2013

Amelia’s Magazine | Camberwell College of Arts: Well Said Illustration Degree Show 2013 Review

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Well Said illustration show brochures
Nigh on a month ago the latest batch of talented graduates from the Camberwell College of Arts illustration degree course put on their standalone show at The Rag Factory, a big white warehouse space that offers the perfect blank canvas. It also happens to be fantastically close to my home, making it a super easy destination for me. I was sad to have missed the Brighton University illustration degree show this year due to a family break in Pembrokeshire, but since the Car Park Show was held in deepest darkest Fulham it’s doubtful I would have made it anyway. There’s a reason why so many shows are held in East London: a huge amount of creatives live and work around here, and there are an awful lot of graduate shows to see.

Camberwell illustration Well Said show 2013 invite
The students from Well Said show ensured I knew the dates of their exhibition by sending me this delightful illustration package: there’s nothing like a tangible invite to build excitement. And as ever, they had produced a wonderful promotional book, seen above attractively piled on the floor. Predictably, this was a very strong showing from one of the best illustration courses in the country. Here’s what I found.

Sophia Parvinmehr camberwell
This exploration of the nervous system is by Sophia Parvinmehr.

Yiran Huang Camberwell
Yiran Huang Camberwell close up
Yiran Huang Camberwell business cards
Yiran Huang made this huge mandala type pattern that looks equally good in close up. She had also made possibly the best business cards ever: hand drawn cats, each in different poses. Love them. May have taken three.

Camberwell installation
Ruta Daubure
This brilliantly oddball installation is by Ruta Daubure, whose optical set designs for opera act like a strange human camouflage.

Carim Nahaboo bumble bee
This beautifully drawn bumble bee is by Carim Nahaboo. Bees are everywhere this year, which means they are obviously on people’s minds. Given the number of dead bees I’ve seen recently, this is definitely a good thing.

Siwei Tao- Schiz Camberwell
Siwei Tao Camberwell
Schiz by Siwei Tao is wonderfully odd, as is this strange image of detached arms in pots…

Lauren Doughty, Man from the South by Roald Dahl
Lauren Doughty
I love this narrative painted illustration by Lauren Doughty, based on Man from the South by Roald Dahl. Her work is just so fabulously sploshy, and I so dig that 80s influence on the colour palette.

Susan Calvert installation
Susie Calvert
Susan Calvert made this installation of wonderful painted wooden landscapes, which she showed alongside this gigantic oil pastel abstract.

Sam Marot 'British Empire' prints
lion poster image by Sam Marot
Sam Marot‘s ‘British Empire‘ prints tackled a thorny subject to produce some interesting work, including this striking lion poster.

Footballer by jack_sachs
Hello sexy lady! Jack Sachs
The jovial abstracted footballer is by Jack Sachs, as is this ‘sexy lady’ which mimics the typical pose of a page three lass. When I posted this image on instagram it caused a bit of a stir; but I don’t find Jack’s depiction offensive or irritating, rather it appears to question a fixation with everyday sexualisation in a knowing and humorous way.

Wedges and Ledges by Rich de Courcy south bank
Wedges and Ledges by Rich de Courcy
I absolutely adored this brilliant screen printed book by Rich de Courcy. Wedges and Ledges was inspired by a love of skateboarding in London, paying homage to much loved places such as the threatened skatepark under the brutalist South Bank arches, now immortalised in bright colours (sign the petition to save it here). I so wanted to take one of these little beauties home.

Cosmic Omelette mobile by Saara Karppinen
This Cosmic Omelette mobile by Saara Karppinen was inspired by a Finnish creation myth.

crafty display by Kim smith happy
Kim Smith of Art Equals Happy had put together a beautiful crafty display that ably showcased her beautiful handspun wares. I especially love her hand-written watercolour typography. See more on her website here.

embroidery with frogs by Titi Lee. London Underground
Upstairs I encountered an astonishing and large embroidered appliqué covered with jocular frogs by Titi Lee (this is a close up). This surreal vignette is based on her experience of using the London Underground.

Jessica Weijia Zhang - based on Edward Lear
Jessica Weijia Zhang had produced this slightly crackers illustration based on poems by Edward Lear.

Lucy Swan religious inspired illustrations
Lucy Swan‘s intricate line illustrations tackled the uncomfortable relationship between religion and money.

