas. Now the objects have become as important as the painting. I put them in as part of ‘me’; it’s intensely personal."

http://www.davidcass.co.uk

Cath Kidston

 

Cath Kidston is one of Britain’s favorite designers and best known for her vintage inspired homewares, clothing and accessories. She began her career as an interior designer before opening her first retail shop in London in 1993. In her new book ‘Coming Up Roses’, she tells her story of highs, lows and learnings that saw her business grow to become one of the country’s bestselling brands. It's a great example of a self-taught, female entrepreneur who built something amazing out of nothing. The book takes you on a journey of how she came to be a household name starting with Kidston as a little girl playing shop at home, to her growing up and searching car boot sales to find beautiful treasures to sell in her actual shop.

http://www.cathkidston.co.uk

Pete Hawkins: childhood dreams

UK artist Pete Hawkins paints on found materials: old wooden doors, school desktops, and cardboard to name a few. Mountain climbers climb towers of wooden bricks; Airplane models fight in imaginary dogfights; and one little princess dreams of riding her trike alongside Denis Hopper and Peter Fonda; all modern fables are painted on unusual surfaces. 

The doors, which were all salvaged from the British county of Yorkshire, are all visibly worn by the hands of time; this creates an interesting juxtaposition between the wood surface and Pete’s sensitive oil painting style. Each painting possesses the slightly macabre undercurrent present in both Pete’s work and the most memorable folktales from one’s childhood. The pieces become symbols representing opportunities taken or missed.

"Doors hold a lot of meaning,” explains Pete, "and not only as transitional points in people’s lives. There’s the inherent sense of nostalgia they bear. Plus, there’s the compelling suggestion of what may lie behind them."

"I believe that inspiration for good ideas is to be found in the most mundane places. It was a moment of clarity when I found a piece of wood in a corridor which had been used to work out maths sums, for doodling and the odd derogatory comment about someone's class mate. I liked the idea that these paintings are a sort of elaborate doodle of a school boy or girl’s dreams, hopes, and aspirations. In a child's mind, the possibilities are endless so with that thought I have tried to create images of obscurity where ordinary depictions of people and objects are put together to make up something out of the ordinary."
http://www.pete-hawkins.co.uk

Paul Bommer

the artist

I just discovered the retro-inspired work of Paul Bommer. He’s a freelance illustrator based in UK whose illustrations are full of humor and give a nod back to earlier times in England. Fantastic!

In a review of his faux Delft tiles by Spitalfields Life : Paul’s sly witty style is perfectly at home on tiles, bringing an extra level of humour and sophistication to this appealing vernacular art.“I’ve always been fond of delft tiles and the graphics of that period,” he admitted to me, “it’s like Folk Art at the low end, a popular medium illustrating the characters people knew and the things they used.”

www.paulbommer.com

coin trees

In the UK, trees with coins embedded all over their bark have been spotted on trails within forests. People put the coins into fallen trees in a tradition similar to a wishing well, with coins dating back centuries still embedded in the bark. This practice dates back to the 1700s – The legend said that a sick person could press a coin into a tree and their illness would go away. But if the coin is taken out, they then become ill. Another belief was that divine spirits lived in trees and they were often adorned with candy and gifts. The coins are usually knocked into tree trunks using stones by people who hope it will bring them good fortune. The trees often have coins from centuries ago buried deep in their bark and warped by the passage of time. The act is similar to tossing money into water for good luck or for couples to attach 'love padlocks' to bridges and fences to symbolize lasting romance. 

http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Tr-Wa/Trees-in-Mythology.html#b

Mister Finch

Mister Finch is a UK textile artist who creates unique stuffed sculptures of humanized animals using scraps of thread, fabric, paper and embroideries. The subject matter of his work is inspired by nature. He's fascinated by flowers, insects, owls and birds, as well as their extraordinary nests and behavior.

His artist's statement: "Most of my pieces use recycled materials, not only as an ethical statement, but I believe they add more authenticity and charm. A story sewn in, woven in. Velvet curtains from an old hotel, a threadbare wedding dress and a vintage apron become birds and beasts, looking for new owners and adventures to have."

And from his website:  "I get very obsessed with creating certain animals and insects and often make many and then don't return to them for sometimes weeks. I recognise this behaviour now and whilst I'm in a particular zone I try to be as productive as possible. So whilst drinking endless cups of tea and keeping my eye on two naughty cats I listen to those Cd's of just the sound of rain, I love them regardless of the weather! They allow me to switch off and I spends hours sat at my table stitching fabrics into the creatures that fill my rainy fairytale mind. When not in my studio I'm on the constant lookout for fabrics and textiles that I can use in my work. I love the hunt and its especially great to find vintage pieces to use. At the end of the day or night I tidy my table up put all my tools away and look for the cats who are always hiding in between the books and jars and close the door until the next day."

http://ohmisterfinch.tumblr.com