do: easter parade

it's nothing new (been going since the mid-1800's 'when high-society ladies would promenade in their Easter finery after church') but it's such a creative classic that we had to feature the fact that easter parade is coming up this weekend in new york. with the most creative milinary on show everyone wants to have a good time and no-one wants to be taken seriously. even irving berlin dedicated a fred astaire and judy garland techni-colour musical film to it (worth a watch we promise you!).

image courtesy of time out new york

Fifth Ave from 49th to 57th Sts.

timeout.com

space: jerwood, hastings

we adore the idea that high culture is no longer reserved for cloistered capitals and clustered cities. national galleries are beginning to lift their heads above the parapet of the constant tourist trade offered in london and are now beginning to open branches nation wide. so when we read that the jerwood was openng a branch in hastings we got rather excited.

'the place smells of just-landed fish sold in little shops, or the fried and battered sort in some fine fish-and-chip restaurants. Ice cream and rock vendors are inserted into odd slivers of space...the building doesn't try to dominate, overwhelm or out-dazzle its surroundings, but nor does it patronise them.' - rowan moore for the observer newspaper.

the building was designed by hana loftus and tom grieve of hat projects and the permanent collection includes people like nicholson, brangwyn, sickert and others. it's funding is quite incredible too as the jerwood foundation - as a privately funded charity - stumped up £4m and the land it's built on was donated by the local council (an old coach park). definitely another reason why we do love to be by the seaside.

imagery courtesy of guardian.co.uk

jerwoodgallery.org/

who: ross bruggink

ross bruggink is a graphic designer/illustrator from minneapolis and we wanted to feature some of his lovely work. he designed these beautiful wedding invites for his wedding last september. we love the letterpress, stamp, scheme, and humorous tone of voice.

cargocollective.com/rossbruggink

dribbble.com/rossbruggink

show: kinfolk magazine

kinfolk magazine describes itself as being, "a growing community of artists with a shared interest in small gatherings. we've created kinfolk as our collaborative way of advocating the natural approach to entertaining that we love."

contributers include photographers, writers, cinematographers, composers and stylists from around the globe. they also have started a dinners series in several cities, available to the public on their site. magazine currently available in limited stores and via mail.

kinfolkmag.com/

see: circusfest

circusfest is an incredible festival of performers from around the globe held at London, Roundhouse space over five weeks.

it features stints by (if you are ever looking for the most unusual names in the world look to the circus world!) cirque mandingue ('guinean troupe with an infectious mix of high-energy acrobatics and street dance set against a backdrop of live West African drumming and hip hop beats'), undermän ('a swedish company whose latest production is touching and artfully simple - an insight into the lives of circus performers and a tale of passion, love, vegas and loss') and professor vanessa's wondershow ('with the main space transformed into a timeless village green for a magical immersive carnival experience that celebrates the golden era of circus') as well as new commissions from scottee, il pixel rosso.

for that extra bit of magic during the festival the site is also home to a magic mirrors tent and a new photographic exhibition from phil fisk and talks with john paul zaccarini and vanessa toulmin.

'circusfest is guaranteed to amaze, astound and capture the imagination of all.'

on now until - end of april

roundhouse.org.uk/circusfest

howling hands

we're all starting to get excited about easter so when we spotted these guys we were very happy. incidentally, oliver hipwell, who designed and made this collection of work is a talented prop maker who works from a studio in hackney wick. take a look at his work.

http://www.howlinghands.com/

central saint martins//kings cross

we had an exclusive tour of the new central saint martins site at kings cross by head of college, prof. jane rapley obe last week. build on to and part of the old granary building the architects have managed to maintain the old and compliment it with the new.

it is an astonishingly different style of building compared to the previous buildings that were steeped in history but unfortunately rather tatty round the edges due to the massive maintenance required (to those of us who studied there the drafty and broken windows while doing life drawing in january only added to the charm!).

however, the new building marks a new beginning and a clean slate for the new students to use as an incredible spring board. we particularly like the drama centre london vintage audition sign next to the hall of fame. it proved a most enlightening trip and made us all wish we were back at art school.

unfortunately if your a 'civilian' you can only go into the central atrium below the granary building but it's still worth a look.

photography by bella towse

csm.arts.ac.uk