Magical eye print by Freya Faulkner
Pottery by Freya Faulkner
And finally, this magical eye print was one of an awe inspiring display put together by Freya Faulkner, titled Annihilation is Nigh: Cult of the Big Bang. Her rhythmical artwork and fabulous illustrated ceramics reflect the warring factions of matter and antimatter in brilliant narrative style.

My last graduate review will feature the artwork of University Arts Bournemouth Illustration students; coming soon! Remember, most of my creative finds can be viewed first if you follow my instagram feed.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Wednesday July 31st, 2013 10:05 pm

Categories ,2013, ,Annihilation is Nigh: Cult of the Big Bang, ,Art Equals Happy, ,Brick Lane, ,Brighton University, ,British Empire, ,Camberwell College of Arts, ,Car Park Show, ,Carim Nahaboo, ,Cosmic Omelette, ,Degree Show, ,Edward Lear, ,Freya Faulkner, ,graduate, ,illustration, ,Jack Sachs, ,Jessica Weijia Zhang, ,Kim Smith, ,Lauren Doughty, ,Lucy Swan, ,Man from the South, ,review, ,Rich de Courcy, ,Roald Dahl, ,Ruta Daubure, ,Saara Karppinen, ,Sam Marot, ,Schiz, ,Siwei Tao, ,Sophia Parvinmehr, ,south bank, ,Susan Calvert, ,Susie Calvert, ,the rag factory, ,Titi Lee, ,University Arts Bournemouth, ,Wedges and Ledges, ,Well Said, ,Yiran Huang

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Amelia’s Magazine | Catlin Guide 2013 Preview: An Interview with Steven Allan

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Steven Allan Catlin Guide - We're All In This Together 2012
Steven Allan – We’re All In This Together.

The Catlin Guide returns once more with a selection of 40 recent graduates to watch: an intriguing selection that includes a bevy of painters. I caught up with New Sensations shortlisted RCA graduate Steven Allan, a Scottish painter who specialises in anthropomorphic depictions of everyday objects.

Steven Allan Catlin Guide -There's Always Time for Tea
Steven Allan – There’s Always Time for Tea.

Has being Scottish and your subsequent move to london informed your work? and if so in what way?
I wouldn’t say that being Scottish has had an overriding influence on my paintings, but my roots have certainly influenced the black humor that is evident in most of my work.

Why do you think you focus on a confusing and tragic landscape? Any particularly sad stories in your past that have made you this way?!
I don’t think my paintings are necessarily just tragic or confusing – but they can often be interpreted that way. I think there are many less obvious things at play as well. Like Hogarth, I am interested in the tragicomedy aspect of humanity. I want to depict real life situations but obscure and twist them around to both bend and underline their meanings.

Steven Allan Catlin Guide One-Off-The-Bunch
Steven Allan – One Off The Bunch.

Objects such as bananas and snails are a feature of your art – what draws you to these most curious and disparate of subjects?
I don’t tend to dwell on why I paint this, or why I paint that but If pushed for an answer I guess I Identify in some way with these kind of ridiculous objects. I look at a banana in the fruit bowl, browning, overripe. It’s such a sad image to me – the last banana that no one has gotten round to eating – destined for the bin. It can say a lot about where your heads at to be painting a version of yourself into such an object. The snail I don’t paint so much anymore. Most images are a passing phase. They completely captivate me at the time but at some point I’ll move onto the next image that captures my imagination. With the snail paintings I was just interested by this slimy little creature that carried its house on its back. How I choose an object is pretty much that simple –its really just about my desire to visualize that subject in my paintings.

Steven Allan Catlin Guide- Stains Of A Decade
Steven Allan – Stains Of A Decade.

Subversion is a key element of your artworks – any future subversive ideas that you would like to work on?
Currently I am working on a hybrid painting, which involves two very disparate images that visually seem to fit together. I came across this really odd photograph of a gimp in a pvc balloon suit and then thought about coupling it with something else I’ve been looking at a lot lately – Bertie Basset of the famous liquorish allsorts. As a child I always though there was something quite scary about Bertie Basset. He’s supposed to be approachable and sweet but he’s his strange anthropomorphic figure with a liquorish black hole for a face. Taking Bertie’s head and putting it on an inflatable gimp suit just seemed to be more in spirit with what he was all about in the first place so I decided to make a painting about it.

Steven Allan Catlin Guide - The Faithful Companion
Steven Allan – The Faithful Companion.

