Design Diary - May 2011

Dates for your diary: exhibitions, sales, fairs, courses and events you should know about in London and the UK.

The Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair (3-8 May), The Marquee, Battersea Park, London SW11 - This fair is fun, fashionable and well-known as an excellent source of painted furniture, classical Swedish design, lighting, accessories, excellent mirrors and 20th century design. www.decorativefair.com

Grand Designs Live London (until 8 May), ExCeL, London's Victoria Docks - This vast show (with Kevin McCloud as event presenter) has over 500 exhibitors and is packed with products, information, services and advice - whether for self-build projects or for refurbishment. www.granddesignslive.com Ticket hotline: 0844-2097349

The Hand Sale (5-7 May), 20th Century Theatre, 291 Westbourne Grove, London W11 - A twice-yearly sale with an inspiring mix of stands including Trouver Antiques (decorative French furniture), Kirsten Hecktermann (embroidered cushions) and Odd (fabrics and rugs); plus unusual clothes, homeware and jewellery. For more info call 020 86771848 or 07887 680672

Artists' Open Houses (four weekends in May) - The biggest free arts event in Britain. A record 250 venues in Brighton and Hove will open their doors to exhibit the work of over 1,000 artists and craftsmen. Visit www.aoh.org.uk

Bruce Davidson Photography (4- 28 May), Chris Beetles Fine Photographs, 3-5 Swallow Street, London W1 - This is Bruce Davidson's first major show in the UK with 45 photographs spanning his extensive 50-year career. Known for immersing himself in the lives of his subjects to capture the perfect image, he has gone so far as to join the circus, and live with gangs in Coney Island and tenement occupants in Harlem. The exhibition overlaps with a Bruce Davidson Restrospective at Somerset House until 22 May, leaving no excuse to miss this photojournalist's striking images. www.chrisbeetlesfinephotographs.com and www.somersethouse.org.uk

Collect: The International Art Fair for Contemporary Objects (6-9 May), The Saatchi Gallery, London - Museum-quality contemporary craft from 37 of the finest UK and international galleries, plus exhibitions, talks, tours and film screenings. www.craftscouncil.org.uk

Shepton Mallet Antiques Fair (6-8 May), Royal Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallett, Somerset - Head off to the West Country for this fair (with some 600 stalls) which is very popular with dealers. www.iacf.co.uk/shepton-mallet

London and the Seaside (9-21 May), Ben Pentreath, 17 Rugby St, London WC1 - A selling exhibition of the work of Bawden, Ravilious &  Friends, in association with Jennings Fine Art. www.benpentreath.com

Spirit of Summer Fair (11-14 May), Olympia, London - Run in association with House & Garden, this fair offers everything from fashion to food, home and garden decor to gift ideas. Plus inspiring workshops on flower arranging, summery cookery, al fresco entertaining and garden design. www.spiritofsummerfair.co.uk

Prints & Watercolour Drawings by Angie Lewin (13 May-4 June), Potterton Books London, Lower Sloane St, London SW1 - One-off watercolour drawings and original prints in Angie Lewin's instantly recognisable style. Her graceful depictions of the native flora of the Norfolk coast and Scottish Highlands have made their way on to textiles, stationery and greetings cards as well as book illustrations. Her first book was published by Merrell last year - www.pottertonbookslondon.co.uk

Antique Folk Art (13 - 21 May), Robert Young Antiques, 68 Battersea Bridge Road, London SW11 - Its 12th annual exhibition, with vintage decoy birds, early primitive furniture and naïve paintings. www.robertyoungantiques.com

Affordable Art Fair (13-15 May), Brunel's Old Station, Temple Meads, Bristol - 55 galleries will exhibit contemporary paintings, sculpture, photography and original prints, priced between £40 and £4,000. www.affordableartfair.co.uk

Museums at Night 2011 (13-15 May) - Night owls can look forward to a weekend of after-hours celebrations at museums, galleries, libraries, archives and heritage sites all over the UK www.culture24.org.uk

Midcentury Modern (15 May), Nursery Pavilion, The North Gate, Wellington Place, Lords Cricket Ground, London NW8 - Purchase directly from dealers selling American, British and European design classics from the middle part of the last century including Wegner, Eames, Jacobsen, Nelson and Day. And why not take a break for a cricket tea in the Pavilion. www.modernshows.com

London Photograph Fair (15 May), Holiday Inn, Coram Street, Bloomsbury WC1 - Historic images, contemporary photographs and books on photography from about 50 dealers at this quarterly fair. For a free ticket go to the promotions page on their website: www.photofair.co.uk

Made in Clerkenwell: Summer Open Studios (19-22 May), 21 Clerkenwell Green & 33-35 St John's Sq, London EC1 - Avoid the high street crowds and meet over 90 cutting-edge designers in Craft Central's studios. Plus a spotlight on traditional and contemporary basketmaking.  www.craftcentral.org.uk

Arts & Crafts Exhibition, (19 May-19 June), Liberty, Regent St, W1 - The shop's annual selling exhibition of original 1850-1950 furniture, lighting, textiles and other objects. www.liberty.co.uk

Antiques & Fine Art Fair (20-22 May), Botleigh Grange, Hedge End, Southampton, Hants - A ‘boutique' fair showcasing 25 specialist dealers - mainly members of BADA and LAPADA. www.adfl.co.uk

Collier Campbell (23 May-3 July), National Theatre, London - Textile designers (and sisters) Susan Collier and Sarah Campbell produced some of the most iconic prints of the second half of the 20th century. This year their company is 50 years old and will be relaunching its own brand of fashion and home products. See a selection of their work and the processes through which the designs were created. www.nationaltheatre.org.uk

RHS Chelsea Flower Show (24-28 May), Royal Hospital, Chelsea - The world's most famous flower show, with show gardens, floral exhibitors and hundreds of garden product suppliers. For more info go to www.rhs.org.uk. Ticket hotline 0844 338 7528
 
Mindful of Silver (27 May- 16 July), Goldsmiths' Hall Foster Lane, London EC2 - See the innovative work of twelve contemporary silversmiths. Open 10am-5pm, admission free.  www.thegoldsmiths.co.uk

3 May 2011