London Alive: May 2018

CDW 2018 - TUE 22

I started the day at the Bloggers Lounge this year hosted by Arper Furniture. It was a great place to get my bearings, look at the map, programme, and plan the day ahead. I already had an idea of which events I wanted to attend.

First stop was at the Milliken Showroom where the 'Drawing as a Tool to Relax the Mind' workshop by artist Liz Atkin was taking place. Her work has helped her address her Compulsive Skin Picking condition, a mental health issue, and in the process, she has helped many others. I particularly like her compulsive charcoal series of graffiti drawings on discarded newspapers that she gives away to commuters on public transport! We had a go at some of the techniques she uses, and during the workshop she told us a little bit about the state of Flow that drawing has the ability to create. I love drawing because of this. I myself have suffered of mental health issues, and sketching has always been something that has helped me cope. Drawing allows me to be present in the moment. Which means no negative thoughts or emotions. Everything melts away. This was the reason why I picked it as my first stop, I knew it would aid land my head at the Clerkenwell Design Week.

That certainly opened up my appetite, and as the schedule was packed I had no time to grab a bite to eat. Thankfully, the next stop was 'Who Doesn't Love Chocolate' workshop at Knauf. This was in partnership with Hotel Chocolat. I already knew some facts & figures about Cacao (it's considered a superfood, packed with antioxidants, and it grows in South America, and West Africa) from both my trips to Mexico, and Peru, but I had never actually made a chocolate bar. Needless to say it was a lot more hard work than I had anticipated!

Still at Knauf followed the 'Express you Inner Genius' workshop with artist Lauren Baker. This entailed turning a life-size brain model into a sculpture to take home. By far this was my favourite workshop hands down!! Of course my love of all things 'brain' is well documented and this came as no surprise!! Lauren's work is quite something, and it grabbed my attention the minute I set eyes on it! It's interesting how things happen because I had came across her work a number of times before and it was great to meet her in person, and her inspirational story.

'A Pice of Sky' is an installation by Sky-Frame's architect Stephen Huerlemann.

To celebrate the start of the Week, Icons of Denmark hosted an evening of drinks, and canapés with tunes spinning. I was listening to owner Jesper talk, and his passion & dedication to the brand was hard to miss!