I have always preferred cookbooks that have a story running through them - the pages packed full of achievable and delicious recipes, alongside lifestyle images evocative of the book’s narrative. Guiding the reader through seasonal home cooking and sharing an insight into the cook’s own lifestyle, their love of delicious food, and how they entertain family and friends. Athena Calderone’s new book Cook Beautiful delivers all of this and some, with beautiful images shot by photographer Johnny Miller of 100 seasonal recipes, with step-by-step advice on everything from prep to presentation. Described by New York Times T Magazine as “The modern girl’s Martha Stewart”, Athena has worn many hats in her career so far, such as model, interior designer, food blogger, chef and entertaining expert. Her debut cookbook follows in the tradition of her popular blog, EyeSwoon, where design meets food, culinary tradition marries food styling, and home chefs become experts. Divided into the four seasons, the book covers such delights as Earl Grey Chocolate Soufflé Cake, Pan-seared Bass over Black Lentils with Parsley-Lime Sauce, Summer Squash Salad with Arugula and Feta and Ginger And Vanilla Bean Rhubarb Galette. Each section concludes with a tablescape moodboard, inspired by nature’s seasonal bounty and style ideas. Athena’s love of building robust flavours with minimal, basic ingredients and a little know-how is my kind of cooking, and Cook Beautiful is the perfect book to dip into for inspiration in the kitchen throughout the seasons.
Cook Beautiful by Athena Calderone, photography by Johnny Miller, published by Abrams, £25, is available online here. BOOK GIVEAWAY: With thanks to publishers Abrams, I have one copy to giveaway (Europe delivery only), simply head to Instagram and leave a comment why you would love to win this book. Good luck!
Today, more than ever, we are embracing the importance of living a
more sustainable lifestyle, respecting our environment and realising the
importance of living in harmony with nature. Traditional crafts are not
only being revisited, but celebrated and enjoyed, due to the creative
and emotional well-being they bring us. Textile artist Abigail Booth,
has carved out her niche in the world of
natural dyes, and launched her first book, Wild Dyer, to share her skills and experience. One half of the East London based partnership Forest + Found,
(her partner Max Bainbridge hand-carves spoons, bowls and boards),
Abigail demystifies the art of natural dyeing, focusing on how to find
your dyeing materials, and then using the finished fabrics to create a
collection of patchwork and stitch projects. Abigail trained as an
artist at Chelsea College of Art and Design and has always had a passion
for textiles and colour and their influence on culture in both a
contemporary and historical context. “Colour is a perception and, as
such, is sensitive to each of us individually.”
Abigail uses a
range of plants such as onions, avocados, red cabbage, nettles,
blackberries and even everyday kitchen waste such as tea leaves and
coffee grounds to infuse colour into her fabrics, which she then uses to
create hand-made patchwork blankets, cushions, bags and aprons. “My own
textile practice is predominantly focused on the making of large-scale
wall hangings and quilts. I wanted to write a book that would focus on
the production of smaller textile pieces that can be used every day and
become part of your daily ritual.” With beautiful photography by Dean
Hearne, this book will inspire you and inform you in equal measures, and
Abigail’s passion to craft and create textiles will have us all
collecting our vegetable peelings to try our hand at natural dying.
Wild Dyer by Abigail Booth, published by Kyle Books, with photography by Dean Hearne, is available to buy online here. BOOK GIVEAWAY: With thanks to Kyle Books, I have a copy of Wild Dyer to giveaway over on Instagram so head there to leave your comment if you would like to win a copy (UK delivery only). Good luck!
I recently came across the beautiful work of Pottery West, a Sheffield-based ceramic studio owned by creatives Catherine and Matt West.This husband and wife team have carved out a successful business designing and making functional tableware for a wide range of commercial and individual clients. I caught up with Catherine to talk more about their new Brut collection, the creative process involved working in a partnership and what inspires her.
How did you meet and why did you set up business together? We met as teenagers, whilst still at school, when we both worked at a local farm shop on a Saturday. From
the start we were pretty much inseparable, moving to London together and
then both graduating (from Goldsmiths), moving
to Berlin and then Sheffield, where we live now. Until we started
officially working together as Pottery West, we had been working on
different projects; Matt as a designer, and then later, a baker, and
myself as a copy editor and writer, and then as a Communications
Manager for an architectural practice in Sheffield, where I still work
part-time. What has always been constant in our relationship is the
desire to work together on creative projects, so when we became
absolutely addicted to ceramics during a series of
evening classes back in 2014, we decided to turn the collaboration into
something real.
How do you work in a partnership and distribute the work? In terms of production, Matt
is the lead thrower and I specialise in developing our glazes, but our
design process is one of total collaboration. We really enjoy the
dialogue involved in the design process. Because,
at the moment, we are working with functional ceramic tableware, much
of our designing and prototyping seems to revolve around function and
use. We spend much time speculating about the most idiosyncratic of
things, mainly how to get a tea pot to pour like
a dream and look
beautiful, or pondering over the optimum handle size for a teacup.
