Volcanic ash over Europe means no jet-setting to Paris to see the Yves Saint Laurent retrospective, Chicago to admire the Matisse show or New York to see the Picassos at the Met.
Forget the delays and invest in the lavish publications instead. Enjoy the sunshine and the silent London skies and spend the day travelling vicariously from haute couture to the experimental, abstracted works that Matisse made in the early decade of the twentieth century.
Ah the bliss of island life!
The exhibition catalogues ‘Yves Saint Laurent’ ed. Florence Muller and Farin Chenoune (£35.00) and ‘Matisse: Radical Invention 1913-1917’ ed. Stephanie Alessandro and John Elderfield and ‘Picasso in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’, ed. Gary Tinterow and Susan Alyson Stein are all available at Potterton Books, London.
This is my last Sunday which is sad, but I was cheered up by the fact there are lots of lovely new books in at the moment! I'm a paticular fan of the new photography books we have in - a great one on the great unknown German photographer, Arno Fischer has some great portraiture in, especially one of Marlene Dietrich (also captured by Irving Penn in the new National Gallery exhibition book, Irving Penn: Portraits). The Patrick Demarchelier book is also simply stunning with every famous face you can think of staring back at you - from Kate Moss as standard, to Julian Schnabel! Others to mention are the Herbert List: Junge Manner out of print book - List's beautiful depiction of modern, male model offers a take on Greek classical sculpture, and the new Visconti picture biography traces the life and work of one of Italy's greatest and most passionate theatre and movie directors with fabulous stills from various productions and films.
With British Summer Time creeping up on us, now is the perfect time to introduce a little brightness into the home too. Mark Hearld, being his usual brilliant self, has created these beautiful new cushion covers, which of course we love! The fabric, entitled Bird Garden, is a single colour design, screenprinted onto a heavyweight oyster linen union for two colourways - with a third colourway on a natural linen - we have blue, red and charcoal in store. The covers are £36 and £45 with the cushion pads included.
Our windows have just had a Stefanidis make-over, and they're looking fantastic! We're very excited about the signing that we're holding for An Island Sanctuary on Thursday night, and have filled the windows with copies of the book, Patmos fabric and a stunning Patmos tray. Bringing a little island colour to some gray spring weather, John Stefanidis' new book provides the perfect opportunity for a pre-summer escape. Stop by for a look and a glass of wine from 6.00-7.30pm on the 25th, or come in for a sneak preview any time this week.
We really do have some brilliant books in the shop at the moment - a paticular favourite of ours is The Great Lady Decorators - Great being the operative word! This fabulous book mixes gorgeous interiors with sparkling social history and it is the first book that focuses wholeheartedly on these exceptional women who really make interior design what they are today.
This book has a wealth of names - Elsie de Wolfe, the initiator of the 'Great Lady Decorators', the fabulous Dorothy Draper, Nancy Lancaster, Ruby Ross Wood, Eleanor Brown, Sister Parish, Syrie Maugham and Madeleine Castaing, just to name a few...
It also serves as a witty and readable treatise on the principles of decorating, as well as a luxurious visual resource, this book really is a bible for the decorator!
We also have a simply superb copy of the September 1950 New York Issue of Flair magazine, which has a great cover design and is packed with beautiful photography and fashions of the era - brilliant!
We're very excited about our forthcoming book signing, with legendary designer John Stefanidis, and of course you're invited!
His long-awaited book, An Island Sanctuary, is finally gracing our shelves and you will be able to get your own signed copy - a little indulgence for yourself, or a great gift for a friend.
An Island Sanctuary offers a unique view of Stefanidis' island home, in Patmos, Greece. With vivid colours, bold simplicity, and the use of stone, stucco, and tile, the Patmos house is a source of inspiration for homeowners and decorators worldwide. Its bold use of Mediterranean colours, natural materials, and crisp, clean lines epitomise a comfortable yet sophisticated style, creating the quintessential island home. In this book, internationally-renowned Stefanidis explains how the house has evolved over many years, reflecting his love for the island, his original use of vibrant colour, his eclectic and cosmopolitan aesthetic, and a desire to combine comfort with style.
We'll be holding the event from 6.00 - 7.30pm on Thursday, March 25. Please let us know if you would like more information about the evening, or if you would like to order a copy of the book.
What better mix than the work of one of the greatest twentieth-century interior illustrators and an important fashion illustrator, both in one room?
Potterton has bought together the extraordinary work of Jeremiah Goodman and Kenneth Paul Block in a three-week exhibition. In collaboration with print publisher Dean Rhys Morgan, we are offering the rare chance for people to not only come and see a fantastic selection of their work, but you can buy it too!
Jeremiah's illustrations have been all over the most prestigious magazine titles, from Harper's Bazaar to his 15-year cover-work for Interior Design magazine.
The illustrious list of clients and friends whose rooms he has protrayed includes such icons as Ronald and Nancy Reagan, Sir John Gielgud, Baron and Baroness Philippe de Rothschild, Greta Garbo, Cecil Beaton, Elsa Schiaparelli, Diana Vreeland and Billy Baldwin.
Kenneth Paul Block was one of the foremost fashion illustrators of the twentieth century. For nearly forty years, he was an in-house artist for Fairchild Publications, owner of Women's Wear Daily and its offshoot, W magazine. As chief features artist, he helped transform Women's Wear Daily into the bible of the jet set during the 1960s and 1970s. Babe Paley, Jackie Kennedy, Gloria Vanderbilt, The Duchess of Windsor, and Gloria Guinness were among the society women who posed for him.
Block's incisive yet graceful brushstrokes captured the most important styles of the post-war era, including collections by Norman Norell, Yves Saint Laurent, Pierre Cardin, Coco Chanel, James Galanos, Pauline Trigere, Bill Blass, Halston, and Geoffrey Beene.
The exhibition of these limited edition giclee prints is on until 11th March.
For more information on the prints please visit Dean Rhys Morgan.
Please contact us for further information on the exhibition.
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