Artist Focus: New David Hockney Exhibition to Open at Serpentine North in London

A new exhibition by the celebrated British artist David Hockney will open at London Serpentine’s Serpentine North Gallery on 12 March 2026, presenting new paintings alongside the artist’s monumental frieze A Year in Normandie. The exhibition, titled A Year in Normandie and Some Other Thoughts about Painting, will run until 23 August 2026 and marks Hockney’s first presentation at the Serpentine. Admission will be free.

David Hockney, London 2023
(Image credit: © David Hockney Photo Credit: Jean-Pierre Gonçalves de Lima)

The show follows the artist’s major retrospective at Fondation Louis Vuitton in 2025, which featured more than 400 works spanning seven decades of his career. In contrast, the Serpentine exhibition offers a more intimate view of Hockney’s recent practice.

“David Hockney’s work invites us to look closely and rediscover the world around us,” said Bettina Korek, chief executiove of the Serpentine, adding that the gallery was pleased to present the works free of charge in the park setting.

At the centre of the exhibition will be A Year in Normandie (2020–2021), a panoramic frieze being shown in London for the first time. 

David Hockney: A Year in Normandie and Some Other Thoughts about Painting, installation view, Serpentine North, 2026 © David Hockney. Photo: George Darrell

Extending around the perimeter gallery, the work charts the changing seasons around Hockney’s former studio in Normandy, France. Created during the spring of 2020, when global lockdowns brought much of the world to a halt, the piece comprises more than 100 digital paintings produced on an iPad. Working quickly and intuitively, Hockney captured shifts in light, weather and landscape across the year.

David Hockney: A Year in Normandie and Some Other Thoughts about Painting, installation view, Serpentine North, 2026 © David Hockney. Photo: George Darrell

The format of the work draws inspiration from Chinese scroll painting as well as the eleventh-century Bayeux Tapestry. The resulting compositions combine broad areas of bold colour with playful, pop-like details as spring gives way to summer, autumn and winter.

David Hockney, Abstraction Resting on a Red and White Checkered Tablecloth, 2025. (Image credit: © David Hockney. Photo: Prudence Cuming)

Alongside the frieze, the exhibition will debut a new body of paintings created for the Serpentine. The series includes five still lifes and five portraits depicting members of Hockney’s close circle, including family members and carers. Each painting is arranged with a frontal composition and incorporates a recurring gingham tablecloth motif.

In these works Hockney merges abstract and figurative approaches. The artist has long argued that figurative painting is inherently abstract, as it exists on a flat surface. A large-scale mural by Hockney will also be installed in the garden at Serpentine North. The printed work depicts a tree house from the spring section of A Year in Normandie and will be displayed at the rear of the gallery, echoing its origin in the artist’s own garden in Normandy.

“I have always believed that art should be a deep pleasure,” Hockney said in a statement. “There is always, everywhere, an enormous amount of suffering, but I believe that my duty as an artist is to overcome and alleviate the sterility of despair. New ways of seeing mean new ways of feeling. I do believe that painting can change the world.”

Hans Ulrich Obrist, the Serpentine’s artistic director and curator of the exhibition alongside Claude Adjil, said Hockney continues to experiment with painting at the age of 88.  He noted that the new portraits explore both the presence of the sitters and the act of seeing itself, while the frieze offers a personal reflection on the passage of time.

A catalogue designed by Hockney will accompany the exhibition, published by Serpentine and Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther und Franz König. The publication will include essays by Marco Livingstone and Olivia Laing, as well as a conversation between Hockney and Obrist.

Separately, the artist will unveil a new commission at Turner Contemporary in Margate on 1 April 2026. Created to mark the gallery’s 15th anniversary, the work will transform the Sunley Gallery’s floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the North Sea, measuring approximately seven by ten metres.

A Year in Normandie and Some Other Thoughts about Painting - Serpentine North Gallery - 12 March - 23 August 2026     Admission Free

Images courtesy of  The Serpentine, London

Art exhibition: Messums London presents Fabian Peake's new collection of work from December 7th 2024 to January 11th 2025

Messums London is showing a bold, immersive exhibition by London-based multidisciplinary artist Fabian Peake from December 7th to January 11th 2025.

Known for his rich interplay of painting, sculpture, drawing and textiles, Peake, who was born in Rustington, Sussex in 1942, has crafted a distinct artistic language that melds his visual and poetic practices. With this collection of work, Peake welcomes viewers into his imaginative world, where personal memories and unexpected imagery collide. 

