crafty friends.

I was having 'one of those weeks' when I arrived home to find a little package waiting for me on the stairs from my very good friend Tessa. Not only did she make the very elegant wool felt pouch with extremely neat stitching around the edges, she also made the very beautiful sliver loops that are now hanging around my neck on this perfect necklace! What a great way to end an otherwise pear shaped week. And what a great friend.


Amusing article in The Age this weekend – 'Crafty Buggers'.

wednesday night.

After my post about designer Alexander Girard – I got all inspired to take another look at some of my drawings to see if I could simplify them (a-la Girard style) down to very basic shapes. I have found myself more and more avoiding my computer but alas I've been back on illustrator digitising my little babushka friends. However, I did hand draw the leaves on the belly because I feel you just can get that same personlaity with computer...



Last night I had so many ideas I couldn't sleep... if only I had more time. Perhaps more weekend.

sunday night.

Last week I attended a design conference here in The Hague and was fortunate enough to hear some great speakers. But, the best part of the conference came for me when Director of House Industries in New York, Rich Roat, spoke about a project they were doing on Alexander Girard. I must have been living under a rock because I had never heard of the this amazing designer who produced textiles for Herman Miller in the 1960's and created a really iconic and beautiful style of illustrations.


House Industries have been creating a series of products (dolls, puzzles, cushions) based on Girard's style. They're ridiculously expensive but very beautiful! I really love the slightly crazy dolls - such great colours.





Anyway, I really found something that I could connect with in his work and just thought I'd share it with you in case you've been under the same rock as me. Have a good week.

spindles.

So, lately I've been doing lots of drawing and trying not to think so much about why I'm doing it. Sounds strange I know but I've been really enjoying firstly not being on my computer and secondly not being to precious about the final outcomes. I'm hoping something will just spontaneously come together... Anyway, here's some abstract little spindle shapes I've been having fun with.

amsterdam.

When I was 14 I was desperate to become a photographer and Richard Avedon was my idol. 'Some' years on and I'm still amazed by his work. Lucky for me, last week I got to visit a retrospective exhibition of his work at Foam Gallery in Amsterdam. Although I had seen all the images a hundred times before and there was what seemed to be hundreds of people craning their necks to see the work - I loved it!

While I was wandering around Amsterdam, I also started taking photos, not to resurrect my photography dream but for some illustration inspiration. The wobbly, misshapen buildings are my favourite aspect of the city. It's almost like being in a cartoon where the proportions of the architecture just don't seem right. Slanted door frames, sloping windows and leaning walls. Anyway, here's a little drawing I did from some of the photos. (I won't show you my photos as they really don't cut the mustard next Avedon :)

I'm hoping to do a two colour screen print - this is just a little photoshop mock up of the colours I might use.