Hans Christian Andersen

Amelia’s Magazine | Dark fairytale: An interview with artist and illustrator Natasha Chambers

by

Babylon Twins

Dreamy, try intricate details dominate Natasha Chambers’ work, viagra sale and you can easily imagine her immersed in creation, viagra sitting by a large window overlooking some light-drenched Cornish beach. Cups of tea go cold as she pieces together the exquisite tiny patterns or the bold colours of her latest ‘Bywa’ series, a homage to the stories and beauty of Cornwall. But as Natasha has entitled one of her collages, ‘You need chaos in your soul to give birth to a dancing star’ – there are also hints of darkness underneath all the beauty. You can’t have one without the other.

Watergate (part of Bywa)

Most of your work has an amazing level of detail, be it the horses as waves, embroidery patterns or the butterfly wings. It’s beautiful, but it must be very time-consuming?
It is really time consuming, but I get all my satisfaction from the details. It’s a double-edged sword because these details also drive me mad. Sometimes the dots and lines imprint themselves in my head in the same way as when you look at the sun and then look away and you see suddenly see black spots.

There seems to be a lot of nostalgia in your work, or maybe this is just what it feels like when a piece of art focuses on nature? Do you consider yourself a nostalgic person?
I suppose I am a nostalgic person – and perhaps nature and childhood are synonymous in these feelings of the past. I have a box on my dresser, a treasure box if you like that could belong to a magpie, where I hoard broken bits of things that I have picked up over the years that I am unable to part with.

Yesterday

While the work is very pretty, there are also plenty of slightly twisted elements within the art, with the snakes and skulls. Do you do this to create contrasts, or is it because beauty on its own can be a bit, well, dull?
With every fairy tale there is always a dark side that creates tension with its lighter facade. You only have to think of the stories of Hans Christian Andersen, the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm or even Walt Disney to see there is always this balance. Imagine Snow White without the Evil Queen.

In Stitches

I first saw your work at the Last Tuesday Society’s Beasts Royal exhibition (review here), and you’ve been part of prior shows there as well. Could you tell us a bit about what it’s like to work with the amazing Last Tuesday Society please?
Mr Wynd has a fine collection of treasures. His shop makes you feel like a child in sweetshop, so I was obviously very pleased to have some work there. The show Beasts Royal was curated by Alice Herrick, who also curates the House of Fairy Tales with Gavin Turk and Deborah Curtis. Their shows are consistently beautiful and intriguing – bringing together a wonderful selection of artists to show in some great spaces. Shows have included the exquisite trove exhibition at the Newlyn Art Gallery and the House of Fairy Tales at the Saatchi Gallery and Millennium Gallery in St Ives. In Newlyn, each artist was invited to donate an object of interest to them either created or found to create a wonderful cabinet of curiosities amongst a plethora of carefully selected objects from museums across the Cornish county.

Bowerbird (part of Beasts Royal)

How do you build up your work? What inspires you?
It usually evolves through many stages and I work using quite a ramshackle but huge library of reference material. I am especially inspired by the narrative form of literature. I studied storytelling in LA and whilst I thought I would become a writer realised I was more interested in the static image. At some point I would like to return to the written word. I can remember quite vividly the books I was read as a child from their images, they’re works of art that are very engraved into my psyche.

Polzeath (part of Bywa)

The Bywa series seems different from your other work. There is less detail, but there’s also really wonderful use of colour with the green clouds and pink sky. I especially love Polzeath, the one with white-patterned sand and skies. What’s the inspiration behind this series?
I live in Cornwall, and apart from the stunning beauty of the area I live in, it is also rich in legends and it feels like the land itself breaths this ancient folkloric history. I find it very inspiring. Bywa means ‘to be alive’ in Cornish, or Kernuek. I thought this was an appropriate title especially given as the work became vividly coloured. The most recent pieces in the series, such as St Enodoc and Watergate, are almost made up entirely of dots and lines and are very intricate. St Enodoc even has a few lines of one of Sir John Betjeman’s poems half hidden in a cloud – he was very fond of this part of Cornwall and is now buried in the church.