This inaugural exhibition at Messums London showcases Peake’s recent paintings alongside historic relief works, offering a unique glimpse into his playful visual language. Fabian Peake's career launched in the vibrant 1960s art scene following his studies at the Royal College of Art. 

His practice is deeply influenced by a fascination with the wall as a foundational element; his multi-disciplinary approaches are all extensions of painting, but all involve a concord with the wall, anchoring his exploration of flatness, illusion, and the delicate boundary between two and three dimensions.

The result is a body of work that resists conventional classification, bringing together text, symbol, and colour in a resonant dialogue that challenges viewers to explore the powerful connections between image, word, and memory. Peake indeed aims for the conflict between images, requiring argument and discomfort rather than harmony. 

The abstraction of images outside their context provides a liminal space for each part to be considered in its relationship to the other. Once familiar objects propose new relationships. ‘Outside the Chord’ is a testament to Peake’s inventive and enduring practice, inviting all who attend to glimpse the world through his singular lens.

“Outside the Chord is a reference to the habit of jazz musicians, when improvising and playing on a chord sequence, they often refer to 'playing outside the chord'. In other words, given a set of chords, they tease them and dance round in endless invention, just touching base here and there. Touching the shoulders of the chord. It's all rather like how I like to make paintings and other things.” - Fabian Peake

Peake’s paintings combine images from memories formed around everyday objects, encounters and familial references that create a sense of nostalgic curiosity and poetic reverie. The conception of a painting involves careful selection of images which are then mulled over in the form of notebook sketches or worked drawings. These often-repeated, weightless images – including the pointing hand, lifted from signs informing passers-by of a location; amorphous abstract shapes; the bespectacled profile of the king of Belgium, taken from a coin; and randomly numbered rulers – are seen floating on the canvas and are often engulfed by texts appropriated from his poems, the writing painted in reverse. Peake’s wooden wall-based relief works are abstracted, sign-like sculptures. Their execution is reminiscent of folk art in their hand-made quality but, finished in thick glossy colours, they abandon any specific cultural or practical meaning, leaning instead to a more personal and playful application. It is perhaps this comfort with creativity at large which gives his paintings their most compelling component. They are vessels containing a melee of thoughts that can be picked up independently or examined in conjunction to others. Their easy presence beguiling the deeper intent to reach into what is real and what is suggested. To find magic in what is imagined and unexpected, according to Messums London at 28 Cork Street, London, W1S 3NG UK.

Image from Messums London.

Art in London: Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama to Unveil First Public Installation in the UK This Summer

Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama is renowned for her distinctive style that incorporates vibrant colours, polka dots, and repetitive patterns. Her work spans various media, including painting, sculpture, installation, performance, and film.

Yayoi Kusama in a shop window visual at the Harrods London department store during a store-wide promotional campaign highlighting her collaboration with Louis Vuitton.  
Kusama's signature use of polka dots is a recurring theme in her artwork,
symbolizing infinity and the concept of self-obliteration.
Photo by Lucia Carpio

This summer, London's admiration for Yayoi Kusama continues as she unveils her first UK public installation at Liverpool Street Station in the capital's financial district. Entitled "Infinite Accumulation," the installation opens on July 9 and runs into the autumn. The work highlights Kusama’s signature polka dots, expanding and winding into linked forms that interact with and define the public spaces outside the station. 

According to a statement, the installation is "designed in response to the architecture of the new station entrance and landscaping, encouraging people to look up and engage with the urban environment in a new way."

Additionally, a new large-scale sculpture of Kusama's iconic Pumpkin will be unveiled in the gardens of Serpentine Galleries this summer.

Meanwhile "Every Day I Pray For Love", an exploration into line, colour and form will open at Victoria Miro on September 25 and run till November 2, 2024.  Visitors will be able to immerse themselves in one of Yayoi Kusama‘s Infinity Rooms. This will be the Japanese artist’s 14th with the gallery, which will also include a series of new paintings entitled Every Day I Pray For Love.

In addition to polka dots and the pumpkin, Kusama is also known for her Infinity Mirror Rooms, immersive installations that use mirrors to create the illusion of endless space, filled with lights and patterns, offering a unique sensory experience.

