Sarah Meredith has been dedicated to the art and craft of jewellery making since she was 16. After gaining a degree in metal work and jewellery design at Buckinghamshire University College, Meredith went on to work for various jewellery designers before starting her own jewellery business – ‘Rock Cakes’ in 2005.
Rock Cakes is home to an array of unusual and precious pieces. There is something for Read More
The Heated has a new design! Inspired by a quote from the recent house tour over at Apartment Therapy.
You can find it here
As the sunshine blazes through my double glazing I’m thinking perhaps it’s not the best time to be writing about woolly gloves but the story of Mouthy Mitts is great and now’s certainly the time to stock up on coffee sleeves or ipod socks!
Like many knitters, Jennifer Westwood was taught at an early age by her Grandmother and has been hooked ever since. ‘As a teenager I was forever knitting backless jumpers and sleeveless polo-necks for myself’ she tells me. ‘I’ve just always done it – partly ‘cos I’m such a fidget and can’t sit and do nothing!’
The idea for Mouthy Mitts came from a Radio 4 programme that Jennifer didn’t 
even Read More
As we know, I usually like to write about quaint, kitsch products – anything featuring teacups, cakes, florals – I’m your girl! But I’ve come across Flood The Valley and it’s totally the other end of the scale – harsh and brutal! But I like it because it’s unique. It’s kind of iconic in a very British way and the Read More
Like art? Like people? Like Brighton? The Brighton Artist Residence is for you. They ‘don’t like to think of themselves as a boutique hotel’, but they do boast one-off rooms designed by young local artists such as Jeffrey Cervantes, featured last month on The Brighton Collective.
The Artist Residence was set up in 2008 by 20 year old Justin Salisbury. It’s run entirely by artists under the age of 25, which explains the chilled out, anti-pretentious vibe. Sightsee without leaving your bed in a room illustrated with the Brighton skyline. Enjoy a dirty weekend in a Read More
The Brighton Collective dropped by the Freakshow the other night and recommend you do the same. It was billed as “carefully hand selected illustration show exhibiting some of Brighton’s finest image making talent.” and they didn’t disappoint. Well done to the lads on putting on a great show that champions some of the best illustrators Brighton has to offer.
The Exhibition will run every Saturday throughout May between 10am and 5.30pm. http://www.brightonfreakshow.com
Brighton Freakshow is a carefully hand selected illustration show exhibiting some of Brighton’s finest image making talent. Appropriately housed in the epic setting of St. Peters Church, Freakshow will form part of the 2010 Open House Festival in Brighton, UK. The exhibition is curated by Johnny McCulloch and Mega Munden and features some of the South Coast’s finest image makers including the likes of Shan Jiang, Mega Munden, Luke Insect, Hello Marine, Imakethings and Steve Wilson to name a few.The Exhibition will open on Friday 30th April from 7pm – 9pm and run every saturday throughout May between 10am and 5.30pm. http://www.brightonfreakshow.com/
Things are hotting up here at The Brighton Collective getting ready for the launch of the new website. We have had a quiet week post wise but next week is going to be a corker! So watch this space.
Enjoy the sunshine.
Into the woods is an exhibition of two Brighton based artists Daisy Jordan and Olivia Morgan. This show of drawings, paintings and photographs uses the idea of the forest as a point of departure, to represent the subconscious
Mind with clues to an underlying narrative. Both artists are informed and influenced by an interest in European folklore and fairy tale as well as from works of feminist prose and poetry. Read More
MADE10 – Brightons Design and Craft Fair
19th – 21st November, 2010
MADE10 returns to the beautiful Corn Exchange in the heart of Brighton offering the public the opportunity to buy original and exceptional design and craft from the best local and national makers. It also provides space for the designer / makers to sell direct to the public and to build a relationship with buyers, potential buyers, galleries and craft suppliers.
Now in its fifth year MADE10 has become firmly established as a friendly, accessible and high quality event, attracting over 5000 visitors each year who delight at the quality and extensive range of work.
MADE showcases over 100 contemporary and highly original makers and designers across all media. With jewellery, furniture, ceramics, textiles, clothing and the odd quirky pieces thrown in – the fair offers beautiful handcrafted objects to suit everyone’s taste and budget.
