Party Trick

If the fun and games from your Christmas crackers aren’t up to scratch at Christmas lunch this year the late doyenne of sculpture, Louise Bourgeois has a remedy. In an interview with the art critic Waldemar Januszczak, the artist shares a childhood memory of the tradition at family dinners chez Bourgeois when her Father would expect everyone around the table to bring some kind of entertainment. The artist’s step-by-step explanation of her Father’s party trick with a tangerine is utterly captivating. Bourgeois describes it as a “certain kind of humour” – will you dare to tango?

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

image detail taken at Waddesdon Manor, 2013

10 Ideas

The Holiday season is just as much about giving as it is about receiving, so cue my annual Christmas gift guide that will guarantee priceless cheer under the tree this year. Inspired by art, culture and design that have been featured on this very blog over 2013; from my Twitter and Pinterest boards as well as some new items thrown into the festive mix - here’s my curated countdown of ideas for connoisseurs and the curious alike…

1. Bring home the Bacon
2013 marks the year Francis Bacon’s triptych, Three Studies of Lucien Freud sold for a record $142.2 million at Christie’s – play auction house at home with this cushion after the artist’s Self-Portrait, 1969 available from The Estate of Francis Bacon 

2. Performance Art
Turn the WC into a White Cube with Tim Noble and Sue Webster’s printed toilet paper Wipe That Grin Off Your Face, 2013 - available at Other Criteria

3. Quality control
The good, the bad and the ugly with architectural historian Gavin Stamp - Anti-Ugly: Excursions in English Architecture and Design published by Aurum Press

4. Poolside patron
Culture cred at the cabana with Yayoi Kusama’s art towel for Works On Whatever, the annual initiative for contemporary art accessibility from Art Production Fund

5. Less is more
Five golden rings have nothing on this 1907 interlocking unisex band – available in solid brass, sterling silver and 18k gold from Wintercheck Factory

6. Mighty pink
Make a statement with Sir Paul Smith’s pen of choice - Caran d'Ache fluorescent aluminium ballpoint pen from Paul Smith

7. Big Kids
A host of celebrated international creative talent contribute to this grownup colouring book of graphic and graffiti design - Souris Hong-Porretta curates Outside the Lines: An Artists’ Colouring Book for Giant Imaginations published by Pengiun

8. Christmas Twist
“Please sir, I want some shmores” – forget the flambé figgy pudding and melt marshmallows around the fire with these handmade wire toasting forks from RE

9. Sun, sea and salt
Supersized fun under the sun – pretzel pool float from Urban Outfitters

10. Think twice…
… before refusing the brussels sprouts this year – soild milk chocolate ‘sprouts’ from Marks & Spencer

Images courtesy of The Estate of Francis Bacon, Tim Noble and Sue Webster, Aurum Press Ltd, Art Production Fund, Wintercheck Factory, Paul Smith, Penguin Group, RE, Urban Outfitters, Marks & Spencer 

Merry Christmas

Three o'clock on the dot: a traditional British Christmas requisite

A very Merry Christmas to all my readers around the world

10 Ideas

My annual Christmas gift guide is back for another year and there's no better day than 10th December to drop my ten gift ideas that will get you some culture points under the tree this Holiday season. Taken from the worlds of art and design over the year from both my twitter and pinterest boards as well as this very blog, here's my curated countdown to the big two-five. Merry shopping to one and all...

1. Crème de la crème 

Contemporary artist, Kenny Scharf's Squirt character explodes onto this year's annual philanthropic art customisation of several product lines at Kiehl's

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2. Cellar envy

Power of Creation - limited edition 750ml from 2003 - by David Lynch for Dom Perignon

3. Ladies who lunch

Prêt-à-porter versus prêt-à-manger - Saco de Papel by ADAISM

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4. Men who munch

Something to put inside your missus's lunch bag - Band of Outsiders cookie cutters at Neiman Marcus X Target Holiday24   

5. Smooth operator
Hand-painted tortoiseshell case for iPhone 5 at Case-Mate

6. That's amore

My favourite childhood Christmas treats - Amaretti Di Saronno at I Camisa & Son

7. Globetrotting gin

Heritage tipple from British eccentric, Wing Commander 'Monty' Collins via India and Germany's Black Forest - Monkey 47 Dry Gin available at Manufactum