Yellow

You do commissioned work for magazines, music and advertising. How did you go from being a design student to being a successful working artist?
After I graduated I was forced to do commercial work as a way of creating income but these projects were also useful in developing technical and artistic confidence and also a linguistic freedom. I have gradually tried to spend more and more time on my own work. I’m currently working some new ideas for an exhibition coming up, but also some commissions and other work.

Natasha Chambers

See more of Natasha Chambers’ work on her website.

Written by Jessica Furseth on Tuesday April 26th, 2011 3:27 pm

Categories ,Alice Herrick, ,art, ,Beasts Royal, ,Brothers Grimm, ,Bywa, ,Cornwall, ,Deborah Curtis, ,Disney, ,Fairy tales, ,Gavin Turk, ,Hans Christian Andersen, ,House of Fairy Tales, ,Millennium Gallery, ,Natasha Chambers, ,nature, ,Newlyn Art Gallery, ,Saatchi Gallery, ,Sir John Betjeman, ,storytelling, ,The Last Tuesday Society, ,Viktor Wynd Fine Art

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Amelia’s Magazine | Dark fairytale: An interview with artist and illustrator Natasha Chambers

by

Babylon Twins

Dreamy, try intricate details dominate Natasha Chambers’ work, viagra sale and you can easily imagine her immersed in creation, viagra sitting by a large window overlooking some light-drenched Cornish beach. Cups of tea go cold as she pieces together the exquisite tiny patterns or the bold colours of her latest ‘Bywa’ series, a homage to the stories and beauty of Cornwall. But as Natasha has entitled one of her collages, ‘You need chaos in your soul to give birth to a dancing star’ – there are also hints of darkness underneath all the beauty. You can’t have one without the other.

Watergate (part of Bywa)

Most of your work has an amazing level of detail, be it the horses as waves, embroidery patterns or the butterfly wings. It’s beautiful, but it must be very time-consuming?
It is really time consuming, but I get all my satisfaction from the details. It’s a double-edged sword because these details also drive me mad. Sometimes the dots and lines imprint themselves in my head in the same way as when you look at the sun and then look away and you see suddenly see black spots.

There seems to be a lot of nostalgia in your work, or maybe this is just what it feels like when a piece of art focuses on nature? Do you consider yourself a nostalgic person?
I suppose I am a nostalgic person – and perhaps nature and childhood are synonymous in these feelings of the past. I have a box on my dresser, a treasure box if you like that could belong to a magpie, where I hoard broken bits of things that I have picked up over the years that I am unable to part with.

Yesterday

While the work is very pretty, there are also plenty of slightly twisted elements within the art, with the snakes and skulls. Do you do this to create contrasts, or is it because beauty on its own can be a bit, well, dull?
With every fairy tale there is always a dark side that creates tension with its lighter facade. You only have to think of the stories of Hans Christian Andersen, the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm or even Walt Disney to see there is always this balance. Imagine Snow White without the Evil Queen.

In Stitches

I first saw your work at the Last Tuesday Society’s Beasts Royal exhibition (review here), and you’ve been part of prior shows there as well. Could you tell us a bit about what it’s like to work with the amazing Last Tuesday Society please?
Mr Wynd has a fine collection of treasures. His shop makes you feel like a child in sweetshop, so I was obviously very pleased to have some work there. The show Beasts Royal was curated by Alice Herrick, who also curates the House of Fairy Tales with Gavin Turk and Deborah Curtis. Their shows are consistently beautiful and intriguing – bringing together a wonderful selection of artists to show in some great spaces. Shows have included the exquisite trove exhibition at the Newlyn Art Gallery and the House of Fairy Tales at the Saatchi Gallery and Millennium Gallery in St Ives. In Newlyn, each artist was invited to donate an object of interest to them either created or found to create a wonderful cabinet of curiosities amongst a plethora of carefully selected objects from museums across the Cornish county.

