The New Craftsmen

Whilst out and about in London last week for the trade shows, I just loved seeing more and more craftsmen showing their wares and their amazing talents. It’s been something that I’ve had my beady eye on for a while now and here it was more than evident than ever, the rise of the new craftsmen.

I find it wonderfully impressive to watch the likes of Barnaby Carder – better known as “Barn the Spoon” – carving out at great speed, yet with the uttermost precision, shaping and sculpting his wooden spoons. It was the tools that he was using too, especially a really sharp, hook, like carver, that looked like some kind of torcherous instrument, yet Barnaby was scooping out the spoon shapes in a very relaxed manner whilst chatting away and enlightening us about all of the amazing pieces that he carves.

I was watching an age old craft being brought back to life again but not in the depths of a forest but in bang in central London. This totally is the new Craftsmen and it doesn’t stop there…

I think that my mouth touched the ground when I watched the artist paint the most beautiful landscape onto what will be wallpaper at the prestigious French company, de Gournay. Their wallpapers are works of art and watching the artist calmly paint with such intricacy was incredible.

Now into the world of Louis Vuitton, as I had the chance to visit Louis’s first ever exhibition in London, Series 3. If it’s still on go and see it as it is so worth it as you watch the hand-made production of two of their handbags in “real” time. Again it puts it all into perspective when you see that their Petite Malle clutch bag takes 30 meticulous hours to be made and you can actually watch as much or as little of this process via a video which is projected onto a work table. Below is one of the craftsmen from Normandy making a “La Petite Malle” clutch.

Worlds apart but still on the same inspiring subject – craftsmenship and at all levels, so now we’re onto jam, yup that yummy stuff! I just loved this label the “London Borough of Jam” and Lillie O’Brien who is making it over in East London.