Tuesday 31 January 2012

Silver Smithing Workshops at the Shed Shop, Barcelona

Saturday 4th, 18th and 25th February - 11am 3pm 

Come and learn how to make a pair of silver earings in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. All earings made can be taken home at the end of the session. Tea and biscuits included :) 60 euros, maximum 2 people per group. (A charge will be made for silver used).

The ShedShop studio is located in the heart of Gracia: C/ Carolines 15, BCN.
To book please email Lottie at Lottieheffer1athotmail.com or ring 664 551 537. Alternatively you can pop by the studio, we are open from 11-14.00 and 17.00- 20.30 Monday - Saturday. We look forward to seeing you.







Curs de "Silver Smithing Workshops": Dissabtes 4, 18 i 25 de febrer de les 11 a les 15 hores. 

Vine i aprèn a dissenyar arrecades en un ambient distès i relaxat. Emporta't les teves arracades a casa al finalitzar la sessió. 60€, màxim 2 persones per grup. (A afegir el cost de la plata utilitzada).
Te i galetes inclosos:)

L'estudi Shed Shop està al cor del barri de Gràcia: C/ Carolines 15, BCN.
Per reservar ho pots fer al mail de la Lottie (Lottieheffer1hotmail.com) o trucant al 664551537. També estàs convidat a passar per l'estudi. Els nostres horaris són de 11-14h. i de 17-20.30h de dilluns a dissabte. T'esperem!

Monday 30 January 2012

Ten Iconic Photographers: by Caroline Collett, Artist of the Week

Photography and poetry have always been my favourite art forms. Both are so expressive with such economy of form – and so true to life in their fragmented, fleeting intensity.
Here are the ten photographers who have inspired me most; not only with their exquisite eye, but with the singular sensibility and attitude that makes their work uniquely their own.

French photography, like French cinema, had a real golden period between the wars, with photojournalist greats like Doisneau and Cartier-Bresson taking to the streets to record the strangeness, poetry and passion they found there. But Brassaï is my favourite. He was just that little nosier and darker and prepared to go that little bit further underground to find his subjects in the dark streets of night-time Paris. Proud, carefree and defiant, Brassaï’s Parisians remain within touching distance.

A contemporary genius. I probably have more Tillmans’ books than any other photographer’s. His aesthetic defines this era, as if recording the most important bits of today with tomorrow’s perspective already in the bag. Deceptively informal, his photographs are all about mood and can even seem unstudied, with an almost unbelievable sense of spontaneity. Above all I love his still lives and their touching, melancholic poignancy.

Corinne Day died in 2010 in a life cruelly cut short. Classified as a fashion photographer but, as with Helmut Newton (another icon), so much more than that. For me Corinne is an iconoclast and a rebel with a fantastically real sense of beauty. I love her view of femininity and I see in her a fan too – always eager to record and define the cool and poise of her models, their attitude so much more important than their clothes.

Tina Modotti’s concise body of work is one of my all-time favourites. Her black and white shots, mostly taken in Mexico in the 1920s, have an enduringly modern graphic sensibility and a wonderful understanding of light, shade and formal composition, whilst her social consciousness and revolutionary mindset created some wonderfully tender portraits of people, even if their individuality is sometimes surrendered to archetype.

Modotti’s lover and teacher. Like Hughes and Plath in poetry, or Modotti’s friends and Mexico City contemporaries Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera in art, Weston and Modotti were a high-style creative couple, whose artistic development within the same medium is inextricably linked. Weston was the master of the black and white still life and his studies of form – from shells to pelican wings and mutant vegetables – were and remain gobsmackingly beautiful.

Hounded out of Berlin by the Nazis in his youth, Helmut Newton remains the ultimate Berliner and chose the city he yearned for in his enforced absence to house his archive after his death. His photography – dark, decadent and uncompromisingly sexual – is the photography of that lost Berlin of the 30s- of cabarets, androgyny, dominance and submission, secret trysts behind closed doors. He didn’t consider himself an artist and was proud of being ‘a gun for hire’. A razor-sharp shooter, never equalled.

The great chronicler of contemporary Britain, there’s something appealingly nerdy about Martin Parr, but also something slightly vengeful in his photographs of all the non-nerds at play. He reveals us to ourselves in all our pretentions to glamour, showing instead our greed, brassiness and parochialism, with our eccentric country fairs and our sunburn at the beach. But with just enough tenderness to get away with it. I think.