Matt
brings to the process a really methodical, if not sometimes a stringent way of working, which is really useful when
it comes to problem solving. From the beginning, Matt has always loved throwing and
I’ve been very interested in the creation of glazes. When we’re
working on a design we tend to go our separate ways and then come back
together, and have a period of time for experimenting
and testing pieces. We have a smash pile in the studio - it tends to
grow during this period!
What is the meaning behind the name Pottery West? Our surname is West, so it’s simply for that reason!
Can you describe the collection you make? Our most recent collection, Brut, is a functional tableware range named after Béton Brut - raw concrete.
As a starting point our intention was to work with very simple,
archetypal forms. We’ve been looking at the work of husband and wife
photographers Bernd and Hilla Becher. Their extensive collection of
photographs - or typologies - capturing industrial
architecture and structures, has really informed this new collection in
their pragmatism and matter-of-fact sensibility. We’ve tried to be ruthless
with the design to make sure we don’t add any features to the form
which aren’t necessary. For example the ‘U’ shape of the spout
references the industrial concrete arches, but is also
a very functional way of creating a spout on a vessel which pours well.
How do you decide on the glaze colour palette you use? What’s interesting is that
when I’m thinking about new glazes, I don’t really think too much about
colour, instead I’m thinking of surface texture and functionality.
However, we do of course aim for certain colours,
but because we’re not working with pigments, it’s really difficult to
create an exact colour without a really intensive period of trial and
error testing. Once you’ve achieved the right glaze, it’s
really important to test it on the final form because
sometimes a glaze just doesn’t suit the shape, or maybe it is too
runny, or too matte or too dark - and then it’s back to the drawing
board for more tweaking!
The glazes for the Brut collection have
probably taken about a year to create. Like concrete, the tones and hues
of the Brut collection are quite soft and raw. Whilst working on the
glazes, we had been looking at the paintings of Hammershoi and there was
something
about the light in those interiors, the colours and the silence,
something we can’t quite put our finger on, they’re
amazing paintings. It’s always important to us to work with the light -
how the light is absorbed or reflects off the surface of the glaze is
so intriguing.
What are your favourite pieces in the collection and why? I am in love with the tea cup
and saucer, which is actually perfect for coffee. When we’re in the
studio together we always drink our coffee out of one of these. It feels
very proper to be using a cup and saucer, I
really like it!
Where can your work be purchased? Unfortunately we don’t have a bricks and
mortar shop but we do sell online and through stockists. Sometimes I
dream about having a shop, but then I remember that I’d rather be a
maker/designer than a shopkeeper. Maybe one day! Our studio is a busy workshop but people can visit us by appointment too.
What or who inspires you? I’m not sure if I can provide
a complete answer to this because I don’t think we find inspiration
from one sole thing or from anything tangible. I think for Matt, his
drive to design, craft and make comes from some
kind of instinct. His dad was a sculptor, specialising in casting, and
would be constantly working, making, creating. His mum is also an artist
working with drawing and sculpture, and he has grown up in that
context.
We recently learned that Matt’s great-grandad had been the Master Potter at Royal Doulton, which is amazing!
I really enjoy making
things that people can use, which might in a small way, improve and enhance their everyday experience. We’re both
intrigued by materials and craftsmanship, and the very
complexities and challenges inherent in our very material process
(which we’re still very much learning, and, I suspect will be forever!).
Do you have any potters whose work you admire? Yes, many! One of the first
pots we ever bought is by a potter called Svend Bayer. He makes quite
simple, wood-fired pottery in Devon which is a pleasure to use. Another
ceramicist I enjoy, quite different again, is
Romy Northover, based in New York. She makes ceramics in, as she
describes it, an ‘ancient-future’ style, and aside from her pots which I
like very much, I really like her styling work and general aesthetic.
What’s next for Pottery West? We’ve got our foot to the floor making pieces for Christmas! Aside from that, we’re working
towards some new projects which are more conceptual in nature, which we
hope to be launching in the new year under
a slightly different name, with Pottery West being our standard ware
label.
Pottery West, Studio 41, Persistence Works, 21 Brown Street, Sheffield, S1 2BS
Describe your work in 5 words? I’m a lifestyle and food photographer - that’s more than five words!
Can you tell us a little about what you do? I photograph food and lifestyle stories - my favourite subject to shoot is food in context, and product in a lifestyle context.
What took you on the road to being a photographer? I picked up my first DSLR which is the Canon 400D and just started taking photos. Then when family and friends started saying I could do it for money, I started to take it seriously and taught myself how to shoot manual, bought a load of books, and watched a lot of tutorials. I only attended one photography workshop and it was with one of my favourite photographers – Jonathan Canlas, a film photographer.
Where is your office/studio and what is the view out of your window? I work from home and it’s pretty uninspiring view of the neighbour’s house!
What is the first thing you do when you get to work? Meet the team, talk to the client whilst I’m unpacking and setting up, and work out what the strategy is for the shoot.
