Textile Arts Center New York

Sometimes I wish I could just snap my fingers and be in say NY. The wonderful-sounding Textile Arts Center, where I was in Joetta Maue's group show "From the Tongue" earlier this year, is currently indulging in an interactive knitting show Virgin Knitters, with Kimberly Hall.

It's Brooklyn based and booming and is even taking applications for studio rentals - now that's something I would dive for if I lived in NY and was not having a baby right now on the other side of the Atlantic!

Textile Arts Center
505 Carroll Street
Brooklyn (Park Slope), 11215 NY

Tel: +718 - 369 0222

paper delights and fruit

I have just been out in the deep snow (well, at least 10cm or more) for a photography wander around our local church place... and finally I had time to enter a boutique which I have looked at longingly many times on my way somewhere.

It's a beautiful paper & bookbinding atelier, called Atelier Tiemeyer, run by Ria Tiemeyer, pictured. It is full of temptations to woo the paperlover and booklover. Her hand screen-printed paper envelopes, wrapping papers and books are divine.

I also fell for the work of artist Miriam Schmid, who makes beautiful paper fruit in a basket...

Pariser Strasse 15
10719 Berlin-Wilmersdorf
Mon-Fri 10 - 18.30
Sat 11-14

a new mask

Thomas bought me this beautiful mask the other night from the wonderful fetish store Boutique Hautnah, at Uhlandstrasse 170, where I've been looking for pieces to complete an outfit for a performance.

I can feel new artwork coming on...

Knopf & Schnalle

Also in my neighbourhood is Knopf & Schnalle, literally Button & Buckle, a sewing accessories shop that has been in business for 44 years, under the ownership of Monika Schönfelder.

She has a very good selection of buttons, threads and various other applications for sewing. Her tiny shop is orderly and fitted with original wooden Güttermann thread dispensers which made my heart swoon!

Great for the last minute button need as I am making baby clothes for friends at the moment...

Uhlandstrasse 56,
10719 Berlin
tel/fax: 030 883 8473

Mon-Fri 9 - 18 Uhr
Sat 10 - 14 Uhr

Tutti Klamotti

Goodness, I'm down to one post a month! Sorry, being pregnant and busy with little jobs for friends is taking up all my time.

I found a couple of days ago, just around the corner from home, what expectant mothers like me need: Tutti Klamotti, a 2nd hand baby shop with everything! All is in good condition and though not dirt cheap, I like the idea of recycling and reusing things... there's so much waste in the world.

So, I found some English books for our little one and a cute tee.

Emser Strasse 46,
10719 Berlin Wilmersdorf
030 - 50 36 59 24
Mon - Fri 10 - 19 Uhr

Kenny Muhammed

At the moment I have the incredible fortune to be in Cartagena Spain, in the Murcia region where my husband is working. And it so happens there is the fascinating Manifesta 8 contemporary European art biennale on here since yesterday!

I visited one of the Murcia venues yesterday, an old derelict post office in the centre of the elegant, slightly crumbling city, and was particularly taken by a video work featuring beatboxer Kenny Muhammed, born NY in 1968. He musically interpreted the prayers of several artists for their work in the future and Kenny had me riveted. He made every sound of what sounded like 6 simultaneous tracks!! 

I had the most beautiful moment afterwards, wandering the streets, when I ran into him, stopped him to check it was him, and yes it was. A charming man of huge talent. Check him out. He has an album coming out soon and I will be dancing with my pregnant belly to it in the coming months!

Deborah Paauwe

So I am back from our wonderful motorbiking honeymoon to the mountains of the Süd Tirol region. There are a few things to blog about from the trip but I suddenly had an urge to look at the work of USA born but longtime Australian resident Deborah Paauwe. She is a photographer of sumptuous, tender, erotic femaleness/femininity, mostly through cropped close-ups of body, textiles and dress... just up my alley. Fashion and photography rolled into one...