Surface View

Homes & Gardens — Jun.13

Surface View — 2013-05-16T10:23:37Z

Easy Living — Jun.13

Surface View — 2013-05-16T10:26:16Z

Ideal Home — Jun.13

Surface View — 2013-05-16T10:21:13Z

Ideal Home — May.13

Surface View — 2013-05-16T09:47:50Z

Madison Interiors — May.13

Surface View — 2013-05-16T09:44:30Z

Sunday Times Style — May.13

Surface View — 2013-05-16T09:42:23Z

World of Interiors — May.13

Surface View — 2013-05-16T09:34:09Z

House & Home — Apr.13

Surface View — 2013-05-16T09:32:49Z

Ideal Home — Apr.13

Surface View — 2013-05-16T09:31:39Z

Sunday Times Home — Apr.13

Surface View — 2013-05-16T09:29:53Z

Grand Designs Live

Surface View — 2013-05-01T13:04:40Z

Surface View are proud to be exhibiting at this year's Grand Designs Live, held at the ExCel London. Grand Designs Live, based on the popular Channel 4 TV series, is the UK's leading contemporary home show. The event will be packed with over 500 exhibitors, covering interiors, gardens, home improvement, self-build, renovations, technology and shopping. We will be showcasing our stunning range of products from murals and canvases, to birch ply prints and epic posters, all of which can be found at stand L81. Don't miss our on our exclusive show offers, available only to Grand Designs Live visitors. We will see you there! Stand L81 4 - 12 May 2013, ExCel London.

Richard Osbourne Photography

Surface View — 2013-04-11T08:18:21Z

Richard Osbourne has been an acclaimed professional photographer since 1999, winning a commendation in the ‘Take a View’ Landscape photographer of the year in 2008 and a staggering 13 Honourable Mentions at the international photography awards in 2012. Over the years he has developed a breath-taking collection of super-high resolution panoramic images using the best possible medium format digital equipment. We think the results are astonishing, and the super-high resolution Richard shoots at means that his images are perfect for printing at large format. Richard Osbourne believes the bigger the better and that fits Surface View’s ideology perfectly. We have the print technology to match Richard’s high quality photographs meaning this collaboration produces truly stunning murals, canvases, blinds and more. This new curated collection of some of Richard’s finest work showcases his ability to capture the beauty of nature and produce images that evoke happiness and calmness. We can’t help but agree with Richard and the 6 million people who see his images a year that his images work perfectly for home interior products. If you’re still undecided have a look for yourself below.

Metro — Apr.13

Surface View — 2013-04-10T13:13:10Z

Yellow might not be everyone's favourite colour but, chosen carefully, it can really brighten your home. Every colour has a personality and expresses it's own energy but for Spring, lemon zest packs a hefty punch. It instantly energises and refreshes even the dullest of rooms. The colour yellow in all it's variations (lemon, sunflower saffron and daffodil to name a few) is 'an early morning wake-up call in colour terms' and lemon zest is this year's colour of choice. -Vicki-Marie Cossar, Metro.

Easy Living — Apr.13

Surface View — 2013-03-12T10:37:57Z

Relaxing and refreshing, the latest botanicals are a great way to revitalise any room for the soon to be warmer weather. Take inspiration from the garden this Spring to bring your interior to life.

Elle Decoration — Apr.13

Surface View — 2013-03-07T09:46:26Z

This month, Elle Decoration showed their love for the brand new Surface View collection; Textures. Launched in January 2013, Textures has already proven to be a success in creating a contemporary living space; adding a rustic, natural charm to interiors.

Absolutely West — Mar.13

Surface View — 2013-02-26T14:48:40Z

Give your house a touch of retro-chic with a Mural from the stunning Conran Fabric Archive collection. The collection boasts innovative designs which shaped our aesthetic throughout the 50's, 60's and 70's, and are now enjoying a new lease of life.

Metro — Mar.13

Surface View — 2013-03-11T15:45:26Z

Spring is on it's way and now is the ideal time to freshen up the look of our homes. Out go the sombre colours that have dominated Autumn and Winter, and in come zesty pick-me-up hues. 'Having visually stimulating colour palettes, particularly in tangerines and yellows and more saturated hues will provide a feast for our senses. - Oliver Stallwood, Metro.

Kitchens, Bedrooms & Bathrooms — Apr.13

Surface View — 2013-03-07T10:03:19Z

Pretty blossoming motifs of classic Chinoiserie style with a modern twist were a highlight of this month's Kitchens, Bedrooms and Bathrooms. The feature showcased 2 stunning Surface View V&A designs of printed wallpaper in pale green and rose petal pink.

Living Etc — Apr.13

Surface View — 2013-03-13T15:07:00Z

Living Etc celebrated their 5th birthday this month with a wonderful feature on interior trends over the past 5 years. This Surface View mural was a main highlight from 2009 when 'large scale murals and trompe l'oeil ruled on walls'. Britains 'Godfather of design', Sir Terence Conran, was also featured when in 2006 he let Living Etc into his idyllic Berkshire home.

Grand Designs — Apr.13

Surface View — 2013-03-15T09:26:05Z

Few British designers can claim such a broad portfolio as Wayne Hemingway. From a market stall in 1982, he and his wife Gerardine built up rebellious fashion label Red or Dead before pursuing new avenues in furniture and interior design, urban planning and the Vintage festivals. 2013 will see Hemingway Design launch new collections for iconic brands such as G Plan, Hush Puppies and Formica, as well as Grand Design Magazine's favourites Surface View and Graham and Brown.

The Herald Scotland — Feb.13

Surface View — 2013-03-11T15:29:44Z

Period Living — Mar.13

Surface View — 2013-02-26T14:44:00Z

Sunday Times Home — Feb.13

Surface View — 2013-02-26T14:38:55Z

Images to Inspire: Emma Jeffs

Surface View — 2013-02-14T16:32:53Z

'I find inspiration in craft, materials, and process. I view image making as a 3 dimensional form, combining mark making, substrate and manufacture. I use the application of surface design to give relevance to the aesthetic of a product.' - Emma Jeffs The images below are inspiration for Emma's own designs and work process. Read on to discover exactly what she finds interesting about each of them: 1. You can find inspiration in everything. By the great Paul Smith. This quote says it all. 2. Louise Bourgeois - Inspirational artist & woman. 3. Ceramics - One year I will explore this medium... 4. V&A Textile Collections - A never ending resource of the history of textiles. 5. Bauhaus textiles - Wonderful in every way. I never tire of looking or learning about this movement. 6. Generative Arts - This is an area I have increasingly become interested in. The idea perhaps that pattern or image could be formed in the whole or in part by an autonomous system. 7. Glass - For Colour and the sheer magic of the alchemy of the process. 8. Printmaking - In all its forms From photography, to digital, to hands on all materials. As a teenager i was inspired by the Cyanotype process and work of Anna Atkins. 9. The Alchemy of materials - I am constantly in awe of the experimentation of materials and process within Jewellery. 10. Weaving - Thread to Cloth, again a truly wonderful process. It is part of the UK manufacturing heritage and one that is rising again through some wonderful micro manufacturing companies.

