Decentralising Design One of the joys of Irish design is that it is nationwide – not limited to cities and centres of commerce. Following the migration in recent decades of many artists and designers to County Leitrim, Leitrim Design House has been set up as an umbrella organisation created to manage and operate arts and craft marketing in the county. Their impressive membership includes many who are not originally from Leitrim, among them a Hungarian couple who now live on the mountainside above Lough Allen. Brigitta Varadi has developed her own contemporary style based on the traditional central Asian technique of felt making. ‘It is a very ancient technique, developed mainly by nomadic people. It doesn’t involve spinning or weaving; the wool only has to be carded and dyed before use. You lay the carded wool out, create the design with the different shades of natural or dyed wool, then water it, and start to rub it and roll it until the wool mats well. It’s like when you put a woollen jumper in the washing machine and it shrinks.’ Varadi designs and produces clothes, fashion accessories, cushions and throws, carpets and wall hangings, each piece handmade and unique, using unspun wool, and incorporating cashmere, silk, camel, alpaca, cotton, linen, flax into her works. Varadi’s partner, ceramic sculptor Peter Fulop, has been selected to represent Ireland the International Workshop of Ceramic Art in Tokoname, IWCAT 2004, in Japan. IWCAT is the International Workshop of Ceramic Art in Tokoname; a city with a rich history of pottery and ceramics production going back 900 years. Each year they select fifteen participants from all over the world. Fulop, who originally studied traditional Hungarian ceramics, says that: ‘Immersing myself in the Hungarian tradition led me to look into the ceramic heritage of different cultures and my interest grew towards oriental techniques. My way of creating pieces in ceramic is very influenced by the Japanese style and technique, and, ever since I was first drawn to ceramics I have wanted to go and learn in Japan and meet with the Japanese living tradition. I feel that these five weeks will take me a step forward to understand the Clay.’   Fine Design for Fine Books The client list for the graphic design consultancy, Vermillion, includes the Chester Beatty Library, the National Gallery of Ireland, and the Irish Museum of Modern Art – all institutions associated with top of the range design. Founded by Anne Brady in 1999, Vermillion slots nicely into a specialist niche in the market – fine art book and catalogue design for museums and galleries, both in Ireland and abroad. It’s great to know that Irish books don’t have to go overseas to find appropriate graphic design. Brady, who has a background in typography and the visual arts, believes that ‘graphic design seeks to clarify and enhance original source material and that there is a wealth of such material in Ireland’. A recent case in point is the recently published work from the Royal Irish Academy, Corpas na Gaelige, a multimedia book and CD Rom, which contains samples of the Irish word in print dating since the 17th-century and sourced from all over the world.   Manipulating glass Salah Kawala pushes the boundaries of a different medium – glass – creating both functional and decorative pieces that manipulate the medium in new and unexpected ways and challenge common perceptions of its potential usage. His pieces range from sturdy and functional furniture to sculpture and architectural pieces, but, wonderful though they are, it is clear that his work is more about the medium itself than pursuing it in any one direction. It is to be hoped that Kawala will continue to explore the physical and decorative limits of glass, although who knows where this exploration will lead.   New bone china The Belfast born ceramicist, CJ O’Neill, challenges our preconceptions in her use of bone china to create translucent bowl shaped lighting, tableware, and installation pieces. ‘I produce fine bone china pieces which, coupled with a light source, create a soft, warm glow; translucent forms which are table or wall based, floating, or wearable as jewellery,’ says O’Neill. ‘My new work incorporates elegant detailing in floral motifs and laser marked patterns.’ Much of her work is rooted in the perfect hemisphere form, with ranges using plastics, ribbons, flowers, and text as details. Her new ‘Pattern’ collection of bone china glazed bowls with rosebud motifs is remarkable in that the pieces combine traditional materials, gloriously old fashioned patterns, and ultramodern forms.   Tread softly For those that love art on which they can lounge, the luxurious hand tufted rugs in pure wool created by Sarah Jane Edkins of Enhance successfully combine comfort and style. That rugs can be a form of creative expression should not surprise anyone – the Persians have been doing it for years – but Edkins’ work uses designs based on natural shapes and forms to great effect. Each piece is a once off, and the combination of lavish pile and innovative use of colour and design is a highly satisfying one.   Bowled Over The Westerwald Prize is awarded every three years for outstanding and innovative art and craftwork in the field of European ceramics. Six hundred clay artists from nineteen European countries entered the competition; the jury selected 245 works from 146 applicants for the exhibition and announced the six prize winners. Among these, Irish ceramicist Deirdre McLoughlin was awarded the prize for two works from her ‘I am too’ series. The opening of the exhibition and prize giving ceremony will take place on 24 September 2004, in the Westerwald Keramikmuseum, Hohr-Grenzhausen, Germany, and the exhibition will run until January 2005.   Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft show Twenty five Irish artists have been invited to participate in the prestigious 28th Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show, 4 – 7 November 2004. The show, which is presented annually to raise funds for the museum, is considered to display some of the finest and most dynamic craft in the United States. Traditionally, artists from one other country are invited to display their work. Last year a group of British artists participated; this year it is Ireland’s turn. Of the participating Irish artists, ceramicist Ayelet Lalor’s quirky collection of provocative ‘Divas’ are one-off earthenware pieces based on the human form: highly colourful ceramic figures reflecting the artist’s passion for the extravagance, exotic costumes, and theatrical movement of catwalk fashion. The work is hand built using cut and manipulated press moulds, with additional modelled features and carved patterns. Stains, oxides and a variety of low fired glazes are used as decoration. A keen sense of colour and texture combine to create a world of posing and pouting sculptural ladies with fluid, curved lines and graceful movement. The work of another ceramicist, Brigitta Seck, ranges from decorative and functional to purely sculptural pieces, which vary in size. Inspired by the architecture and patterns of different cultures, Seck strives for a personal interpretation of the forms with which she works, creating pieces characterised by clear form, texture, and warm earthy colours. Using earthenware clay, she employs the ‘slab technique’ to assemble the basic form, which is then embellished with coloured slip. Seck prefers to use glaze only on the inside of pieces; this has a functional purpose and provides a contrasting effect to the warm, matt colours of the outer surface. Although woodturner Glenn Lucas has a successful production turning business, he is also gaining a reputation for innovative gallery pieces that reflect the sophistication and purity of Japanese forms. For these one-off pieces Lucas uses rare and exotic woods such as bog yew, purpleheart, cherry, and maple. Sometimes he adds metal to the pieces in the form of a spine, which increases the feeling of tension in the curving piece and shows a great understanding of engineering other materials to suit his design. Never a maker to ‘let the wood speak to him’ and dictate the shape and style of piece, Glenn imposes a very clear design on the wood and makes it respond to his design and to his rigorously high standards of shape and finish. Swedish born textile artist and designer Liz Nilsson has practised in the field of art and design for the last fifteen years in Sweden, in the UK and for the last four years in Ireland. Nilsson has always used textile or flexible materials in her work, and has been involved with projects ranging from conceptual installations to textile design. ‘I am interested in the domestic use of textiles, especially the table as a place for communication and social interaction. Each one of my textile table art pieces is individually screen printed and stitched on 100% linen to give a unique product to each customer for both the domestic and contract market.’ Stained glass artist Peadar Lamb continues a family tradition that goes back to his grandfather, Charles Lamb and his great great grandfather, Ford Madox Brown, a member of the William Morris firm of stained glass manufacturers in the nineteenth century. Working with techniques which have changed little since the eleventh century, Lamb creates pieces which are unique, honest, and to the highest standard of craftsmanship. His collection encompasses small-scale lightboxes to large-scale architectural commissions. Roberta Bingham’s collection of ‘Porcelain Handbags’ are inspired by two antique evening bags given to her as a child by her grandmother. Combining some of the detail and shapes from these bags with knitted textures taken from pieces knitted by her family, Bingham has created a series of unique pieces, mysterious yet strangely comforting, each with their own distinct character. Bingham also creates a collection of porcelain parcel; sheets of clay folded and tied like wrapping paper.   Fresh look at ceramics The work of ceramicist Michael Rice shows full and curvaceous forms, influenced by classical pottery yet highly contemporary. Refusing to be tied down to a particular shape, Rice makes no measurements and does not try to repeat what he has done before; an approach that keeps the work spontaneous and fresh. All the work is fully turned on the wheel and some of the pieces are juddered. Juddering is a turning fault that occurs when the turning tool skips on the surface of the piece creating small pits on the pot. This process is applied to the whole piece, and sometimes casting slip is layered on top of the uneven surface to create a relief. The pieces are sawdust fired, which simply involves placing them in an old metal bin, covering them with sawdust and firing them several times until the desired surfaced is achieved.   Bespoke furniture from Joseph Walsh ‘Perspectives on Design & Making’, a new exhibition of work by Irish furniture designer Joseph Walsh, will take place at Ss Michael & Johns Church, Temple Bar, 6 – 28 November. Working under the label ‘Joseph Walsh Bespoke’, Walsh has been designing and making furniture at his studio just outside Riverstick, in Cork, since 1998. He works predominately with native Irish hardwoods and will display over fifty pieces, ranging from studio furniture to a selection of original sculptural forms. The exhibition is designed to take the visitor on a journey from the initial idea to the development of the design, from selection of materials right through to the finished product. The materials are discussed in detail, as well as the unseen influences and the contextual history of Irish furniture. Walsh also explores the significance of commissioned pieces. ‘While commissioned work reflects the lifestyle of its owner, it also says something about the person and is, in essence, an expression of their personality, says Walsh. ‘Through this part of the show the viewer gains a greater understanding of the significance of each design and of the thought process behind an item, they appreciate the techniques employed and the lengthy processes undergone in designing and making each piece.’   