May 17 2026 – Open Studios season begins! We went to see friend Kev Hopper’s paintings and met so many friends there we didn’t get to any other houses!
Kev Hopper – Dulwich Open Studios
Author Archives: lisabenn
Original Print Fair – Somerset House
15 May 2026 – I got free tickets for this from my Tate Membership!
Really enjoyable, showing the breadth of techniques and approaches to printmaking. I thought it would be just contemporary printmakers, but actually there were also a lot of Picasso’s and works from Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore and Alexander Calder caught my eye. Also had a lovely lunch sitting out on the terrace (riverside of the building).
Ceramic Art 2026 – Olympia
So this was back on 8th May. I actually can’t believe I haven’t been to this annual event before, maybe put off by the venue and thinking it was more of a trade fair, it isn’t! An incredible variety of work on show, also very impressed by the inventiveness of the artist’s display stands.
Along one wall was a very long ‘hands-on’ clay table, and behind it seating, stage and screen for talks & demos. There was also a big shopping area, potters supplies etc and books. Very impressed with the amount of seating/chairs, plenty of space for chatting and coffee. Next year I will go with a friend and a budget!
May in the garden
The last day of May 2026, the garden has really woken up despite the hot dry weather. Most mornings I go out into the garden with my breakfast cup of tea and deadhead flowers, fill in the holes the foxes have dug overnight and even just sit and enjoy the company of beautiful plants!
Hurvin Anderson – Tate Britain
I have a Tate card so will be going to this exhibition again! We went to Tate Britain last week to catch the Constable/Turner exhibition that was ending on Sunday, which to be honest we didn’t enjoy. It was extremely crowded and we found the huge canvases oppressive, the sketch work was nice though. The Hurvin Anderson exhibition was a wonderful breath of fresh air in comparison. Large canvases full of light… or very dense foliage! I’ve never been to the Carribean but he made you feel very connected.
Hurvin Andersin • Tate Britain, London • until 23 August 2026
Yin Xiuzhen & Chiharu Shiota • Hayward Gallery
In a break from decorating and moving my studio I went with a friend to see these two exhibitions at the Hayward. Yin Xiuzhen’s ‘Heart to Heart’ work is varied and thought provoking, while Chiharu Shiota’s ‘Threads of Life‘ is a visual ‘showstopper’.
I was a bit put off by the the ‘soft sculpture cities’ installation at the beginning of the Yin Xiuzhen exhibition, (reminded me too much of the things we made for school Storysacks), but the rest of her exhibition was much more engaging, charting her life of observation, explained with different materials and mediums. The massive set of images of clothes she had worn over the years, the memories and stories surrounding each one, definitely resonated with me. I also loved the giant ceramic pieces with little bits of cloth and ephemera tucked inside the cracks. In the ‘town square’ room with scattered chairs and chattering audio, I spotted a little boy sitting on each chair in turn until finally settling on one near the door, saying “Just right” (like Goldilocks).
Chiharu Shiota‘s exhibition is visually absolutely stunning, so beautiful, I just didn’t want to leave!
Yin Xiuzhen: Heart to Heart & Chiharu Shiota: Threads of Life. Hayward Gallery, Southbank, London. 31 March – 3 May 2026. The gallery has a really nice cafe and ‘dangerous’ shop full of lovely books and things.
Christmas mending
This was a handsewing project I had on the go in December to offset ‘Christmas stress’. This padded check shirt is a very old one of my husbands, it’s in quite good condition but the top layer of fabric on the elbows had worn away exposing the wadding underneath. I really wanted to try Sashiko as part of the mend – bought Sashiko templates (Stencil Stash on Etsy) and Prym Aqua-Trickmarker white water erasable pen (jaycotts.co.uk), I already had a Gütermann Sulky colour 4007 thread which is red/blue space dyed.
The elbow hole was patched with denim (from old jeans), slip stitching the edges. The squishy padded fabric made marking the fabric a bit tricky, especially as the pen ink is invisible at first, taking a couple of minutes to appear. Following the Sashiko pattern was easy to do and enjoyable. To be honest I had hoped the space dyed thread would produce a more interesting effect, it was an experiment, but I still like it a lot …. now for the other sleeve.
Recent additions to the In The Making – Aprons range
Two new apron designs were added to In The Makings Aprons in the last couple of months; an updated No10:2 woodwork apron in rich Chestnut Brown or classic Stone canvas, and a beautifully swishy No25:2 in natural washed linen.
