There's snow time like the present...

Snow hits London. London grinds to a halt. Hopefully tho, Heathrow T5 will be fully up and running on Wednesday, as that's the day I'm off to Calgary for ten days, knee-deep in the white stuff. Fernie is a relatively small resort in BC, but home to some of the best powder in Canada. When it snows... hey ho.

In preparation, I've got myself a new jacket from Faiise (pronounced phase, for the uninitiated). The Bill is a 3-1, with zip-out inner, made from recycled materials. The company is British (run by Sam and Chris Bevan) and based in East Grinstead. Their kit is all online - at www.faiise.com - and I'll post a full review as soon as the jacket arrives on Tuesday...

William Plumtre

William Plumptre attended Chelsea College of Art and then spent two years in Japan, including one year in the studio of Tatsuzo Shimaoka (a Living National Treasure in Japan) who was in turn a pupil of Shoji Hamada.
The influence of both is evident in his work, especially his beautiful square pots and plates. I was lucky enough yesterday to be walking past Euan Mundy Fine Art, in Glasgow, where Plumptre is currently exhibiting, and popped in for a look. Unsurprisingly, I didn't walk out empty handed (see picture)...

Categories: Art

Early Christmas pressie...?

With gently rounded sides rising to a slightly incurved rim, resting on a short straight foot, applied overall with a very glossy bubble-suffused glaze of a pale-blue tone, the interior with two splashes transmuting from a vivid lavender colour to a deeper purplish-blue, the exterior with two splashes of similar brilliance, the glaze draining from the mouthrim to a deep mushroom-brown tone and falling just short of the neatly cut footring to reveal the buff body burnt chocolate...

Doesn't sound like much, does it? However, the description (and picture) is of a Jun bubble bowl, currently in the Sotheby's Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art auction next week. And it's valued at a slightly eye-watering £250-300,000...

These bowls aim to create the perfect illusion of a soap bubble - hence the name. It's Northern Song (960- 1127AD) and I'd like it for christmas. Please.

Categories: Art, Life, Priceless

New lensware...

While my Canon 17-85mm f4-5.6 IS USM (and the slightly longer 70-300mm) lenses have served me well over the past few months, I was beginning to get a little frustrated by the lack of depth of field control, which has been hampering my creative instincts.
I have therefore ordered a new lens (after much research and discussion) - my first prime - the Canon 60mm f2.8 Macro USM. I'm hoping it will allow me not only to take more macro pictures (the 17-85mm is limited to about 0.2x) but will also allow me to experiment with portraiture.
It's almost too late to visit the Angus McBean: Portraits exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery for some ideas (it ends on 22 October). I might just make it next weekend - or even Friday night (the Gallery is open until 9pm).

Categories: Art, Gear

Miyoko Onishi ceramic sculpture

Also at Ceramics in the City, and at the Origin Craft Fair(week one) at Somerset House, was Miyoko Onishi. Her hanging sculptures were one of the high points of the Ceramics in the City fair, but her small vases, bowls and plates were also on display. Looking like a flock of birds, or perhaps a cloud of petals, they hang, suspended in long streams (see picture).
My wife gave me one of the hanging pieces for my birthday, but I couldn't resist a small, almost matt black vase, to add to my ever-expanding collection of Japanese ceramacists working in London (see also Akiko Hirai and Mizuyo Yamashita).
All I need now is a little more space to display it all...

Categories: Art, Life, Style

Ceramics in the City

It was Ceramics in the City a few weeks ago, at the Geffrye Museum, London's annual ceramics fair and part of the Design London festivities. As usual, the event fell on / around my borthday, and (as usual) I couldn't resist adding to my collection.
First up was another piece by Helen Rondell. I think I may have been a victim of some subliminal advertising. Not only is the piece the same as (or very similar to) the one on her flyer for the event (pictured), but it was also exhibited right next to a piece that's very similar to a previous purchase. Helen was also selling some new bits of jewelry - small raku pendants - which are beautiful. If only she could make even smaller bits and turn them into cufflinks...
I also bought two kissing vases from Akiko Hirai, who was also exhibiting some fantastic tea pots.

Categories: Design, Life, Style

Canon Rebel XTi...

Looks like I was completely wrong about the 400D. It seems that Canon were launching the replacement for the Rebel XT (or the Canon EOS 350D, as it's known here in the UK) and not the Canon EOS 400D. Although, it may actually end up being called the 400D here... confused? I am...

Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi offers an unbeatable combination of performance, ease-of-use and value. It has a newly designed 10.1 MP CMOS sensor plus a host of new features including a 2.5-inch LCD monitor, the exclusive EOS Integrated Cleaning System and Canon's Picture Style technology, all in a lightweight, ergonomic body. The Digital Rebel XTi is proof positive that Canon continues to lead the way with our phenomenal digital SLRs.

According to the canon site, it has a few significant upgrades on the old model:
- High performance digital SLR with 10.1 Megapixel Canon CMOS sensor and DIGIC II Image processor. High performance digital SLR with 10.1 Megapixel Canon CMOS sensor and DIGIC II Image processor.
- Large 2.5-inch LCD monitor with new user interface and wide viewing angle. Fast 3 frames-per-second shooting with 27-frame burst and a 0.2 second startup time. High precision, wide area 9-point autofocus system. Large 2.5-inch LCD monitor with new user interface and wide viewing angle. Fast 3 frames-per-second shooting with 27-frame burst and a 0.2 second startup time. High precision, wide area 9-point autofocus system.
- Picture Style settings for a broad range of control over color, contrast and sharpening. Print/Share button featuring advanced camera direct capabilities for greater user control while direct printing. Picture Style settings for a broad range of control over color, contrast and sharpening. Print/Share button featuring advanced camera direct capabilities for greater user control while direct printing.
- Fully compatible with over 50 EF and EF-S Lenses and a wide range of EOS System accessories. Fully compatible with over 50 EF and EF-S Lenses and a wide range of EOS System accessories.
- Strong, lightweight body with the EOS Integrated Cleaning System including a Self Cleaning Sensor Unit. Strong, lightweight body with the EOS Integrated Cleaning System including a Self Cleaning Sensor Unit.

Looks good, and may be a very affordable way to get into digital SLRs...

Canon 400D

I can't see anything on the Canon UK site about the 400D Digital SLR, but it looks like Canon China has spilled the beans... it appears to be a 10.1 megapixel CMOS, 2.5-inch LCD, 9 point AF, 1600 ISO setting, DIGIC II processor, ultrasonic dust removal, and, of course the Canon EF lens mount. But who knows? It's in Chinese, after all, and has been through Altavista, so I wouldn't trust any of it...

Canon may also have a nnounced a couple of new lenses. More details as they emerge.