Visual & Decorative Arts Blog

This year was the 450th anniversary of Shakespeare’s birth, and it is incredible that his plays have lasted the test of time and are still celebrated to this day. The RSC, better known as the Royal Shakespeare Company, works to stage Shakespeare’s (and his contemporaries’ and modern day) work in order to make it an event; to make it as exciting as it can be. They’re based out of Stratford-upon-Avon, although they also perform in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and London, and they also tour around the globe.

With a name like Roobarb & Custard, who wouldn’t love this animated, five-minute long TV show? Even better is that the main characters are Roobarb, a green, shaggy dog, and Custard, the next door neighbour, who is a hot pink cat. These two are always trying to outwit one another, which leads to absolute hilarity, no matter how old you are.

With the tagline 'the world's greatest museum of art and design', the Victoria and Albert Museum (better known as the V&A) certainly creates high expectations and promises a lot, and it sure does deliver. Currently, there are over two thousand years of art in almost every medium in the museum's collections, from a multitude of places all over the globe. The contrast between walking through the grand archway that is the main entrance into the museum and the humongous, abstract Dale Chihuly chandelier hanging over the information desk in the lobby wonderfully illustrates just how much the V&A holds. While their special temporary exhibitions are very much worth seeing, it's a must-do to go and see the vast array of art the V&A has on permanent display. Here are just a selection of the movements and artists that the museum covers…

The Tate Britain has been an unmissable display of British art since its inception in 1897. When Henry Tate tried to release his collection of masterpieces of art into the world to be enjoyed by all, the National Gallery didn’t have the space for it, and so he built his own gallery in which to showcase all of the artworks he had collected. Since then, four Tate galleries have opened (Tate Modern, Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives), between them holding an outstandingly impressive collection of British and international art. 

We're Going On a Bear Hunt is the well loved children's read-aloud that's celebrating its 25th birthday this year. A favourite among families and young children, the fun, energetic book is brought to life through the charming illustrations of Helen Oxenbury.

With the long-anticipated Moomin movie, Moomins on the Riviera, coming to cinemas in October 2014 and our beautiful 2015 Moomin Calendar now available in our Art of Fine Gifts range, it's not hard to rediscover a childish love for Moomintroll, his family and friends. The loveable trolls are only gaining in popularity since their beginnings as a comic strip in 1945.

We have been working with The Imperial War Museum for the last few years, creating great art calendars and books. So when we heard that there were to be refurbishments at the London museum, well we were more excited than anyone else. As a longstanding institution, IWM stands alone in its portrayal of conflicts across time, especially those that feature Britain and her allies. As proud partners of IWM, let's take a look at the recent refurbishments of the London facility and why its exhibitions are still relevant today. 

The Great Wave is one of the great masterpieces of art. It has occupied a unique place in the affection of both Western and Eastern Cultures, since its creation in the early 1830s as the first of 36 Views of Mount Fuji, by the master of the Ukiyo-e style, Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849). Probably the most famous of all Japanese artworks, The Great Wave is a woodblock print, not a painting, and unlike many of its contemporaries it brought strong European influences into a cultural landscape dominated by eternal, East Asian sensibilities.

Image via wikipedia

April 23 marks the 450th birthday of William Shakespeare – the most renowned playwright the world has ever known. The Royal Shakespeare Company are marking the celebrations by hosting a question and answer session with artistic director Gregory Doran live on Twitter, as well as a weekend full of pageantry and performances.