Artists at Home
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Artists at Home took place last weekend across Chiswick, Shepherds Bush and Hammersmith. For one weekend only, artists, jewellers, photographers and ceramicists opened the doors of their homes and studios to the public.
A visit entailed not only an opportunity to admire their work, but also an opportunity to discreetly admire their beautiful homes and gardens (where access was allowed of course).
In between busy family commitments, I visited as many artists and makers as I could over the two days. My chosen method of transport, a bicycle, until heavy rain drenched me from head to foot and I was forced to retreat home.
Who would have known that behind West London closed doors, there is such a high standard of artistic activity taking place?
Here are a few of my favourites:
José Carvalho
Originally from Portugal, José is a full time potter. He makes large decorative pieces and small functional items experimenting with different clays. He uses a volcanic textured glaze and creates interesting colour combinations of pinks, earth tones and blues.
Juliet Strong
Juliet shared a studio space with José for artists at home. Her delicate jewellery inspired by coastal discoveries and handcrafted in gold and silver, complimented José's work perfectly.
Annette O'Sullivan
Annette O'Sullivan is a jeweller with a different style. Annette hand weaves brightly coloured necklaces, bracelets and earrings out of tiny Japanese glass beads. Japanese glass beads are renowned for their uniformity and high quality, and are incredibly light to wear.
Helga Stentzel
Helga Stentzel is a Russian born art director and photographer, an alumna of St Martins.
Her work oozes with creativity. On the side of her house she has painted a magnificent mural that hides the scars of a World War Two bombing. And inside her home are her limited edition photographs. Playful and humorous yes, but behind the images are serious societal or personal messages.
Photographs are printed on 310 gsm archival textured paper which gives them a high quality feel. Hang them on your wall to make a bold, playful statement.
Simon Taylor
Simon Taylor hand throws porcelain on a wheel from his studio in Shepherds Bush. The results are smooth, elegant, white porcelain cups and saucers, bowls, plates, platters and vases. The cups and saucers come in a large size. If you are a tea and coffee drinking connoisseur like me, there is no greater way to drink a favourite hot beverage than from a smooth porcelain cup that has been thrown by a ceramicist's fair hand.
Henrietta Parsons
Henrietta Parsons creates highly attractive, fun, brightly coloured and affordable paintings and collages of interior scenes. She lives in a house in an enviable location next to the Thames.
Some of her work was framed and hanging on the wall and other work was displayed in a simple folder in her terraced garden overlooking the river. I had a rummage through and came away with three glorious little paintings, which I will have framed and either hang on my wall or give away as presents.
You can follow Henrietta Parsons on instagram @henriettaparsons_paintings where her paintings come up for sale.
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- Tags: Annette O'Sullivan, art, artists at home, Brook Green, ceramics, Chiswick, gold, Hammersmith, Helga Stentzel, Henrietta Parsons, Japanese glass beads, jewellery, José Carvalho, Juliet Strong, paintings, Shepherds Bush, silver, Simon Taylor ceramics