Love This #96: Pencil art

We’re heading to the Derwent Pencil Museum in Kendal for today’s post, and yes, a museum for pencils. It was the most fascinating place, but it turns out that I’d been there before, many years before though I had no recollection of it. When our cottage host told us there was a pencil museum, it definitely piqued my interest and while it was a little further away from the trips we had planned, it was a great one to add into our itinerary.

I’ll share more about the museum, its stories and the vintage pencil sets on show another day but first something else that you’re probably not expecting - and that’s miniature sculptures on the tip of a pencil.

Yes.

They’re by sculptor and artist Jasenko Dordevic from Bosnia and Herzegovina. He’s self taught and tried many pencils before finding the right one - if you’re interested it’s the pencil with the highest ‘H’ grade. It definitely requires way more patience, and skill, than I have - but I’m very happy to admire them. The short stubs of the pencils below have the letters DERWENT on their tips, aren’t they amazing?

And if letters weren’t enough, there are miniature sculptures too - I can’t quite work out the middle one though (I’m no good at those picture puzzles either), but the acorn and the weightlifter on the first and third pencils respectively, are more than amazing.

I can’t even imagine how he came up with the idea, let alone had the patience to perfect these. Truly a skill.

These alone would make a great ‘Love This’ post, but there’s more. I’ve decided that I must be a bit of a pencil geek, as I could have spent much longer in the museum and I already left with many photos - and it took me a fair while to choose which set I’d purchase too. It’s a shame that the cafe wasn’t open (because of Covid restrictions) as I think MOH would have happily have sat there with a coffee waiting for me!

I think he’s worried that I might try and replicate the display below - and he’s right, I like it, but I have no plans to do so (yet) - but I can admire it. I think I’d prefer to use my pencils, though I’ve not used the ones I bought a huge amount, but I’m hoping to make more time for that soon.

The final pencil art I’m sharing is also from the museum, and this has an older feel to it - but is no less beautiful. While I like the rainbow circle above, this one really captured my imagination. To me it has a more prairie feel, and reminds me of many patchwork star designs too. Though to be honest I’m happy just looking and enjoying and not giving it much more thought.

But then again, when I peered closer and saw the detail of the pencils pinned int its place I was smitten all over again.

Nine

Each year around the time of my blog birthday I share a post to celebrate my space on the internet, and this year’s no different. The posts often feature a list, but this year I was struggling to think of a theme. Nine years is a long time blogging, and a long commitment - but nine what?

Last year my list was on how life had changed during Covid, before that seven gardens to visit - and yes, that didn’t go quite to plan, though I did revisit my progress back in January.

I was stumped.

Where did we holiday nine years ago, I’m not quite sure I know that easily, or can lay my hands on photos - though I do know we went to Guernsey for our wedding anniversary in June and had a great time. Then inspiration struck when I realised that the traditional 9 year anniversary gift theme was pottery.

That was something I could work with - and while the link may be tenuous in some cases, here’s nine posts from over the years to celebrate.

And here’s to more years blogging too - thank you for continuing to support my blog, it’s great to see you here.

Love This #95: Suzy Watson's detailed designs

Today I’m sharing some of the most fabulous embroidery I think I’ve ever seen, and even looking at them now I can’t help but be amazed. These pictures are clearly taken through glass, but even so it’s clear to see the detail.

These all formed part of the exhibition by Suzy Watson at the 2021 Knitting & Stitching Show held at Alexandra Palace. The exhibition was titled Birds of Paradise, and it represents Suzy’s study of colour and how she views it.

For each piece of art, because let’s be frank that’s what they are, Suzy uses more than 200 threads to create the picture building up the layers from dark to light, and she aims to create “a series of work that feels real and comes to life”.

Tick.

She’s done that for me, each piece is incredible, isn’t it?

I could have quite easily left with any of the pieces I’m sharing here today, and these bugs held an unexpected and special appeal - which I’ve still yet to fully explain to myself, so there’s no chance of explaining myself in writing.

And then I spotted the glass display case of embroidery hoops, which I spent a fair time admiring and managing to capture even more of the detail by laying my phone directly on the glass.

Just look at the work involved, and the detail.

Now tell me they’re not art.

The cactus paintings were equally as charming, discovering the work of Suzy Watson at this show was pure delight.