You Magazine — Feb.13

Surface View — 2013-02-14T14:10:15Z

Ideal Home — Mar.13

Surface View — 2013-02-04T12:51:47Z

Metro — Feb.13

Surface View — 2013-02-07T15:08:30Z

Homes & Property — Feb.13

Surface View — 2013-02-07T15:05:40Z

Guardian Weekend —Nov.12

Surface View — 2012-11-27T11:14:28Z

Home Decor & Furnishings — Jan.13

Surface View — 2013-01-28T10:28:25Z

I Mag — Jan.13

Surface View — 2013-01-25T10:58:42Z

Easy Living — Feb.13

Surface View — 2013-01-23T16:19:08Z

House & Garden — Feb.13

Surface View — 2013-01-23T09:02:56Z

Homes & Gardens — Feb.13

Surface View — 2013-01-23T09:00:12Z

You Magazine — Jan.13

Surface View — 2013-01-18T08:56:28Z

Hemingway Design Collection Launch

Surface View — 2013-01-16T11:10:09Z

Having worked with the Hemingway's for a number of years on the Land of Lost Content and Vintage Festival collections, we were very excited to hear that a new collection of designs were in the making from the HemingwayDesign team. The Hemingway's hosted a stand exclusively at Home, Earl's Court this month - their first exhibition since the acclaimed Red or Dead shows as part of London Fashion Week. With Home came the launch of their new collection here at Surface View, and selected designs were showcased for the first time as Surface View Murals in The Hemingway Home. The stand at Home, a functioning pop-up bungalow without a roof, proved that the new HemingwayDesign collection is abundant with visually exciting designs which we think make stunning Murals and Blinds for any room in the home. Within this collection, HemingwayDesign visit some of their "favourite sources of inspiration; 'mid century modern' and 'pop art' and hope you agree, bringing these genres bang up to date."

Home London

Surface View — 2013-01-09T12:30:23Z

Taking place alongside Top Drawer at Earls Court, London, Home is the definitive platform for a compelling cross-section of stylish, high to mid-market homeware products from a range of UK and international companies. For the first time since their acclaimed Red or Dead shows and exhibitions as part of London Fashion Week, The Hemingways are exhibiting in 2013 exclusively at Home. Surface View are proud to be featured alongside a select few other HemingwayDesign products in what they are calling The Hemingway Home, a lovely pop-up functioning bungalow without a roof. There will be exciting new additions to the Hemingway's Vintage collection featured at Home, along with our brand new collection, Hemingway Design. 'To create collections like those held by the Vintage team takes many years of being obsessive and can take very deep pockets. You now can “own “ your own collection of rare record covers, glamour mags, posters, maps, vintage radios and much much more, without having to attend every auction, car boot sale and jumble sale known to man!' Where, Stand J2 Hemingway Home, Earls Court 2, London. When, 13-15 January 2013 How, Register here: www.home-london.net Don't forget you can keep up to date with all of the goings on at the show on Facebook and Twitter.

MannaBay Boutique Hotel, Cape Town.

Surface View — 2013-01-03T11:48:39Z

MannaBay is a 7 bedroom Boutique hotel situated in the upmarket suburb of Oranjezicht in Cape Town, with spectacular views of the City Bowl, Table Mountain and Robin Island. It’s the imagination of the interior design at MannaBay which will really catch your eye, where intriguing furniture and exquisite art work abound. The wonderfully extravagant suites were designed by local interior designer Joe Jacob, using Surface View images from the Natural History Museum and Royal Horticultural Society collections.

Homes & Interiors Scotland — Jan/Feb.13

Surface View — 2013-01-16T16:07:44Z

Luxury Magazine — Dec.12

Surface View — 2013-01-02T09:20:35Z

Mollie Makes — Dec.12

Surface View — 2012-12-21T14:46:34Z

Living etc — Jan.13

Surface View — 2012-11-28T12:25:23Z

House & Garden — Jan.13

Surface View — 2012-12-12T16:33:13Z

House & Garden — Aug.11

Surface View — 2012-05-07T22:25:18Z

House & Garden — Aug.11

Surface View — 2012-05-08T06:44:18Z

House & Garden — Jul.10

Surface View — 2012-05-08T08:52:58Z

House & Garden — May.10

Surface View — 2012-05-08T09:04:35Z

House & Garden — Sep.10

Surface View — 2012-05-15T10:50:27Z

Homes & Gardens — Jul.12

Surface View — 2012-07-13T08:37:43Z

House & Garden — Aug.12

Surface View — 2012-07-24T08:59:05Z

House & Garden — Oct.12

Surface View — 2012-09-05T13:34:14Z

Grand Designs —Dec.12

Surface View — 2012-11-07T16:37:33Z

You Magazine —Nov.12

Surface View — 2012-11-28T12:23:01Z

Telegraph Magazine — Jun.12

Surface View — 2012-07-10T10:13:03Z

Super Brands London

Surface View — 2012-09-04T12:54:08Z

With an exciting start to 2012 following the launch of our new website and brand new innovative products being introduced earlier in the year, Surface View are coming to London this September to show just what we have to offer! We are extremely proud to be exhibiting at Super Brands London for the first time; an event that is rapidly becoming a significant date in the London Design Festival calendar. The exhibition stands to bring together 2 floors of pure design, showcasing over 20 established design brands within a 2,500m2 ground floor space of the ex-industrial, now impressive exhibition space. Co-located with its sister show Tent London, Super Brands London has firmly established itself as a rare opportunity to see a selection of the world’s most progressive furniture, lighting and interiors brands. The Surface View stand will be showcasing a celebration of our murals, from wet pasted to stunning brickwork film. We aim to demonstrate the endless opportunities made available by our completely bespoke products, combined with our stunning curated collections of art and design. Come and see what we have to offer on Stand 2. We’ll see you there! Where, Stand 2, Old Truman Brewery, London E1 When, 20-23 September 2012 How, Tickets on sale now www.superbrandslondon.co.uk Don’t forget you can keep up to date with all of the goings on at the show on Facebook and Twitter.