What is your work process? (using materials and in the studio)
Well for me it’s a really intuitive, complex process and it can take a long time. I use alot of unconventional tools I find in diy shops and of course an array of paint brushes and palette knives. I’m always on the look out for different objects that I can manipulate paint with. I also use allot of paint mediums, depending on what effect I’m after. Some give the paint a matt finish, some a gloss, some thicken paint and other speed up drying time. It all really depends on each individual painting.

How has being part of the Catlin Guide aided your career and what do you hope for in the future?
Being part of the Catlin Guide so far has been a great experience. I was surprised to see an image of my painting in the Guardian and also get a quick review. I am also going to be putting work in the London Art Fair which will be featured in the Catlin Guide’s stand so I’m looking forward to that. All in all it’s been a great experience so far and I am extremely thankful to Justin Hammond who had the belief in my work to give me this great opportunity to get my work out to a wider audience.

He that’s born to be hanged will never be drowned.

Geoff Litherland catlin guide
Geoff Litherland – I Knew it Would Come to This (The Old Horizon).

Also check out the work of Geoff Litherland, who creates abstract landscape collages that tap into our current obsession with other worlds. To find out more about the selection process read my interview with Art Catlin founder and curator Justin Hammond.

The Catlin Guide 2013 NEW Press Shot
The Catlin Guide 2013: New Artists in the UK is launched at the London Art Fair 2013, 16 – 20 January, listing here. It will also be available from Amazon, Culture Label and selected book sellers (£12.99).

Written by Amelia Gregory on Wednesday January 16th, 2013 10:34 pm

Categories ,2013, ,Amazon, ,anthropomorphic, ,Art Catlin, ,Banana, ,Bertie Basset, ,Catlin Guide, ,Culture Label, ,Geoff Litherland, ,hogarth, ,I Knew it Would Come to This (The Old Horizon), ,Justin Hammond, ,London Art Fair, ,New Sensations, ,Oils, ,One Off The Bunch, ,painter, ,painting, ,rca, ,saatchi, ,Scottish, ,Snail, ,Stains Of A Decade, ,Steven Allan, ,Teapot, ,The Faithful Companion, ,There’s Always Time for Tea, ,Three Legged Haggis, ,We’re All In This Together

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Amelia’s Magazine | Christmas Gift Ideas 2013: Homeware and Prints for the Wall

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scout editions mistletoe in a bottle

Scout Editions: mistletoe in a bottle card.

When my new website launches you’ll be able to find unique hand made designer items to suit all aspects of your life. Homeware and prints for the wall offer the perfect places to apply surface design and illustration, so why not delve in and be inspired? Here’s my round up of gift ideas for Christmas from a selection of those who will be selling on my new market place in the New Year.

Louise Wilkinson trees churn Jug plant lifestyle

Since I belatedly discovered fine bone china by illustrator Louise Wilkinson at Tent London I have fallen in love. Her large fine bone china jug is £26, and comes decorated with lots of friendly little birds hiding amongst the trees. The jugs are hand decorated in Stoke on Trent and are the perfect size for filling up with festive mulled wine, iced water or a sweet posy of flowers.

Anu Samarüütel STRIPY ONES
Anu Samarüütel Couture Girl fashion painting

Artist and designer Anu Samarüütel works between East London and Tallinn in Estonia. Her fabulous acrylic paintings of bubble cheeked girls will be available soon on my website, but in the meantime grab her great Couture Girls painting in black acrylic, available on etsy for £84.

beach-london-christmas-parra-vaso-di-culo

Beach London are currently hosting an exhibition of Malarkey artworks, Puppy Snatcher that is well worth a gander if you are wandering up Brick Lane. They also sell a range of unusual objects that should please the art lover in your life: I particularly like this Vaso Di Culo porcelain vase by Dutch Post-Pop artist Parra, an homage to the rounded bottom of the female figure, with black birds flying all over it. Available online for £175.

Dionne Sylvester Tropical Heat coffee cup set

I am a massive fan of abstract optical decorated tableware by Kent based Dionne Sylvester, also known as Paint Dee. For the coffee lover in your life I recommend this Tropical Heat bone china teacup, saucer and spoon set for just £15. You can read my recent interview with Dionne Sylvester here.

Tattoo Man by Eliza Fricker

Tattoos continue to be all the rage… perhaps that special someone in your life has got more than a few, or perhaps they aspire to a state of maximum body decoration. Either way they will probably love this colourful limited edition Tattoo Man screen print, yours for £50. It was produced by Eliza Fricker of the Baines and Fricker partnership done in collaboration with tattoo artist Adam Sage.

