Stuff for the Laycocks: Adam Ellison

Illustrator/designer, Adam Ellison is the first contributor to the 'Stuff for the Laycocks section'. He has chosen this great ceramic 'Whippy' light fitting, celebrating the new lightbulb shape instead of disguising it. Laycocks, if you get bored of this one, you know who to give it to.

Whippy lighting can be found at Mixko.co.uk.

Check out Adam's website for a feast of graphic design and illustration works and keep those suggestions for the Laycocks coming to bryonylloyd@live.com.

New Section: Stuff for the Laycocks

Ever thought to yourself 'Lord, I've got so much money but not a clue of what to spend it on'? No, me neither, but Jackpot winners the Laycocks from Cirencester have -poor buggers. This is where I (and you) come in. With the help of the Laurence King book '1000 New Designs 2', I'm going to help the Laycocks cram their sparkly new mansion full of stuff.

So, first we will start with this embroider it yourself bowl designed by Guillaume Delvigne and Ionna Vautrin. It could be a loose money bowl? No, not big enough.

Then this Shay Alkalay Pivotting cabinet. This is great because more stuff will have to be bought to fill it.

If you have any suggestions for the 'Stuff for the Laycocks' section, then please e-mail bryonylloyd@live.com. Together, we can help them.

Alex Prager

When we think of LA, most think cinema, glamour and all things fake. Alex Prager's staged portraits of often vacant women in synthetic wigs explores this with dark undertones. The influence of Hitchcock and Lynch are apparent. Along with a sprinkle of Gregory Crewdson and a dusting of Guy Bourdin, I'm finding these images equally compelling.

Buckminster Fuller (great name)

If, like me, you spent science lessons drawing your teachers in the back of your exercise book and writing lists of 100 things to do before you die, then it's time to wake up and smell the Buckminster Fuller. Labelled a 20th Century Da Vinci, the architect come futurist predicted such events as the internet, the environmental crisis as well as inventing the geodestic dome (That's the Eden Project dome structure to you and me). His work is becoming increasingly relevant. Boff up and read his book 'Your Private Sky', available at Artwords, Broadway Market.

Joe Crocker

I had the great pleasure of attending Brighton University with this young man. He writes and illustrates his own fantastical tales involving the adventures of all sorts of eccentric protagonists. He has released a book ,'Vendoin', with small press Nobrow, but the little bugger has sold out!

You can see more of Joe's work in Nobrow's second publication 'The Jungle'. Available, of course, at Artwords, Broadway Market.

Spirits of the Dead, 1968

Spirits of the Dead is a true 60's take on the gothic stories of Edgar Allen Poe. The tale that does it for me is 'Metzengerstein' starring Jane Fonda, as she attempts to seduce Baron Berlifitzing (played by Fonda's own brother, Peter). The thing that makes Metzengerstein shine for me is Jane Fonda's costumes, designed by Jacques Fonteray. Fonteray was also responsible for costume design in 60's classic Barbarella and so injects the same fetishised almost sci-fi style into this medevil tale. I only wish there were better pictures available. Go and rent/buy!

Paul Kelly is good

Lovely graphic screen-printed posters by Mr Kelly and a jazzy website too. If I had a penny to my name, I'd buy one of his prints.

Dakis Joannou

This surreal vessel looked like it has just sailed right out of Photoshop, however it is actually the yacht of businessman Dakis Joannou. The billionaire art collector had Jeff Koons design the exterior and it's quite something. Put your shades on as this sails by.

Vogue Paris have done a feature on this, available at Artwords, Broadway Market.

If Looks Could Kill:Cinema's Images of Fashion, Crime and Violence

This little Koenig treat came in last year. The essays cover all sorts of interesting takes on costumes in dark cinema from mainstream to the underground. It therefor has lots of good film suggestions (it has aided my passion for 70's horror). Far from superficial, the book delves into the semiotics behind on-screen dress, for all you thinking fashionistas.

Available at Artwords, Broadway Market.

Starburst:Colour photography in America 1970-1980

Neal Slavin

Joel Mereyowitz

Joel Sternfeld

So here's where it all begins. Some people thought it was a poor development from the high standards of black and white photography that had come previously, others thought it was new and interesting. I'm part of the latter school of thought.

Starburst, published by Hatje Cantz, features great works by Joel Sternfeld, Joel Meyerowitz and Neal Slavin to name but a few.

Come and take a look at Artwords Bookshop, Broadway Market.