I am back from my 3rd year exhibiting at the Contemporary Craft Fair at Bovey Tracey in South Devon. As usual, it was wonderfully organised by Sarah James and Nina Fox and there was once again a large turn out (particularly impressive given the Saturday involved a torrential down pour of biblical proportions). Here are some pictures of my stand…My work attracted a lot of interest and I am chasing up several promising leads. People were particularly drawn to my new whisky cabinets and also the Exmouth table and chairs…
I am in the process of organising a photo shoot to get decent studio pictures of all my work and to get more images of my recent work on my website.
I have always taken pictures of my work myself. I have a decent digital SLR camera, lights and a studio backdrop…what I am missing however is the skill and knowhow of a professional photographer…and my images rather tend to be achieved through luck rather than judgment. Hiring a photographer for a day (or even half a day) can run into several hundreds of pounds and has been something I have always looked to avoid. However, I am now considering it, in order to learn more about studio lighting and how to minimise wasted shots…
The workshop in the mean time is buzzing with creativity and productivity. I am currently working on a batch of 12 Exmouth chairs to be completed this month. In preparation for my next commission I recently bought some beautiful English walnut from Jack Clarke of Rolston Timber near Worcester….The walnut will be used for the first Exmouth table NOT to be made in oak. I will be using sycamore detailing to create a contrast in the legs and also around the edge of the table top.
I am also roughly chopping up some English oak that is to be used to make the “Oakfields Coffee Table”, which I will be making for a new client based near Reading. I have also had an interesting commission to make a small Japanese “impossible” dovetail joint for a gentleman in London. It will be tricky – but spectacular if I pull it off!
On the exhibition front I will be showing 3 pieces at the Celebration of Craftsmanship Exhibition in Cheltenham during August. My “Coopers” whisky cabinets, Exmouth table and Exmouth dining chair will be on display and for sale. Come and see my work and that of the other top designer makers in the country:
Saturday 15th – Monday 24th August 2009 Inclusive
10.00 am to 4.00 pm Daily
Thirlestaine Long Gallery
Cheltenham College
Bath Road, Cheltenham
GL53 7LD