Melody Rose Kissing Couple Side Plate

Melody Rose offers a variety of super special items that would make the perfect gift. Is there someone you are romantically inclined towards? How about this lovely Kissing Couple Side Plate from the Modern SurRealist collection? It’s made out of fine bone china, and comes in three sizes, with a glorious gold edge, all gilded by hand. This side plate costs £30. Read my interview with designer Melanie Roseveare here.

Glow in the Dark Day of The Dead Skull by Typoretum

One of my favourite artworks on East End Prints is this Glow in the Dark Day of The Dead Skull by Typoretum. How cool would this look lighting up your living room at the end of a long day? At £60 this is a limited edition piece so grab a copy fast.

scout editions christmas in a bottle

Scout Editions were another find from the recent Renegade Craft Fair, where I was wowed by their eye catching risograph prints. These festive themed postcards make the perfect Christmas keepsake, at just £2.50 each.

Sian Elin cushions-yellow-grey

Sian Elin‘s colourful textile designs adorn cushions, wallpaper and more. Her Horseshoe Arch design is seen here on a grey and yellow cushion but comes in a limited edition red colour way especially for Christmas for £45.

Sit Furnishings Neon Nebula glassware

The duo behind Sit Furnishings create a range of unusual products to liven up the home, including this Neon Nebula blown glassware, a spectacular one off at £180.

Lastly, I will be sharing gift ideas for babies and young children. In the meantime catch up with my suggestions for fashionable gifts from emerging designers, and the best jewellery gift ideas to wow your loved one.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Thursday December 12th, 2013 10:27 am

Categories ,2013, ,accessories, ,Adam Sage, ,Anu Samarüütel, ,Baines and Fricker, ,Beach London, ,Christmas, ,Couture Girls, ,Dionne Sylvester, ,East End Prints, ,Eliza Fricker, ,Fine bone china, ,Gift ideas, ,Glow in the Dark Day of The Dead Skull, ,Homeware, ,Horseshoe Arch, ,Kissing Couple Side Plate, ,Louise Wilkinson, ,Malarkey, ,Melanie Roseveare, ,Melody Rose, ,Modern SurRealist, ,Neon Nebula, ,Paint Dee, ,Parra, ,Prints for the Wall, ,Scout Editions, ,Sian Elin, ,Sit Furnishings, ,Stoke-on-Trent, ,Tableware, ,Tattoo Man, ,Tent London, ,Tropical Heat, ,Typoretum, ,Vaso Di Culo

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Amelia’s Magazine | Wood Festival 2014 Review: Sunshine, Drumming, Children, Singing, Bubbles and Yoga

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Wood Festival by Tabby Booth and James Heslip

Wood Festival by Tabby Booth and James Heslip.

This year I was super excited about taking Snarfle to Wood Festival – last year he had not quite started walking yet and I think the concept of being in a field with music was probably a bit lost on him. This year, however, he is a walking talking being and I knew he would love a weekend spent in the Oxfordshire countryside.

We headed westwards on Friday afternoon in the lovely May sunshine, and put our tent up right next to the woods that fringe the field at Braziers Park. It’s a lovely location that I have camped on many times before, and it makes me wish for a life lived nearer nature…

Bar tent, Wood Festival by Becca Corney

Bar tent, Wood Festival by Becca Corney.

The music started just as we began to wander around the festival, and we caught the tail end of Sephine Llo on the main Wood Stage whilst eating a delicious meal courtesy of Will’s Cafe. This classically trained musician experiments with lesser known instruments such as the kora and sanxian, and her debut Flame EP is currently out with Tape Club Records.

Wood Festival 2014-kids

Up at the Tree Tent I was taken by country folk from Oxford based My Crooked Teeth, who ups the ante with clever lyrics. His debut EP is out now with Bear on a Bicycle records.

Wood Festival by Karolina Burdon

Wood Festival by Karolina Burdon.

Leeds based outfit Dancing Years impressed with delicate melodies, big instrumentation and heartfelt vocals. Their singer told us that since their tunes hardly lived up to their name they had prepared a special dance tune for their set, which I thought was a great addition.

Wood Festival 2014- Snarfle at main stage

Next up it was nice to hear from Trevor Moss and Hannah Lou again, showcasing their pitch perfect harmonies before jetting back off to rejoin Tori Amos on tour. I particularly liked hearing Hannah sing on her own for a change. By this point we had put Snarfle in his pyjamas and he had a great time running around with the other wee ones in front of the stage.

