Tues 25th Dec: Gemma Tickle Studio Visit / Advent Calender for District MTV

As you may be opening the window to this blog post on 25th Dec, you may also have just opened the last door to your advent calender as December has done its annual deed and landed on Christmas day already!  Whilst different sites have dreamt up their own online versions of the traditional pop-up cardboard calender, District MTV have compiled a daily gift guide via an epic still-life story. To set the scene for the suggestions,  set designer Gemma Tickle took on the mammoth task of engineering 25 stand alone stories for each product shot, collaborating with photographer Thomas Brown.  Here are some of those props now returned to her studio and nestling in amongst her organised shelves of archive pieces and future plans in prototype.  I visited her Dalston hub to get a hands on grasp of her acute craftsmanship and precise skill in what is otherwise a fairly "winging-it" vocation.  Coming from a props discipline background myself I can appreciate exactly how much work goes into the role of art department and it looks like Tickle is taking it seriously despite the surname which may suggest otherwise!  From detailed sketch-books of brainstorming story-boards to the beautifully smooth and sanded finished articles that could be products in their own right ..................... for instance these lipstick building blocks carved for a recent accessories editorial shoot could equally be ornaments that have been thru the mill of a product design process.  The lipstick motif also appears as part of her secondary sideline  Electric Stripes - a capsule collection of neon art including this AMAZING spectrum cloud which hangs above her desk........... adjacent to a rainbow-maker in her window which casts real specturms out around the room.  Experimentation in combing light rays as actual set design appeared in an abstract graphic shoot with Leandro Farina for 125 Magazine (see Polaroid tests) where the pair explored the title of "Time" in the visual language of science fiction films and illustration from the 70's & 80's.    Another shoot with Farina for the cover of Viewpoint magazine's  "Money" issue found Tickle gilding bricks in gold  - seen here now as possible paper weights or blinged up book ends at her studio.  The collection of pencils are left over from making an appearance in the Giles advent day 10 on District MTV, whilst the ping-pong ball totem took place in the Sunspel scenario from the previous day.  Head over to the site to open the final virtual door of Nicka banana earrings which neatly brings me back round to the first time Tickle's work appeared on my blog in 2009, when WAH! Nails opened its doors with a window display of her banana props! 
Keep up to date with her shoots as they are published on her site here.

Sunday 23rd Dec: Wooden Hills Bedding Co.

Wooden Hills Bedding Co. is a new venture from ex-comedian Tim Stevens, whom I once saw  do a sketch as a surgeon (at an inaugural You, Me, Bum Bum Train), operating on a patient laying on a gurney making incisions to the beats of the Ferris Bueller movie anthem - "ch-ch-ch-gah-Oh Yeah".  From hospital bedsheets as props, to patterned linen for your bedroom - this artist has combined his love for Illustration, printing, African textiles AND sleeping to create a duvet cover company like no other.  

To explain more, I've likened the concept akin to the original music cassette tape format, taken one stage further than just the 'single' or 'double' analogy, with an A Side and B Side variant.  The bespoke bed linen company offer a service for you to create your own combination of cosmic patterns so that you'll never grow tired of just one colour-way.  Infact that's the only way they do it!  Their spectrum selection of wax cottons can be teamed to have a reversible option of sides and sewn in any formation to contrast the pillow cases to the duvet.  Head over to the site to see the choice of prints in stock which will be replaced over time in an ever-evolving catalogue of cartoon illustrative styles to ensure maximum variation in products put together.  There's currently a choice including Chanel logo interlocking C's ................. spraycans................ electric fans............. kryptonite crystal .............. car keys and sombreros................... or my personal fave the wing mirror repeat.

"Each duvet cover we make is reversible, and made bespoke at the customer's instruction: one could, for instance, opt for a fake Chanel print on the A-side and a desk-fan pattern on the reverse; equally,one could match a beautiful, simple langoustine pattern with a spray-can held in a set of green claws . Whatever you like. The choice is yours."

See more of the bedroom antics over on the Facebook, keep up to date with Daniel Beddingfield banter at Twitter and "like" new patterns as they appear on instagram (see below).

If you are a fan of Dutch Wax fabrics, may I also recommend Bombe Surprise for a collection of rad garms.

Sat 22nd Dec: Christmas Sale

Here are some snaps from our studio Christmas Sale including Janine Barraclough jewellry and JWAnderson knitwear.......... my my table of stocking fillers for sale in sushi boxes........ purchased by Mei Hui who visited me at home the following day to see more............. wearing a dress with a pattern that totally encapsulates my aesthetic and fitted perfectly amongst my cushions!!  <3 font="font">

Friday 21st Dec: HAPPY 2013

"Happy 2013" by Amy Gwatkin, Anna Leader & Fred Butler

Weds 19th Dec: ‘If I should Die Tonight’ by Rosy Nicholas

When I read the title ‘If I should Die Tonight’ for Rosy's first major solo show I was mildly worried and totally missed the point, so thank goodness it all fell into place when she explained it to me, stood under a montage of Marvin Gaye.  Not only is it the title of a track by the legend and personal hero to Rosy, but also describes the concept for her filling the gallery with all of her favourite things - as if it were an Egyptian tomb or time capsule to encapsulate her passions.  Rosy is obsessed with all things Pharaoh which accounts for her trademark bust (now pimped up with glowing eyes) which first made an appearance on her Supermarket Sarah wall.  To add into the ancient world mix, Rosy has made her own wallpaper with unique mark-making patterns on each roll, reflecting her other preoccupation of Hockney and his squiggle illustrative style.  Add to this a measure of Memphis geometric shelves  and a pinch of Jean-Paul Goud-ish props ........... and you have the Indiana Jones meets Keith Haring kind of heaven where Rosy is channelling her energy if the world should come to an end tomorrow.  The problem is that I don't think she'll be able to keep any of this enchanting ephemera because everyone else wants a piece............. including me ............ especially the gorgeous tiger statue built exactly like its stepped out of one of her drawings. 

Step into Rosy's 80's jazzy world to experience the full effect for yourself during the holiday season at Jaguar Shoes until 27^th January 2013 at:

32- 36 Kingsland Road. London. E2 8DA

You can also visit the NO ONE boutique across the road to buy her Christmas Cards..