Mix — Sep.12

Surface View — 2012-09-13T09:59:56Z

Kitchens, Bedrooms & Bathrooms — Nov.12

Surface View — 2012-10-05T10:44:02Z

House To Home — Aug.12

Surface View — 2012-08-10T11:49:57Z

The World of Interiors — Oct.12

Surface View — 2012-10-25T09:17:14Z

Sunday Times Home — Jun.12

Surface View — 2012-07-13T11:20:48Z

Lonny Magazine — Sep.12

Surface View — 2012-09-11T11:27:10Z

i Magazine — Oct.12

Surface View — 2012-10-05T11:26:49Z

Homes & Antiques — Sep.12

Surface View — 2012-08-17T14:09:32Z

Homes & Antiques — Nov.12

Surface View — 2012-10-18T14:17:01Z

Good Homes — Sep.12

Surface View — 2012-08-01T09:39:43Z

Hospitality Interiors — Oct.12

Surface View — 2012-10-24T14:50:29Z

House & Garden — Nov.12

Surface View — 2012-10-05T10:47:35Z

Financial Times: How To Spend It — Oct.12

Surface View — 2012-10-24T14:54:05Z

Elle Decoration — Sep.12

Surface View — 2012-08-29T14:53:21Z

Elle Decoration — Nov.12

Surface View — 2012-10-18T14:05:54Z

Living etc — Sep.12

Surface View — 2012-08-01T09:48:23Z

Living etc — Oct.12

Surface View — 2012-09-05T13:31:22Z

Living etc —Dec.12

Surface View — 2012-11-02T16:56:35Z

Living etc —Jun.12

Surface View — 2012-07-11T10:50:19Z

Ideal Homes — Oct.12

Surface View — 2012-09-05T13:37:21Z

Arisaema Ringens

Surface View — 2012-10-05T12:38:39Z

The organic beauty of flowers provide a lifetime of inspiration, and have continued to fascinate Clive Nichols throughout his considerable career. Fortunately for us he is as in love with them as ever. While putting together this gorgeous collection we asked him which of his extraordinary photographs he cherishes the most, and how he goes about capturing their unique and beautiful character. Here's what he told us. 'This image of the extraordinary tropical flower and leaves of arisaema ringens is one of 100 photographs of stunning flowers and plants that I took for my book – ‘Florescence’ – the world’s most beautiful flowers. It is my favourite photograph in the book because it not only shows the extraordinary arrow shaped leaves of this stunning plant but also the pale, leafy sheath that surrounds the flowers, whose smell attracts not bees, but other pollinators, such as beetles and flies. Arisaemas may not be the most colourful of plants, but they have a certain majesty, beauty and elegance which I admire very much. I like to capture the personality and character of plants much as a portrait photographer tries to do with their sitters. I used my daylight studio to capture this stunning specimen, using a 180mm macro lens on my Canon digital camera. The subject was lit by available light from the left and I used white reflectors to the right of the frame to bounce light back into the subject. The background is a large sheet of grey card, placed about a meter behind the arisaema'.

Family Fabric

Surface View — 2012-07-16T16:46:49Z

We love things a little off the beaten track. We first became aware of this rich but lesser known archive only recently. This impressive, almost fanatical collection has been driven by one family’s love for its centuries old family textile business and design reputation. The collection’s heritage dates all the way back to the late seventeenth century and the burgeoning textile industry of Spitalfields, London. William Warner worked as a scarlet dyer in the dark, narrow streets of the East End until his death in 1712. His sons and grandsons took up the family business. In the finest tradition of the British craftsmanship and 19th century industrial savvy, the Warner family continued to grow their skills, expand their design ambitions and take on the production of the very finest quality fabrics, brocades and velvets. In the early 20th century they consolidated their design credentials. Under the keen aesthetic eye of Alec Hunter, the company’s post-war years were defined by the designs from the likes of Marianne Straub and Frank Davies. And not to miss out on the cultural revolution of the 60s and 70s, they kept ahead of the pack in the hippest of fashion with pioneering design by Eddie Squires. We’ve curated our favourite design and fabric samples here. We love the juxtaposition of ornate, regal, brocades next to the contemporary geometric flat designs. See how they translate into stunning posters, wall hangings and murals. For more beautiful, decorative and exotic textiles explore our V&A collection. And the contemporary lead is taken up by Chae Young Kim, Michael Angove and Emma Jeffs. The archive have enjoyed some ups and downs since William Warner’s descendent first rescued their immense archival resource in 1972, when the looms finally came to a stand still. But the Warner Textile Archive is happily back at the original mill buildings in Braintree, England.

Dennis, Gnasher & Dan

Surface View — 2012-09-07T15:09:44Z

December the 4th 1937, was a significant date in the world of children’s comics. It was the day when publishers, D.C.Thomson, launched The Dandy. Thomsons were already big in the Boys’ papers market, but this was their first foray into comics aimed at younger boys AND girls. The new 28-page paper was printed on the same letterpress machines which produced the company’s newspapers and 4-colour was restricted to the covers with a few 2-colour pages inside. But the mix of text stories, picture stories, cartoon strips and jokes was an immediate hit with kids…and a companion paper, The Beano, was launched just over 6 months later on July 30th, 1938. The humour in both comics was basic – the fun stemmed from the idiosyncratic and often larger than life characters which were carefully designed to allow readers to relate to and sympathise with them and laugh at the ridiculous scrapes they got into, all set against a recognisable background. The serious side of the papers was given over to text and picture adventure stories featuring strong and heroic personalities. Magic was acceptable. Today The Beano and The Dandy are Britain’s leading comics, with legions of fans across the generations; as much a part of the British way of life as Fish ‘n’ Chips and the Union Jack. The Beano is an important brand in both the children’s and the adult collectors’ markets. The contents of the two comics, although created and edited by very different personalities, have always had a certain similarity – visually at least. This is mainly because many of the strip artists worked for both papers. Dennis The Menace burst on to the pages of The Beano in 1951; although ‘burst’ is probably too strong a word. Dennis began life as a third-of-a-page mono strip – and he didn’t even have his famous hooped jumper. It was some weeks till he appeared in the now familiar hooped livery and a while after that before his popularity resulted in his promotion to full page. In 1954 he graduated to 4-colour on the back page.

Lana MacKinnon

Surface View — 2012-10-17T13:51:50Z

We love rare finds. Lana McKinnon is a forgotten star of the postwar British design zeitgeist. Part of the arts and crafts set, MacKinnon was a cherished textile designer of her time. A hit in the '40s and '50s, her quirky and engaging style led her to work along side design greats such as Patrick Heron and Graham Sutherland. She went on to enjoy commissions for V&A's celebrated 1946 'Britain Can Make It' exhibition as well as for the prestigious Festival of Britain. Born in 1920s Scotland, it was Lana's early travels to Scandinavia and then Paris which established her signature style. The world was robbed of her talent when she died at the age of only 44. It has taken Lana's family years to research her archive and, in collaboration with Glasgow School of Art, have recently helped remaster her finest designs so that they can be available to new audiences. It is unusual to find such beautiful examples of postwar design which haven't already enjoyed years of exposure, so we are really lucky to have these fresh and beautiful images to offer at Surface View. Already featured in the likes of Elle Decoration and Homes and Antiques, expect to see a lot more of Lana from now on.

ICFF host Surface View

Surface View — 2012-03-16T11:49:09Z

Surface View are hitting the Big Apple. In the neighbourhood? Then come and see us at the International Contemporary Arts Festival, which is holding its 24th annual show at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. We’ll be there from the 19th to the 22nd May. On May 22nd, the ICFF opens its doors to the public, so come and say hello and see some of the new products we’re so excited about. On display will be our new 100% cotton hopsack wall hangings, our new bespoke lampshades and our very gorgeous birch ply prints. But that’s not the whole story. We’re also showcasing our new website, where the possibilities are endless. Choose from our curated ‘Ready to Buy’ products, or create your own designs from the images you fall in love with. It promises to be an event of epic proportions, a haven for those in pur- suit of ‘design’s timely truths and latest trends’ with 500 exhibitors from 30 countries in 10 categories from furniture to materials to kitchen and bath. Seek us out, we’re on stand 1862. We’ll keep you posted on the Twitter and Facebook on things we unearth, from the beautiful to the curious. What, the 24th annual International Contemporary Furniture Fair. Where, stand1862, New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. When, Saturday, May 19th and Sunday, May 20th 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Monday, May 21st 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Public (and trade) Tuesday, May 22nd 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. How, find out more - www.icff.com

