It's time for the third Liverpool Artist's Book Fair this Saturday 2nd of October at A Foundation. This year it's taking place during the Liverpool Biennial.

Those taking part include: Alan Williams, Carol Ramsey, Delitia, Doodlezine, Drawing Paper, Julie DOdd, Kate Bufton, Linny Venables, LJMU Grahic Arts, My Dance the Skull, No Compromise Publishing, Objects of Dreams, Pitville Press, Permanent Gallery Bookshop, Sam Venables, Simon Goode, Unrealised Projects by Sam & Lynn Harris

For more information you can contact Clare Warren at info@foundation.org.uk

Doodlezine Issue 4

doodle by Emma Carlise

Issue 4 of Doodlezine produced by Abi Whitehouse and Desdemona McCannon is on sale at Big Cartel you can get a copy over here.

www.doodlezine.blogspot.com

Barbara Berrada

My new favourite blog is that of French artist, photographer and fashion designer Barbara Berrada who owns an amazing children's store called Les Zigous. You can have a sneak preview of her cool apartment in this Design Sponge Article I think I even spotted one of my favourite Camilla Engman prints on her wall. I could just spend hours looking at the amazing images on her blogs on www.zigouis.blogspot.com and www.barbarberrada.blogspot.com Both really worth checking out.

Male Instrumenty

Nathalie Lete

Zoopraxiscope

Spot Light at Oxford Town Hall

There's a call by OVADA for artists working in new media to produce and show new work that responds to the physical space or history of the Town Hall. Because it's a site specific project the organisers have arranged tours for the artists to view the spaces, before submitting a proposal.

I went yesterday afternoon. It's an amazing building. We viewed ten sites altogether, some massive and opulent others massive but sombre. Like the hall where court scenes for the Lewis (Inspector Morse spin-off) series are filmed, another full of Japanese school children looked like a scene from Harry Potter. Some wooden panelled rooms contained lovely old stone fireplaces and little interesting nooks and crannies. We climbed down to the old cells in the basement to be greeted by a dank metallic smell as we approached the small dark tiled rooms. They were very atmospheric.

It was a great afternoon and chance to catch up with some friends, take lots of photo's and conjure up ideas for potential projects for the spaces. Exciting prospect.....

I

I think these have more impact in black and white than in the natural colour.

Chiaroscuro

I took some photographs that experimented with chiaroscuro whilst staying in London a couple of weeks ago and took some footage that could potentially work in an installation. I can't wait to start editing.

Mario Giacomelli

CSN Review

Isn't it beautiful. My new black Emile Henry Flame tagine from CSN. You may remember that they asked me to do a review for them a couple of weeks ago.

As with the Surreal friends I'm inclined to think that there is definitely a link between cookery and artistic creativity. So it's not surprising that I chose an item destined for the kitchen to review. It was a big toss up between this and wall lights for the living room. I spent indulgent hours pouring over the lighting selection, which as with all their sites is really varied and user friendly. But eventually chose this tagine.

Despite it being a bank holiday when I put the order in it arrived within a couple of days. All packed up in three boxes with tons of bubble wrap. It was just like Christmas. Fortunately my daughter was off to uni and moving into a new house the following day so it all came in use.

I've just got to use it now! Apparently it's a new concept in Tagines and can be used directly on a flame or electric hob, as well as in the oven. I have to season it first by heating it up after covering the base with milk, then it's ready to use. That's the plan for today. If you want you can find out how I get on over here www.cookingupastorminateacup.blogspot.com

I'm so happy that CSN asked me to do this review it seems to be a great company, their prices are cheaper than list price. My tagine at £41.99 was £16 cheaper than list price and the delivery was free and really fast.

Lee Miller

I couldn't write about the Surrealist exhibition in Chichester without giving a nod to Lee Miller. The exhibition had the compulsory Dali lobster telephones and Magritte paintings but Miller was another fascinating woman that deserves a mention. Not only was she a beautiful woman but also a talented photographer and fearless when it came to her war photography. You can read a little about her life here in the Columbia Magazine.

PS I had to remove two of the images on this posting as I'd failed to notice that they were copyright. One was of Lee Miller sneaking a bath in Hitler's apartment after the fall of Berlin. The other, probably my favourite is one that Miller took of Eileen Agar at the Brighton Pavilion in 1937. I'm usually so careful. You can link to the official Lee Miller website by clicking here.

I definitely recommend trying to catch any exhibitions of her work.