A precursor to a whole generation of British photographers (including Martin Parr), Tony Ray-Jones was the son of a painter who, like Corinne Day, died tragically young, aged just 30. He left behind a wonderful but small body of post-war black and white photographs of Britain at play. Full of pathos and dark humour and with a social sub-text of class, gender and age, the images also reveal a thrillingly sharp eye for composition – so much more than most other documentarists.

Stephen Shore is the photographer equivalent of one of my favourite artists, Edward Hopper: a chronicler of poetically empty space. He pioneered a certain cool, a way of finding the wonder in the overlooked, the everyday and the ordinary. ‘Uncommon Places’, his collection of America’s empty parking lots, diners and isolated houses, churches and people, is truly seminal. I find his work incredibly atmospheric and full of meaning, in spite of its almost deliberate meaninglessness.

My final choice is Armenian photographer Yousuf Karsh, who emigrated to America as a 16-year old and became one of the greatest high society and celebrity photographers of his age. His subject matter isn’t revolutionary, but he remains for me the master of this area of work, without the fawning feel of most celebrity snappers. Another great formalist, he always tried to express his subjects’ gifts and true nature and his enormous respect for his subjects – he shot everyone from Picasso to Einstein – as well as his own sense of wonder, always shines through.


- Caroline Collett

To see Caroline's own work, visit her Shed Profile

Sunday 29 January 2012

Artist of the Week: Caroline Collett

Little Boat, Caroline Collett

Our Artist of the Week this week is Caroline Collett, a photographer currently based in Lyme Regis. Her work is varied and extensive - and she has had images included in numerous international publications over the years. Caroline's favourite subjects are architectural and maritime details, plants, flowers and portraiture. She seeks to capture those moments where reality is made abstract, hidden geometries and graphic forms are revealed, and the intricate interplay of light and shade. 

Here are a few images to wet your appetite: Caroline will be guest-blogging this week, and we will be showcasing her work throughout the week too.

Closed for Ice Cream, Caroline Collett


Wapping Wharf, Caroline Collett

Do have a look at Caroline's Shed Profile to see more of her work, and feel free to share your thoughts on her images by commenting on this post!

Whale Bone, Caroline Collett

Friday 27 January 2012

All Change in the Shed Shop!

It's all change in the Shed Shop Gallery and Window! Ana De Lima, our Artist of the Week has 6 original pieces of work in the gallery, and Lottie Heffer is installing herself in the window too. 

Lottie will be giving silver smithing classes on Saturdays over the next few weeks - get in touch if you would like to join a class! 








Lottie's Blog
Ana's Blog


Tuesday 24 January 2012

DELIMA - By Ana De Lima, Artist of the Week

I love silk scarves and I´m currently working on a little limited edition collection called "DELIMA". I´ve found in this support the best way to express my passion for drawing combined with my love for fabrics as a fashion designer.


Here you can see the packaging design and two of the different styles.
DELIMA Scarf - Birds

DELIMA Scarf - Fuji



DELIMA Packaging
I hope to show you soon the final results of this project!


- Ana

Ana's Blog
Ana's Shed Profile

Monday 23 January 2012

Artist of the Week: Ana De Lima

Ahora que lo hemos dejado, Ana De Lima


Ana De Lima, illustrator and designer, is our celebrated Artist of the Week this week! Ana's background and original passion is Fashion Design, and it is only in the past 4 years or so that she has found her groove in illustration. She enjoys combining analogue and digital techniques, and her subtle, gentle drawings have recently been influenced by Japanese styles and materials. There is a playfulness as well as an underlying melancholy in Ana's images, and personally I find them utterly seductive (Lauren).

Spotify, Ana De Lima
Ana describes the 'recipe' of her drawings below -
To start with, I always use my personal aesthetic taste, a sought, naive femininity, a big dose of ambiguity, feelings and a touch of humour.
The best drive for developing my work is converting the passion of drawing into a necessity.
Apple, Ana De Lima
As ever we will be showcasing Ana's work this week, and also hearing from the artist herself, so keep an eye out! Here are a few of our favourites from Ana's Shed Profile - please do visit her profile, and also her blog to see more of her images. 