A cafe provides a place for visitors to relax with a drink and a bite to eat and contemplate purchases.
via Brighton Craft Fair.
As well as being an exhibiting artist, working at the Brighton Artist Residence and jetting between Brighton and his ancestral homeland of the Philippines to draw inspiration from his multi-ethnic background, Jeffrey Cervantes manages to fit in studying critical fine art at the University of Read More
My name is Helen Ruff.
It’s a horrendous name that I’ve been stuck with since birth. I blame my mother for marrying a man with such a ridiculous name.
A family friend used to try and make me feel better by saying it made her think of the ‘Ruffs’ they wore in Elizabethan days. Wikipedia explains: ‘A ruff is an item of clothing worn from the mid-sixteenth century to the mid-seventeenth century. The ruff evolved from the small fabric ruffle at the drawstring neck of the shirt or chemise. They served as Read More
Organic evolution - “the sequence of events involved in the evolutionary development of a species”. Well you don’t get much more organic than this; over a roast dinner in The Star and Sailor as CUB was born. That CUB is CUBculture, who have taken over York Studios, 28 York Place, London Road and if you have passed by recently you have probably felt the good vibes and welcoming aura oozing Read More
I recently wrote an article about Cassia Beck and was totally inspired by her vintage inspired photography.
Somehow or other I stumbled across an equally talented photographer whose work has blown me away.
Vicky Stevenson is not just a photographer but also an Read More
Gillian Bates is a lady who does like to be beside the seaside!
She is a professional designer-maker who specializes in embroidered textile art. I discovered her when my quests for blog subjects took me East to an old haunt of mine – the elegant seaside town of Eastbourne.
Gillian is a self confessed fabric lover who produces textile art in the form of wall hung canvases. ‘I’m a little bit obsessed, it’s perfectly true’ she says ‘I go funny around fabric’.
She collects vintage and reclaimed fabric to incorporate into her work. Read More
Annie McCabe is Daubigny Fusion. Originally trained as a jeweller, she became interested in glasswork and took a short diversion through the wonderful world of stained glass windows, before realising that ‘there are only so many stained glass windows you can make’, and eventually coming to settle at her true metier: glass jewellery. Read More
Calling all shopaholics! The first ever Brighton & Hove Festival of Shopping is about to kick off! From the 1st of April stores all over the city – from the big-name chains up in Churchill Square, to the tiny independent stores down in the Laines – will be participating in the event, which is designed to showcase some of Brighton’s retail gems to visitors to the city but should prove an equally informative experience for locals looking to get reacquainted some forgotten local treasures (not to mention those just looking for an excuse to shop!).
The official launch takes place at 1.30pm on Thursday 1st April at Churchill Square, and marks the beginning of a month of markets, pampering beauty events, 2-for-1 and money off deals, and chances to win great prizes when shopping at participating stores!
http://www.brightonfestivalofshopping.com/
This shows how seriously I take my job as roving reporter for The Brighton Collective…
One afternoon I was languishing on my sofa, nursing mugs of tea and watching House Guest (daytime interiors show starring Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen) when I noticed the streets of Brighton. A fantastic print (an illustration of the West Pier incorporating a polariod picture) was featured by local artist Rachel Eardley. That was it… I was bolt upright, my notebook was OUT, laptop ON. Who was this Rachel Eardley??? I bring you my findings: Read More
Do you remember when you used to finish a roll of film, rewind it and take it to be developed in its little black case? The element of surprise was fantastic wasn’t it?!
Cassia Beck has been telling me all about her vintage cameras and the inspiration behind Read More
Are you a designer? Would you like to be featured on the site? Or maybe a writer? Would you like to contribute articles to the Blog? Have you got an interest in the Brighton Design Scene?
Drop us a line.
Baglady of Brighton
The ‘Baglady’ herself– designer & creator Katy Dormer (who is much more glamorous than she sounds!) fuses together an array of unusual textures and patterns in clashing colours. ‘Giving a new lease of life to old and almost new, means everything has a use and nothing gets wasted’ she says.
Materials are bonded together using traditional techniques such as weaving, quilting and embroidery. Read More »