London artisans keep globe-making alive

When I was in elementary school, about 25 years ago, a huge globe was one of the most coveted and costly graduation gifts. But in this age of GPS, Google Maps and Google Earth, few clamor over traditional globes anymore, and the art of globe making has fallen by the wayside. In fact only two workshops in the world still make handcrafted globes; one of them is Bellerby & Co. Globemakers, a studio based in London.

Founded by Peter Bellerby seven years ago, the idea came about when the former bowling alley boss struggled to find a well crafted globe for his father's 80th birthday present. Faced with a choice between a crappy made globe or a pricey vintage type, he decided to spend some time and money making his own. It turned out to be quite a bit more challenging, time consuming and more expensive than he thought. Eventually, it led to the creation of his own globe-making studio.

Now, the 49-year-old and his team of passionate artisans create bespoke globes which are popular with celebrities. Embedded below is a six-minute clip that documents the intricate processes that go into making these wonderful objects, as well as a brief interview with the Globemaker himself.

[h/t: My Modern Met]

Comments

Joie de vivre

Emily Powell has made a name for herself with her series of simple, colorful and exuberant paintings. Her passion pours out directly onto the canvas, inspiring the viewer to do something fun. Emily has exhibited with the Royal Society of Art and collaborated with MoMA and British Museum. Whether it's a coastal landscape, a cute animal, or an explosion of florals, her paintings will surely light up your day.

Katy Ann Gilmore is my new favorite on Instagram

Katy Ann Gilmore is a Los Angeles-based visual artist who specializes in making extraordinary illustrations on paper and large scale murals using micron and gel pens. Her elaborate line work is painstakingly methodical, layering strokes of the pen in varying directions to create amazing shapes and topography that look like they are covered with intricate mesh netting. I was wondering how many pen strokes does it take to complete just one of these drawings, so I did some research and found out that her small 5 in. by 7 in. illustrations typically take a few hours, while an 11 in. by 14 in. picture can take anywhere from 10-25 hours. "My hand does hurt a bit after marathon sessions, but never anything too crazy," she told Lisa Congdon. "I try to rest my eyes/hands/brain every once in awhile by looking away from the drawing, dropping the pen, and taking a breather." Katy received a BA in Mathematics, Art, and Spanish from Greenville College in Il...

finding cain

Search This Blog