Wood Festival 2014-Oxford Ukeleles

I first wrote about Alessi’s Ark many a moon ago, and yet she is still only 23 years old. She graced the stage as my child started to go a bit mental with tiredness, but since he is not given to sleeping before nightfall these days we decided to sit by the camp fire for a bit, where a kindly lady let him pluck at her ukelele. I think his undoubted favourite of the day was watching the Oxford Ukeleles sing a selection of popular songs in the Tree Tent just before we fell asleep under the stars.

Wood Festival 2014-clay fairy

On Saturday we awoke to brilliant sunshine, and Snarfle had a lie in whilst I did some knitting (bliss, this never happens). Our morning was spent exploring activities for small children – we missed the yoga, sang along with family entertainer Nick Cope, discovered a wonderful woodland playground (how I wish we had more trees near us in East London), watched a man make a flute with a carrot, had lunch and then went for a lie down.

Wood Festival bubbles

Or maybe not as it turned out: because instead Snarfle BROKE MY FUCKING NOSE. By head butting me. Yup, I was hysterical. The onsite St John Ambulance sent me off to the Royal Berkshire A&E in Reading, so that is where we spent a lovely sunny Saturday afternoon. It turns out there was probably very little point to this trip because they gave me no referral letter, so I ended up back in my local A&E earlier this week in the hope of being seen by a consultant. As a result this Friday I am being put under so that they can whack my nose back into place. Toddlers: dangerous weapons of facial destruction. Watch out parents: it might happen to you!

Wood Festival 2014- Snarfle and Tim

But back to Wood Festival: on our return we managed to meet up with a number of friends who were on a day visit before they left. Many locals only come down for the day on Saturday, so the festival gets delightfully busy (but never too much so).

Wood Festival 2014- Snarfle drawing

By turns glitchy and dreamy folktronica by Oliver Wilde kept us entertained into the evening. We also enjoyed the female folk duo O’Hooley & Tidow, particularly their reinterpretation of songs by the likes of Massive Attack.

Wood Festival 2014-wood craft

By the time the Wood Festival brothers’ band The Dreaming Spires took the headline spot the kids were out in force, dancing wildly in their onesies beneath the stage. Snarfle was pretty much spent but we managed to catch carefully crafted folk songs from Birmingham’s Boat to Row before bedtime.

Wood Festival 2014- clay bat

On Sunday we took it easy again in the morning, with Snarfle very happy to hang out in the big kid’s tent, drawing whilst a bunch of older kids made wonderfully odd animals out of twigs and pinecones twisted into clay. He was also transfixed by a storyteller in a big feathery hat.

Wood Festival 2014-Phil Ball

In the Kindling Tent Phil Ball gave an engaging (and thoroughly candid) talk about his time spent in a Russian prison as one of the 30 Greenpeace protesters arrested in the Arctic last year. It was good to see him in the flesh, having only kept up with his recent antics via facebook for some time. Find out why it is such a bad idea to drill for oil in the Arctic here.

Snarfle drifted off during his talk but before leaving we could not resist hanging out for a bit longer in the sunshine, lulled by the twinkling world sounds of kora player Jali Fily Cissokho, who spends his time between Senegal and Oxford. Rapturous applause ensured a lengthy encore, before we finally hit the road homeward bound.

Wood Festival 2014-little girl

It was once again the perfect festival for families and folk lovers (ahem, we’ll leave aside my personal mishap). Before we left I picked up a pair of hand turned wooden bowls made by Alistair Phillips of Woodworks and Coracles, who was offering lessons in wood turning; once Snarfle is older I will really enjoy participating in the adult workshops, of which there are many.

Sadly I missed a number of favourite Wood Festival musicians… including Ellie Ford, Knights of Mentis, My Sad Captains, Goodnight Lenin and Co-Pilgrim. But don’t worry, you can still enjoy them by listening to my special Wood Festival compilation playlist on Soundcloud (just above). I’m looking forward to next year already.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Thursday May 22nd, 2014 5:47 pm