Me deje llevar, Ana De Lima


Multifunction, Ana De Lima
Ana's Blog
Ana's Shed Profile

Newsletter!

Our January Newsletter is available to read - just click the Newsletter tab on the bar at the top of the page, and there you have it :-)


- The Shed Team

Sunday 22 January 2012

Marius, By Vibeke Nordtømme, Artist of the Week

Here is a mixed media project I started with when I studied at Metafora. The first pieces was exhibited in Untitled BCN November 2010. Today a collection can be seen at Arazo café and restaurant in Barcelona (Padilla 223, Barcelona. Not far away from La Sagrada Familia). 
Also two is exhibited and for sale in The Shed gallery in Barcelona, one of la duquesa Alba and one attached under called "JYV"

When I started the project I called it Marius, as in the name of the knitting pattern on the sweater. The name have until today been sticked to the photos, though I am as well experimenting and doing pieces in this technique, without the knitting pattern as well.
Sofia, the Queen


Olav, the King

Mourinho, footballer

I take comissions of these portraits. People can send me a good quality photo of someone they'd like to have a portrait in this techinique of: vibekefn@gmail.com

Friday 20 January 2012

Self-portrait, by Vibeke Nordtømme, Artist of the Week





Please have a look at the links below to see more of Vibeke's work. And feel free to comment on here, we'd love to know what you think of all of our Artists of the Week, and Vibeke would really appreciate any feedback too.. :-)


Vibeke's Shed Profile
Vibeke's Blog
Vibeke's Facebook Page



"On my way home from Grandma" - photo series by Vibeke, our Artist of the Week

My biggest passion within photography is analog and telling small stories, portrait people or document details. 


I've been lucky to borrow the amazing Mamiya 67 camera again, and I brought it to my village in Norway this christmas. These are a few photos from a series I took "On my way home from Grandma". More specific it is located in the area Hølonda, in the forests of Norway. Hope you'll enjoy it.


- Vibeke








Vibeke's Shed Profile
Vibeke's Blog
Vibeke's Facebook Page

Wednesday 18 January 2012

Artist of the Week: Vibeke Nordtømme

I work in different fields; such as photography, painting, mixed media and installations. I will always continue experimenting, also as  a way to enrich the areas I am already working in.
What inspires me is people, moments, details, weirdness and telling stories. I am also interested in the connection between art and poetry, and how each person got their individual look on art, created by feelings and interpretation.

I want to sweep anything that awakens my creativity.

-Vibeke Floridon Nordtømme
First Beach Day, 2011
Camera: Canon EOS 450D


And I didn't even like Fez, 2010
Camera: Canon 450D

Desert II, 2011
Camera: Canon EOS 450D, digitally edited
Vibeke's Blog
Vibeke's Facebook Page
Vibeke's Shed Profile

Tuesday 17 January 2012

Website update

The Shed website is now back online and working as usual! Thanks for your patience, and apologies for the inconvenience these past couple of days. 


The Shed Team

Monday 16 January 2012

Artist of the Week: Vibeke Nordtømme



Artist of the Week is back! And this week we are celebrating the work of Vibeke Nordtømme, a Norwegian artist, currently based in Barcelona. 
Days of Rain, by Vibeke Nordtømme
Currently on display in the Shed Shop, BCN


Vibeke works in different fields, and is currently enjoying painting, photography, mixed media and installations. She has exhibited photos in recent Shed exhibitions in Barcelona and Lyme Regis, and also has some drawings on display in the Shed Shop, Barcelona. Do have a look at her Shed profile on our website to see more of her photography, and keep an eye on this blog this week, where we will be showcasing more of her work, and hearing from the Artist herself too!


In the meantime, here are a few snaps of her work, more images coming soon.
Cerise
By Vibeke Nordtømme




Desert I, 2011
Camera: Canon EOS 450D, digitally edited
By Vibeke Nordtomme


Please do also have a look at the links below!


Vibeke's Shed Profile
Vibeke's Blog
Vibeke's Facebook page




(Please note - at the time of publishing this blog post our website is still undergoing routine maintenance, but all should be back to normal by the end of the evening! And the links will be updated as soon as possible. Thanks for your patience!)