Michael Angove Solo Exhibition

Surface View — 2012-09-04T09:40:35Z

We are very pleased to announce artist, designer and Surface View collaborator Michael Angove's first solo exhibition of brand new trompe l'oeil drawings at the newly refurbished Hollywood Road Gallery, Chelsea. ' Michael Angove's work is a welcome example of the neglected art of fine drawing. His trompe l'oeil is at once cerebal and austere but invokes a nostalgic notion of a forgotton memory; and his pencil drawings of familiar objects in a narrative compostition are treated with such a delicate touch as to become hauntingly beautiful and utterly desireable. ' - Clare Johnston, Royal College of Art. The collection includes beautifully intricate drawings of keys, feathers, spoons, string and thread, quail's eggs, marbles, dried roses and in a few cases 24ct gold. This new collection focuses more on the narrative as well as exquisite drawing technique; A quail's egg might be a planet, a feather might be considered a shield while a spoon could be a character. In their own right they are fine drawings that are hauntingly provocative. All drawings will be available to buy. We'll see you there! Where, Hollywood Road Gallery, London, SW10 9HY. When, 13th September - 22nd September, 2012. How, find out more - www.michaelangove.com

Telegraph Magazine – May.12

Surface View — 2012-05-30T09:23:49Z

Telegraph Magazine – May.12

Surface View — 2012-05-30T10:06:39Z

YOU Magazine — Nov.09

Surface View — 2012-05-08T12:37:12Z

Elle Decoration — Jun.11

Surface View — 2012-05-08T12:17:34Z

YOU Magazine — Nov.09

Surface View — 2012-05-08T12:49:35Z

Guardian Weekend — Oct.10

Surface View — 2012-05-14T09:28:50Z

Living Etc Magazine — Dec.10

Surface View — 2012-05-08T08:39:46Z

Evening Standard London — Jun.11

Surface View — 2012-05-08T08:26:23Z

Conran Classics — Sept.11

Surface View — 2012-05-08T08:17:13Z

Living Etc Magazine — Sept.11

Surface View — 2012-05-08T08:08:29Z

Living Etc Magazine — Oct.11

Surface View — 2012-05-08T07:59:08Z

Elle Decoration — Jan.11

Surface View — 2012-05-08T07:46:21Z

Elle Decor — Mar.11

Surface View — 2012-05-08T07:25:13Z

Elle Decoration — Jun.11

Surface View — 2012-05-08T07:08:16Z

Gods and Monsters

Surface View — 2012-05-07T18:02:44Z

It takes a very special image to make the cut at Surface View, but when we came across these gems in the Ashmolean we fell instantly and completely under their spell. Eclectic, exotic and ethereal, the colour-infused collection is an absolute treasure trove, and provides a window into a fascinating sweep of history and the spread of decorative influences from the East. Amongst the treasures, a wealth of beautiful textiles fragments feature richly embroidered geometric patterns dating from the 10th Century. You can see why they were such a hit with Western aesthetes. By the late C19th and early C20th centuries, when Europe’s interest in traditional Indian and Islamic textiles was reaching its peak, this rich source of inspiration was like a shot in the arm for European decorative arts and found expression in the development of the Arts and Crafts movement. At Surface View we’re thrilled by the possibilities and the potential for these works to be interpreted afresh to create dramatic contemporary interiors. We also love the Oriental imagery featured in the collection; the C19th Japanese woodblocks and Chinese prints which run the gamut from vibrant theatricality through delicate serenity. Immerse yourself in the East with our Ashmolean collection.

Commander Wilkinson

Surface View — 2012-05-07T17:18:49Z

Nowadays art and trains aren’t the most obvious of companions, but as this collection reveals, there was a time when they were. Charting the history of rail since the 1920s, the fabulous posters in our selection were commissioned by the great railway companies of the era. They truly understood the power of design, and had the foresight to employ the most talented artists, as well as the good sense to allow them great freedom in their designs. We love these timeless artworks; the exacting design, the flat abstract colour, the vision of an era before cheap flights took us abroad for our holidays; an innocent world that’s long since disappeared. Norman Wilkinson CBE was one of that group of artists whose talents were employed by the marketeers to depict the romance of the railways. Better known for his maritime oil paintings, he’s also famous for proposing the use of disruptive camouflage of battle ships during WWII, paintings of which can be found in our National Maritime Museum collection. But it’s his graphic poster designs which are at the heart of our collection and whose style has come to represent the golden age of travel; nostalgia at its best. We’d like to thank the National Railway Museum for keeping these beautiful designs safely in their archive, for subsequent generations to enjoy. Name Norman Wilkinson CBE Collection Classic Railway Posters Category Graphic Art Date 1878 – 1971 Portrait photograph courtesy of the National Media Museum.

The Thrill of Discovery

Surface View — 2012-05-07T16:06:20Z

“It all began with stamp collecting. As a boy, every Saturday morning after my paper round I’d hop on my bike and whizz round to the Numisery Stamp and Coin Shop, a tiny half basement shop in Reading. It’s long gone now, but back then the place was likea treasure trove of stuff and I loved hunting for stamps in there. Each one had a story and I was constantly on the lookout forstamps with errors, like the 1965 Post Office Tower Set with the tower missing; this became the Holy Grail for me. Of course, the world has changed since then and, if I could afford it, I could Google ‘Post Office Error Stamp’, pull out my credit card and have it delivered the next day. The world of Google has sucked away the excitement of discovery. Surface View is all about that magic of searching and finding, and for me, hunting down new and unusual images is a thrill on a par with those Saturday mornings of my youth. The Ephemera collection began at the wonderful Sanders of Oxford where I spent many hours searching through their vintage prints. It was here that I discovered these exquisite etchings. It dawned on me that I could collect images like I used to collect stamps and use our state-of-the-art print technology to create unique interior products based on these wonderful pictures. And so the Ephemera collection, in its humble way, came to be the very first Surface View collection”.

Mr Slim

Surface View — 2012-05-07T16:45:49Z

Welcome to the glamorous world of Slim Aarons, photographer, and creator, of the idolised. Slim has had a career we can only dream of. His work dates right back to the army publication Yank, during the Second World War. Cutting his teeth as a correspondent for Life, then Harper’s Bazaar and Town & Country after the war, Slim soon found his way into the places that mattered; from Marilyn Monroe’s dressing room to Henry Cabot Lodge’s sailboat and Babe Paley’s pool party. Aarons’ style is instantly recognisable and his images are known worldwide. His celebrity work exhibits the sense of a very private view of the lives of his subjects, and owes much to his ability to gain the trust of the individuals he photographed. Portraits include many of the leading personalities in American show business and politics, as well as images which depict the 20th Century way of life in America. The collection we’ve curated concentrates on the utopian days of the 60s through to the 80s. Slim’s ‘good life’ covers the richest people, places and events in Europe and America, with subjects who are wealthy in terms of possession or birth. As with every great photographer, behind each series of pictures is a great story. Name Slim Aarons Collection Slim Aarons Category Photography Date 1934 – 2006

Lady of the Orient

Surface View — 2012-05-07T15:59:50Z

In the latest of the many ventures and adventures of this high profile design zealot, Wayne Hemingway has championed the delightful and just a little bit eccentric Land of Lost Content. Set up by curators and hoarders Stella and Dave Mitchell – who share a passion for kitsch, uniquely British artefacts and celebrating the ordinary and the overlooked – the Land of Lost Content is a house literally packed to the rafters with retro British commercial art ephemera which might otherwise have been lost to the world. We rummaged through their attic, borrowed the ones we liked best, and with them in the boot of the car, sped back to base to have them photographed for Surface View. My Favourite As a devotee and great ambassador for Surface View, we asked Wayne if he had to pick just one Land of Lost Content image, which one would it be, and why? Here’s what he came back with: ‘Tretchikoff’s Lady of the Orient was on the wall above my Nan’s mantelpiece, and above the mantelpiece of tens of thousands of Nan’s. As well as evoking an era of innocence and exotica, this iconic image, blown up, is simply timelessly cool.' Wayne Hemingway.

