Photography By Xuebing Du

Masterpiece Fair London 2012

Carpenters Workshop Gallery: Citylight LED Chandelier by Studio Molen, Taj Mahal Table by Studio Job and Fragile Future by Gordijn & Nauta.

Hamiltons Gallery: Dahomey 1967 Irving Penn

Made By Meta : Diamond's Are A girls Best Friend I by Matali Crasset, Brass and Steel Side tables by Gabriella Crespi, Diamon's A Girls Best Friend I Scones by Matali Crasset.

Masterpiece Interiors

Based Upon : Westminster & London on Liquid Metals and Resins.

Swarovski : Iris & Tord Boontje Blossom Chandelier.

Masterpiece Fair

Masterpiece is London's most spectacular Fair now in it's third year, here Traditional, Ancient, Contemporary and Modern meet. Showcasing the best of craftsmanship and culture. The Exhibitor's create incredible stands from a vast selection of Art, to Metalwork, Decoration, Photography, Jewellery, Classic Cars and more. Not only is  there such a large amount of variety but the actual exhibition space  is beautifully put together.

A Big Tent that actually looks like you entering a beautiful mansions, with high airy ceilings, cream coloured carpet, massive flower arrangements. Urban Caprice catering from some of my favourite London Restaurants, Harry's Bar, Scott's, Mount Street Deli and Le Caprice where my Sister and I could not get a table get a table for lunch as it was fully booked with a 1 hour wait!! Amazing but we had plenty of other choice only at Masterpiece could you find this. I choose just a few images of some of the work at the Fair that really stood out. I will do more posts on each one as they have such incredible talent in their books.

London knows how to put on a good Fair and Masterpiece is the most elegant in the world followed closely by PAD in October but that's another story. You will have to wait till June 26th 2013 for the next Fair so plenty of time if you want to visit or maybe try and get a space to exhibit.

Bravo London xo

All photos taken by Vision of Splendor except image 12 and last image sourced via Masterpiece.

More info on these links,

www.carpentersworkshopgallery.com

www.basedupon.com

www.masterpiecefair.com

www.madebymeta.com

www.hamiltonsgallery.com

Fortuny Splendor

Photo via Fortuny

Photo of Mariano Fortuny by Fortuny

Photo by Ars Regia

Photo via Fortuny Blog of Showroom

Photo via Fortuny Blog

Photo of Pallazzo Fortuny

Photo via Apartment Therapy

Photo via Fortuny Blog

Photo via Architectural Digest Fortuny by L'Objet

Photo of Melagrana Marmalade via Fortuny Blog

Photo via Apartment Therapy

Photo via Architectual Digest Fortuny by L'Objet

Photo via Ars Regia

Photo via Fortuny Blog

Photo via Architectural Digest Fortuny by L'Objet

Photo of Pope Urban VIII and  Fortuny Melagrano via Fortuny Blog

Photo Via Kips Bay

Photo via Architectual Digest Fortuny by L'Objet

Photo of Cardinal Guilio Mazzarino via Fortuny Blog

Photo via Fortuny Blog

Photo via Fortuny Blog

Photo of Fortuny Dress in Box via Metropolitan Museum of Art

Photo via Architectural Digest Fortuny by L'Objet

Photo via Fortuny Blog

Photo of Fortuny Delphos Dress via Fortuny

Photo via Ars Regia

The brilliant, enigmatic Mariano Fortuny was born into a family of renowned artists in Granada, Spain, in 1871. 

He entered the fashion industry in 1907, with the introduction of one of his most notable achievements, the Delphos gown, inspired largely by Greek sculpture.

He was truly a Renaissance man who made his own photographic paper, bound his own books, and designed his own lamps and furniture.  He created one of the first dimmer switches, invented a boat propeller, and made his own paints, dyes, brushes and machinery.

To Read and see more of this mans incredible talent look at the great Fortuny website,

The New collection by L'Objet will be intoduced  at Bergdorf and Goodman and Neiman Marcus from September.

http://www.fortuny.com/

Cabin Fever

Snow Cabin via Sister Himalaya

Winter Home via Architectural Digest

Modern Mountain home via Pinterest

Rustic Bathroom via Pinterest

The Peak of Rustic Chic Idaho via Elle Decor

Rustic Bathroom via Sisson Designs

Jackson Hole , Wyoming via Elle Decor

Le Chalet Chatel via Les Fermes de Marie

Wild White Horses via Sister Himalaya

Chalet Table scape via Pinterest

Fairy Trees in The Snow Via Pinterest

Am off to the Swiss Alps for a couple of days to enjoy some Nature and fresh Air, can't wait after 2 months in the city.

Yodel Away xo

SURFING ON ART

Into the Waves, found via Pinterest.

