Art in Progress by Leonora Hamill

Obviously when it comes to art, craft and design it’s often the face value of a project that excites the majority, however one thing that always grips my interest is the context to the visual, the concept behind it and how the piece has been made. Which is why when I came across this project by photographer/artist Leonora Hamill that documents the spaces different creatives set to work in I was fascinated to observe where the magic happens, so to speak.

Throughout this series focuses on a handful of the more traditional crafts such as pottery and painting which tends to present an area of organised chaos, noted most significantly in the fifth image I would say. If you sit for a moment taking in each of these images you can begin to imagine the scenes that would unfold as the artists get to work, the clay spinning on the wheel and the paint strokes across the canvas. Quite noisy and cluttered places but filled with life, energy, and above all pure creativity and expression. I personally think that Leonora has got a fantastic foundation for a book in which she could tell the story of each artist alongside that of their working space. I couldn’t tell you if this is something that Leonora has planned for the near future, but I promise to keep my eyes peeled and update you if there are any developments on that score.

This series actually reminds me an awful lot of one of our favourite photographers Leslie Williamson and her book “Handcrafted Modern” which follows a visual narrative of countless iconic mid-century designers and architects. Like Leslie I’m sure Leonora has so many stories to tell about the places she has visited and the people she has met, you can only imagine how long it has taken to gather a set together of this quality. It actually transpires that Leonora will be exhibiting this series to those attending Galerie Seine 51 in Paris, so if you are in the French captital for the week I’d suggest dropping in if you enjoy what you have here, this event closes on the 7th of July. Alternatively if you aren’t in France you can follow Leonora directly via her website which I’m personally going to be keep a very close eye on indeed.

www.leonorahamill.com

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