In gleeful collaboration with Tim Mainstone of Mainstone Press and Joe Pearson of Design for Today, I am hosting the BLOOMSBURY JAMBOREE, a two-day festival of books and print, illustration, talks and seasonal merriment on SATURDAY 11th & SUNDAY 12th DECEMBER from 11am until 5pm.
It takes place at the magnificent ART WORKERS GUILD, 6 Queens Sq, WC1, which was founded in 1884 by members of the Arts & Crafts movement including William Morris and C R Ashbee. These oak panelled rooms lined with oil paintings in a beautiful old house in Bloomsbury offer the ideal venue to celebrate our books, and the authors and artists who create them.
There will be book-signings and a programme of ticketed lectures and readings, as well as live music and entertainment for all ages, plus we have invited twenty friends to exhibit, including print and paper makers, small press publishers, toy makers, potters and craft workers.
Silhouette artist Matyas Selmeczi will be cutting silhouette portraits for free and Pia Matikka writing your name on a card in a her beautiful copperplate calligraphy.
Among many other makers – Jill Green will be selling her purses manufactured in Brick Lane – Spitalfields Artist, Robson Cezar, has made light-up wooden houses out of fruit boxes from Whitechapel Market – favourite illustrators Alice Pattullo & Marion Elliot will be selling their prints – Matilda Moreton will be showing her ceramics – Sail Cargo London will be offering olive oil and other produce from small farmers in Portugal imported by sail power.
We need volunteers over the weekend – if you can help please email spitalfieldslife@gmail.com
Tomorrow I will publish the full programme of lectures and readings.
Art Workers Guild
Art Workers Guild
Art Workers Guild
Matyas Selmeczi will cut your portrait in silhouette (photo by Colin O’Brien)
Pia Matikka will write your name in copperplate (photo by Lucinda Douglas Menzies)
Wooden house made by Robson Cezar out of fruit boxes from Whitechapel Market
Hand bound notebooks from Judd St Papers
Aidan Saunders of Print Wagon will be demonstrating print techniques
Traditional Polish toys and folk art presented by Frank & Lusia
James Freemantle of St James Park Press
Toy Theatre by Clive Hicks-Jenkins published by Design for Today
Boutiques (shopfronts of twenties’ Paris) by Lucien Boucher published by Mainstone Press
Suede purse by Jill Green
Painted wooden decorations by Elizabeth Harbour
Bowls by Matilda Moreton
Autumn by Alice Pattullo
Wonder Cat by Marion Elliot
Sail Cargo London will be offering imports from small producers by sailing boat
