Here is a selection of my published articles, which reflect the diversity of London's arts scene. For upcoming events, see the calendar section of the site.
I would be delighted to have you commission me to write about an exhibit, interview a curator or an artist, review up-coming or past auctions, or just chat about world-class museums, fairs and markets. Do get in touch:
- The gifted graphic artist Edward McKnight Kauffer was a pioneer in every sense of the word. Perhaps better known in England than in his American homeland, he was strongly influenced by different forms of modernist movements in art. Significantly, he understood the importance of commercial art in the early years of the twentieth century and his uncompromising graphic designs bridged the divide between fine art the art of advertising.
- For thousands of years jewellers have crafted gemstones and natural materials to create remarkably decorative and symbolic forms of adornment. And throughout the ages women and men have worn jewellery to display status, fashion, celebrate events, express mourning or even to convey intimate messages. Victorian jewellery exhibits all of these meanings in an exceptionally wide array of materials and designs.
- This small gem of a museum is set in the former almshouses built in 1714 by Sir Robert Geffrye. A wealthy merchant, Geffrye was made Master of the Ironmongers’ Company in 1667, knighted in 1673 and Lord Mayor of the City of London in 1685. Step through the door of the Geffrye Museum and begin a journey which explores 400 years of English middle class domestic interiors - from 1600 to the present day.
- Norman Rockwell (1894-1978) was America’s best-loved and most prolific twentieth century illustrator. His career spanned nearly seventy years and has left us with a legacy of over 4,000 original works. Even as a young man he had a unique gift for observing and capturing the visual drama, humour and homespun lives of ordinary Americans. At the tender age of 16 he had his first commission to illustrate Christmas cards and by 1912 even more commissions came his way.
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Japanese porcelain with good provenance offers a prime area for collectors, while the market for contemporary Japanese ceramics is heating up.
- This ia an account of Claire’s journey into the art world and find out how she has been so successful just one year after completing her degree course in 3D Design Ceramics. We met and she told me her story which began when a tutor introduced her to the American assemblage artist, Joseph Cornell (1903-1972).
- Fredric, Lord Leighton (1830-1896) was one of the most prominent Victorian artists of his day. Handsome and famous, he enjoyed prestige and status amongst royalty and the upper echelons of London’s cultural circles. His home, the Leighton House Museum, is tucked away off Kensington High Street on the edge of Holland Park. Itconceals an immense variety of hidden treasures. And amongst these treasures none is more beguiling than the famous Arab Hall.
- A magical atmosphere pervades the new ceramics galleries at the Victoria and Albert Museum. After more than five years in the planning and construction, the refurbished area opened in September 2009. Now the public can enjoy a stroll through a chain of seven galleries which tell stories about centuries of ceramic history, diverse cultures and techniques of production.
- Some years ago I sat through an Art Deco furniture auction in one of the most prestigious auction houses in central London. You could feel energy and tension surging through the room. Bids were sky-high--often more than the estimates quoted in the £30 catalogue. Today many high-end auction houses tell a different story.
- London is bursting with venues for lovers of silver and gold, be they avid collectors or just curious browsers. There is always a bumper crop of specialist venues to visit - with prices ranging from modest to mega.
- If you are feeling blue, remember London’s superb antique fairs are still up and running. Make a date to visit one of the best - the Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair in the marquee, Battersea Park in April. The warm and relaxed atmosphere of this event is bound to cheer you up and may even inspire you to have a bit of a flutter.
- Come on down to Covent Garden where the London Transport Museum is celebrating one hundred years of original poster art – a century of design excellence. You will see sixty posters chosen from an archive of nearly 5000. Each one was commissioned from fine artists and graphic designers to publicise the Capital’s public transport network.
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NEW YORKER STYLE - Unmasking the Remarkable Visions of Saul Steinberg
Saul Steinberg is perhaps best known as an artist for The New Yorkerhe where he created eighty-nine covers, numerous drawings and cartoons throughout his nearly sixty years with the magazine. - Some dreams come true, some do not. This is the story about how the dreams of Mary Wilson and three teenage African-American girls, the Supremes, came true. Set in the context of the American Civil Rights movement in the 1960s, video & archival material provide the background. Glamour and fame characterise the rags-to-riches career of the Supremes. Their wardrobe of slinky, satin and sequined stage costumes is unmissable.
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'Coming of Age: American Art, 1850s to 1950s' reveals the complex and fascinating evolution of American artistic styles & culture at the Dulwich Picture Gallery
'The American Scene: Prints from Hopper to Pollock' Features around 150 outstanding prints by 74 leading modern American artists at the British Museum. - Kew Gardens, a 300 acre World Heritage site, provides the perfect setting for twenty-eight of Henry Moore’s large-scale sculptures. Monumental best describes this exhibition. Reputedly the greatest British sculptor of the 20th century, Moore wanted his sculptures to be displayed out-of-doors. Kew’s stunning foliage, lawns, water, architecture together with the changing seasons enhances Moore’s work.
- The Language of Glass discusses Anthony Stern’s relationship with the centuries old craft of glass making. Stern ‘paints’ at the furnace where he creates decorative and functional glass objects. His sculptures are contemporary statements inspired by classical styles, the Baroque, cross-cultural themes and a diversity of contemporary forms.
- 17th and 18th century prints are an important source of fine art, natual history, period lifestyles, satire, genre subjects - and so much more- in the pre-photographic age.
- The charm of childhood toys has endured through the ages. The Museum of Childhood, a branch of the Victoria & Albert Museum, houses an extraordinary historical collection.
- London Transport enjoys a unique artistic heritage. As we move into 2007, it is appropriate to celebrate this incomparable service and explore aspects of London Transport’s design history.
- Tiffany & Co. was founded in 1837. Famous for its glamour, fine craftsmanship and creative designs, it is a uniquely American brand . This exhibition of Tiffany's jewellery was the first of its kind. Among the notable pieces on display are Mrs. Lincoln's set of pearl jewellery bought for her at Tiffany's 1862 and the Tiffany Diamond designed by Schlumberger and worn by Audrey Hepburn.
- Forget cartoons and huge billboards. Pop Art has moved into the wings to make way for Photorealist art. Today the popularity and importance of Photorealist art is fully established within many mainstream galleries and museums.
- In 2006 The Dulwich Picture Gallery hosted two exhibitions of American 19th century artists. The major exhibit, ‘Winslow Homer: Poet of the Sea’, was Homer’s first one-man show in England. The smaller show,’ In the Age of Winslow Homer: American Prints 1880-1900’, a private collection of 50 etchings, was a delightful companion piece to Homer’s paintings.
- Reclamation is big business. Today there is a fashionable trend for using original or reproduction architectural antique salvage in gardens.
- The exhibition, ‘A Century of Queen’s Wedding Dresses 1840-1947’, tells the story of one hundred years of memorable royal wedding gowns. The venue was at Kensington Palace in 2003 where five life size replica (queen look-alikes) mannequins wore the original Queen’s wedding dresses. We get to peek behind-the-scenes and learn about textiles, designers and the royals’ fashion history.
- Silver has been treasured through the centuries for its lustrous beauty and high intrinsic value. Today, more than ever, fine antique silverware remains highly sought after by anyone with a discerning eye for beauty and exquisite craftsmanship.