Art

In Jon Bentley’s latest oil paintings, Peter and Jane, the Lost Episodes, he succeeds in recontextualising commonplace scenes with unexpected and absurdly humorous interventions. Jon recalls his first encounter with the iconic Peter and Jane books: Like many people of my generation, I learned to read with Peter, Jane, Mummy, Daddy and Pat the dog. As I struggled with the unfamiliar letters, my eyes where invariably drawn to the picture on the opposite page, full of strange details that drew me in and seemed to suggest a richer more mysterious narrative than the prosaic stories and dialogue on the written page. Years later, Jon revisited those images and began to construct a series of alternative and surreal narratives — via My Life in Art

The Willow pattern is both highly recognisable and also seeped in history. Still popular now, the (most commonly) blue and white floral style was inspired by the porcelain the English were importing from China in the 18th Century — and now graphic designer Don Moyer is creating his very own subversive version with Calamityware. Moyer’s deceptive designs seem — at first glance — like regular Willow plates, but upon closer inspection, all kinds of hell is breaking loose. From frightening sea monsters to swarms of flying monkeys, UFOs, pirates and giant robots, the plates’ tranquil scenes are being dramatically interrupted. While the first five plates in the project have been confirmed (some of which are already available for purchase), the final and sixth plate is still being considered; Moyer is tossing up between a volcano, Sasquatch, pterodactyls, bats, alligators and several other — unlikely and comical—invasions — via Cool Hunting