Happy birthday to Roger Fry, born on this day in 1866. The English painter and critic was a founder of the Omega Workshops, along with fellow Bloomsbury Group members Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant. This hot bed of art and design production was established to fulfil the group’s objective of dissolving the barrier between fine and decorative arts, but also gave the artists a way to make a living, while still fulfilling their creative impulses. They made thoroughly modern textiles, ceramics, furniture and clothing, utilizing bold colours and abstract patterns in a manner that seemed truly radical at the time. Unfortunately this meant a luke-warm reception from critics and an exclusive client base, and the workshops closed after only six years of business. Luckily, you can see some of the incredible pieces that were produced at Charleston in Sussex, in the exhibition Post-Impressionist Living: The Omega Workshops, until 19 January 2020.