Nelly Roberts

Surface View — 2012-05-07T15:52:54Z

When Surface View visited the Lindley Library to explore the RHS archive we were most struck by these vivid pink, yellow and orange orchids. Almost fluorescent, yet delicate as chiffon, these beautiful paintings are surprisingly powerful. It was then that we learnt about the singular life of the artist Nellie Roberts. Nelly Roberts was the first of four children of William and Rebecca Roberts who ran a clock, watch and repair shop at 72 Loughborough Road in Brixton, London. In common with many young Victorian women, she found very few respectable lines of work open to her. She studied painting, although there is no record of her formal training, and then, at the age of 17, the course of her life was set when she caught sight of a vase of orchids in a shop. Her fascination with orchids led Nelly to study the works of J L Macfarlane (1838-c1913) who was painting orchids in a new and direct way, producing a life size, full-frontal view of the flower. This bold approach would become Nelly’s signature style for the rest of her life. Most impressed by Nelly’s studies, her father persuaded her to place some of her orchid paintings in his shop window. One day, Richard Isaac Measures’ son passed the shop, saw the paintings and brought them to the attention of his father, who was a pre-eminent orchid grower and a member of the Royal Horticultural Society Orchid Committee. By chance, the committee was looking for an artist to paint the portraits of award-winning orchids so that they could develop a permanent record for the future. So at the age of 24, Nelly earned her first commissions, and began a relationship with the RHS which was to last for more than half a century. Nelly would take the orchids back to her home on Loughborough Road, where she would faithfully paint them in a small unheated room. For 56 years Nelly painted orchids for the RHS, and there are now some 4,500 to 5,000 of her stunning portraits in the collection. The RHS awarded her a Gold Medal for her paintings and the prestigious Veitch Silver Medal for her services to horticulture. Name Nelly Roberts Collection Royal Horticultural Society Category Galleries & Museums Date 1872-1959

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?

Surface View — 2012-05-07T15:31:00Z

Who’d be the guests at your fantasy dinner party? To answer this irresistible question we paid a visit to our friends at the National Portrait Gallery, who helped us compile a smorgasbord of interesting, powerful and downright gorgeous contenders, with whom we’d have loved to hang out with. Great portraits reveal the person behind the face, and that’s true of all of these works. So we can tell that intrepid explorer and bestselling writer Frederick Burnaby, he of the red striped trousers, would keep us entertained with stories of his exploits as a cavalry officer. Virginia Woolf, nestled into her orange armchair, would have countered with her glowing intellect and tales of the Bloomsbury set, while famous playwright and gossip Joe Orton would bring us all back to earth with a hilarious, bawdy bump. Who would you invite?

Timeless Turner

Surface View — 2012-05-07T15:09:26Z

One of our greatest painters, Turner’s sublime works always fascinate. Amongst his many masterpieces, Dido Building Carthage was Turner’s own favourite. We asked our friends at The National Gallery to share a little insight into this remarkable painting: “Joseph Mallord William Turner, son of a modest barber in Covent Garden, yearned for sublimity. Trained as a topographical draughtsman, Turner achieved his ambition through mastering the idioms of the 17th-century French painter Claude and of Dutch 17th-century marine and landscape painters. Dido Building Carthage is one of Turner’s most ambitious imitations of Claude. The subject, inspired by Virgil’s epic Latin poem, the ‘Aeneid’, is the building of the North African city of Carthage, which Dido founded. The figure in white on the left is Dido, and on the right is the tomb erected for her dead husband, Sichaeus. In front of Dido is a figure who may be Aeneas: Virgil tells of their love affair, and of Dido’s suicide following his departure. Turner was attracted by the human contrast to the theme of empire building. Hints of doom contrast with the serene effects of sunlight. Turner considered Dido Building Carthage to be his masterpiece and in his will Turner asked that the painting hang between Claude’s Seaport and the Embarkation of the Queen of Sheba and The Mill. The composition and mood of the painting were intended as a conscious homage to the work of Claude, which Turner deeply admired. Turner’s bequest has been honoured and the three paintings can be found together in Room 15 of The National Gallery.” Name Joseph Mallord William Turner Collection National Gallery Category Galleries & Museums Date 1789 – 1862

Magnificent Morris

Surface View — 2012-05-07T14:57:18Z

Not only do we love Morris’ extraordinary textiles, we’re also big fans of William Morris the man. Often working at odds to the British Establishment, his radical ideas on design and society put him amongst the eminent reformers and visionaries of his age. Morris’ explorations in textile design led both to the revival of traditional crafts and the discovery of new methods. His designs were revolutionary, combining a force, purity of silhouette and elegance previously unseen. Morris’ respect for production processes and techniques took his designs beyond their surface intent, rooting them as genuine objects of truth and beauty – and as an avowed socialist, his romantic aim was to make this level of beauty available to all. A true polymath, Morris’ talent extended to poetry, typography, art, publishing and politics, but it’s his ground breaking textiles, which were at the heart of the Arts and Crafts movement, that show his true genius. London’s Victoria and Albert Museum boasts one of the greatest collections of Morris’ work in every medium, of which highlights can be seen in their British Galleries. Today we marvel at the intricacy, vision and beauty of these designs. And they work equally beautifully at scale; we can enlarge and crop these designs to any size you require, to turn these timeless classics into a unique contemporary statement. And as pattern takes centre stage in our V&A catalogue, with William Morris at its heart, we’re also featuring designs by Charles Voysey, Morris’ contemporary from the Arts and Crafts movement, as well as a range of sumptuous 1950s textiles and other fabric designs. Treat yourself to a feast of pattern. Name William Morris Collection V&A Category Galleries & Museums Date 1834 – 1896 Portrait photograph courtesy of V&A Images.

Kaleidoscopic creativity

Surface View — 2012-05-07T17:56:18Z

For a shared vision which is as distinct and unashamedly beautiful as anything you’ll find, meet husband and wife team Ronald Gomes and Maki Kondo, founders of creative design partnership 7Gods. Based in North London, but with a global scope and ambitions, 7Gods seamlessly blend international architectural projects with the crafting and creation of their own product designs. As part of their passion for interior design and love of producing, 7Gods have designed a range of intricate and beautiful repeating design available as bespoke wallpapers, canvases, ceramics exclusively through Surface View. These new designs represent something of a departure for 7Gods, so we were interested to know what inspired Ronald when experimenting and creating this new collection. “Much of what I do is about repeating, taking one object or simple shape and repeating it over and over, with the result that, after a while, it becomes beautiful. Nature is about repetition, and patterns. So are my designs” says Ronald, “Our favourite image has to be ‘Maude’, it has a slight oriental touch to it, the green works very well with the pink, lilac and the black background.”

