Meet the maker - Ruth Spencer-Jolly

Meet the maker - Ruth Spencer-Jolly

Hi! I'm an artist based close to Queen's Park and I am really inspired by the locality which I love walking and running round. In my guise as 'ARTSJ' I currently have two ranges of products, one of which directly responds to nearby boroughs of London, taking the form of illustrated maps that capture the sites of interest and quirky landmarks in a neighbourhood. I also have a 'paisley pet' range: a collection of products for people who love animals, pattern and bright colours. When not making art, I'm often found with my other hat on - as a nanny - but I also love to run, ceilidh and go to the theatre.

My favourite product at present is the paisley dog teatowel. It's bright, cheerful and captures man's best in friend in many of the possible shapes and sizes. 

My favourite place to find inspiration at the moment is the Victoria and Albert Museum. I didn't grow up in London, and so I only discovered this treasure trove when I moved to 'the big smoke' about 18 months ago. It's incredible! As a lover of all things patterned; I'm in seventh heaven there. 

You can see Ruth's work at www.ruthspencerjolly.com/ARTSJ and www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ArtSJillustration. Ruth will be at Homeworks on 1st December

Meet the Maker - Yellow Tulip Crafts

Meet the Maker - Gordana Lalic of Yellow Tulip Crafts

Yellow Tulip Crafts is all about colourful hand embroidered pieces with a playful touch. I design and create mostly florals and interiors using embroidery thread very often mixed with paint which gives each piece the lightness I am aiming for while the thread adds the sense of texture and warmth. My favourites are definitely my embroidered interiors hence an Instagam inspired series of rooms I have chosen from many accounts that I follow. (https://www.instagram.com/yellowtulipcrafts/).

Commissions are welcome, contact: Yellowtulip.shop@gmail.com

This floral hoop is one of my favourite, I love its blend of bright and bold colours I have used to create the composition of "floating" flowers.

I am easily inspired, a shade of a particular colour will do the trick not to mention beautiful interior spaces (or design magazines), art exhibitions, textiles with patterns and colours I can't get out of my head and much more.

Meet the Maker - Alice Frankel

Meet the Maker - Alice Frankel

        

I am a printmaker working in etching and linocut. Printmaking uses processes that have been tried and tested for centuries, but these traditions can be combined with new techniques such as photopolymer etching in exciting ways. Printing produces inherently one-off pieces and the process allows you to tweak and amend, so that printing can give unexpected results and each print is unique. I love how the process is both technical and precise and hands-on and messy - but don't love having permanently inky hands! 



My favourite pieces at the moment are my linocuts of a boat at sea and a lighthouse - I like to picture them hanging on a child's bedroom wall, while a child dreams of the places they will go and adventures they will have.

I find inspiration in the natural world, and wandering happily around London's galleries.  

Alice will be at Homeworks on 1st December

Meet the Maker - The Hampstead Smock Company

Bilal at work

Meet the Maker - The Hampstead Smock Company

I studied Fashion & Textile Design at St Martin’s School of Art in the 1980’s, I specialised in Interiors & Soft Furnishings and have worked all over the world doing this job.  My products are accessories for the home.  I’ve always worn an artists smock to work in, this was inspired by my mother who wore one around the house looking after 6 children.

 My favourite product is my ‘Smock’, although all the products I will be bringing to sell at ‘Homeworks’ give me great pleasure.

I truly find inspiration from within, I can walk into a home or space and immediately know how I’d enhance it with beautiful products, soft furnishings, lighting.  I frequent museums, we have so much wonderful free art to see in London, I go to new exhibitions and I often walk through London where I was told as a child by my father to look up and see the architecture around us, we can miss so much and so all of this inspires me.

The Hampstead Smock Company will be at Homeworks on 8th December

Meet the maker - Hokan Bowls

Meet the maker - Alistair Donald

Once I became a father of two sons, it quickly became apparent that I needed to use my time efficiently in the kitchen and to avoid unnecessary food waste. So I turned the leaning towers of bowls with saucers and clingfilm that covered food in the fridge, into a practical, plastic-free solution that will work in any kitchen. Hokan Bowls can be used to cook, bake, store, serve and save food. They come in three sizes with a one-size fits-all lid, which through their interlocking design can be stacked one on top of another to save space in the fridge, the freezer or the oven. Their contemporary design and range of colours, makes them perfect for serving to table or keeping out on the sideboard. One Hokan Bowl with many uses, that with good care, will last a lifetime. 




 The home, and living within it, provides all the inspiration needed to improve and develop how to make how we live more conscientious and efficient. Nature always provides the colours needed to determine the new ranges, and people provide the feedback necessary to improve and fine-tune.

Hokan bowls will be at Homeworks on 1st and 8th December. 

Meet the maker - Jackie Parsons

Meet the maker - Jackie Parsons

Scobel clothing makes pared Back considered women’s clothing and accessories made in south east London by Jackie Parsons using fabrics surplus to the trade.

Jackie's current favourite piece is thiscross back apron made from sanforised Irish Linen. It improves with washing and has a useful phone pocket on the bib so you can carry on chatting while stirring your risotto. 

Jackie used to work as a costumier so finds inspiration in any costume drama. She likes to keep the romance with out compromising the practicality.

Come and see Jackie at Homeworks on 1st December

Meet the Maker - Elsker

My name is Sian and I am Elsker Creations. Elsker Creations was created from my desire to transform what was my hobby and love (elsker) of traditional crafts into my full time job. This journey began almost two years ago when I started taking this passion for traditional crafts such as; gilding, calligraphy, letterpress printing and bookbinding and applying a contemporary twist through my handmade products and designs. I now also run gilding workshops for adults and a programme of arts and crafts workshops for babies, toddlers and children.

My favourite products are my glass gilded pressed flower frames. I love the process of glass gilding and these works have evolved the most. I feel like I am capturing a season or a moment in time. These works are one of a kind. I love the way I manage to capture the vibrancy of the flowers.

My allotment is my number one place to find inspiration. I love doing things with my hands, I find it very therapeutic and that extends to gardening. The wildness of my allotment is a great inspiration, I feel I am out of London and can think clearly. I have also developed a wild flower meadow and use many of the flowers in my works. 

Queen's Park based Sian will bring her Elsker creations to Homeworks on 8th December.