Bowerbird (part of Beasts Royal)

How do you build up your work? What inspires you?
It usually evolves through many stages and I work using quite a ramshackle but huge library of reference material. I am especially inspired by the narrative form of literature. I studied storytelling in LA and whilst I thought I would become a writer realised I was more interested in the static image. At some point I would like to return to the written word. I can remember quite vividly the books I was read as a child from their images, they’re works of art that are very engraved into my psyche.

Polzeath (part of Bywa)

The Bywa series seems different from your other work. There is less detail, but there’s also really wonderful use of colour with the green clouds and pink sky. I especially love Polzeath, the one with white-patterned sand and skies. What’s the inspiration behind this series?
I live in Cornwall, and apart from the stunning beauty of the area I live in, it is also rich in legends and it feels like the land itself breaths this ancient folkloric history. I find it very inspiring. Bywa means ‘to be alive’ in Cornish, or Kernuek. I thought this was an appropriate title especially given as the work became vividly coloured. The most recent pieces in the series, such as St Enodoc and Watergate, are almost made up entirely of dots and lines and are very intricate. St Enodoc even has a few lines of one of Sir John Betjeman’s poems half hidden in a cloud – he was very fond of this part of Cornwall and is now buried in the church.

Yellow

You do commissioned work for magazines, music and advertising. How did you go from being a design student to being a successful working artist?
After I graduated I was forced to do commercial work as a way of creating income but these projects were also useful in developing technical and artistic confidence and also a linguistic freedom. I have gradually tried to spend more and more time on my own work. I’m currently working some new ideas for an exhibition coming up, but also some commissions and other work.

Natasha Chambers

See more of Natasha Chambers’ work on her website.

Written by Jessica Furseth on Tuesday April 26th, 2011 3:27 pm

Categories ,Alice Herrick, ,art, ,Beasts Royal, ,Brothers Grimm, ,Bywa, ,Cornwall, ,Deborah Curtis, ,Disney, ,Fairy tales, ,Gavin Turk, ,Hans Christian Andersen, ,House of Fairy Tales, ,Millennium Gallery, ,Natasha Chambers, ,nature, ,Newlyn Art Gallery, ,Saatchi Gallery, ,Sir John Betjeman, ,storytelling, ,The Last Tuesday Society, ,Viktor Wynd Fine Art

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Amelia’s Magazine | Christmas Gift Ideas 2012: Best Books for Friends & Family

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Sanna Annukka The Fir Tree
It’s here! For my final round up of gift ideas I take a look at a selection of books to give your loved ones for Christmas. You’re sure to find something that will suit in this little lot… possibly even for yourself.

Sanna Annukka The Fir Tree
Sanna Annukka The Fir Tree

Best for lovers of illustration:
Finnish/English illustrator Sanna Annukka rose to prominence when she created the famous Under the Iron Sea album cover for Keane in 2006. Her heavily decorative style is instantly recognisable and her newest work, inspired by totems, is included in my round up of best prints for Christmas. Now she has illustrated the classic Hans Christian Andersen tale The Fir Tree, the story of how a small sapling is so anxious to reach maturity that he misses the best part of the present. It’s an ancient fable which is beautifully retold in Sanna‘s inimitable patterned illustrations, and all bound together in a fabulous fabric book with a very special gold foiled cover.

Kaffe Fasset Dreaming in Colour 3
Kaffe Fasset Dreaming in Colour 3
Kaffe Fasset Dreaming in Colour 3

Best for lovers of craft:
Anyone who loves colourful intarsia knits or modern patchwork quilts will be familiar with the work of Kaffe Fassett, who moved to this country from California many decades ago to pursue a career as a painter, and subsequently revolutionised contemporary craft. He was particularly popular in the 1980s, when he influenced a whole generation of crafters (including me), and now he’s put his extraordinary story down in print. The book’s publication chimes perfectly with a major retrospective at the Fashion and Textile Museum, which will take place from 22 March – 29 June next year.