Categories ,2014, ,A&E, ,Alessi’s Ark], ,Alistair Phillips, ,Arctic 30, ,Bear on a Bicycle, ,Becca Corney, ,Boat to Row, ,Brazier’s Park, ,Broken Nose, ,Co-pilgrim, ,Dancing Years, ,Ellie Ford, ,Flame EP, ,Goodnight Lenin, ,Greenpeace, ,Jali Fily Cissokho, ,James Heslip, ,Karolina Burdon, ,Kindling Tent, ,Knights of Mentis, ,Massive Attack, ,My Crooked Teeth, ,My Sad Captains, ,Nick Cope, ,Oliver Wilde, ,Oxford Ukeleles, ,Oxfordshire, ,O’Hooley & Tidow, ,Phil Ball, ,Playlist, ,Reading, ,review, ,Royal Berkshire, ,Sephine Llo, ,Snarfle, ,St John Ambulance, ,Tabby Booth, ,Tape Club Records, ,The Dreaming Spires, ,Toddler, ,Tori Amos, ,Tree Tent, ,Trevor Moss and Hannah-Lou, ,Will’s Cafe, ,Wood Festival, ,Wood Stage, ,Woodworks and Coracles

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Amelia’s Magazine | Lounge on the Farm 2013: Festival Review

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Lounge on the Farm 2013 review
Way back in 2009 contributor Amelia Wells visited Lounge on the Farm in Kent for Amelia’s Magazine. She was duly wowed by this small scale family orientated music festival and wrote a glowing review, so I promised myself I would make it along one day too. It’s taken me a mere four years to fulfil that promise, but this year my little family finally made the trip down to Merton Farm near Canterbury, mega pop up tent in tow (Quechua 4.2 seconds family pop up tent since you asked: can’t recommend it enough). How things have changed for me since 2009! Back then it would have been all about the late night dancing. Now my festival needs are somewhat different – I’m looking for a laid back atmosphere with space to relax with my baby, plus lots of things to keep him entertained. Lounge on the Farm does this admirably, with a dedicated childrens area called the Little Lounge full of wonderful willow structures, yurts and a miniature big top playing host to entertainments aimed at the wee ones. All this and a wonderful space hosted by the local NCT group: a haven for breastfeeding and nappy changing.

Jennifer Dionisio Illustration Lounge on the Farm Review
Lounge on the Farm by Jennifer Dionisio.

We arrived on Friday evening, and were directed to pitch our tent in the ‘quiet area’ rather than in the designated ‘family area’ at the top of the hill. Camping in the quiet area was an unfortunate choice as it turned out, since it was also a cut through from every other part of the camp and during the first night it seemed as if half the festival tripped over our (dark coloured) guy ropes and nearly crashed wholesale onto our slumbering bodies. In between this and constant breastfeeding (he’s teething, that’s the latest reason at any rate) I didn’t get the greatest of sleeps. But enough of the griping, we had a wonderful time.

Lounge on the Farm 2013 review
Lounge on the Farm 2013 review
Lounge on the Farm 2013 review
Lounge on the Farm by Marianna Madriz
Lounge on the Farm by Marianna Madriz.

Once we’d unpacked we headed into the festival to see what was on offer, a big eyed Snarfle in tow. After an impromptu tour around the working part of the farm we feasted on Merton Farm burgers, 0 meat miles. These were cooked in a kitchen at The Farmhouse Restaurant staffed by chef Rob Cooper, one of the founding DJs, and coincidentally the brother of my NCT friend Christine. It’s a small world, and growing ever smaller: his wife Vicky founded the festival 8 years ago with her friend Sean and nowadays works closely with a lovely ex student and ex intern of mine, James Penfold, who books all of the bands.

Lounge on the Farm 2013 review
Lounge on the Farm 2013 review
Lounge on the Farm 2013 review
Lounge on the Farm by Emma Russell
Lounge on the Farm by Emma Russell.

Everything at Lounge on the Farm has been lovingly thought through: there was a full Victorian funfair with helter-skelter and big wheel, hay bales aplenty to relax against and artwork everywhere I looked: lasercut painted sculptures and brilliant illustrated cutouts of festival goers from wonderful illustrations by Maddy Vian. The main site was split across three fields bounded by striking beech hedges, with plenty of space to rollick around: I hate it when festivals get stupidly busy and this was never a risk, though the music stages became packed enough to generate the ideal atmosphere for good bands. All the food we ate was delicious and in the main organic and local as well as very reasonably priced. Special mention must go to the fantastically tasty wild venison and wild boar burgers served up with duck eggs by Phil the Gameskeeper at the Godmersham Game stand: all hunted from the wilds of the Kent countryside. At The Farmhouse Restaurant the beer and ale had all been produced from Kent hops. The festival aims to support ‘the local arts, culture, agriculture and economy‘ and does so admirably.

