Cockpit Arts - summer open studios

If you remember my 'If I can't see you, you can't see me' post from December last year, I mentioned visiting the open studios that the Cockpit Arts organises twice a year. Yesterday, I visited the quirky space for its summer version and again, what a fun that was. As always, every time I visit an exhibition, fair of a showroom, I also learn something along the way. This visit was partially about responsible material-sourcing in order to preserve our planet and enhance lives of its inhabitants.

I came across the words 'fairtrade' and 'fairmined' when admiring jewellery by the jewellery designer Ute Decker. First thing I was told was that she uses recycled silver for her rather sculptural pieces.

On display, next to her exciting pieces of silver jewellery, was also a leaflet explaining about fairtrade and fair mining in regions of Africa, Asia and Latin America. This information was concerning gold mining (Ute's gold jewellery was not shown here since it is on display somewhere else at the moment).

The idea is to give to the mining organisations extra 10% on top of the internationally agreed price for gold and additional ecological premium of 5% if the gold has been handled safely (without the use of toxic chemicals such as mercury or cyanite). This extra money is then used to improve working and, more to the point, living conditions of the already remote communities. When a message like this is then demonstrated in a production of a jewellery piece somewhere in Europe, one can see the worldwide concern and cooperation.

Catarina Riccabona is another designer who carefully sources her materials. These would come not only from European suppliers but also from all around UK. She re-uses second hand yarn, hemp or wool in her eye-catching textile pieces.

Her cousions, throws or handbags reveal pleasing natural tones with the every-now-and-then introduction of colour. This was what caught my eye; her visually pleasing designs that just had to be touched. And here is when I realised that the material used is linen. I just love linen and the stages it undergoes during its long durable life.

You can imagine then what draw me to Winkers Resort Shoes. These hand-made shoes are made from Irish Linen that is printed with a Thornback & Peel print. One does not have to leave the shores of the UK.

This also proves the quality of linen. Used for shoes, it must be durable, capable of withstanding much harsher conditions than in a form of a kitchen towel. The frayed edges add a certain on-the-edge touch that I find so unique.

Visiting the Cockpit Arts in Holborn yesterday reminded me of the responsible route a designer has to take nowadays. It is not only about designing but also about the eco footprint one leaves behind. This is why I am pleased to see all this happening and hope that it will continue well into the future.

Wish you a lovely sunny week and see you next time. K-)

(All pictures in this post are scanned from the promotional material supplied by the designer.)