Describe a typical day at work? If it’s a shoot day, then I wake up early, get my girls ready for school, drop them at school, drive to where I need to be for the photoshoot, photograph the whole day and in the afternoon pick up my girls at school, go home, upload photos, edit and deliver to client, BOOMPOW done! Then the rest of the time frees up to study, analyse and scheme-up the next story I’m shooting with Sarah Glover - a week doesn’t go by without photographing.
What cameras do you like to use? A Canon 5D mk3, and 50mm 1.2 lens – my go-to-lens, and never leaves my camera, I’d say 94% of the time.
What can’t you work without? My family’s support. Without it I don’t think I’ll have the luxury to be doing what I’m doing now.
Why do you love what you do? Passion fuels what I love to do! Because if I believe in a project but there’s no money to it, I will still photograph it. I believe that if it’s beautiful and different enough, chances are I’d be lining up to shoot it.
One shoot you won’t forget and why? Not just one shoot it is all of WILD Adventure Cookbook with Sarah Glover. Every scene created and photographed was full of life, new experience and it gave us the burst of energy to keep on going. It was like we were so inspired by the last shoot that we just kept going for 2 years. None of the recipes from the book was photographed indoors. It was all outdoors.
Who or what inspires you? Right now it’s all about Dynamic Symmetry and I’m seeing works of art in a different way. In a way that gave meaning to how I felt when I first laid eyes on a painting or a photo. It gave me the answer to the why. Right now the work of Henri Cartier-Bresson and Vivian Maier is really inspiring me to keep on studying and analysing art and photography.
What is the best advice you have received? One is better than nothing.
One moment in your career you will always remember? When WILD cookbook got funded via Kickstarter.
What is the best part of your job? I get to photograph what I’m passionate about, and because of this it gives me the opportunity to see parts of the world I thought I’d never see or experience.
And the worst? The selling unfortunately…I still have to work at finding work.
Which phrase do you overuse? ‘FREAKKIN BOOMPOW’! Because when I talk about something that’s passionate, I will give it to you with gusto!
What have you learned the hard way? Not knowing about Dynamic Symmetry. That I spent nine years photographing based on my feelings, and I never knew how to analyse or study works of art. It was frustrating. It was a question hanging around waiting to be answered. It was answered about a month ago now, when I was just watching YouTube videos and I came across Myron Barnstone’s film about ‘What is Dynamic Symmetry’, and it clicked! Since then I’ve been sharing my learnings via Instagram Stories. I share my analysis of works. It disappears in 24 hours. You have to be quick and you have to be paying attention. People who pay attention are the ones who get rewarded!
If you could do another job what would you like to do and why? I would probably go back to doing Graphic Design. I used to work in Marketing, creating all the collaterals, flyers and advertising in-house for a travel company. I did that for 10 years and I really did enjoy it. I would probably do something along these lines of multimedia.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to be a photographer? There are three stages in your photographic adventure:
1) You will spend your time learning how to press the buttons on your camera. Learn where to change your aperture, ISO, your shutter speed and your metering. It took me maybe two-three years to be better at this, and then it became second nature to me.
2) You will then be rewarded with being able to be creative in what you do. You can start to emulate the works of the photographers who inspire you. I’d say give yourself another three years to get better at this.
3) You discover that there is such a thing as Dynamic Symmetry and you spend your time studying it and analysing people’s work etc. Give yourself seven years to put this in practice.
4) BOOMPOW! If you actually practice and shoot on a daily basis say two hours a day, in 13 years time you have reached your 10,000 hours in becoming a master in what you do! You have to be in this for a long run!
Photography is not about just photographing pretty pictures and all you do is press the shutter. It’s all about designing your frame. Slow down before you press that shutter. Don’t just look at your subject, look at the background and what elements of design can you incorporate to make that image have the order, unity, harmony, movement and rhythm. Shoot, shoot, shoot and shoot and study, study, study, study!
Can you tell us about your new book WILD with Sarah Glover? WILD Adventure Cookbook is the collaborative cookbook project that I worked on with Sarah Glover. It was shot over two years at 17 locations along Australia’s East coast. This cookbook pushes boundaries wherever it finds them and it’s taking outdoor cooking to the next level. WILD is about breaking rules and challenging conventions. I believe that magic happens when food is photographed unadorned and uninterrupted. It may have taken us two years to photograph this book, but we would not have done it any other way. The desire to be different, to go against the grain, to push boundaries, create new work, instead of replicating what’s out there, is what connected Sarah and I to create this cookbook. This book is photographed ‘documentary style’ – out in the wild, completely free of studio and conventional kitchen. I was there every step of the way, capturing the moment; the ingredients, the processes, the locations, the people, the drama and the absolute magic that occurs when these elements all come together. I feel that photographing food in context gives it soul, which gives this project its point of difference. In a perfect world, I hope to photograph all future cookbooks in this style.
Can you tell us about any other projects you have in the pipeline? Currently WILD #2 is in motion, and we already have plans to travel throughout the year and at the same time going on roadshows to promote WILD #1. It really just depends on what opportunities come out of this, we just don’t know, but we have to keep going on the project because WILD #2 is beginning to show some ‘legs’, it’s in motion!