Lounge on the Farm 2013 review
Lounge on the Farm 2013 review
Lounge on the Farm 2013 review
Lounge on the Farm 2013 review
Lounge on the Farm by George Morton
Lounge on the Farm by George Morton.

I didn’t know many of the bands playing during the day time, but as always made some impressive discoveries: on Friday we were treated to Lucy Rose, a diminutive blonde with a guitar and a big voice. Sadly I missed the headliner Seasick Steve as it was early to bed for me: there was no way Snarfle was going to sleep with so much stimulation going on so we were tent bound by 8pm on both nights (and most handy when a huge thunderstorm struck on Saturday night).

Lounge on the Farm 2013 review
Lounge on the Farm 2013 review
Lounge on the Farm 2013 review
On Saturday my big discovery was the lilting sounds of a Southampton based outfit called Pale Seas on the Farm Folk Stage: I loved the combination of evocative melodies from the lead singer, with backing vocals contributed by the unassuming female drummer. My other big discovery was the astonishingly tasty fruity drinks at the Sunshine Smoothies van behind the NCT tent – who would have thought that lavender would work with cherry? We visited the NCT tent on numerous occasions, where Snarfle enjoyed the Baby Sensory classes and free access to bedtime books. Outside there were toys to play with, edible gardens to make, bushcraft shelter classes, drumming, juggling and much more. The film tent (complete with popcorn stand) hosted a singalong Jungle Book showing.

At The Playhouse we enjoyed comedy excellently compered by John Robbins and cabaret from Lekido, Lord of the Lobsters (above).

Lounge on the Farm 2013 review
Lounge On The Farm by Zo Bevan
Lounge On The Farm by Zo Bevan.

On Sunday I treated myself to a lovely massage in the obligatory Healing Fields, and enjoyed music by the Snowdown Colliery Band, Intensified and Aswad. I missed Margate based rapper Mic Righteous but heard good things. Sadly we missed Soul II Soul because after a long weekend of partying Snarfle was starting to fray at the seams. This was a massive shame since they are the sound of my youth (summer of 1989, ghetto blaster, Clapham Common, Brixton, The Fridge) and it would have been the perfect end to an absolutely glorious two days of sunshine, but we drove off into the Kentish night refreshed and just a little bit more in love with this beautiful and abundant part of the UK.

Lounge on the Farm 2013 review
Lounge on the Farm 2013 review
Lounge on the Farm by Rose Hudson
Lounge on the Farm by Rose Hudson.

What I love about festivals such as Lounge on the Farm is how they happily cater to all age groups – this was certainly the perfect boutique festival for London and Kent based families, but it was also thoroughly enjoyed by a younger local crowd. As night fell it seemed as if half the teenagers of Canterbury were thronging around the dance orientated Hoe Down tent in heightened hormonal anticipation. I may have seen far fewer bands than I would have done in years past (Snarfle was not always a keen wearer of protective headphones) but I had a wonderful time adapting our visit to the needs of a little one. We definitely plan to return next year, need I say more?

Written by Amelia Gregory on Saturday August 3rd, 2013 1:33 pm

Categories ,2013, ,Amelia Wells, ,Aswad, ,Baby Sensory, ,Breastfeeding, ,Brett Anderson, ,Canterbury, ,Child Friendly, ,children, ,Emma Russell, ,Families, ,Family Orientated, ,Farm Folk Stage, ,George Morton, ,Godmersham Game, ,Healing Fields, ,Hoe Down, ,Intensified, ,James Penfold, ,Jennifer Dionisio, ,John Robbins, ,Jungle Book, ,kent, ,Lekido, ,Little Lounge, ,Lord of the Lobsters, ,LOTF, ,Lounge on the Farm, ,Lucy Rose, ,Maddy Vian, ,Margate, ,Marianna Madriz, ,Merton Farm, ,Mic Righteous, ,NCT, ,Pale Seas, ,Phil the Gameskeeper, ,Pop-Up Tent, ,Quechua, ,review, ,Rob Cooper, ,Rose Hudson, ,Seasick Steve, ,Snarfle, ,Snowdown Colliery Band, ,Soul II Soul, ,Sunshine Smoothies, ,The Farmhouse Restaurant, ,The Playhouse, ,Victorian funfair, ,Vine, ,Zo Bevan

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