Innovation at Tile Style Since its establishment in 1980, Tile Style has consistently been quick off the mark to pick out good and innovative international design and make it available to Irish customers. Among the current selection, Island Stone brings you the exotic and primitive beauty of pebble stones from the Indonesian islands, while the sleek and shimmering ‘Metallismo’ range of tiles from Sicis, combines the impact of steel and brass with the ease and convenience you’d expect from ceramic tiles – doing for walls and floors pretty much what metallic lipsticks do for lips. Three new lines from Italy’s Viva Ceramica throw some more variations into the mosaic: the Xilo line uses new technologies to pre-compact both clay and colour, resulting in increased durability and resistance to acids, scratches, frost and dirt. For the adventurous, the funky Espirit Nouveau line is more about colour and fun than staying power, with wild and wonderful patterns and textures, while the Shot line is both simpler and more neutral.   European trends The latest tile in the mosaic, Surface is a new tile and flooring retail operation, bringing the latest Spanish and Italian ranges to Ireland. Surface is about new and traditional ideas; natural stone, porcelain, tumbled marble, travertine, glass, mosaic, Victorian and ceramic tiles, with an emphasis on quality products and creative solutions. The company works directly with leading European manufacturers to bring fine quality stone, porcelain, and ceramic wall and flooring solutions to Ireland at affordable prices.   Ciaran Sweeney at Liberty Textile designer Ciaran Sweeney has gone over the water to sell his new Autumn/Winter collection at Liberty, London. Sweeney joins a well groomed stable of international designers at Liberty including Dries Van Noten, Pucci and our own Lulu Guinness. Sweeney’s luxurious collection of hand printed and dyed, silk velvet wraps and shawls look very much at home in this illustrious company. He’s not moving his studio though and will continue to work from his Dublin studio from where he sources the fibres from around the world. Fabrics arrive at his studio as white or black pieces of cloth and are uniquely embellished, from his extraordinary designs and drawings, with prints and dyes.   Getting to the Source Showcase 2005 will see a new aisle, entitled SOURCE, unveiled. This aisle replaces the Village area and will host 49 craft businesses – each of which has been handpicked for quality by a panel of Irish and International buyers. The Village had been in operation since 1988, but the number of exhibitors fell over the past four years, largely due to a perception that the area was a ‘closed shop’ and that the selection criteria were biased. In response to this a re-developed craft area was deemed necessary to revive confidence in Showcase’s ability to market quality craft. Among other improvements, SOURCE offers greater comfort with a wider aisle and seating down the middle! SOURCE is open to any craftsperson whose products are selected by the independent Buyers Panel. The exhibitors list for SOURCE 2005 includes Abigail Dixon who specialises the somewhat lost art of fusing glass. The glass is cut to shape, fired to fuse the layers, fired again to apply the precious metal decoration, and fired a third time to shape the bowl. Each kiln firing takes ten or more hours to complete. Another exhibitor, Breda Haugh was recently one of a group of Irish artists and designers commissioned to produce limited edition pieces for the National Museum. Haugh used the twisted torc necklace in the museum’s gold collection as inspiration for her 18-carat necklace, which retails at £3,500.   RDS National Crafts Competition Edward Bisgood and Colm Bagnall from Dublin have been awarded the prestigious Award of Excellence at the 2004 RDS National Crafts Competition. Their beautifully crafted contemporary balustrade formed in wrought iron, bronze and patinated bronze, won the admiration of the group of sixteen international judges. This work and the winners of the 19 different categories and the special prizes, will be on view at the Dublin Horse Show from the 4th to the 8th of August. The exhibition will be open from 9.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. each day giving the public a chance to view some of the most interesting work being produced by craft-workers in Ireland.   Norwegian Contemporary Jewellery National Craft Gallery, Castle Yard, Kilkenny, 6 August 3 October 2004 Think of jewellery and words like diamonds and gold spring to mind – well think again… During the last few decades, Nordic jewellery has emerged from traditional jewellery design and developed into a free and innovative art form, with roots in functionalism and Scandinavian design. Nordic jewellery is part of the international movement which is normally referred to by the term ‘the new jewellery trend’ and which, since the 1970s, has had a very great influence on the development of the art of jewellery – especially in Europe, the USA, and Japan. The overriding aim of the new movement was to renew the traditional art of jewellery and make it part of the field of art. This summer, the National Craft Gallery in Kilkenny is showing the work of Norway’s top contemporary jewellers with some truly stunning pieces. The exhibition has a strong botanical theme – these artists aren’t afraid to experiment, using seed pods, bone, wood, rubber, yarn and, probably most surprising, dried peas!