8. Diamond Queen

Stencil or thread to connect all sixty dots to create a silhouette of Queen Elizabeth II  - Queen's Head Stencil, limited edition of 100 by Studio Velardi

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9. Trompe l'oeil tablet

2012's brand comeback kid gets tech-appeal with this iPad case from Kenzo

10. Plastic Fantastic
Kartell - The Culture of Plastics at Taschen

Thank You Cards

The curtains are beginning to be drawn on another year and with the chorus of Christmas now very much in the air, I thought it timely to share a personal seasonal message of my own before the clock strikes festive-mayhem and panic in a few weeks. I have been looking forward to the end of this year for some time and I may finally share with you, after a year in the making, news of the launch of my latest design collaboration with the charity, Thames Hospicecare.

Thames Hospicecare provides a palliative care service to those suffering from a terminal or life-limiting illness in my hometown of Windsor and Ascot in the Royal county of Berkshire. In 2009 my Mother, Lilli received the specialist care and support at the Hospice towards the end of her life after battling cancer for several years. I was guilty of projecting the stereotypes that many formulate around hospice care; it was not until my family had to access the support of the Hospice that I realised the overwhelming compassion and treatment that was received by all and how I am now deeply fortunate to hold what is a painful memory in a positive light.

I am eternally grateful to the Hospice's dedicated team of doctors and nurses as well as the bereavement support I received in the wake of my loss and at the realisation I no longer had family in Britain. I will never forget this time in my life and after much brainstorming on what I could do to say thank you, I approached Thames Hospicecare last year offering my design services. It therefore brings me great pleasure to announce a series of fundraising Christmas cards now available at Thames Hospicecare sites, shops across Berkshire and online. 

Fall In © 2012 - PURCHASE

Inspired by local and iconic scenes in this special year of both the Diamond Jubilee and Olympic and Paralympic Games as well as the Hospice's very own twenty-fifth anniversary, three contemporary designs depict Windsor Castle, the Copper Horse in Windsor Great Park and the serving soldiers that are synonymous with the town. I hope residents of Windsor and beyond will support Thames Hospicecare's invaluable work and ability to provide palliative care in East Berkshire through my exclusive designs during what is a vital source of income for the charity over the Christmas period. 

 Windsor Castle Christmas Presents & Let It Snow © 2012 (Twin Pack) - PURCHASE

If you have been bitten by the British bug this year, please look to independent charities this Holiday season such as Thames Hospicecare by visiting their Christmas catalogue - 100% proceeds from sales go directly to the Hospice.
  

View the Press Release for more on the collaboration and my personal story with Thames Hospicecare. 

Thank you very much for your support. 

10 Ideas

With only ten days left to Christmas here are ten gift ideas that will get you some culture points this Holiday season - taken from the worlds of art and design that have featured on this very blog and @JMVELARDI over 2011 as well as some new items thrown into the festive mix
... and not a pair of socks in sight...

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1. First impressions count
Cheeseburger wrapping paper set at Gift Couture

2. Get the party started
Quartz Pinatta - handmade - by Confetti System at Other Criteria

3. Design Deity
Fornasetti: The Complete Universe at Rizzoli

 4. For those who have been naughty...
Christmas coal toffee at Fortnum & Mason

5. ... or nice

Andy Warhol Tribute Dom Pérignon Champagne at Dom Pérignon

6. The better to see you with

Maison Martin Margiela magnifying glass from 13 collection - available in right and left - at Selfridges Concept Store

                                                                                                  

7. Megabeads

Seat computer bag at Henrik Vibskov 

8. Hit the road 
36 Hours - weekend itineraries across 150 North American locations from The New York Times at Taschen

9. Exhibition of the year
Design for an interior (1983) by George Sowden from Postmodernism: Style and Subversion 1970-1990 at Victoria & Albert Museum
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10. Kitsch after Koons 

Balloon Dog decoration at Paperchase

Christmas By Appointment

A British tradition from a British institution - Her Majesty The Queen's Speech 2010...