....penultimate perfect....

And, of course, the answer to yesterday's question, What was the name of Marion Foale’s partner in her famous fashion design business of the 1960s?, is Sally Tuffin.  Obviously a great number of you out there who were cutting a swathe stylistically back in the Swinging Sixties.....

One of the great things about hosting residential workshops is that we get to watch participants slowly emerge from their art and craft shells.  Even those who arrive declaring their working lives are “uncreative” or that they have “never picked up a needle”  are soon producing amazing work, thanks to the encouragement of the leaders and supportive atmosphere in the studio.   Some people have a background in the arts, with great experience either professionally or as an amateur, but in some ways arriving at a workshop with no preconceptions about the art/craft, or how a thing should or should not be done can be an advantage, and we are constantly bowled over by the imagination and creativity of the work "novices" take away with them.

In 2008 we had the great good fortune to have a photographer arrive for Julie Arkell’s workshop and she has been back, for one workshop or another, every year since and often using her various workshops as inspiration for stitching and photography.  From her first visit we fell in love with Rebecka Ryberg Skott and her hard-to-define but unforgettable photographs;   rising early and before the other participants in to order to make use of the quiet  and just the right light, she composes vintage childrens’ toys and books, memorabilia, found objects and natural props to tell her unique picture stories.  Sometimes they are funny, sometimes nostalgic but always executed with an acute eye for detail, colour and content.  (We have been trying to persuade her to take photographs for our LSA cook book, but she cannot be tempted to stray from her own journey).

Here are a few of our favorites - you may recognise some of them (which she has generously given us permission to use) from our website and blog   -  but find yours on Rebecka's own wonderful blog where she often twins photographs to the lyrics of a favourite song.

And today's prize is an original limited edition print of Rebecka’s, "Shelter From the Storm"

Question No 11

On which of Les sours Anglaises' web pages will you find a photograph taken by Rebecka Ryberg Skott?   

Answer to:  katie@lessoeursanglaises.com