Do you have any favourite websites/Instagrams you can share? There are only two websites I will recommend for keen foodies who want to learn more about the in’s and out’s of food, and more importantly learn about history. The first one is Art of Eating, and the second one is Ideas in Food. Food blogs these days all become about a form of self expression, pretty pictures which are highly styled - it is now all about the styling and not about the food anymore, it’s all about yummy, beautiful, amazing, incredible blah blah blah… I feel that people are going to be wanting more. The blogs who will stay are the ones that give value and educate people.
How do you spend your downtime? My downtime is spent studying, improving my muscle memory so that I can practice learning about the elements of design. I spend it reading and analysing. Listening to podcasts and getting all psyched up! Or if I get sick of doing this I’d probably be cooking!
Can you give us a great tip on how to take better photographs? Yes, Google Dynamic Symmetry. Start with Myron Barnstone. Start watching his YouTube films.
What would you like to be doing in five years time? I’d like to be creating stories and getting paid for it so that my husband can be a stay-at-home Father for once, after all the support he has given to me. I’d like to be owning a house close to the beach and close to where Sarah lives, so that it’s easier for us to just keep producing stories to our hearts content, and get paid for it!
If you had an extra hour each day what would you do with it? You’d still find me studying and analysing work and scheming up stories to photograph!
What’s your personal motto? Nothing that you do in this life is ever a waste. What you give out comes back to you dollar-by-dollar. Nothing in this life ever happened without the hard work. Never ever hide your enthusiasm!
How would you like to be remembered? I’d like to be remembered as someone who gives value and is full of life. A life cheerleader, poms poms and all! BOOMPOW! Fist pump, over and out!
Thank you Luisa for talking to The Lifestyle Editor.
Summer days are here again…which means spending time enjoying long, leisurely weekends dining alfresco (weather permitting!), with family and friends, whether under the bough of a tree or parasol, but always with plenty of mouthwatering dishes. Neighborhood is this season’s perfect accompaniment to sun-kissed days, with its must-have collection of salad recipes, incorporating easy to prepare and quick to disappear dishes, using seasonal vegetables, grains, beans, nuts, herbs and spices. Author, and home cook with a passion, Hetty McKinnon, established Arthur Street Kitchen back in 2011 as a community kitchen with the simple concept: local food for local people. Hetty dreamed up and cooked delicious hearty seasonal salads which she delivered to locals on her bike in sun-kissed Sydney. In 2015, Hetty relocated her family, and Arthur Street Kitchen, to the rather larger neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York and continued to deliver salads to locals and run creative pop-up events.
Alongwith beautiful and atmospheric photography by photographer Luisa Brimble, Hetty’s new book is full of plant-based recipes boasting flavours from around the world, with dishes such as Cumin-Spiced Cauliflower with Fried Lentils and Spinach Yoghurt, Eggplant with Haloumi, Beet Tzatziki and Yoghurt Fatbreads, and Lebanese Stewed Green beans and Chickpeas with Spinach Pilaf. Hetty takes salads to a whole new and enticing level, and the ‘Just Bring Dessert’ section showcases shared recipes from her sweet-making friends, all served with charming stories and memories of food, family and friendship.
Houseplants are where it’s at people. They are hip, cool and enjoying a
well deserved revival and spotlight in interiors. Not only do they bring a
hit of the outside inside, are renowned for being beneficial to our
health and bring a room to life, plants are now being used aesthetically
to make a stylish decorating statement. Whether creating a focal point
in a room, a dramatic hanging display in a window, or bringing a shelf
to life, they are the living accessory that can help bring a particular
mood or style to your decorating scheme.
So perfectly timed, and hot-off-the-press, is new book At Home With Plants, by interior landscape designer, and RHS Chelsea Flower Show gold medal-winner, Ian Drummond and interiors writer Kara O’Reilly. If, like me, you have been a disaster in the past at keeping plants alive, this book holds your hand and guides you through the world of houseplants, showing what plants work well in various rooms and how best to care for them. Showcasing everything from geometric terrariums to herb pots, and hanging baskets to window displays, the book is packed full of plant-laden interior spaces, beautifully photographed by Nick Pope, that will leave you wondering how you have lived without plants for so long.
At Home With Plants, by Ian Drummond and Kara O’Reilly, photography by Nick Pope and styling by Elkie Brown, published by Mitchell Beazley and available online here.
BOOK GIVEAWAY: With thanks to publisher Mitchell Beazley, I have one copy of At Home With Plants to giveaway. Head over to Instagram to enter. Good luck!
I have always loved ceramics and wanted to
showcase the work of three contemporary designers whose work I very much admire.
Each one unique in their style, all using different clays, glazes and finishes, but all
producing collections that beautifully balance form and function.