Sylvester and the New Year Emmeline Pidgen
Sylvester and the New Year Emmeline Pidgen
Sylvester and the New Year Emmeline Pidgen

Best for children:
Sylvester and the New Year is a seasonal story that is a bit different form the usual fare, featuring a bearded old man that you might not be so familiar with. The book is based on a traditional folk tale from the continent, where Saint Sylvester wakes only to ensure the old year finishes and the New Year arrives. Emmeline Pidgen‘s beautiful illustrations tell this story in a way that will appeal to young children wonderfully.

Home Baked book Hanne Risgaard
Home Baked book Hanne Risgaard
Home Baked book Hanne Risgaard

Best for cooks:
Baking it seems, is all the rage. And everywhere I turn I bump up against yet another review for a book about cakes, or bread. But what to do for the person who already knows how to do all of usual stuff? Who wants a book a little different to those lining the shelves of our high street stores? Well, I’ve got just the ticket – Home Baked – an absolutely beautiful tome about artisanal Scandinavian baking. The timing couldn’t be better, what with our current obsession about all things Danish. This scrumptious book by organic farmer Hanne Risgaard is chock full of beautiful photographs and techniques for creating unusual nordic breads and pastries. And if you give the gift maybe you’ll get to try the outcome…

Cause and Effect Gestalten
Cause and Effect Gestalten
Cause and Effect Gestalten

Best for ethical designers:
After weeks and months of torrential rain it’s a wonder that climate change is still so far down the agenda: it shouldn’t be. We need to be talking about why extreme weather events are harassing our planet, and we need to be taking action, which is where the work of designers comes in. Designers and illustrators play an extremely important part in telling the stories that must persuade humans to change their ways. Cause and Effect: Visualising Sustainability, is a timely collection of inspiring graphics. It also happens to include the poster I created in collaboration with Mia Overgaard for Climate Camp a few years ago.

The Roundel cover
The Roundel cover

Best for Londoners:
Everyone knows the iconography of London’s tube: the Roundel must be one of the most recognisable emblems around the world. Now a new book documents the creations of a host of famous artists who were challenged with the task of reinterpreting the sign. Amongst recognisable renditions of the roundel are images that mutate it beyond recognition, lose it in patterns or adopt a humorous approach. The Roundel is perfect for anyone who loves London and it’s sometimes irascible underground system, and it is now available as a deluxe clothbound edition.

Where's Mo? by Harry Bloom
Where's Mo? by Harry Bloom
Where's Mo? by Harry Bloom

Best for sports nuts:
No one can have escaped coverage of the Olympics this summer, and now Harry Bloom, a talented young illustration graduate whom I discovered at the shows last year, has taken on the theme with this fun puzzle book – Where’s Mo? – which features illustrations of a selection of great British sporting events in which Mo Farrah and other sporting friends are hidden. Can you find them in the crowds?

Written by Amelia Gregory on Friday December 21st, 2012 10:46 am

Categories ,2012, ,Baking, ,Book Review, ,Cause and Effect: Visualising Sustainability, ,Climate Camp, ,Danish, ,Emmeline Pidgen, ,Fashion and Textile Museum, ,Folk Tale, ,gifts, ,Hanne Risgaard, ,Hans Christian Andersen, ,Harry Bloom, ,Home Baked, ,Kaffe Fassett, ,Keane, ,Mia Overgaard, ,Mo Farrah, ,Olympics, ,Roundel, ,Saint Sylvester, ,Sanna Annukka, ,Scandinavian, ,Sylvester and the New Year, ,The Fir Tree, ,The Roundel, ,Under the Iron Sea, ,Where’s Mo?

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