Tuesday…after the West Elm workshop

imageI spent most of last week getting ready for the workshop I was running at West Elm in London on Saturday…imageI was never one for  party bags when my son was younger, but I was obviously making up for it…everyone would receive their own goodie box, with a box of Pastiglie Leone, individual ceramic hearts made specially for the event by ceramicist  Holly Bell as were the gingham aprons beautifully made by Emma from Sew RecycledimageimageI spent quite a bit of time experimenting…image and collecting inspiration…image image…I arrived early at West Elm on Saturday morning to set up ( with fantastic helping hands from Griffin, Rad, Dom and Arresta ) in the Market area of the store which was perfect…imageI brought a few of my own props including an old family copper kettle and old cigar tins my Dad used to keep electrical bits and pieces in…image…once the boxes were opened
image…lots of wire, mess and creativity got under wayimageI was particularly chuffed that Xanthe Berekely came along too, to document the whole workshop photographically, and so at this point I hand the images over to her… ( ie: all the beautiful pictures below are Xanthe’s… )
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I encouraged people to work with a thought for ikebana, particularly with their fascinators ( even though ikebana actually means ‘cut flowers in water’ which these weren’t ) and the creations were absolutely wonderful and a real highlight of the morning… every time someone produced one I wanted to wear it; they were so simple and so beautiful!

Japanese ikebana is a big thing to me and has been hugely influential and inspiring to my work over the last few years; the art of ikebana speaks volumes, and I have come to to it via the amazing collection of 1960’s Japanese ceramics, books and certificates ( one of them is in the picture below ) which belonged to my Granny as she was a qualified practitioner and which I saved after her death…

( there’s another blog post about that here )

image

‘The artist’s intention behind each arrangement is shown through a piece’s colour combinations, natural shapes, graceful lines, and the usually implied meaning of the arrangement’.

Every piece I create has some sort of meaning, either subtle, subconscious or abstract and is always open to the viewers own interpretation…

…and then today when I was out on a half term walk, I couldn’t help thinking that I’d sort of like to wear this…

imageYou can see some of my experiments and fascinators from the workshop on my Steller Stories account here too

10 Comments
  • geraldine@littlebigbell
    Posted at 20:35h, 17 February Reply

    Beautiful blog post and wonderful images by yourself and Xanthe. Thank you so much Philippa, I truly had a wonderful and inspiring time. x

    • 5ftinf
      Posted at 20:36h, 17 February Reply

      Thats so lovely to hear! Thank you so much…you were a really great group of people. x

  • Cristina
    Posted at 21:21h, 17 February Reply

    Lovely blog post, for a few minutes I was at the workshop again 🙂
    Thank you for sharing, and for the inspiring and fun workshop x

    • 5ftinf
      Posted at 21:23h, 17 February Reply

      Was really lovely to have you all there veing brilliant! x

  • Carole Poirot
    Posted at 21:58h, 17 February Reply

    Such a great post on a lovely and inspirational workshop – especially for somebody who doesn’t “do” fascinators 😉 Thanks for a fab time. xo

    • 5ftinf
      Posted at 22:12h, 17 February Reply

      Thank tou so much Carole…and fascinators completely ‘do’ you whether you like it or not! xx

  • confitures
    Posted at 17:08h, 18 February Reply

    hello ! what a pitty I was in Brighton for a few days and would have love to come to this “atelier” and brought you some jams 😉
    Next Time !
    corinne

    PS : where you at seven sisters beach on Tuesday ?? I saw someone who looked like you 🙂

    • 5ftinf
      Posted at 18:47h, 18 February Reply

      Yes!! I was with my son and thats where the final pucture was taken! What a shame we missed each other! Hope youre well x

  • Sew Recycled!
    Posted at 11:18h, 19 February Reply

    Fantastic pictures Phil, glad the aprons were a success to! x

    • 5ftinf
      Posted at 11:19h, 19 February Reply

      Everyone loved them…as so I! x

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