Kaori Tatebayashi grew up surrounded by
ceramics. Born in Arita, a small village in Japan which is renowned as the
birthplace of Imari porcelain and her family’s business was Imari ware
merchandising. “When I was eight, my family moved to Kyoto - another place famous
for its pottery, and my favorite playground was the pottery factory where I was
allowed to sit mesmerized, watching the craftsmen throwing.” Having undertaken
a BA, then an MA in ceramics at Kyoto City University of
art in Japan, she travelled to London in 1995 as an exchange student of the RCA
during her MA study. Working
from her studio in South London, her love for nature, and memories of her
Grandfather’s garden, has provided much inspiration for her covetable tableware
collection. Intentionally understated,
simple and passive, Kaori’s work allows each piece to embrace the simple
function of serving food. “My
objects are only truly completed and enlivened when being used.” Made using grogged red stoneware clay, Kaori mixes her own glazes using
Japanese recipes to obtain her muted colour palette. “For me, making tableware is like breathing - a simple, natural
thing. I want my work to embody nature and create an experience of it in some
small, intimate way. I hope the quietness and simplicity of my tableware allows
it to fit into how different people live and inspire pleasurable use.”
Sue Pryke started her creative journey at Leicester Polytechnic studying ceramics and glass, where she won a design award that gave her a ten-week placement at Wedgwood. As a shape designer, she was guided by the design team to understand
the breadth of ceramic form, from how a plate should sit on the table, to how a
spout should pour. Gaining many skills in the world of production throwing, wedging and weighing the clay and then throwing on a large scale requires each piece to be the same shape and size, Sue found the challenge
of this precision absorbing and the repetitive nature satisfying. “I’m
sure it was this early interest into repetitive forms that sparked an interest
in volume production and the need to have everything the same.” Sue then moved to London to undertake an MA at the Royal College of Art and then went on to design for ranges for retailers such as Heals, John Lewis, Conran, Sainsbury’s, Next and Ikea, In 2013, Sue decided the time was right to launch her own collection. “I wanted
to create a my own range of objects that sit comfortably in the home, that
aren’t awkward, audacious or tricky to use or care for, but are familiar, have
fluency and sit effortlessly. Her design aesthetic is one of functionality and practicality, combined with a Scandinavian-vibe colour palette. “To bring this range
together I have collaborated with small factories and studios in England
working with traditional craftsmanship, materials and techniques to make high
quality products made by hand. The terracotta and bone china are slip cast from a
mould, each with tiny nuances but essentially the same, but none of the range
is mass manufactured, The beauty of each piece is dependent on the initial
model, usually made by me and the interaction the craftsman also has with the
material when making each piece.”
Born the daughter of a potter, Katharina was brought up in a creative environment that would inspire her to train professionally in ceramics at
college in Austria and Germany. Having relocated to the UK, Katharina set up her business in
Cambridge in 2011 and has received several awards, including the silver award for ceramics in 2013 by Craft and
Design magazine. She also participated in the Crafts Councils Hot House program in 2014, and is a member of the Craft Potters Association.
Working with porcelain, Katharina is inspired by the elemental colour
and shape of ancient Korean pottery. Her signature style for her work features hand drawn, spontaneous lines covering her pieces in simple, yet striking patterns. Her naive marks are made with wax crayons so that a resist effect occurs when covered with her own glazes. “The narrative of my work is coming
from little snippets of observation in my environment. Lines are jumping
out on me in almost anything – stripes on cloth, wires, cables, plants
and grasses, architecture and streets just to name a few.“ The exterior glazing of her work boasts a monochromatic colour palette in stark contrast to the vibrant coloured glazes Katharina uses to decorate the inside of her vessels. “There is no end to your learning curve, you can always go thinner, lighter, taller, wider,more precise…finding new curves, finding new shapes. Everyone who has one of my pots has a moment of my time captured in a fired piece, which I love.”
They say you should never judge a book by its cover, but this cover had me smitten at the very first glance! Crammed full of inspiring and creative work spaces owned by a mix of artists, designers, makers and writers, STUDIO shows you how to carve out the perfect room or corner, whatever your craft. With more and more of us working from home, the desire to create a ‘work space’ that lets you indulge in your passion, or earn a living from your skill, is more important than ever. Regardless of size of space or budget, Sally Coulthard’s book STUDIO demonstrates how you can design, decorate and equip a space that allows you to work, think and create. From real life case studies around the globe, to practical tips on lighting, desks, shelving and storage, the pages in this book are packed with bright ideas and solutions to help transform a space into a creative hub. So whether you are a web designer or writer, painter or potter, STUDIO will help you to create a dedicated area that not only ticks all the practical boxes, but nourishes your artistic and intellectual spirit.
STUDIO: Creative Spaces for Creative People by Sally Coulthard, published by Jacqui Small, and available online here.
BOOK GIVEAWAY: With thanks to publishers Jacqui Small, I have one copy of STUDIO to offer (UK only). Simply head over to Instagram and leave a comment why you would like to win it. Good Luck!
