Hidden connections

Thank you for the thumbs up you gave to continuing with my Origin series. Listening to you enjoying my posts about it is the next best thing to having you along with me there. Oh so much you would have loved. Want a little more?

Abigail Brown was already a familiar name to me - she has a blog of her own and was much featured a while back on the circles I tend to read in. I'd even seen her work in person before as she had little birds in matchboxes for sale at Liberty (was that shopping with you, Kristina?). Her display at Origin featured larger birds which were exquisitely varied and detailed.

Maxine Sutton was another name I had heard but couldn't quite place. A quick search of my Reader archives had her popping up on Tiel's sidebar and Gina had seen one of her exhibitions in the past. And then up popped a tour of her house over on Design Sponge. Our world is truly very small.

Sometimes though, I was looking at the work of people I was unfamiliar with, but I knew that some of you might particularly be drawn to. There were some beautiful ceramics on show, and I know that Monica has a bit of a thing about white jugs. There was a lovely display of 3 - a Daddy, Mummy and Baby jug and I'm irritated, because I cannot recall who they belonged to. Though possibly Monica's bank balance would thank me for forgetting.

In the case of Val, it was a toadstool motif. I would have got them for you, Val, but I didn't have the right change.

Even the pets were haunting me via the amazing tin sculptures of Lauren van Helmond. Those animals have such personality!

But had we all been visiting Origin together, I have a feeling there is one stall where we would all have hung out, laughed and taken photos - Kealwork.

Here's what Barbara's artist bio says - I defy you not to smile. 

Big furry ears make me happy. It might work for you too.
Can you imagine the winter high street bustling with creatures? Foxes, badgers, the odd Minotaur, not to mention all the beasts you can't name.
Could hats change the world?

It seemed to be working at Origin!

[Once again, product photos are the artist's own]

Comments

[skirmishofwit]

Everything is gorgeous, but I especially like the bird.

[little pink room]

Oh, it looks amazing. I'm sad that I couldn't go, but a bit relieved too... my purse wouldn't have been able to take the strain! A x

[simone]

I quite fancy myself in a foxy headpiece!

[Alice C]

I saw how quickly you took that last photo - you are a magician to capture her delighted smile.

[dottycookie]

Oh! Oh! The toadstools! Oh!

I wish I had the courage to wear one of those hats. They clearly make everyone very happy.

[Lisa]

Who wouldn't love wering antlers as majestic as those.
Lisa x

[joanna]

Thanks again

[Dragonfly]

I LOVE the kingfisher.

I will definitely be on the look out for this next year. I'm ashamed to say that as a Londoner, I hadn't heard about it. I really ought to take my head out of the sand...

[kristina]

The big furry ears are fabulous, but it's Abigail Brown's birds and Lauren van Helmond's sculptures I think I would have found irresistible! Probably just as well I wasn't there :)

And we did see the birds in Liberty. I still have a sneaky pic of one of the owls!

K x

[Karen]

I *so* want to walk down a High Street with everyone wearing those hats! Do you think we could arrange it?

[kate]

loved my little trip here today

[Abigail]

Thank you very much for including me in your Origin shortlist! Thank you for the lovely comments
x

[jackie]

What was going to be a 30 second read of your blog has turned into a tour of Maxine Suttons house and a long read of design sponge. Thanks. And congratulations to the Birthday boy and his Mum.
Tempus Fugit.

[French Knots]

More amazing inspiration. I would love to sport furry ears, perhaps badgers', and my children would disown me.

[alice]

Ah cool you went to Origin, I didn't go this year. It's a good show isn't it. I hope you bought some nice things.