Jordi Ruiz Cirera

My friend Claire sent me a link to London-based Spanish photographer Jordi Ruiz Cirera’s website, because she knew I would love his photographs.  She was right – they are beautiful – and I’m particularly taken with his portraits of Mennonite families in Bolivia. One of the images, a camera shy lady sitting at a table, won Ruiz Cirera the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize in 2012.

The pictures form part of the photographer’s long-term project to document the daily life of this religious community. The project was particularly challenging, as the Mennonite religion forbids the creation of images and many members were reluctant to appear in photographs. However, having travelled to their villages in South America on two occasions, he gradually won the trust of several families living south of Santa Cruz.

The Mennonites’ uneasy relationship with the camera is reflected in the winning portrait of Margarita Teichroeb at her table; "She seems to be afraid of the photographer, unwilling to expose herself to our gaze. Her awkward expression says a lot about the tradition, isolation and lifestyle of this community," says Ruiz Cirera.

Tim Coulson: The Nursery

I didn't post much last week as I was away in London. While I was there I was lucky enough to attend a photography workshop with Tim Coulson called The Nursery. Although I had lost my voice and had to speak in croaks and whispers, the workshop was brilliant. In one day, Tim explained so many things that had previously confused me about taking pictures and his advice will definitely help me to use my camera properly. In the morning, Tim discussed the emotional and technical aspects of photography in a very down-to-earth and common sense way. Then, following a leisurely lunch we stepped outside to practice what we had learned. My pictures above are of Tim's wife Kesh and their lovely son Roo. The Nursery is a real family affair and I am delighted that I was able to be a part of it. Thanks Tim and Kesh!

Barbara Hepworth Sculpture Garden

Last week I took a trip to St Ives and visited the Barbara Hepworth Museum & Sculpture Garden. This is one of my favourite things to do in St Ives as it always seems like a little oasis of calm in the middle of the busy seaside town. The museum and garden are based at Barbara's own home, the delightful Trewyn Studios, so you can see the sculptures in the environment in which they were created and nosy around her former studio. It is a magical place with huge modernist pieces in bronze, stone and wood as well as smaller paintings, drawings and archive material on display. It's a great place to take kids but also somewhere you could happily spend a quiet afternoon alone, reading a good book and soaking up the atmosphere. I thoroughly recommend a visit if you are ever in the area...

What We (Wish We) Wore

This is the first of a new regular blog series called What We (Wish We) Wore. Inspired by Gemma Correll and Sarah Dyer, it's a fun twist on the What We Wore photographs that I'm sure you will have seen on lots of other blogs. Now, I'm not really one for posing in photos and to be honest, my wardrobe has seen better days so this is a fun way for me to indulge in a little bit of fantasy dressing. It's also the start of a new collaboration between Andrew and myself. I'll be putting together the outfits and he'll be doing the drawing.

Fred: Striped romper by Agnes B. Kids. Rebecca: Indigo twill smock by MHL Margaret Howell, Petit New Standard jeans by APC, red almond toe pumps by Megumi Ochi at Couverture & The Garbstore. Wren: Pear print top by Bobo Choses, Banana print trousers by Indikidual, Cardigan hand knitted by Granny.

Illustration by Andrew Wightman

Cloth Books: Ex Libris Handmade

I love these handmade cloth books by Victoria van der Laan. Victoria has been making things since 1976 and has an etsy shop selling her charming custom-made books for babies, kids and adults. I'm very impressed with her range of topics - there are books on science, dinosaurs, woodland creatures, musical instruments, fruit, mammals and transport to name just a few! Each book features interesting and non-traditional applique images as well as having a stylish typographic front cover. If you want a personalised book, Victoria can also embroider a child's (or adult's) name on the front, making a wonderful and very unique gift.