Border Lines in Collaboration with Stephen Bowers

Trio Back

Matthew McConaughey's Airstream via Architectual Digest Photo by Jim McHugh

Paulownia Planing Hull in Collaboration with Gerry Wedd

Paulownia Planing Hull Detail in Collaboration with Gerry Wedd

California Surf Mobile via Pinterest

Paisley in Collaboration with Quentin Gore

Paisley Detail in Collaboration with Quentin Gore

1969, LeRoy Grannis surfing Hermosa Beach . Photograph © LeRoy Grannis.  All rights reserved. via The Selvedge Yard

Swastika 

 Floral Fish, One True Religion & Gun 

Vintage Surf Shop Via Tumblr

Burnt Fish

Burnt Fish Detail

Paddle back to your boat and spot the little shark, sadly no credit. Found on Pinterest via Roxy Europe. 

Finless Double Ender

Finless Double Ender Detail

1966 Iconic Documentary Surfing  film by Bruce Brown

Smoker

Antipodean Willow Mini Simmons in Collaboration with Stephen Bowers

Magic Sunset Ride, makes me think of Dreamland. 

"Out of The Water, I am Nothing" Duke Kahanamoku

One day I was walking on the street and I saw poster with the most vibrant colours with silhouettes of  men carrying surf boards and written across were the words "The Endless Summer ". I have such a passion when it comes to anything to do with the water, beach or sun that  I got the poster to put on my bedroom wall at school and  then rented the film. I was mesmerised and that was how my love for surfing began. The very funny thing is I do not know how to surf ( I did a little windsurfing) but that does not matter to me, I love the culture of it, the life, being in tune with the ocean riding those waves. It is so beautiful to watch, my favourite place to go and take it all in used to be a spectacular beach in Bali called Dreamland,  as it was perfectly named by the surfers. Sadly this magnificent beach was destroyed by the Indonesian Government but that is another story.

Back to present day I stumbled across the most beautiful image of a surf  board. I was not sure if it was a board or a piece of art, but had to find out who made this beauty.

Walker Surfboards designed and handmade by Artist Peter Walker in Adelaide Australia. He began his impressive career at The Tasmanian School of Art and worked in his own studio in Tasmania for 14 years . Then moved  to Adelaide to head the Furniture Design Studio at the JamFactory Craft & Design Centre. In between and after he headed so many departments that I cant keep track, including 10 years as Associate Professor of Furniture Design at the Rhode Island School of Design in the USA. The list is endless, obviously a very talented man. Combining his other real passion of surfing  with his artistic talents he produced this beautiful line of unique surfboards and collaborating on some with renowned artists Stephen Bowers,Quentin Gore and Gerry Wedd.

I love them, one day I will get one , need to find  a place to put it maybe its time to move to the beach or walk around London with one, now that would be a funny sight. 

I have included some links to articles about Peter and there is also more technical information, board designs & how to order on the site. You must buy one now! 

All Walker Boards Photographs by Grant Hancock, courtesy of Peter Walker,

Other images sadly were on the internet without credit.

Walker Surfboards

Further Reading ,

The Age Article 

Megadelux Article 

The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Concert

Well done England for putting on such a beautiful show. London never looked so beautiful! So happy to have been here to be part of such a memorable weekend.

God Save The Queen. xo

Sources via,

www.guardian.co.uk

www.telegraph.co.uk

www.dailymail.co.uk

www.flickr.com

Carl Kapp

South African born , Australian based Carl Kapp has designed a beautiful and fresh Summer 2012 collection . Having worked at Kenzo and Donna Karan to name a few, his pieces are draped sensually but elegantly on the body.

With a customer base of Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett and Rose Byrne who all wear his dresses with style, this young man has a  a gained a good following. The lucky people of Sydney were is shop and atelier is based can have his dresses made to order.

One on my list of must haves... shame Australia is not round the corner.

G'Day xo

www.carlkapp.com

Native Americans at at Glacier National Park, Montana c.1910

via reddit

  INTERMISSION

David Bowie is back, and cool as ever! My previous post I mentioned his Exhibition at the V&A  here is his first single since 10 years. 

David Bowie's The Stars (Are out Tonight)

Starring no other than Tilda Swinton, perfect casting. 

London Culture Galore Autumn 2012

I love London in September & October the sun is shinning, no really it is! The city is really having an amazing year, Jubilee and Olympics and now Art, Design, Theatre and anything in between take centre court. This is just a very small selection of many upcoming exhibitions.  

For more information on and to purchase tickets click on the links below .

Let the Culture Games Begin! xo

www.somersethouse.org.uk

Valentino:Master of Couture

www.tate.org.uk

Pre Raphaelites Victorian Avant Garde

www.hamiltons.com

Murray Fredericks Hector

www.halcyongallery.com

Pedro Paricio Diary of An artist and Other Stories 2007-2012

London Culture Spring 2013

  Am so looking forward to this Spring round up of amazing exhibitions in my city of London. x

David Bowie Is

23rd of March-11th of August 2013

The Victoria & Albert Museum

David Bowie at The V & A

Becoming Picasso 1901

February 14th-26th of May 2013 

The Courtlauld Gallery

Becoming Picasso

Man Ray

February 7th- 27th of May 2013 

The National Portrait Gallery

Man Ray Portraits

Lichtenstein: A Retrospective

Tate Modern: Exhibition

21 February – 27 May 2013

Lichtenstein A Retrospective