Minty the second...

Introducing Minty the second. I have to confess, Minty the first has been a sorry sight recently. Not so trusty but very rusty. Apparently too much sea air is bad for bikes left out in the rain, snow and sun... (such is life for many of Brighton's bikes). So I've gone out and bought Minty the second off gumtree and I'm back on the saddle. Did the first client meeting on it this morning and pleased to report all in order.

Hepworth Wakefield

It's the largest purpose-built gallery the UK has seen since 1968 – the David Chipperfield-designed Hepworth Wakefield is finally open to the public, making dozens of little-seen sculptures by local artist Barbara Hepworth and Wakefield Gallery's collection of British art of the 20th century free to all. The gallery is dramatically sited on the banks of the River Calder, where Chipperfield's pigmented-concrete structure was cast on site. The design is essentially a series of linked building blocks and the galleries are beautifully lit using daylight through slits in the roof. An understated visual identity by A Practice For Everyday Life uses bespoke typography that allows the materials and artwork to do the talking. I've always been a fan of Hepworth's work, since visiting her Cornish garden gallery when I was at art school. Looks like a trip to Yorkshire might be in the offing.

Bob

Happy birthday Mr Bob Dylan – 70 today.

Artists' Open Houses

Spent the last couple of weekends roaming the streets of Brighton and Hove in search of art — and found loads thanks to the fantastic idea of the Artists' Open Houses, a real celebration of creative talent in the city. This year a whopping 254 houses are opening their doors to the public each weekend in May. As well as a chance to visit areas of town you might never get to, you never quite know what kind of art, and what kind of gallery, you will find behind each door.

Yesterday we got the bus to Hanover and I loved in particular Janet Brooke's printmaking – especially her Brighton Allsorts series (first two images) – and beautiful garden studio, and very much enjoyed a cream tea and the art of Antigraphic aka Patrick Edgeley (bottom two images) at Quebec Art House.

See Paper Heart and many more at the Art Car Boot Fair

My lovely friend Nicole at Paper Heart is participating in the Art Car Boot Fair in Brick Lane on Sunday 19th June. "If you’re serious about art and love a bargain there’s only one place to be on Sunday June 19th! Exclusive works from Damien Hirst, the Chapmans, Marcus Harvey, Angela de la Cruz, Peter Blake, Gavin Turk, Tracey Emin and many more."

Fabrica

On a jaunt round town today popped into Fabrica, an art gallery in Brighton housed in an old flint church. Forty speakers around the space at torso-height began playing the polyphonic Spem in Alium by Thomas Tallis – an amazing sound as you're surrounded by all these voices singing the various parts. It's an installation entitled the Forty Part Motet by the artist Janet Cardiff, who is fascinated by using sound as a spatial form, enabling us to 'climb inside the music'. On until 30th May.

Homemaker

Enid Sneeney, the ceramic designer of the infamous Homemaker range (plate shown above) has died at 79. She was one of the first women to be trained at the Spode Copeland design studio before joining Ridgeway, where she designed the Homemaker range. Its launch saw it deemed as too avant garde for the market (typical Britain!) and it did not go into production. She left Stoke-on-Trent to be married soon after and it was only when she saw the range in her local Woolworths in Plymouth that she realised it had finally been a success. It remained in production until 1970. Alas, it remains the highlight of her career, as, after she married she sought work in menial jobs in her new south west home. A sad tale. The range is still as popular as ever with it being highly sought after in the collectables and vintage markets – so let's hope her name will live on. Read the full Guardian obit here.