www.etsy.com/shop/exlibrishandmade

Inspiration: Cold Press Gallery

I confess that I have never actually been to Norfolk but it has long been on my list of places that I would like to visit. I particularly want to go to Holt, home of Old Town, Byfords and now the Cold Press Gallery. The gallery is housed in an old Methodist meeting hall and sells an expertly curated range of paintings, ceramics, sculpture and furniture, all selected by Kate and Ben Lawrence. The couple founded the gallery after working in the London art world and now living in the depths of North Norfolk, they admit that several of their relationships with the artists, including American Kai Samuels-Davis, have been conducted almost entirely through email. A situation they describe as being "like having an old fashioned correspondence". The gallery's signature style of tactile, natural materials, rural craftsmanship and faded neutrals reflect the local landscape, making that trip up to Norfolk seem even more tempting.

www.thecoldpress.com

Inspiration: Susanna Bauer

These delicate crocheted leaves are by German artist Susanna Bauer, whose work combines stones, leaves and wood with traditional craft techniques. Her work is painstakingly intricate and encourages the viewer to study the natural forms just as much as her embellishment. Sometimes when an artist manipulates a natural object as the basis of their work, I can't help but think it would have been better left in its original state. In this case though, the complementary forms of the leaves and the sinuous thread combine to make something which truly exceeds the sum of its parts.

www.susannabauer.com

Inspiration: Flotsam

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Deutsche Guggenheim - "Gabriel Orozco: Asterisms", 2012

Living by the coast it's easy to become transfixed by all the objects that get washed up on the beach. Picking up bits of debris becomes strangely addictive and as a result, both my house and garden are littered with curiosities that have been gathered on various windy walks at the beach. For this reason I was interested to see images from Mexican artist, Gabriel Orozco's new show at the Guggenheim, New York. The exhibition called Astrerisms, takes beachcombing to a whole new level. 1,200 disparate, discarded objects harvested from the fringes of the Pacific Ocean are documented in a series of photographs and arranged as a giant rainbow blanket across the gallery floor.

www.guggenheim.org

Inspiration: Helen Simmonds

Helen Simmonds' paintings are a masterclass in restrained simplicity. Her minimal compositions feature a variety of ordinary and unassuming kitchen objects, such as enamel jugs, glass bottles and ceramic vessels in meticulous arrangements. I particularly like her sparse palette of muted oils and the sense of peace and calm evoked in each painting. The pieces seem to recall Dutch still lives and offer a modern take on this timeless tradition. Helen's work can be seen at the Jonathan Cooper Gallery, London and the Alexander Gallery, Bristol.

www.jonathancooper.co.uk www.alexander-gallery.co.uk

Book: New Gypsies

Iain McKell's photographic portraits of travellers exude a sense of family, community and freedom. These new Gypsies are here by choice, not heritage. Unrelated to the Roma, the movement began in 1986 when a group of Post-Punk, Anti-Thatcher protesters headed out of London into the English countryside. McKell followed these New Age Travellers to the West Country and over the years, watched them become a hybrid tribe - the new gypsies - present-day rural anarchists, living their subversive lifestyle in elaborately decorated horse-drawn caravans. Known as 'Horse-drawn', these new gypsies share a desire for sustainability, a love of self-reliance and a disdain for the trappings of contemporary life. To see more of McKell's romantic, strange and beautiful photographs, check out his book The New Gypsies.

iainmckell.iainmckell.com

Woven Branches

The new issue of 3191 Quarterly is out next week and features a branch weaving project. I haven't seen anything quite like this before, but I love it! I'd definitely like to have a go and think a small collection of different branch weaves pinned to a wall would look amazing. The journal, created by MAV + SCB who share a love of "art and craft, simple things and a well-lived domestic life" also features cooking with seeds, collecting leaves and a day trip in the Columbia River Gorge - sounds like my kind of magazine. It comes in a beautifully photographed, printed and bound limited edition of 1000. You can pre-order your copy now...

www.3191milesapart.com 3191milesapart.myshopify.com