The No10:2 apron is actually an updated version of the original No10:1, one of my first custom designs, a collaboration with a furniture maker. This improved No10:2 design is longer for extra protection and has wide adjustable crossback straps for people who don’t like neck straps/ties. But like the original design it still features a fabulous array of specialist pockets and the unique magnetic pocket flap which keeps shavings out of your pockets but flips up for hands-free access to the pockets underneath. I will be adding a version with tie neck & waist in the coming months and considering some more colour options – suggestions welcome!.
The new No25:2 design was made in response to requests for more lightweight aprons suitable for artist painters, makers and bakers. This washed natural linen is absolutely gorgeous and lends itself so well to the pleated skirt. This apron doesn’t have a split front skirt, but I will offer a split leg version in future.
The experience of looking
Going back through 2025 photos I found this one of my ‘No24 Natural’ in the studio of my lovely friend artist printmaker Fran Farrar on the Isle of Wight. She’s had a really busy year of exhibitions, two of them here in London – as we went round looking at the work she detailed all the different printing techniques. Visiting the annual Woolwich Print Fair last month (October 2025), armed with my new knowledge, it was really fascinating how it had changed my experience of looking at the work.
Although I’ve been on a long hiatus from making art I realised my experiences with materials and processes inform the way I look at work as much as subject matter; understanding and admiring the manipulation of the mediums to produce work that connects with the viewer. The aim of my creative work was to find a ‘beautiful resolution’ and actually this equally applies to In The Making Aprons and Boro Collection.
I was delighted to provide one of my aprons, the bestselling No4:5 Ochre Canvas, to one of the winners at the Annual London Potters Members Exhibition at the Morley Gallery, Private View 29th November 2025. It went to Veronica Kendall Ceramics congratulations to her! (Unfortunately I didn’t get a good photo of her work, but take a look on Instagram). The exhibition featured 120 makers celebrating the skill and imagination of London’s ceramics community, showing functional tableware to decorative objects and striking sculptural forms”. Look out for it in 2026, well worth the visit, it’s close to Waterloo and free! London Potters
Blog-Journal Reboot
I’ve sadly neglected my blog-journal in the last couple of years, because social media seemed like such a treadmill of repeating myself. Lately though I’ve subscribed to some brilliant thoughtful blogs like HebTroCo with their fabulous Bothering Magazine, and lucky enough to see the lovely Tom Robinson give a talk at Brixton Hill Studios ‘Perfect Pitch’ launch a few weeks ago about valuing and connecting with your genuine audience on your mailing list, which made me re-evaluate it all. So here goes.
Today I put away summer clothes and dug out jumpers and warmer trousers, finally giving in to Autumn whilst reflecting on the Summer. My Summer had started with my biggest ever order, 37 lightweight No4:6 potters aprons for a gallery/studio in Majorca, I finished just days before my first major show, Craft Festival, Bovey Tracey 6-8 June 2025. It was HUGE over 200 exhibitors plus talks and workshops, quite a variety of different crafts on show but not surprisingly lots of jewellery and ceramics – the quality of work was extremely high. I was talking to visitors and other exhibitors all day long, which gave me some fascinating insights to their art & crafting lives – think I’ll do it all again in 2026!
Managed to see quite a few brilliant exhibitions during the Summer; Cockpit Open Studios Deptford (June) – Deptford X Festival various venues (July) – Matthew Cutts sculpture New Forest (July) – Printmakers Council 60th Anniversary Exhibition Oxo Gallery (September) – wonderfully colourful Grayson Perry ‘Delusions of Grandeur’ Wallace Collection (September) – APT Deptford 30th Anniversary Annual Show (September) – ‘Materiality’ at The Handbag Factory Jane Bottery’s, piece was absolutely beautiful (September) – Knit & Stitch Show at Alexandra Palace (October), stand outs being Jane Walkley’s extraordinary sculptural woven tapestries with cast Jesmomite artifacts, and an upcycled lab coat piece by Janel Vavrenyuk – the incredible Do Hoh Suh: ‘Walk the House’ at the Tate Modern (October) – The Great Northern Contemporary Craft Festival, at the fabulous Victoria Baths Manchester (October) –
See more photos on my Instagram profile inthemaking_aprons
The Do Ho Suh Exhibition ‘Walk the House’ at the Tate Modern London closes on the 26th October 2025 DON’T MISS IT! The show really connected with me as someone who has moved house a lot in my life, 31 times, 16 of those before I was 14 because my Dad was in the Army. The gauze fabric buildings, handles, light switches etc are stitched with the most incredible detail and the rubbings of his family home in Korea and other home details are so beautiful.
Currently I’m designing my stand for The Selvedge Winter Fair on 23rd November at RHS Hall in London, along with prepping stock for the busy Christmas period.
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