The promotion campaign of the Louis Vuitton X Yayoi Kusama collaboration in February 2023 at the French maison's store on Paris' Champs-Élysées Avenue featured a giant figure of Kusama appearing to be painting her famous polka dots on the facade of the store. 
Photo by Lucia Carpio

Kusama's work has been influential in the avant-garde movement and contemporary art scene, often exploring themes of psychology, feminism, and minimalism.

In addition to numerous high-profile exhibitions worldwide, she has collaborated with fashion brands like Louis Vuitton, bringing her art to a broader audience.

Her unique and innovative approach has made her one of the most celebrated and influential contemporary artists globally.

Exhibition: Towner Eastbourne hosts landmark Barbara Hepworth: Art & Life - May 27 - September 3

by Lucia Carpio and Alan Tyler, Content Editors

Barbara Hepworth: Art & Life* - a landmark retrospective exhibition of the iconic British artist's work - is launched at Towner Eastbourne Saturday May 27, running to September 3 2023.  This is one of the major events to mark the gallery's centenary celebrations this year.

The exterior walls of Towner Eastbourne featuring a large-scale colourful geometric artwork is entitled Dance Diagonal (2019) by UK-based German artist Lothar Götz.  The artwork was commissioned to mark the 10th anniversary of the gallery's move from its originalhome in Eastbourne’s Old Town.  Götz was chosen from 60 artists and designers.  The award-winning building was designed by Rick Mather Architects.
Photo by Alan Tyler

Widely regarded as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, particularly within the realm of sculpture, Barbara Hepworth's innovative approach to form, her exploration of abstraction, and her ability to merge organic and geometric elements in her works were ground-breaking and had a significant impact on the development of modern sculpture.

Barbara Hepworth's sculptures often conveyed a sense of transcendence and spirituality, through the interplay of positive and negative spaces, the use of light and shadow, and the incorporation of voids. 
Above, in the space for Metal and Movement are three sculptures.  From left to right, Forms in Movement (Galliard), 1956, Copper; Curved Form (Trevalgan), 1956, Bronze; and Sea Form (Porthmeor), 1958, Bronze.
Photo by Alan Tyler

Hepworth's wide-ranging interests in music, dance, theatre, politics, and literature also informed her artistic practice. These influences shaped her approach to form, space, rhythm, and materials, leading to the creation of sculptures that embodied a harmonious relationship between nature, the arts, and society. 

Born in Wakefield, Yorkshire, in 1903, Hepworth was trained in sculpture at Leeds School of Art and later at the Royal College of Art where she was exposed to various artistic disciplines, including theatre and stage design.

Barbara Hepworth's Totem, 1961-62.  Marble.
© Bowness. Wakefield Permanent Art Collection (The Hepworth Wakefield)
Photograph on mural shows the artist in her Cornwall studio, the Palais de Danse in St. Ives.
Photo by Lucia Carpio

The exhibition opens with a introduction to the artist's work.  Visitors are greeted with Totem, a white marble sculpture created in 1961-62.  And this space is enhanced by a mural depicting an enlarged photograph that transport visitors to Hepworth's world.  Taken in 1961, the photo shows Hepworth in her studio Palais de Danse, in St Ives, Cornwall, with a series of her sculptures.

Elsewhere in a space for Metal and Movement are three imposing sculptural forms that the artist returned to repeatedly throughout her career using a variety of different materials.  Created in 1956, after a period of 30 years, Hepworth returned to making sculptures in bronze and also copper.  

Photo by Lucia Carpio

The sculptures showcase her interest in exploring the relationship between positive and negative space.  

One may look at these sculptures individually, but also observe and contemplate them collectively while sitting on a bench in front, admiring the sculptures from a seated perspective.

Through abstract forms, Hepworth reveals her enduring ability to express essential human experiences, from interpersonal relationships to our connection to the world around us. 

A detailed look at Hepworth's childhood in Yorkshire through archive material and photographs include some of the artist's earliest known paintings, carvings and life drawings as she began to explore movement and the human form.  

Barbara Hepworth's Pierced Hemisphere, 1937. White marble.
Hepworth was interested in how sculptures interacted with light, shadow,
and the viewer's perspective, aiming to evoke a sense of performance and engage the audience.  
The Hepworth Wakefield (Wakefield art Collection)
Photo by Alan Tyler

After settling in Cornwall in 1939, Hepworth was inspired and influenced by the region's unique landscape. The natural forms, textures, and contours of the Cornish coastline and countryside found expression in her sculptures. She often incorporated the idea of landscape into her works, creating abstracted forms that evoked a sense of place and the organic shapes of nature.