Few foods conjure up feelings of warm sun-kissed days and are as versatile as citrus. From the smallest squeeze of lemon, to the tangy zing of lime zest, they satisfy almost every part of the palate – sweet, sour, bitter and umami-enhancing. Hot off the press is the new cookbook Citrus, by Catherine Phipps, a delicious celebration of everything from Seville oranges to yuzu, to grapefruit, bergamot and pomelo. Food writer Catherine regularly writes for the Guardian’s Word of Mouth and contributes to Radio 4′s The Food Programme. Her love for all things citrus extends back to her childhood when the romance of citrus was wrapped up in nostalgia, and the seasons, and for her Summer went hand-in-hand with lemons, and the winter months were about orange-hued fruits. Your kitchen will certainly be filled with mouthwatering aromas from some of Catherine’s delicious recipes, including Mandarin Chicken with Giant Couscous, Fish broth with Lime leaves, Lemongrass and Coconut, Lime, Cinnamon and Rum Sorbet, and Blackberry and Orange Blossom Clafoutis. There is also a useful up-front section of the book that conveniently covers
everything from making citrus rubs to freezing, to drying and making your own citrus
oils.
Citrus by Catherine Phipps, photography by Mowie Kay, published by Quadrille and available online here.
BOOK GIVEAWAY: With many thanks to Quadrille, I have one copy of Citrus to giveaway. Head over to Instagram to enter, Good Luck!
Wood crafting has become incredibly popular of late, with more and more people wanting to learn the art of carving and enjoying the simple pleasure of being in touch with the outdoors. Forest + Found co-founder Max Bainbridge has always been fascinated with wood, and his passion was to dedicate his career to combine the natural material and working with his hands. His new book, The Urban Woodsman, combines traditional skills with contemporary designs, and provides eight projects for spoons, spatulas, butter knives, boards and bowls, as well as how to finish projects. There is information on identifying wood types and trees, and how to source local timber for free, or next to nothing. With advice on which tools are best to use, step-by-step carving and cutting techniques, this book will equip the carving enthusiast with the skills to master their own creations. Having graduated from Chelsea College of Art and Design, Max is now based in his garden workshop in East London, where he works alongside his quilting partner Abigail Booth, creating and celebrating craftsmanship in the modern home.
The Urban Woodsman by Max Bainbridge, photography by Dean Hearne, published by Kyle Books, available online here.
BOOK GIVEAWAY: With thanks to publishers Kyle Books, I have one copy to giveaway - simply head over to Instagram and leave a message saying why you would love to win this book. Good Luck!
BOOK GIVEAWAY: With thanks to publisher Ten Speed Press, I have a copy of Foraged Flora to give away, simply head to Instagram and leave a comment why you would like to win this book. Delivery only to USA or UK address only. Good luck!
Ngoc Minh Ngo is a photographer renowned for her beautiful studies of flowers and nature, with her work taking her worldwide to capture the intrinsic beauty of her subject. In Bloom: Creating and Living With Flowers is Ngoc’s second book, her first being Bringing Nature Home, and her journey this time has taken her into the homes and studios of designers, artisans and tastemakers who celebrate flowers in unique, and inspiring ways. From botanical decorations used in a house in Brooklyn, to a paper flower maker in The Bronx, an artist in France who painstakingly sculpts intricate floral replicas, and a textile designer in London who looks to the details in nature for her collection of wallpapers and fabrics. This inspiring book helps to connect us back to the beauty of flowers and to see how others incorporate their qualities into their lives. I recently caught up with Ngoc to talk about her new book, her work, and some of her favourite flower-filled places.
Can you tell us what your book is about? My book documents the work of 12 artists and designers who explore the many aspects of flowers and plants.
Why did you want to do a book about flowers? I have always been fascinated by the place that flowers take up in our
cultural history. Flowers have inspired some of the greatest art in
history and they have also been woven into the fabric of our everyday
life. I wanted to explore how that tradition continues
today.
How long did you work on the project? I started work on the project in the summer of 2014, and the book went to press in April 2016, so it’s just short of two years.
How did you select the people you profiled in the book? I wanted to have a wide range of work that
would reflect the rich history of flower-inspired art. Then I chose
people whose work I love and to which I feel a personal connection.
Can you share a tip on taking beautiful images of flowers? Photography is first and foremost about light, so paying attention to light when you are
photographing, be it flowers
or anything else, is probably the most important thing. Look at the flowers in different
lighting conditions and see how they affect the way the subjects look.
For example, back-lighting will bring out the transparency of the petals
while a strong side light will sculpt the shape of the flowers.
Lighting also changes the mood of an image.
What is your favourite flower? It’s difficult for me to name just one favourite flower, since every
season brings something to admire. In early spring, for example, I love
all the flowering bulbs, from the tiny grape hyacinths to the voluptuous
tulips, and flowering trees like magnolias,
dogwood, cherry blossoms, and apple blossoms. In the summer, I love the
old roses and their heady fragrance and the red poppies that set the
fields ablaze in the south of France. In the fall, I love the dahlias in
their myriad colors and shapes. In winter,
the witch hazel and hellebore flowers come out while snow is still on
the ground. That’s one of the many wonderful thing about flowers: the
way they mark the seasons and punctuate the year.