Urban Fusion

Surface View — 2012-05-07T17:37:25Z

We first noticed Chae’s work when we became spellbound by her Smallest Garden collection; we’d seen nothing like this before. The more we looked into these designs, the more fascinating they became - unique, intricate and obsessive. On one level her Knitted Garden collection is stylish and witty, but on closer examination it reveals a microscopic level of obsessive beauty. Based in both Korea and Britain, Chae pushes the boundaries of digital textile design to develop her own unique aesthetic. Deeply inspired by her childhood, she studies the relationship between humans and their environment, both natural and man made. Using a mathematical approach to her designs, she uses computer graphics with the theme of Urban Camouflage, from which Knitted Room and the Smallest Garden originate. Take a closer look. Recently Chae was invited to be a part of ‘Lab Craft’, a touring exhibition of the Crafts Council UK. Max Fraser, the curator of that exhibition, shares his favourite image with us. “…The soft, hair-like lines on this image give the unique impression that they have been photographed or hand drawn. In fact, Kim creates such fine lines digitally using 2D vector graphics … The computer software and digital printing process facilitates incredibly fine detailing, allowing the designer to reinterpret the warmth of knitted threads onto the surface of the materials.”

Ella Doran

Surface View — 2012-05-07T17:29:30Z

Ella’s signature style fuses stunning imagery onto otherwise neglected products, to create new design classics along the way. With her eclectic eye in combination with our innovative print techniques, Ella has been a natural partner for Surface View ever since our pioneering early years. Having evolved her techniques from fabric to film, we were interested in what inspires Ella’s, now signature, visual style? “For me inspiration is about the moment, the context and the colour. Sometimes I’m captivated by the striking play of light and material in our manmade and natural environment when strolling about with my camera on a sunny day. At other times, a design is sparked by a conversation, which can be in the context of a commission or completely unrelated to a project. These designs usually have a strong narrative element. But I also collect items that appeal to me for their colour and texture, and occasionally for their cultural associations, and arrange them into designs”. Ella Doran. Portrait photograph courtesy of Ella Doran.

The Burak

Surface View — 2012-05-07T17:23:12Z

‘I’m best described as a graphic designer who wanted to be a fashion designer who wanted to be a cook,’ says Rana Salam. Enjoying the best of both Beirut and London, Rana is now one of the most established and celebrated graphic designers and artists from the Middle East. With a blend of influences - from her Syrian mother and architect father, and an education at the Royal College of Art, London - Rana has developed an astute cross cultural and eclectic design eye. Her unique knowledge of Arab culture and its popular art stems from years of travelling and documenting, and is merged with her passion for found ephemera and imagery. Rana’s collection for Surface View is infused with colour and a heady exoticism that we love. We caught up with Rana recently and asked her to pick the image which is most special to her. ‘My favourite is The Burak. It’s an image that tells the story of the magnificent horse that took the prophet Mohammed to heaven. Usually this image is no larger than A4 and placed in humble homes above door frames or TV sets. The fact that with Surface View we’re able to translate this image into another function changes its perception and somehow makes it very ‘cool’! Rana Salam.

Plan Spotting

Surface View — 2012-05-07T15:45:40Z

It’s fair to say that whilst we’ve fallen in love with many of the eclectic and extraordinary images housed at the National Maritime Museum archive, we’re no nautical experts. So we’ve turned to the curators to shed some light onto their most revered images. ”The Admiralty Ships Plans Collection is the largest of its kind held by the National Maritime Museum. Covering 250 years of warship development, it documents the period of relative design stability that prevailed throughout the age of sail, and the great upheavals and advances in naval technology of the 19th century and after. Nominally technical working drawings, the plans of the late Victorian and Edwardian eras display an extraordinary degree of artistry, down to the application of colour wash highlights and shading to individual shells in the ships’ magazines. Some of the greatest vessels in the Royal Navy’s history are represented; Victory, Speedy, Warrior, Captain, Devastation, and Dreadnought to name but a few. However, while the Collection preserves the memory of ships that achieved fame in service or for being marvellous technological milestones, it also does the same for those that did not achieve such stature – including HMS Hector. Hector and her sister Valiant were conceived and designed as cheaper alternative to the highly expensive Warrior and Black Prince. This did not necessarily make them poor ships, but the attempt to achieve too much on a limited displacement caused difficulties in the construction of both ships. When completed, Hector was so far above her designed weight that her coal capacity and guns had to be reduced to compensate. This attempt to save weight probably contributed to omission of hoisting mechanisms for the ship’s propeller, originally designed to be lifted clear of the water when she relied on sail power. At sea the ship proved manoeuvrable, but had an unfortunate tendency to roll heavily. Nonetheless, Hector remained in service until 1885. She ended her days as a floating torpedo warfare school, and in 1900 had the distinction of being the first Royal Navy ship to be fitted with a wireless transmitter.” Fascinating stuff. Here at Surface View, we love bringing plans to life on a big scale. You’ll find HMS Hector among many other vessels in our NMM archive here.

A Growing Fascination

Surface View — 2012-05-07T17:01:51Z

After studying at The Chelsea School Art, Nic moved to the Sussex coast and discovered a passion for photography. Nic has been with Surface View since we first began, and his eye for the epic as well as the beautiful in nature has made him a favourite of ours. The natural world is a source of constant inspiration to him: “Being so close to the South Downs and the sea inspired me to try to capture some of the beauty that fills every season. I’m endlessly fascinated by the patterns and textures of nature and natural forms; from the ever-changing colours of the sky over the sea on a winters day, to the intricate patterns that can be seen when photographing or illustrating nature in close up”. Nic’s Surface View collection includes more than photography – he also fuses it with his talents as an artist and illustrator, a combination which can be seen most vividly in the ‘Abstract’ collection, a series of beautiful botanical patterns and abstract images. While Nic’s collection continues to grow, we insisted that he tell us which of his striking images he loves best: “One of my favourite images is Birds in Flight. Shot very close to my home in Sussex, the image shows a group of starlings taking flight just before dusk. This for me is an image that appeals on two levels. Firstly I love the way the stark winter tree creates a very still backdrop - whilst being juxtaposed by the flock of starlings buzzing with life and movement. The silhouette of the birds and leafless tree branches against a white winter sky creates a very powerful and illustrative image. Secondly, I’m drawn to the visual metaphor the image seems to convey - signifying, perhaps, an innate sense of longing to be free of restraint.”

Vintage Conran

Surface View — 2012-05-07T16:28:45Z

Conran and vintage fabrics; it’s Surface View heaven. Conran Fabrics, the company, dates back to the 1950s when a young Terence Conran, swept up by the Festival of Britain, established Conran Fabrics Ltd and Conran Furniture Ltd. His aim back then, as it remains to this day, was to make great design accessible and affordable. His passion has shaped the British design landscape ever since. Many of us have grown up surrounded by the influences of the Festival of Britain and the rise of the pared back look extolled by Conran and his contemporaries, so we jumped at the chance of pulling together a small but beautifully formed collection of these design classics. Although Conran Fabrics ceased trading in the 1970s, fortunately for us many of the designs are in the Victoria and Albert Museum archive, which has a long tradition of holding influential and iconic designs in safe keeping. All of which meant that we could browse the real originals, each one carefully documented by hand and presented to us so we could pick our favourites. Our chosen designs have since been specially photographed and digitally remastered by us, so that we can offer these designs as highly detailed prints, capturing the weave of the cloth and the age worn beauty of these originals. You might have seen them featured as a backdrop to Sir Terence Conran’s recent furniture launch - the Barton Range - which is in collaboration with Ercol, another design giant and 1950s celebrity. In our creatively spoiled age it’s sometimes easy to forget how ground-breaking these designs were in their time. If we had to pick just one? Leaf by Terence Conran. So graphically simple and with an effortless style that stands the test of time.