The theatrical world influenced her approach to the presentation and staging of her sculptures. She often considered the spatial relationship between sculptures and their surroundings, carefully positioning them in specific contexts to create a dramatic effect. Visitors to the exhibition are given space to admire Hepworth's work from different angles around the displays, experiencing Hepworth's sense of space while engaging with the pieces.

Barbara Hepworth at work on the plaster prototype for the United Nations Single Form at the Morris Singer foundry, London, May 1963.
Image by Morgan-Walls, courtesy of Towner Eastbourne

Another of Hepworth's most famous work is "Single Form" (1961-1964): Created as a memorial to the former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Dag Hammarskjöld, this monumental bronze sculpture stands at the United Nations headquarters in New York. The abstract form, with a hollow centre and pierced surfaces, symbolizes the human figure and embodies the themes of spirituality and transcendence.  At the exhibition, mounted on a large photograph of the unveiling ceremony at the UN headquarters plays a closed loop of a video depicting Hepworth's speech at the ceremony.

Barbara Hepworth's Kneeling Figure, 1932. Rosewood.
Photo by Alan Tyler

Hepworth was politically engaged, particularly during the post-World War II period. Her belief in social progress and the role of art in society influenced her work. She aimed to create sculptures that were accessible to the public and fostered a sense of community. Hepworth's interest in the politics of the time informed her exploration of themes such as unity, interconnectedness, and the human form's relationship to society.

One may recall Hepworth's "Winged Figure" (1963-1964), a monumental bronze sculpture situated outside the John Lewis department store in Oxford Street, London, a prominent public artwork. It depicts a standing figure with outstretched wings, symbolizing the triumph of the human spirit. The sculpture's dynamic and graceful lines capture a sense of movement and energy.

In the foreground, Baarbara Hepworth's Bicentric Form, 1949. Limestone.
A fusion of two figures into one sculptural entity, explained Hepworth, thus expressing her interest in individual and social relationships and perhaps reference to Cornwall's ancient standing stones.
In the background is Cone and Sphere, 1973. White marble. In her last years,
she returned to working in marble in earnest.
At the back is a series of Hepworth's lithographs, created in the 1970s in reference to Man's first Moon Landing.  Hepworth embraced the impact of scientific advances with a sense of spirituality.
Photo by Alan Tyler

Hepworth had a keen interest in poetry and literature, often drawing inspiration from literary works, and found connections between the written word and the visual arts, seeking to express poetic ideas and evoke emotional responses through her sculptures. Hepworth's engagement with literature influenced her exploration of themes such as spirituality, identity, and the human condition.

Hepworth had a deep appreciation for music and dance, which found resonance in her sculptures. She often described her sculptures in musical terms, relating their rhythms, harmonies, and melodies to the movement and flow of her artworks. 

A section at the exhibition looks at Hepworth's interest in science and technology, from the bold geometric abstsact drawings and sculptures made in the 1930s and her friendship with physicist J D Bernal, through to her iconic Hospital Drawings of the 1940s, and her fascination with the Space Race in the 1960s. 

Barbara Hepworth, Tibia Graft 1949, was one of her Hospital Drawings.
Image courtesy of Towner Eastbourne

In the series of Hospital Drawings, Hepworth created immense intimacy within the operating theatre. She drew focus to the surgeons' hands, but it was in their eyes, in a face covered in surgical mask that Hepworth was able to capture the intensity of their important work.

Barbara Hepworth's Curved Form (Wave II), 1959 Bronze with steel rods
Hepworth was interested in the harmony between organic and geometric shapes,
 seeking to create a visual language that bridged the natural and the technological.
Photo by Alan Tyler

Hepworth's interest in science and technology is evident in her sculptural practice, seeking to integrate elements of scientific abstraction and mathematical principles into her work. Her sculptures often feature precise, geometric forms that reflect her engagement with scientific ideas.  She was influenced by the progressive intellectual climate of her time and the influence of movements like Constructivism. Her engagement with scientific principles and the integration of technology in her work allowed her to explore new possibilities in sculpture and reflect the changing world around her.