Sunday 15 January 2012

Website issues

Our website has been down today, but will be back in action by the close of play tomorrow (Monday). Apologies for this - it's routine maintenance in preparation for the arrival of our spangly NEW website which we will be launching soon.

So don't despair, it'll be working again in no time at all, and in the meantime keep an eye on here for news, updates, entertaining anecdotes, etc.....




Friday 13 January 2012

Coast Exhibition in the News!

Coast: the sea, the sea is in the View from Lyme news this week!


Click here to go to their website.




And apologies for the quiet week online, we have been recovering from the Coast exhibition and regrouping a bit for the year ahead! We'll be back, and in top form, from Monday!

Saturday 7 January 2012

Guest blog by Lauren, Artist of the Week

Hello Shed Creatives!


It is certainly a pleasure to be featured Artist of the Week this week, although a bit strange to turn the spotlight to myself! As many of you know, as well as being a Shed Creative myself, I am also the Social Media Manager for the Shed, which basically means I work on the blog, represent us on Twitter and Facebook, and also put together the Newsletter, as well as keeping in touch with you all via email.


It's been really brilliant to start getting to know all the Shed Creatives over the past 4 months or so. I know some of us have had more correspondence than others, but I hope I'll have the chance to work closely with all of you in time. You're a talented lot, and it's wonderful to be part of a project that is really about celebrating, and recognising people's artistic and photographic skills. Chelsea always says how she feels like she has the best job in the world, especially when she is putting together a show, and gets to choose the work from such a massive range of fantastic images - and I totally agree. It is great to know that through my work at the Shed, I am promoting and supporting the work of photographers and artists I genuinely believe in and admire. 


As well as being a part of the Shed team, I am also a sculptor, as you'll have seen from my shameless self-promotion this week, here on the blog, as well as across our social media networks :-). I spent last year studying and making in Barcelona, and at the end of last summer returned to the UK, where I have a great studio down by the sea, and plenty of space to really explore and experiment with my work. My latest piece, The Old Man of the Sea, is in our Coast: the sea, the sea exhibition - hopefully those of you who have come down to the show noticed him suspended! He is a piece I'd had in mind for a long time, and really enjoyed making. For me working with metal is brilliant, I love the transformation of such a hard and unforgiving material as steel into something with soft lines and curves, that can appear almost fluid, and gently graceful. Playing with the materials is such a joy, metal, wood, plaster, ink......so that is where a lot of my work comes from. Enjoying and exploring and learning as I go. (Some more thoughts on welding a steel octopus here.)


And as you can see from the Shed gallery, I dabble in photography too - but currently don't have a good camera, so am limited to saving ideas on the camera on my phone, that I hope to return to with the right equipment at a later date!


Ok - that's all from me for now - but once again thank you to everyone who has contributed to the Shed Blog so far, and who has kept me informed of their news, exhibitions, ideas, etc. It's brilliant to hear from you and to get your work seen, so do keep me up to date! And thanks too, to all the Shed Creatives, who  make the Shed such a brilliant, creative community to be a part of. 


May 2012 be a fantastic year for all of you, and for the Shed Photography!


- Lauren


My blog - Welded Rockets
My Shed Profile - Lauren Fox
Follow me on Twitter @WeldedRockets

Thursday 5 January 2012

The Rocket Series - by Lauren Fox, Artist of the Week

My rockets are about the dreams of freedom. The aspirations of the grounded astronaut. And the journeys we might one day make. 

- Lauren






@WeldedRockets
Lauren's Blog
Lauren's Shed Profile


Wednesday 4 January 2012

In My Own Skin: Self Portrait Series by Lauren Fox, Artist of the Week

This is an ongoing series of photographs Lauren started work on at the beginning of last year. It is based on the idea of embodying someone else's skin for a brief moment, and becoming someone else for a fraction of a second, that brief moment before the viewer realises they are not looking at the iconic portrait of someone famous, but at an intruder. This series explores our physical limits, and plays with the idea of an icon. 
Self portrait, Ellen de Generes

Self portrait, Anthony Gormley

Self portrait, Che Guevara

Self portrait, Albert Einstein


Self portrait, Marina Abramovich

Self portrait, Patti Smith
Self portrait, Sarah Lucas



To read more about this series, visit this page on Lauren's blog. Do also have a look at her Shed Profile to see more of her other work!