On the Map

Surface View — 2012-05-07T16:20:34Z

We have a soft spot for maps and manuscripts. In the age of Google, printed maps are becoming even more enchanting; their details, their stories. They offer a romantic view of our past and adventures, and we’re drawn to the age worn beauty of the original manuscripts themselves. The maps we’ve selected for Surface View capture this balance of scientific fervour and crafted beauty. Most of them originate from either the Bartholomew Physical Atlas, Volume III, Meteorology, 1899 (to be precise) or The Times Atlas of the World, Mid-Century Edition, 1957. The former exemplifies the formidable ambition of its maker to probe new areas of knowledge. The latter marks a fascinating post-war era when the iron curtain was firmly drawn across half the continent, complete with a frisson of cold war espionage. Both of them mark a point in time, and stand on the cusp of change. And both were lavish productions of their day, beautifully printed, expensively produced and sumptuously coloured. These publications can trace their origins back to the flourishing Scottish publishing and cartographic innovations of the 18th century, as they owe their heritage to a five generation strong Bartholomew map making dynasty. We were lucky enough to thumb through the original bound manuscripts, and we believe we’ve unearthed some real treasures. Check out The Vertical and Latitudinal Distribution of Animal Life, or Temperature - Anomalies, Extremes, Ranges. Each of the plates featured in our collections have been photographed in high resolution, at our studios, from the original plates briefly entrusted to us by the Collins Bartholomew Archive. And if you interested in more ancient cartography, we’ve also been given some exquisite German maps, and also have some beautiful rare finds within our National Maritime Museum Collection.

John James Audubon

Surface View — 2012-05-07T15:21:33Z

The Birds of North America (1827–1839) Stunning as they are today, we can only imagine how extraordinary Audubon’s artwork was almost two hundred years ago. The lavish paintings were reproduced in impressive style, but it was the sheer scale of the images that was also exciting; almost life size, each page of his publication was reproduced on papers measuring 39 by 26 inches. Unsuprisingly, Audubon is considered one of the greatest bird artists, and is rightly famous for his ‘double elephant-folio’ size volumes published between 1827 and 1838. Audubon’s plates broke new ground in abandoning the traditional ‘magpie and stump’ manner of portraying birds. He set his birds in a background of their own habitat and visually described the dynamics of their everyday struggle for survival, depicting them in motion, often in flight or in pursuit of prey. These plates were not meant for scientists, working to describe and identify species, they were intended to create an impact on the viewer and providing an awe-inspiring sense of the American wildlife, and they did exactly that. Audubon spent many months each year travelling through the North American countryside observing, shooting and painting birds. Unable to find a suitable engraver and publisher in America, Audubon travelled to Britain in 1826 with more than 200 bird paintings in his portfolio. Audubon gained their quick attention. ‘I have been received here in a manner not to be expected during my highest enthusiastic hopes’. Some of his drawings were exhibited in Edinburgh and there he met with the engraver W H Lizars who made several copper plates of his paintings, but was halted by industrial unrest. When Audubon visited London to give a paper to the Royal Society he met Robert Havel and his son, both excellent engravers and painters. Audubon transferred his project to London where over the next twelve years the engravings, printing and colouring of the magnificent plates were carried out to great acclaim. It was only when the publication of The Birds of North America was completed that Audubon at last had an income to support his family, but by this time he was 53 years of age and the best period of his life had passed. In 1843 he embarked on a new project and further travels, but his failing health took its toll and he returned to his family in New York, staying there until his death in 1851. His son, John Woodhouse Aubudon continued his father’s passions and created many great artworks of his own. Name John James Audubon Collection Natural History Museum Category Galleries & Museums Date 1785 – 1851

Best of British

Surface View — 2012-05-08T11:23:18Z

The Vintage Festival is yet another extraordinary brainchild of prolific design duo, Geraldine and Wayne Hemingway, who’ve been at the heart of British design for the last twenty five years. It’s a celebration of five decades of the best of British cool from the 1920s to the 1980s. They describe it as ‘a sensual delight, a big dressing-up box, a collector’s dream and a joyous creative feast for all ages.’ As usual, they’re spot on. At Surface View we love Vintage, and ever since its earliest days the Hemingway’s have been great advocates of what we do, so getting together with Wayne and Geraldine to create our Vintage Festival collection has been a great pleasure for us.

Manual Masterpiece

Surface View — 2012-05-07T17:09:32Z

It’s over fifty years since John Haynes, then still a schoolboy, published his first car manual. We remember lovingly caring for our owners manual, at a time when distributor caps, spark plugs and bump starts were a right of passage for every teenager. The Haynes manual was a passport to adulthood. No wonder these magnificent drawings bring on waves of nostalgia, not merely for their graphic style, but also in their depiction of those iconic cars of the 60s and 70s as the design classics many of them are. Behind the famous brand name is the remarkable talent of Terry Davey. Largely untaught, Terry had the ability to visualise the internal workings of complicated mechanical assemblies and to draw accurate representations of how they would look from any perspective: sectioned, or in three dimensions, or when partly stripped of their casings. Writing a car manual takes between 20 and 30 man-weeks. Authors work in pairs, which shortens the origination time and stops them from going crazy. Haynes buy a car at the beginning of the project and sell it at the end - either to staff or on the open market. It is then that Davey examines the dismantle cars, taking first hand reference photography throughout the illustration process. During his time with Haynes he produced over 400 cover cutaways, and several thousand other technical illustrations. Other cutaway artists have come and gone, but Terry’s style remains uniquely identifiable. It was Terry’s incredible cutaway drawings which elevated the indispensable manual into a cult classic.

Vintage Festival 2012

Surface View — 2012-05-08T11:48:41Z

For one glamorous weekend every year, if you’re in Britain, the only place to be is at the Vintage Festival. A celebration of five decades of the best of British cool, Vintage rejoices in the music, fashion, film, art, design, dance and food from the 1920s to the 1980s. Now, in 2012, the glorious grounds of Boughton House provide the backdrop and will transform into a multi-venue playground where, over 3 days, pass holders can ‘learn the dances’, take in specially curated live performances, exclusive DJ sets, catwalk shows, brilliantly conceived food and cocktails, or take advantage of the decade specific hair and beauty makeovers and all the wonderful vintage shopping on offer. Join us for the Britain’s best looking and most uplifting long weekend of the festival season. Where, Boughton House, Northamptonshire. When, 13-15 July 2012. How, tickets on sale now, www.vintagefestival.co.uk We’ll see you there.

