Description:

This issue we meet some truly fascinating figures, all of whom embody the ethos of Hole & Corner. Responding to the theme of Elements, the designer-maker Nic Webb produced a specific work especially for the magazine from his rural Sussex base. We spend time with renowned ceramicist Joanna Still in Wiltshire and artist Martha Sturdy in British Columbia, to discuss how the elements inform their practice. We travel to Bosnia to witness the incredible woodcarving skills of Zanat and learn how designer Ilse Crawford is helping them to appeal to the contemporary market. We visit the fields of Dorset to see how Parterre have built a luxury fragrance and essential oils business, from the roots up. And we head to Saint-Nazaire to explore the crazy world of Oliver de Sagazan, who treads the borderline between sculpture and performance as he literally inhabits the clay that forms his art. Meanwhile, three hugely inspiring women, all working at the forefront of sustainability and materiality, provide insight into the work and inspirations: Natsai Audrey Chieza, Caroline Till of FranklinTill and Zoe Laughlin, co-founder of the Institute of Making. We have also been doing a little crafting and fine-tuning of our own: our new section, Assemble, highlights new talent, trends and ideas. In our interview with Ilse Crawford, she remarks that ‘We’ve lost our point of comparison – and also lost the understanding of the value of time and skill.’ It is that sense of value that we have always tried to encourage through Hole & Corner. Thankfully, we are not alone in understanding the need to promote and support a better way of life. We hope you enjoy the issue – it’s elemental.