One example was Curved Form (Wave II) she did in 1959, which was a variation of a sculpture that Hepworth had made in 1943-44.  According to description accompanying the piece, she later wrote about creating these encircling and open shapes: "I had a studio room looking straight towards the horizon of the sea and enfolded (but with always the escape for the eye straight out to the Atlantic) by the arms of the land to the left and the right of me."   

Barbara Hepworth: Art & Life received rave reviews when previously shown at Hepworth's home town in St. Ives, then in Wakefield and Edinburgh.  Now in the Towner Eastbourne it is an opportunity to explore the iconic artist's (1903 - 1975) work in a town nestled between the south English coast and the South Downs overlooking the English Channel, an idyllic spot where the land and the sea meet, important for an artist who juxtaposed land and sea; solid and fluid.

*Barbara Hepworth Art & Life is organised by The Hepworth Wakefield in collaboration with the National Galleries of Scotland (Edinburgh), Tate St Ives and Towner Eastbourne.

CHARLES & KEITH features new collection by Spanish artist Coco Capitán

Spanish-born artist Coco Capitán is renowned for her poetic musings and artwork, especially her hand-written aphorisms. Now the artist - whose works  have been exhibited in galleries and museums across the world, and known for her celebrated collaborations with the likes of Gucci  – has partnered with the Singapore-based brand Charles & Keith to explore complex emotions that prose can evoke in fashion, celebrating individuality and creating wearable pieces featuring her art. 

The collaboration features androgynous and structured silhouettes that serve as a canvas for Capitán's art while merging with the sensibilities and understated elegance of  CHARLES & KEITH’s design aesthetic. Capitán has also injected a personal touch to the collection, taking over the brand’s san-serif logo with her signature script.

Ruggable collaborates with Monica Ahanonu

Ruggable, a patented machine-washable rug brand, has announced the launch of its new collaboration with recognised artist, illustrator, and model, Monica Ahanonu. 

The new Ruggable X Monica Ahanonu rug collection is Monica’s first venture
 into the home-design space 

The launch of the new rug collection is focused on breaking the mould of traditional home decor, according to Ruggable.

Inspired by accessible design and washable innovation, the ethos of Ruggable, Monica’s partnership with Ruggable will bring her unique passion and artistic style into the home. 

As a leader in the digital space for Black artists, Ahanonu’s art shines the limelight on diverse cultures, industries, and backgrounds encouraging inclusivity and equity. 

Ruggable noted that this collaboration pushes the limits of what is possible in design and decor, praising optimism, light, and energy. The collection is Monica’s first venture into the home-design space and includes 8 pieces, inclusive of indoor and outdoor rugs. 

Photo courtesy Ruggable X Monica Ahanonu.

The story behind the artist of Blossom Première Vision campaign

Paris Blossom Première Vision fair opens today, after a two-year absence. 

The Blossom Première Vision show dedicated to the pre-collections of the textile industry’s creative weavers, tanners and accessory manufacturers returns this winter in Paris on 6th and 7th December with 121 exhibitors, who are presenting their Spring/Summer 2023 ranges at the Carreau du Temple in Paris.

London artist Anna Bu Kliewer’s work for this season’s Blossom Première Vision campaign is both playful and sweet. Through her digitally and analogically crafted collages, she questions our perceptions of identity and nature in an expressive world filled with charm and humour.
Image from Blossom Première Vision.

Marking the return of  Blossom Première Vision is a unique campaign image to convey a message of “optimism and renewal,” according to organisers, created by London-based artist Anna Bu Kliewer, who specializes in surrealist photo collages.

Anna who defines herself as “Gerkainian”, was born in Ukraine and raised in Germany, and is known for her photo collages combining human figures and elements of nature.

Anna said she enjoys creating colourful and vibrant artworks, particularly incorporating flowers. “When I was creating this particular artwork I actually bought some pink flowers that morning,” said the artist, who finds colours in daily life as well as books inspirational.  

While photography is important to her work, there is often no hidden messages in the images she creates. 

“There is not a message I want to send through, but rather have the viewer interpret it in their own way depending on their dreams and phantasies. But I do like my work to have a humorous connotation.”  In an interview on the Blossom PV website, Anna said her creativity is driven by her curiosity about space, time and alternative realities. 

Blossom PV image.

For more information on Blossom Premiere Vision and Anna Bu Kliewer, click HERE.

Floral Portaits by Joanna Ham project emotions and personalities.