Do you have a favourite flower-filled space from your book? I love all the places that I documented in the book. Claire Basler’s
chateau is pure magic. Martyn Thompson’s studio is extraordinary. Umberto Pasti lives in
a botanical paradise. Miranda Brooks’ house is enchanting. I find Sarah Ryhanen’s flower farm
to be pure poetry.
Rachel Dein’s studio is like an
alchemy workshop. Livia Cetti’s home overflows with her spirited love
of flowers. I had so much fun cutting flowers from Frances Palmer’s
garden and playing with her vases. Seeing Carmen Almon’s work in her
home was a revelation. Neisha Crosland’s home and
studio are as beautiful and elegant as her work.
Do you have a favourite place, that is open to the public, that has beautiful flowers? The High Line in New York is an amazing place where there are many
beautiful flowers in almost any time of the year. Kew Gardens in London
has some of the world’s most beautiful plants. But there are also so
many places where there are amazing wild flowers,
like the bluebells in the woods or a meadow in the summer.
What project do you have coming up next? I am photographing Umberto Pasti’s
extraordinary garden in a remote village outside of Tangier, his
passionate love letter to the natural beauty of Tangier, for his book on
the subject.
And finally…if you were a flower, what would you be and why? I
honestly cannot think of what flower I would be but it would probably
be something small and unassuming, like a wildflower in a meadow.
BOOK GIVEAWAY: With thanks to Rizzoli I have one copy to giveaway over on Instagram (UK delivery only). Head over there and leave a comment why you would like to win this book. Good Luck!
Having discovered Susan Burnell’s work on Instagram, I have long been a fan of her beautiful photographic images, and decided to contact her to find out more about her work and collection. Soo (as she is fondly known!) photographs interiors and products for a wide range of clients, as well as selling her own photography, and bold, typographic designs online in her shop SOOuK. Her work is available to buy printed onto home accessories, ceramics, stationery, and beautiful art prints - allwith a cool, monochrome aesthetic. I recently caught up with Soo, who also juggles her career alongside being a busy Mum, to talk about her photographic work, inspiration and future projects.
How long have you been a photographer? It’s been 16 years since I graduated, but I actually started working with a local photographer when I was 15. I
bought a darkroom with some money I inherited from my grandfather, and
practically lived in it! I couldn’t ever imagine doing anything else!
Where did you learn your trade?
I studied photography in Edinburgh for four years, but really I think you learn so much from working in the business.
Where are you based? My studio is located outside of Edinburgh, sitting on the edge of three beautiful
fields. My husband built the studio at the end of the garden, its such a
calm place to work and I love being in there.
Do you prefer studio shoots or locations?
I shoot in the studio all the time and I do love it, but I guess
it’s more exciting to go out and see new things. I absolutely love to
travel, and am constantly inspired by new and exciting places.
Why did you open an online print shop?
I originally started making prints I needed as styling props for
shoots, and it evolved from there really. People were always asking
for them and would ask me to make them one too, so I decided to start my
online shop SOOuK. I really enjoyed planning
new collections and shooting pieces that I would like to see hanging in
my own home. I am really passionate about the quality of the prints,
the paper is the most beautiful, thick velvet art paper, and Giclee
printing of the finest quality. I want my customers
to feel like they have bought something really special.
What is your favourite print and why? This changes a lot depending on what I am working on. I am so proud of
my new dance collection, and I really feel that I created what I set out to
achieve. I specifically love the Pointe image and abstract ballet. I
have also been in Iceland twice this year getting
a collection of landscapes together. Iceland is a really special place,
and as soon as I am home, I am dreaming about going back there! I am looking
forward to working on these images.
What made you do a ballet series, and who was the ballerina?
I had been planning the series for a year, and had almost given up
hope of finding the right person to work with, when I was introduced to
Ashling Brangham from the Scottish Ballet through a friend. I knew exactly
what I was trying to achieve and Ashling really
got it. I was so lucky to be able to work with such a talented artist,
we both really clicked, and I think that shows through the images I
captured. I would love to work with her again on some new pieces, and
possibly work with some male dancers too.
You shoot interiors also - do you have a favourite you have photographed, and why?
This is a very difficult question because the problem is when you spend
so much
time in a person’s home, hear their stories, share their memories and
see families
together, even if its not your style (which many of them are not), you
start to love it all too! I have been so lucky
to shoot many, many beautiful homes, and there have been some amazing
ones. I particularly remember an amazing four-storey Georgian home right
in the centre of
Edinburgh that was pretty special, plus a stunning architects house on
the
remote Scottish Isle of Uist, which was incredible too!
What next for SOOuK?
There are some exciting collaborations in the pipeline that I can’t
talk about just yet, but I am hoping to be able to launch some of
these projects by the start of the new year. I am also hoping to put together an
exhibition of my Icelandic work, so watch this space!
