Jan
12
I often find that January offers a bit of a false start to the year, a long break for festivities and merriment proves difficult to break free from. I have managed to change my mindset and begin another year of work and creativity. This year I will be attending the British Craft Trade Fair, there is much to prepare and I have decided to launch my textile design company as a new separate entity at this event. Up to now I have been working on both my fine art and the textile design company concurrently, this will in effect continue. I will remain designing contemporary textiles accessories for you and your home but the Fonzie brand will soon stand alone as a company leaving Nicolette Lafonseca-Taylor, me, to concentrate more fully on future exhibitions leaving the day to day running of Fonzie in the hands of my capable staff.
During my Christmas hiatus I managed to source some beautiful vintage florals that will be lovingly stitched together to create a quilt, hopefully this will be the first of many in a new line of Fonzie quilts.
Posted in inspiration, new work
Sep
30
Life as an artist has been hectic I have almost forgotten to keep you informed about the other side of my life, my textile design company Fonzie. Let me tell you a little about how Fonzie works. I started the company because I wanted to create something ethical without loosing any of it’s contemporary style. I am not a fan of globalisation and want my company to offer well designed, well made alternative to the carbon copy products that are available on the mass market.
By carefully selecting small quantities of quality fabric and combining that with vintage materials we can produce truly unique items that are always different from one another.
I have recently purchased a new range of fabrics and am very excited about designing a new range of products.
Here is a sneak preview!
Posted in inspiration, new work
Sep
19
My ’Drawings from India’ sold really well at the exhibition that opened back in May. In addition to making sales I have been contacted by a lady who saw my at The Bowery has commissioned me to create three pieces of work fro her up-coming wedding anniversary. She wants the work to explore and reflect her married and subsequent family life.
Posted in Uncategorized, exhibitions, new work
Sep
10
I am the new member of the board at the Arthouse based in Wakefield acting as an artist representative for the next two years.
The Arthouse is a unique national membership organisation for the visual arts. It was created in 1994, by a group of visual artists to campaign for equality of access to opportunities for work, training and exhibiting for both disabled and non-disabled artists equally. Membership includes professional practitioners in all visual and tactile art forms and approaches to art; artists are welcomed whether or not they have taken a traditional route to development of their practice.
It also designs and manages ambitious projects including residencies, exhibitions, commissions and research, nationally and internationally, all in accessible settings. The Art House speaks on behalf of all artists and represents their interests to funding and commissioning bodies, to training institutions, to galleries and venues, and to others. It campaigns for inclusive practice across the visual art sector.
I feel that sitting on the board will be a valuable and fulfilling experience for me.
An image from the recent Identity Cards Project
Participating artists:
Louise Atkinson Zeev Parush
Karen Babayan Roee Derstain
Peta Bickerstaff Dimona Arel
Abu Jafar Amili Gelbman
Linda King Ella Lustig
Sophie Littlewood Oren Vaxler
Bob Milner Inbal Druval
Jan Millington Dubi Roman
Charlie Morris Varda Breger
Val Rolls Aviva Meromi
Carrie Scott-Huby Ora Brill
Richard Wheater Orit Alloush
Posted in Uncategorized, new work
Aug
02
Good news you can now purchase ‘Fonzie’ products online. Fonzie is the textile design company that I run and we offer unique textile crafts for you and your home, and we now offer them online.
Not On The High Street was started in 2006 by Holly Tucker and Sophie Cornish in order to bring creative small businesses to the wider public. A small brands big audience affair! Not On The High Street turn down I high number of businesses so I am proud to be amongst their cornucopia of creative talent.
FInd me at www.notonthehighstreet.com/fonzie
A selection of textile products available online now!
Posted in Uncategorized, events, new work
Jun
30
The Heart Gallery is a craft gallery gem in Hebden Bridge and winner of Best Newcomer at the Great Gift Retailer Awards in 2008. Alison Bartram, the owner asked me to take part in an exhibition entitled ‘re-new’ which celebrates artist and craftspeople who welcome you to a world of creative recycling! New work by chosen designer/makers in different disciplines who work with recycled or sustainable materials and are inspired by reclamation processes. Designer/makers who love to create something new from something old and discarded and we hope you love their creations. I exhibited a range of my bags here that I use vintage fabric and buttons in and they sold very well there!
Posted in exhibitions, new work
Jun
27
Posted in exhibitions, new work
Jun
27
I have installed my series of artists books and had a great opening night. below are some images of the work that I completed and my accompanying statement.
The church can be seen as acting in a variety of roles, and these are reflected in the pieces. Firstly, the church is a place of worship where people can give thanks and share their joy with others. On the converse, the church is also a place of silent prayer and contemplation, a peaceful oasis, aside from, but not isolated from the river of life where individuals can reflect and take stock. The church is also a place of music and song – a significant proportion of classical music has been inspired by the church or written for liturgical purposes, and this is a constant thread that has been present over the centuries. One also needs to view the church as an architectural entity in itself, and one only needs to see the sheer magnificence of the great cathedrals to realise they are worthy of appreciation for the skill of the architects and craftsmen who toiled to make them. The physical forms of the books themselves reflect the architectural shapes and contours that form Trinity Church. Overlying all these attributes is the role of the church as a community, a place that should sit at the heart of the community, and be a driving force for societal change on both great and lesser scales.
Posted in events, exhibitions, new work
Apr
19
As I am heading up the Visual Arts portion of the Fringe Festival I have my big large admin hat on, there is lots to do and organise. In amongst the many events and exhibitions are two exciting opportunities that are my secret favourites. These are; the art trail and the car-art-van!
We are asking for submission from artists for the art trail on the theme of Light and or Time. The trail will lead you through all the nooks and crannies and unlikely locations for art in Hebden Bridge.
We are also requesting submissions for artists to install work in our tiny mobile gallery the fringe caravan. “Martini” is our very own car-art-van and has undergone an extreme makeover to become an official Fringe hub! Take a look!
Posted in events, new work
Apr
07
I spent the day at Trinity church in Leeds today drawing and taking pictures. Whenever I begin a piece of art I begin with extensive drawing, visual note taking, but it is not the aesthetics of a place that normally inspires me. I am inspired by stories, by people, by history and concept. Therefore when I am asked to create a site specific body of work the hook is not one that has already come to me, but one that I have to search for and find within the walls of this church.
Posted in exhibitions, inspiration, new work
