Nov '14 - 'Sharpest Tool in the Box' book sculpture for PEAS charity
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Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that: "Everyone has the right to go to school". We in the United Kingdom take this for granted, but over 20 million African children still do not have access to secondary education.
My piece was one of twenty pieces by artists and designers invited by The Thinking Hand Studio to present and auction their book sculptures at a charity celebrity dinner for in Vinters Hall, London. The pieces were put on auction in aid of UK award-winning charity PEAS, who build and operate sustainable schools that permanently widen access to affordable secondary education for children in Africa.
May '11 - Book restoration for Richard Hickman
Richard asked if I could restore an 18th Century encyclopedia that was in a few pieces and had lost its spine. As it was one of four volumes that he had, he wanted it to be fairly in keeping with the style of the original. The original exposed sewing and decaying remnants of spine were so beautiful that I had to photograph them (see below) before I reconstructed its spine in mauve 0.2mm leather, and added a matching bookmark with a vibrant headband. I also used 18th C style French marbled paper to make endpapers that I think gave the book a slightly exotic new lease of life, whilst still respecting the character of the original.
The book before
Restoration in progress
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December '09 - City Notebooks
Handbound blank hardbacks in Japanese and French silk with grosgrain ribbon bookmarks. Set of four cities: London, Paris, New York and Barcelona featuring original map illustrations on the end papers as sold at the British Craft Fair.
November '09 - Back to School Notebooks
Handbound blank hardbacks in vintage colours with inset illustrations from a series of 3 minute life drawings, as exhibited at the Oxford Lieder Festival. Also available as framed prints.
September '09 - Bookshop Swimming Pool for "Ciudad" (City) exhibition, Barcelona
3D diorama collaged from paper, card, digital prints dyed thread and acrylic on card.
The exhibition is open from September 4th til October 3rd, for more details please see
September '09 - Bar Shoeshop for "Ciutat" (City) exhibition, Barcelona
Layered drawing collaged from digital prints, silver foil and acrylic on card.
My city is not any geographical location – it only exists in the imagination, accessed in dreams and fantasies. Taking inspiration from a child's view of the city it uses the built environment as a metaphor for public and private thoughts. The facades of the houses are based on traditional Victorian construction, inspired by the Victorians and their sense of propriety – in public, people, particularly women were repressed with rules of etiquette and “polite society”, despite having their own unvoiced private thoughts.
By day the houses masquerade as normal houses on a busy street, but by night as the streets empty, pulleys unravel, motors whirr and the houses slowly come to life. Chimney pots magically extend, roofs open and secret doors swing out, revealing interior gardens and private dream worlds. Only those with imaginations know that these places exist and they are the ones who know how to access them.
By day the houses masquerade as normal houses on a busy street, but by night as the streets empty, pulleys unravel, motors whirr and the houses slowly come to life. Chimney pots magically extend, roofs open and secret doors swing out, revealing interior gardens and private dream worlds. Only those with imaginations know that these places exist and they are the ones who know how to access them.
The exhibition is open from September 4th til October 3rd, for more details please see
August '09 - "Vintage Musicals" handbound notebooks, hardback and paperback
Now retailing in La Sasteria, Gracia, Barcelona
August '09 - British Vogue badges
June '09 - Exhibition at the Royal Warrant Holders Association Annual Lunch
A collection of my Applied Arts work over the last year including the gift of the red handbound notebook to HRH the Princess Royal. I read that she is very keen on lighthouses, (hence the choice of embossing on the cover) and was delighted to find that it exactly matched the jacket that she was wearing on the day! Thanks to QEST for funding the most amazing year of arts!
May '09 - The Volans Collective Magazine
(32 page Exhibition catalogue edited by Marissa D'Cunha, Mina Bach and myself)
Amongst the mighty Graphics and Media pathways, our little Applied Arts pathway at LCC Foundation sometimes got a little dwarfed. We decided to take a stand!
The "Volans Collective" magazine was completely student-led in a bid to raise awareness about what the Applied Arts really meant and just how alive and kicking they can be! It also acted as a showcase of each student's work, and gave us a great insight into designing and actually printing and distributing our own magazine from start to finish on LCC's very own Heidelberg machines. A feat of organisation that was definitely worth it and spread the word - Viva Volans!
The "Volans Collective" magazine was completely student-led in a bid to raise awareness about what the Applied Arts really meant and just how alive and kicking they can be! It also acted as a showcase of each student's work, and gave us a great insight into designing and actually printing and distributing our own magazine from start to finish on LCC's very own Heidelberg machines. A feat of organisation that was definitely worth it and spread the word - Viva Volans!
for more see www.volanscollective.com
or watch the printing of our very own zine below!
May '09 - "Foundations" exhibition: Celia at William Anchor Associates
Best in Show Award!
Ever wish that you could apple z (Undo) your life?
Celia does when she starts working at the award-winning architectural practice William Anchor Associates: the hours are long, the work painfully tedious, and her boss’ Queen of Hearts temperament turns the job into a living nightmare.
Day after day of gruelling drudgery and emotional stress in the office makes Celia wonder how much more she can take. With daydreams as her only solace in her architectural Wonderland what should she do next?
Only YOU can decide!
Take fate into your own hands with this Choose Your Own Adventure book. Follow the instructions step into Celia’s shoes and navigate through her world of digital reality and fantasy.
May '09 - Singing in the Rain, Pencil illustration with collage
April '09- Solar Plate prints
April '09 - Mad Hatter's Tea Party boxwork, made for Agent Provocateur
Alice finds herself literally falling into a reverie of sensual fantasy. Behind the laden table stand the Mad Hatter and March Hare, the glittering clock bearing the perpetual state of "tea o’clock".
March '09 - Screenprinted toile wallpaper designs for Rosecomb
later used for Windrush posters (see above)
March '09 - Embroidered wallpaper designs for Rosecomb
The wallpaper invites people to participate over a cup of tea and a chat, harking back to the social and community-forming elements of American quiltmaking.
Feb '09 - Bookbinding commission for Stuart Cadge
Double-sided black and white business cards book, formed from a single sheet binding supported by tapes, cover: historical maps of Edinburgh.
Dec '08 - Self Portrait boxwork
By placing objects of my memory (such as a book, a rose and drawers) within the image of my face my intention is for the viewer to see two separate images – primarily for the eye to see a collection of objects forming the interior and exterior of a room, and then a secondary image as the mind links the objects into shapes forming my face despite there being no lines. Thus the portrait is perceived only with the aid of the viewer’s own visual memory and imagination.
Drawing inspiration from butterfly museums, each object is formed of specifically designated pieces of diaries I have written, maps and texts which are important to me: for example imprinted on the side of the chest of drawers are all of the door numbers that I have ever lived at, showing the drawers as a home: private space where I can reclude.
October '08 - An Unfamiliar Journey: Blindfolded London
August '08 - Art Deco Wedding invitations commission
Ceremony at Royal Institute of British Architects, London
July '08 - Birds greetings cards (3 of 6)
Laser cut and collaged
June '08 - Edinburgh laser-cut postcards for Edinburgh Festival
May '08 - Summer Songs series commission for Oxford Lieder
Christmas Pudding (1 of 6 recipe cards), The Plant Christmas Collection November '07
Inspired by Victorian cookbooks and flock wallpaper this is both a card and a present. With wallpaper patterns formed from the ingredients in the recipe, this card comes with a hand written recipe insert and hand drawn illustration of the finished product. Bound with red satin ribbon.