British Design 1948 – 2012

Surface View — 2012-03-16T11:44:07Z

British Design 1948-2012: Innovation in the Modern Age. British design is back in the spotlight. This stunning new exhibition at the V&A London is, as its name suggests, a celebration of the very best of British craft and design during a period of extraordinarily fertile creativity. Curated by the V&A, and sponsored by Ernst and Young, it’s an unmissable exploration of a half century of innovation and talent. In celebration of the exhibition, we’re delighted to collaborate with the V&A in unearthing a beautiful selection of rarely seen gems from the world of textiles. Drawing from their unrivaled national collection, Surface View and the V&A chose twelve patterns by leading textile designers of the period, including Barbara Brown, Karen Williger, Natalie Gibson and Eddie Squires, to name a few. Ranging in style from bright poppy waves and patchwork through subdued florals and foliage, to naïve designs, the collection reflects not only the plethora of markets that were being catered for at the time, but also how versatile, imaginative and constantly evolving were the fashions in pattern design during this period. Catch the exhibition at Kensington from 31st March to 12th August and you’ll also see more Surface View at play. Part of the Surface View collection is featured within the V&A Pattern book series which focuses on British designers and the firms Heal’s, Liberty & Co and Sanderson, all three of which were leaders in the furnishing textile arena. Patterns from these books, as well as archive imagery, will be wrapped by Surface View onto the columns of the V&A Shop; a project to celebrate both the British Design 1948-2012 exhibition and our collaboration with the remarkable V&A Museum. Sponsored by Ernst and Young. Where, V&A Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 2RL. When, 31st March - 12th August, 2012. How, find out more - www.vam.ac.uk

John Cimon Warburg

Surface View — 2012-05-07T16:54:02Z

Hauntingly beautiful, the pioneering vintage photographs which form our collection have been selected from the historically unrivalled Royal Photographic Society housed at the National Media Museum. This collection encompasses some the most significant and important visual material to be found anywhere in the world. Works by John Cimon Warburg, Otto Pfenninger, and Gertrude Kasebier offer a glimpse of a bygone age and the beginnings of an art form. Some of our favourite images in the whole of the Surface View collection were created by John Cimon Warburg. Poor of health yet lucky enough to have a private income, he was able to devote his life to his creative pursuits. Working in photography’s pioneering days at the turn of the century, he excelled at the Autochrome Lumière process, a distinctive colour process which gives his images that extraordinary, transcendental feel. We’re in love with these early masterpieces of the form. Name John Cimon Warburg Collection Vintage Photography Category Photography Date 1867 - 1931

Trick of the Eye

Surface View — 2012-05-07T17:51:39Z

Fast becoming a Surface View favourite, Michael Angove is an award winning British designer and fine artist who is specially known for his highly detailed and exquisite interior designs and trompe l’oeil drawings - ideal for our prints which celebrate both epic scale and painstaking attention to detail. During his time at the Royal College of Art, London, Michael perfected an innovative scanning technique to capture the rambling nature and complexities of the British garden. The contemporary chinoiseries combine delicate flowers, lichens and butterflies whilst hiding cobwebs, praying mantis and even scorpions. Since graduating from the Royal College of Art Michael’s drawings have sold internationally and he has had many sell-out London shows. In 2008 Michael was invited to design fabrics for Liberty of London, launching alongside designs by Grayson Perry. The success of these designs has led to an thriving relationship with Liberty, alongside which he continues to take personal commissions.

The Weavist

Surface View — 2012-05-07T17:48:33Z

Awarding winning designer, Emma Jeffs has created custom surface designs for a wide array of materials and products since opening her London studio Surface Material Design in 2000. Amongst her other collaborations Emma has been helping us develop our window films, having researched and retailed her own successful and innovative window decals. More recently her designs have spearheaded the Craft Councils Origin Contemporary Craft Fair. With her background in textiles, Emma uses a variety of techniques in her designs, including everything from hand drawn to collage and digitally generated images. We love the intricate spirals and weaves, reminiscent of 50s textile designs, that she has created exclusively for us. When we last caught up with Emma we asked her tell us a little more about Interweave, the collection she has created for us. A collection of computer generated surfaces that twine, twist and spiral together to create graphic woven images, Interweave evokes a suggestion of woven fabrics and has been produced to make the very best of Surface View’s extensive print capabilities for wall – keeping a special eye on how they work as window films.

‘La Fenice’ by Erich Auerbach

Surface View — 2012-05-07T16:36:10Z

Imagine being able to explore more than 70 million negatives, glass plates and vintage prints from some of the world’s most exciting collections of imagery. Well, Stuart Möller has the daunting privilege of doing this every day, in his work at The Getty Images Archive. Vast and wonderfully eclectic, the Archive features the Hulton Deutsch, Picture Post and Express collections among others, and has provided inspiration for our Getty Images collection at Surface View. We asked Stuart whether with such a wealth of images at his fingertips, is it still possible to have a favourite image? “It’s very difficult to choose one particular image as a favourite because of the sheer size of the Archive, but for me, I just love the ‘La Fenice’ Venice Opera House taken in 1954 by Erich Auerbach, who focused on documenting the classical music world of the era. Despite spending much of every day looking through scores of images, and having seen this photograph hundreds if not thousands of times, I’ve never tired of it. I think that’s because it’s got the best of both of my favourite kinds of photography rolled into one image. So while it has an abstract nature because of its beautifully balanced linear composition, its subject matter gives us a wonderful varied glimpses at the human condition. Now that this image is available at a larger scale, we can really contemplate every micro-play that makes up the whole, via the intricate little situations taking place in every cubicle. You’ll find people watching people, conversations, laughter, seriousness, excitement, boredom, the various relationships and lonesomeness to the sense of occasion and excitement of anticipation of a performance. There’s always something new to discover in it. For instance, (as I discovered only a few weeks ago) there’s only one single person amongst the whole multitude of characters, who is actually looking straight at the camera, and therefore the viewer. So if I had to choose one, I’d choose this one; it encapsulates everything I find so exciting about the Archive and the medium of photography as a whole. It is a true gem in a vast ocean of treasures”. Name ‘La Fenice’ By Erich Auerbach Date 1954

Paris Catch

Surface View — 2012-05-07T16:12:32Z

We’re sitting with Marie-Thérèse in Peter’s Cafe in Acton eating bacon and eggs. She eyes our lunch with suspicion. It’s a far cry from the glamorous world of 1950s Parisian couture and the exquisite textiles created in its design studios, but that’s what has brought us together in this charmingly shabby corner of West London. Marie-Thérèse has in her possession something rather unique and special for Surface View. She’s the daughter of Zina de Plagny, textile designer to the Parisian elite in an age of true glamour and vibrant creativity. Only recently has Marie-Thérèse taken time to unearth the work created during this prolific time by her mother and her studio. So astounded was she by the beauty and contemporary feel of these images, that Marie-Thérèse and her daughter have decided to revive the Atelier Zina de Plagny and bring her work to new audiences. All of which is why she’s brought these designs to be photographed by Surface View. They’re not scans, printed fabrics or digital copies, but the original pencil, gouache and ink designs themselves. Understandably she won’t let them out of her sight, so she’s brought them by hand from Paris to our photographic studio at the far reaches of the Central Line. The original artworks are beautiful. The pencil sketch marks, the watery brush strokes, the imperfection of the human hand; all remain, and all are refreshing to see. Both as complete designs or in close-up abstraction, they are full of an expressiveness that’s all too rare in our computer age. And we do everything in our power to preserve all these details in our prints for you. Name Zina de Plagny Collection Atelier Zina de Plagny Category Vintage Archive Date 1914-2000