If, like me, you have a fondness for more exotic houseplants such as cacti, succulents, air plants, and tropical blooms, then this is the book for you. House of Plants is a beautiful, comprehensive and straightforward guide, showing both
the aspiring, and experienced plant enthusiast how to nurture, share, and
enjoy these wonderful plants. Perfect for the urban city dweller, the enthusiast, those with limited funds, time, or non-existent outdoor space, who crave some green and growing companions. Produced by Caro Langton and Rose Ray, these two young designers, and experienced indoor plant stylists who met at university, share their passion and plant knowledge, alongside photography by Erika Raxworthy.
Divided into various chapters, the book covers how to care, feed, prune, and clean many popular species such as the Monstera, Fiddle Leaf Fig, and Echeveria, as well as some of the more unusual species including Fishbone Cactus, Xerographica and Monkey’s Tail. It also provides helpful advice on how to take cuttings to share with friends, along with inspiring and creative projects, including planting up a terrarium, making a macramé hanging planter and homemade concrete pots, as well as compost and fertiliser recipes. House of Plants is a book that will become an invaluable and inspiring guide, to help you welcome and incorporate these ‘prickly pets’ into your home, and fill every space with unusual, beautiful plant life.
House of Plants by Caro Langton & Rose Ray, with photography by Erika Raxworthy, is published by Frances Lincoln, and available online here.
BOOK GIVEAWAY: With thanks to Frances Lincoln publishing, I have a copy of House Of Plants to giveaway, simply head over to Instagram here to enter. Good luck!
Describe your work in 5 words: Giving you a new perspective.
Can you tell us a little about your what you do? I hang out the side of helicopters photographing incredible locations around the world to share with others.
Why did you want to start your business? Travel is a huge passion of mine and I wanted to incorporate that into my job.
Can you tell us briefly your career
journey and how you got to where you are today? I was a fashion
photographer for 6 years, and ended up working in Sydney. It was there that I
fell in love with landscape photography, and began shooting that more
than fashion!
What is a typical day in the office? If
it’s a shoot day, it’s an early wake up, camera check, weather forecast
updates, drive to helipad, meeting with pilot about route plans, take
the door off the helicopter, strap myself in and
go! If it’s not a shoot day, it’s sorting logistics for the next shoot,
planning exhibitions or sorting print sales.
What is the first thing you do when you get to work? Check the surf webcams at the beach.
Where is your office/studio and what is
the view out of your window? I work from my studio in Brixton, South
London, and I can see a windmill and a prison from my window!
What made you decide to take aerial
shots? I was endlessly shooting the beaches and feeling unsatisfied with
what I was getting. I wanted a more ‘wow’ impact in them, but also to give a new
angle on them.
What are the tools of your trade? Currently it’s a Nikon D3S, and a selection of lenses. Oh and a helicopter!
Do you use any special cameras/lenses for
your work? I’ve used stabilisers and wide angle lenses, but I have a
simple kit now that I trust, and can get the results I set out for.
What can’t you work without? Yorkshire tea!
Why do you love what you do? I get to
travel and show people the parts of the world they’ve never seen, or
places they know but from a new angle.
Who or what inspires you? I feel most
inspired travelling or reading about it. Condé Nast Traveller is
my go to publication, and helps me travel the world if I’m stuck at home for a stint.
What is the best advice you have received? Find a niche.
One moment in your career you will always
remember? Looking through the photos after my first aerial shoot,
and knowing from that moment that my whole path in life had changed.
What is the best part of your job? Seeing the world from above.
And the worst? Having to do all the desk work that comes with being freelance.
What’s your proudest career achievement? A 10-page story in Condé Nast Traveller.
What are you working on at the moment? My new exhibition ‘Up in the Air’ opens next month at the Truman Brewery, London. (see details below)
What single thing would improve the quality of your life? Living by the sea.
Can you share any of your favourite
websites or Instagram feeds? @saltywings from Western Australia are a
great bunch of guys with drones capturing fantastic images.
What have you learned the hard way? To back up your photos on more than one hard drive!
If you could do another job what would
you like to do and why? Physiotherapist - I was a keen sports man with
many injuries, so wanted to help in the rehabilitation area of sport.
What advice would you give to someone
wanting to do what you are doing? Save up and do it! People are scared
off by the thought of spending hundreds on a flight, but save up and try
it. I promise it will be worth it!
If you could be someone for a day who would it be? Manol, the surf instructor, from my favourite surf break in the Indian Ocean.
Do you have a secret ambition still to achieve? Buy an island!
What would you like to be doing in five years time? Working from my studio by the beach in Cornwall.
If you had an extra hour each day what would you do with it? Walk along the beach with no phone.
How would you like to be remembered? By not going down the expected route!
Thank you Tommy for talking to The Lifestyle Editor.
EXHIBITION DETAILS: The ‘Up in the Air’ exhibition is on at Old
Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London, from 14th-28th October 2016. Prints can be purchased at the exhibition and online. The exhibition presents the next installment of the ‘Salt’ series,
Useless Loop, capturing the natural juxtaposition between water and
land. Shot on location flying over the salt lakes of Utah, California
and Western Australia, the Salt series captures a unique moment in the
ever changing life-cycle of salt lakes, and are completely unretouched.