Spot the cat?

Mrs Mabel enjoying the sun - a rare treat!

The Leach Pottery, St Ives

The Leach Pottery, St Ives

Images from the Leach Pottery.  A working pottery frozen in time where the beginnings of the British studio pottery movement began.  The old fireplace where the potters would gather to discuss form and function.  A place strongly influenced by Japanese mingei (folk) pottery.

The pottery also is home to resident potter Jack Doherty who, with three onsite apprentices, has developed a new range of Leach tableware.  It's good to see new work being developed and skills passed on.  It was interesting to visit the pottery after previously visiting Onta and Mashiko in Japan.  Places where Bernard Leach visited and where I felt I had stepped back in time.  Fascinating.

Eltham Palace

Eltham Palace 

Marquetry Wall

Staircase

Art Deco Clock

Art Deco Fireplace

Mother Of Pearl Inlaid Door

Mrs Courtauld's Bathroom

Mr Courtauld's Bathroom

Walled Garden

I spent a lovely sunny (feels a long time ago now!) day at Eltham Palace, enjoying the perfect setting for a friend's wedding.  Eltham Palace was a Royal Palace near to London. It was last used by Henry VIII as a hunting lodge.  In the 1930's a private house was built adjoining the medieval Great Hall by the wealthy Courtauld family.  Most of the images above show the beautiful art deco interiors.

The first image shows the ship like entrance way. Stunning!  Upstairs the Courtauld's had separate and very different bedrooms. Hers was all curves and gold.  His was angular and functional.  How lovely it must have been to live there!  Very elegant.  The Courtauld's even had a pet ring tailed lemur that was so spolit it had the run of the palace and hand painted wallpaper in his boudoir to remind him of his Madagascan home!

Bird Room

Blue tit porcelain tile

Birch trees porcelain tile

Blue tit porcelain tile

Bird door panel

Bird door panel

Bird door panel

Bird door panel

Finally, I've finished the door panels for the other bedroom.  This room has been inspired by the bird wallpaper that you can see in the later images.  I chose a blue tit as the featured bird.  We have a gang of them that visit every day.  They are tiny in comparison to the other birds yet they are confident and cheeky!  This year they seem to be very dishevelled and I blame the strange weather we are having.

The Art Market - this Sunday!

Made From Space

For those interested in contemporary craft head down to the Art Market in Holmfirth this Sunday (24th June 2012).  Lots of makers selling original and unique work.  I won't be selling this time but my friend will.  Check out her collaboratively handmade mugs - 'Made from Space'.

Bramley and Girtwistle Go On A Trip

Bramley and Girtwistle - Box 1.  Copyright Beverley Gee 2012.
Photograph  Simon R Leach.

Bramley and Girtwistle - Box 4.  Copyright Beverley Gee 2012.
 Photograph  Simon R Leach. 

Bramley and Girtwistle - 5.  Copyright Beverley Gee 2012.
Photograph  Simon R Leach. 

Last week, I took Bramley and Girtwistle for a professional photo shoot.  I chose the excellent Simon R Leach to shoot the work. He has shot older work of mine and I have always been impressed with the quality.  He is very good at lighting the pieces.  My work can be quite hard to shoot with contrasting textures, reflecting surfaces and extreme light/dark areas.  I think he has done a fine job at showing the detail and capturing the mood.  Check out more of the images at 'Bramley and Girtwistle'.  You can also compare them to my amateurish offerings. I hope you  like them too!

Mabel loves milk!

Here's a video of our Mabel drinking from an elegant Lithuanian finger bowl.  If you can last until 35 seconds then the purring starts.