I noticed that in this year’s London Design Festival we find a brand new design route that features the ‘William Morris Design Line’. The E17 area of London includes Walthamstow home to the William Morris Gallery, his beautiful home from 1848 until 1856. Since reading the visionary’s book ‘ Useful Work Versus Useless Toil’ I have been filled with deep admiration for this pioneering man and the fruits of his ’useful work’.
This may be the perfect time to visit the gallery and give some consideration to the Morris ethos. Having endured forced hibernation over the past few months, confinement and availability of more time prompted many of us to reflect on our home and the balance of the environment we have created. We have collectively weeded out bags of accumulated tat whilst many of us rediscovered the joy of making something we really love for ourselves. Lets hope this provides a great boost to creativity in general and a more discriminating approach to the value and beauty of the things we bring home. We are blessed with many outstanding craft shops and dedicated makers in the UK. My local, The Bluecoat Display Centre has been providing creations of value and beauty to people near and far for over sixty years. If something is well made and beautiful it’s worth keeping.
If you do find yourself in Walthamstow you will also find on the new LDF route the Blackhorse workshop on Blackhorse Lane, home to 35 local makers who are entirely committed to their craft and produce admirable work.
William Morris Gallery
Lloyd Park, Forest Road
Walthamstow, London, E17 4PP
020 8496 4390
wmgallery.org.uk
The William Morris Summer House Kelmscott Manor can be found in the Cotswolds, the nearest village is Lechlade-On-Thames
Bluecoat Display Centre
The Bluecoat
College Lane Entrance
Liverpool
L1 3BZ
+44 (0)151 709 4014
[email protected]
www.bluecoatdisplaycentre.com