Thea's Gift - Mother's Day Collection
Andrew Logan is thrilled to present an extra special collection of new pieces curated by Venetia Porter and her younger daughter Rhiannon Tripp, in memory of their mother & grandmother, Thea Porter, who was Andrew's first patron in 1973. Their collection, entitled Thea's Gift, has been created in time for Mother's Day 2023. We hope Thea's Gift will inspire joyful and celebratory gift giving and send heartfelt love to mothers everywhere!
Andrew made his first ever jewellery collection for Thea Porter in 1973 - which started a wonderful adventure into wearable art creation. We are happy to celebrate 50 years since that very first jewellery commission this year.
Andrew first met artist and designer Thea Porter at the exhibition Ten Sitting Rooms, which took place at the ICA, London in 1970. Thea gave Andrew his first commission: a nine-foot silver lily for her shop in Soho. This was an important milestone for Andrew - in his words, "I was a professional artist at last". Andrew subsequently made Thea an eight-foot, black palm tree, with illuminated mirrored hearts from it, as well as many other creations.
Andrew says in his book, Reflections: "Thea was my first patron, she really did get me going and introduced me to some fascinating people." Her first jewellery commission was a beautiful tiara, which Andrew made using mirrored stars that had previously served as tree hangings.
Thea's generosity and support carries on through the generations. Her daughter, Venetia worked until recently at the British Museum, and as curator in the Department of Coins and Medals, she included one of Andrew's crown pieces in an exhibition on royalty. This was the first time Andrew exhibited at the British Museum. More recently, Thea's granddaughter, Rhiannon, set up a fantastic Reflections book launch event last November at Waterstones in Kensington where she is the manager, which featured Venetia and Andrew in conversation!
Venetia has edited and put together a wonderful book about her mother, Thea Porter's Scrapbook which includes working drawings, sketches and snapshots and serves as a fantastic memoir of her early life and career. It is a beautiful book and we can't recommend it enough!
We are thrilled to present their selection of ten newly created and never-before-seen pieces of Andrew's wearable art, and Andrew sends thanks once again to Thea Porter and her wonderful family for their patronage and inspiration.
Venetia says:
‘I have a wonderful collection of earrings and brooches made by Andrew and a star necklace that belonged to my mother. I love them, they come with me in a little bag wherever I go and make me so happy when I wear them. These ten pieces that Rhiannon and I chose together are wonderful, they include a lily which was my mother’s favourite flower, pieces that look like fabric as well as stars that she specially commissioned for one of her shows in the early 1970s. She would have adored them and I love that they have become part of Rhiannon’s life as well.’
Rhiannon says:
'One of my earliest memories of my mother is watching her getting ready to go out: she’d be dressed head to toe in Issey Miyake, spritz herself with some Tabac Blond and finish the look with some Andrew Logan earrings and a brooch. I was captivated by the way they glittered and shone, and so was utterly delighted when I was presented with my very own brooch in the shape of a Teletubby! Although I unfortunately didn’t have much time with my grandmother, Thea, when she was alive, I have delighted in rediscovering her as an adult. Working on Thea Porter’s Scrapbook with my mother helped make Thea, the mythical woman from my childhood, real. I am touched to have been asked to contribute to this collection and to honour both my mother and my grandmother - two women who have inspired me and whom I hold very close to my heart.'
ASK ANDREW TO MAKE STARS - Detail from Thea Porter's sketchbook courtesy of Venetia Porter