It is fascinating to see how flowers continue to sow the seeds of inspiration for designers and artists and how they can reinvent the well-loved patterns we see in gardens and the wild and represent them in fresh approaches, giving them personalities.

Joanna Ham's Floral Portraits exhibited at Decorex in London, October 6 - 9 2019.  Her chosen subjects are placed on a pedestal and often bathed in light, separating them from reality and creating a sense of fantasy.

Above left, Coy and right, Surprise. 

Photos taken at Decorex by Lucia Carpio.

One British artist who uses photogram and mixed media to create her series of Floral Portraits is Joanna Ham, who exhibited her unique artwork at the Decorex International  trade fair for interior design professionals in London's Olympia this October.
  
Admirers are captivated by the way she captures and expresses the power of human sentiment through flowers in these portraits which are intricate botanical studies that Joanna manipulates and redraw to depict more than just their form.

Each floral portrait created by Joanna Ham projects emotions and personalities.   

Joanna explains that she draws inspiration from various sources, and has long been fascinated by the psychology behind the giving of flowers, and the act itself has become symbolic and a culturally-accepted expression of shared, frequently unspoken feeling, and this became a starting point for many of the prints in the floral collection which is a visual nod to the Dutch still-life movement.  

Her process in creating these portraits is unique, mixing traditional and contemporary techniques, always through a monochrome lens.  She photographs hundreds of flowers to find one that unlocks an idea, and then sets to work redrawing, editing and digitally manipulating to create an entirely new form.  Once complete, the image is transferred to silk screen and the final print is pulled by hand.

Each chosen subject is placed on a pedestal and often bathed in light, separating them from reality and creating a sense of fantasy.  Each floral portrait indeed projects emotions and personalities even.  

Joanna gained a BA in Fine Art with a specialism in anatomy at The Ruskin School of Drawing, Oxford University.  She has exhibited with Liberty London, The Other Art Fair, London Design Festival, Billy Name, The Serena Morton Gallery and Modern Art Oxford.

In 2016, her work was selected for the National Original Print Exhibition by the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers.  And in 2018 she was shortlisted for the Global Rise Art Print Prize and awarded the Aviva Women of Future Arts and Culture Prize.

Joanna has created bespoke artwork for Nike, Hilton, The Berkeley, We Work, Print Club London and Eurostar's 20th Anniversary,  She is also the founder and illustrator of design brand HAM.  

Mary-Ann Watt features her unique paintings on desirable homeware and gifts

British artist Mary-Ann Watt has launched an online shop selling a selection of homeware and gifts featuring her unique paintings of realistic flowers.  By concentrating on presenting close-ups of a single flower or a bud about to blossom or a flowering branch, her paintings are intimate yet bold, giving her range of products a contemporary style.

Explained Mary-Ann, "Long before I started my business I was always looking for homewares that would complement the soft greys and greens of my home but I could never find anything.  And I knew from speaking to friends that I was not alone.  So using my paintings as a starting point I decided to create my own range which would be stylish, very high quality, but above all, really beautiful - things tht people would want to have in their homes.  I am incredibly proud of the results."


Having studied art
at school,  Mary-Ann focused on building a home and a family in her 20s and 30s and it was only until in her late 30s that Mary-Ann started dabbling again, painting large, contemporary bold an colourful pictures she could hang at home.

Fine bone china mugs, hand decorated and fired in Stoke on Trent, feature images of beautiful pom pom flowers

by Mary-Ann Watt. 

Cotton cushion individually hand-painted with pink blossoms by Mary-Ann Watt.

It was an obvious leap she made from her paintings to a range of homeware including placemats and aprons, cushion covers, trays, fine bone china mugs and jugs as well as greeting cards and postcards. If you like her art, framed prints and original paintings are also sold in her website.

Mary-Ann has now enlisted her marketing consultant husband to look after the sales and marketing side of the business so she can concentrate on the creative aspects.  Now business is flourishing and she has plans to extend her range of products.  She said the majority of her suppliers are small UK businesses as the personal relationships an the high quality of their work are both key to maintaining the signature look and feel of the artist.

Samantha Louise Emery launches IKONA / Mirrored Interior - A Collection of wearable art inspired by modern muses

IKONA 9 Malala Yousafzai,
Nobel Peace Prize winner and ardent activist
for women’s rights,by Samantha Louise Emery.

