Our Favourite pieces of art exhibited in The British isles

We are so lucky that many of our museums and galleries are free to visit here in The British Isles. The permanent collections are stuffed full of inspiring treasures that are so easy to forget about. At the Kano workshop we hosted in March the group started their evening at the British Museum with pens and sketchbooks. When they arrived at the shop to start making their amulets they were fizzing with inspiration. ‘Why do we not do that more often’ was the general hum of chatter. It reminded us that there is so much to explore and see and we wanted to share that sense of discovery with you all. To inspire us we have asked all our makers to share their favourite piece of art, sculpture or artefact in any museum of gallery in The British Isles.

Peter Arscott ‘The horse head that is part of the Parthenon Marbles at the British Museum. It is exhausted after dragging the chariot of Selene, the Moon goddess, as it sinks below the horizon. It has flared nostrils and bulging eyes, a fabulous portrayal of exhaustion, carved in 430 BC. It’s just beautiful.’

Sara, Kano ‘ I love this 15th century Pendent in The British Museum. He’s one of the smallest objects in the museum collection and tends to be overlooked. The Craftsmanship and beauty is exquisite. I would love to know what lives he’s lived’

Sue, Notch Handmade ‘ I love the whole Rothko room at The Tate- I don’t think I can pick just one’

Louisa, TAMRA ‘I don’t know why but I have always loved this cottage scene in Camille Pissarro – Kitchen Gardens at L’Hermitage, Pontoise at the National Gallery in Edinburgh.’

Birgit, Folde Jewellery ‘ Ooh don’t think I can pick just one, but I do love The Crystal Quilt by Suzanne Lacy which I saw at Tate Modern years ago.

Lu Mason ‘I love the paintings of Queen Elizabeth 1 in the National Portrait Gallery‘

Lucy Welton ‘My favourite piece of art is this Dog sculpture by Henri Gaudier-Brzeska in Kettle’s Yard, Cambridge.

I also love ‘The Arbury Skeleton’ which is a coffin of a young Roman woman, that was excavated in Cambridge in the 1950’s during the building of post-war social housing. My grandfather was a builder on this site, and I have lived in Arbury all my life! Sylvia Plath wrote a poem about the skeleton as well….

Maud, Fungus & Mold ‘It also has to be something from Kettles Yard for me! The space is so light and each piece of furniture, small objects and paintings are all considered and harmonious. The green in Brigatine sailing past green fields by Alfred Wallis has to be my favourite green ever. Also check out this Ben Nicholson Block Print!

Laura Aymara ‘Next time you are at The Tate go check out The Cholmondeley Ladies. I could look at it for hours noticing the subtle differences between them. I loved it when I was little too and always called it the flat babies painting’

Ria Burns ‘My favourite piece of art is ‘Seizure’ by Roger Hiorns. The ethereal nature of the installation, plus the stunning colour and textures have been an inspiration to me since the first time I saw it. I also love that the work is slowly shifting and disintegrating through audience participation. It’s housed at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, which is my absolute favourite gallery and place in general! I make a detour every time I go up North.’

Rachel, Yetton ‘Portrait of Greta Moll by Henri Matisse at The National Gallery. I like it because of his use of colour, texture and pattern that give me a sense of warmth from his subject, Greta Moll.’

Ok David ‘Ok I have two! This Caricature Mask from Mexico at the Pitt Rivers Museum and the Human skull covered with turquoise and lignite mosaic at The British Museum. Both of them are like imagination teleportation devices that carry me to the time and place when they were made, which I love’

Eleanor, The Naked Weaver ‘Oh my god so many to choose from, but currently I’m loving the Making Mischief exhibition at Compton Verney, and they have a whole load of amazing folk costumes on display, including this incredible appliqued plough stots costume’

Jane Tyler ‘My favourite museum to visit in London is the V&A and particularly the ceramics galleries which are brimming with inspiration and wonder! One of the pieces I love to study is this Palissy dish made in the second half of 16th century and decorated with animals, shells and plant motifs. Bernard Palissy was the most innovative and original ceramicist during the French Renaissance and his work reflects the growing interest of the period in the understanding of the natural world.

Millie, The Chuffed Store ‘ I Love this piece ‘Break Off’ by Gillian Ayres at The Tate. The scale, the boldness of her mark making and ooof those colours- reminds me to be big and brave and take those risks! It is currently on loan to The White Chapel Gallery for their fantastic exhibition: Action, Gesture, Paint Women Artists and Global Abstraction 1940–70. Catch it before it closes on the 7th May