Kaffe Fassett

We've been pretty lucky so far this year - as far as the late spring/early summer weather is concerned. Our city has had its more than fair share of sunshine.

However, as we all know, there is no guarantee of a constant stream of blue-sky days to come as we head into July and the holiday season.

However, whatever the elements throw at us, l can guarantee one indoor space in Bath that is constantly bathed in rainbow colours - and will remain so through to the end of September.

Opening tomorrow, at the Victoria Art Gallery, is an artistic collaboration that'll thrill your senses as artist and textile designer Kaffe Fassett returns to the city with a new exhibition of quilts AND a new book to go with it.

Alongside him, in the gallery, his longtime friend - and fellow exhibitor - fine artist Candice Bahouth creates grand rococo mirrors decorated with porcelain and china pieces.

Regular visitors will remember their previous stunning exhibitions at the gallery, Blue and White and A Celebration of Flowers. Both shows broke attendance records too!

 This vibrant exhibition showcases 23 large new quilts and ties in with Kaffe's forthcoming book, Timeless Themes. Kaffe has searched through his print archives to demonstrate the different motifs that people love to return to over and over again in patchwork designs: stripes, circles, dots, flowers and foliage. 

Candice, meanwhile, has been Inspired by the beauty of china itself, and her works are in numerous private and public collections, including The V&A.  Her previous exhibitions have featured mirrored candlesticks, totems and shoes representing her distinctive vision.  Also on display are charming and fanciful candelabras adorned with birds and romantic figures.

While the final touches were being put to the exhibition - ahead of tomorrow's opening - l was able to speak to Kaffe. He's lived in the Bath area for some time now and l asked him whether it was through coming to this area that he had met Candice.

[jenh]

COLOR is LIFE 🎉🎉🎉
COLOR breaths life into every aspect of our being!!!
Without COLOR,
LIFE is extremely boring...

Kaffee Fassett is absolutely delightful ❤❤❤

[scbadive]

I love his designs, I've been watching him since the 80's when I bought Glorious Knitting & Glorious Needlepoint. Nobody has the gift for color like Kaffe. He's one of a kind.

[mariecolello]

Kaffe’s fabric designs & his patterns just light up my day! They make me HAPPY!

[melissabrocherie]

❤ what an amazingly talented gentleman.

[craftycalley]

Wonderful man. I met him at his exhibition in Edinburgh a few months ago. I told him that working with his fabulous fabric had provided me with many hundreds of hours of pleasure. So glad I met him.

[patriciabryant]

I always enjoy seeing and listening to interviews with Kaffe. Imagine people finding a quilt of his 100 years from now.

[joycesmith]

Would have loved to seen the rest of his quilts, such beautiful fabrics.

[barbaraseville]

I love Fassett’s work in all media. Like him, I want my paintings to bring people delight; I’m not ashamed of that!

[MrJoannio]

love your packet of seeds quilt i have just bought the kit

[Westernwilson]

Lovely quilts, I really enjoy all that cleverly curated fabric and how he uses it: the colours just light up the room. I did find the uneven mike levels in the interview incredibly distracting: the subject should be at the same sound level as the interviewer, and the interviewer should refrain from "clever" commentary. Let the subject do the talking.

[jennymoss]

He exhibited work at Powys Castle, wish I could have met him.

[janesalisbury]

I've seen this exhibition in Bath, loved the fabrics, disliked the ceramics . . . . BUT £180 for a tiny narrow scarf in the ''gift shop'', ffs c'mon Kaffe there is crarf and there is rip-off, that is rip-off.

[judygardiner]

Sorry not a fan of all that mish match