Artist Samantha Louise Emery presents a new collection of scarves and sarongs based on her series of powerful portraits IKONA | Mirrored Interior. The portraits of 10 modern muses represent the women who have inspired the artist throughout her life.

Emery presents the women in bright abstract forms with their features becoming distinguishable upon closer inspection.

IKONA 7 Caitlin Moran, columnist and candid comedian, by  Samantha Louise Emery.
Each portrait attempts to capture more than just a physical representation of the subject but seeks to reveal the deeper layers of the self and the Feminine spirit, looking to bring awareness to the positive effects of Feminine solidarity, says Emery.

Subjects of Emery's art span from an Anatolian vegetable seller Sadiye to Malala Yousafzai, the Nobel Peace Prize winner and ardent activist for women’s rights, Grammy Award winner Angelique Kidjo.  There's Grammy Award winning musician Laurie Anderson, and British author and outspoken feminist Germaine Greer.

IKONA 4 Germaine Greer, author and outspoken feminist , by Samantha Louise Emery.

IKONA 3 Sadiye, matter of fact, maternal Anatolian vegetable seller by Samantha Louise Emery.
The scarves (28”x38”) and the sarongs (50”x66”) are at samanthalouiseemery.art/.  A portion of all income from the work is donated to the Working Chance charity and the Malala Fund. Working Chance is the only recruitment consultancy for women leaving the criminal justice and care systems. The Malala Fund works to give all girls the chance to an education.

IKONA 6 Krystyne Griffin, prominent jewellery designer and godmother by Samantha Louise Emery.

​Throughout the series Emery incorporates imagery of her own body, displaying her connection with her subject and laying bare her vulnerability as an artist, according to the Emery, the multimedia artist who splits her time between the UK and her studio in Bodrum, Turkey, her spiritual home.

Emery says, “IKONA honours ten women alive today who have inspired my evolution and journey in rediscovering the source of a woman’s power, the Feminine spirit.  I believe in the potential and majesty of female solidarity and feel privileged to live in a time of change, when many women have asserted their Feminine selves and have inspired others through their actions.”

The 10 muses in the series are:
IKONA 1 Laurie Anderson, creative pioneer and Grammy Award winning musician
IKONA 2 Angelique Kidjo, Fearless activist and Grammy Award winning singer
IKONA 3 Sadiye, matter of fact, maternal Anatolian vegetable seller
IKONA 4 Germaine Greer, author and outspoken feminist
IKONA 5 Alanis Obomsawin, spokeswoman for Native American and women’s rights
IKONA 6 Krystyne Griffin, prominent jewellery designer and godmother
IKONA 7 Caitlin Moran, columnist and candid comedian
IKONA 8 Jane Goodall, conservationist and impassioned animal rights activist
IKONA 9 Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Peace Prize winner and ardent activist for women’s rights
IKONA 10 Lucy, artist Samantha Louise Emery

Shauna Richardson among artists for Save Wild Tigers show at the Cafe Royal, London. Auction to take place at the Savoy.

An exclusive tiger-inspired art exhibition will take place at the Cafe Royal in London from 22nd September to 1st October.    Twelve designers were set a challenge by wildlife charity Save Wild Tigers to create works of art that will be sold for the charity at a gala dinner at the Savoy.

Among the featured artists is Shauna Richardson who invented the term Crochetdermy® for her distinctive crochet-sculptures.  She has set her global reputation based on her amazing crocheting techniques in creating realistic life-size animal forms.

Shauna set about crocheting a tiger working solely in white mohair yarn, the stripes and areas between the stripes being created using changes of stitch direction.

Shauna’s tiger inspired piece along with many other prestigious artists works will be on show at the Cafe Royal from 22nd September - 1st October before being auctioned at the Be Inspired Gala Dinner Event held at the Savoy London on the 9th October.

Shown here and above is her latest creation for Save Wild Tigers.

Among Shauna Richardson's latest creations is this stack of animals entitled The Bremen Musicians, which took eleven months to complete.

The Bremen Musicians is based on a German folk tale by the Brothers Grimm, and stands 3 metres tall. The tower, featuring four life-size animals - a donkey, dog, cat and a cockerel, was created using a flat battleship grey Aran wool which reflects the grey area between art and craft in which Richardson’s work inhabits.

She has also previously produced public art commissions including a flagship project for the London 2012 Olympic Games for which she crocheted three 25ft lions that toured the UK in a mobile glass vehicle.