Tuesday, April 30, 2013

New Work: Illustration for Smithsonian magazine

Here's a new piece just completed for Smithsonian magazine. I loved drawing the higgley piggley stack of books and was very happy to illustrate an article by Clive Thompson - one of my favourite writers on new media and fellow U. of T. Alumna!

Thanks to Art Director Maria Keehan for the gig.

My Canapé plates now available online

My Canapé plates are now available online at The Bay.

Friday, April 26, 2013

New patterns for SURTEX

I have been madly preparing for SURTEX- the Surface design show in NYC May 19-21st.

Here is a new Vintage ornaments pattern in pink colourway.

Here it is in Blue colourway. 

I'll have many more brand new patterns available which I'll reveal at my booth. 
If you're in NYC do pop by Booth 340 and say hello 
or send me an email to set up an appointment.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

New book cover + Puffin reveal on cbc books

This past winter I created a new cover for Kit's Pearson wonderful (and at times heart breaking!) book Awake and Dreaming. The book is one of four new editions of classic Canadian books which will become part of the Puffin Classics Series.


 I love the art direction of this new series. Art director Lisa Jager unified all the covers with minimal colour and dramatic cropping.

Here's another in the series with cover created by one of my favourite illustrators Isabelle Arsenault.

All this week, one at a time,  the covers are being revealed on the cbc books website.
Today my cover was revealed. See below or check it out here
 
 

This is Tonight

The Design Exchange continues to nab great International speakers....

Sunday, April 21, 2013

New work: LCBO ads

 These 2 ads I illustrated have been appearing online on the Globe and Mail, Toronto Life and Canadian House + Home websites.

A few Birthday party pics

 Me and my dear friend Andrew
 
 Rosanna, Shannon, Sandy, Nora and me
Great Artscape neighbours Jen, Valerie + Richard

Nora and Zab

 Pumpkin cake by wonderful Artscape neighbour Greg Oh
One of my favourite people Alan Sears

Thursday, April 18, 2013

I have the sweetest customers

It's my birthday today and had to share that one of my all time favourite customers sent me tickets to go see the Wizard of Oz. Thank you Alan. You're wonderful.
Am filled with much love and gratitude today. Yes corny.

And the Winners of the Give Away are....

1. Butterfly Mug
Angelica Galante
Lisa H

2. Oven Mitts
Alan Forsyth
Anne Lamarche

3. Tea Towel
Carolyn Verkuyl
Jen Tindall

4. Birdie Canapé plates
Linda Theron
Greg Oh

5. Apron
Maureen O
Lady Findlay

Congrats! and Thanks to everyone who entered.


Wednesday, April 17, 2013

New type sample

I would love to see this on a grey tshirt with letters popped out in white....

Sunday, April 14, 2013

My Percy plate put to good use


Natalie Mitrovich + Rae Upton took this shot of their delicious cookies on my Percy plate.
Thanks!

Friday, April 12, 2013

File under Funny people

I went to hear Canadian mom turned Hollywood screenwriter /Twitter sensation Kelly Oxford this week.
Funny and inspirational both in terms of both her writing + style.

My Favourite exchange:

Interviewer: Why do you put in so many specific references in your writing like Orphan Annie's broken locket? Aren't you worried that people won't get the references?

Kelly: I put them in to bring my people closer to me. My people get the references. :-)

It's inspiration for me to always create + write from the truest part of myself - and then have confidence that it will resonate with others.

Monday, April 8, 2013

A Give Away!

Happy Monday!
The Bay has generously donated two complete sets of my capsule collection below for a Give Away.
To enter leave a comment here or send an email to alanna(dot)cavanagh(at)gmail.com and I'll post below.
Contest closes Wed April 17th. Good luck!

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Now Available! My Capsule Collection at The Bay


My capsule collection at the Bay is now available in all 90 stores of the Bay. 
It consists of: 4 canapé plates, a garden themed tea towel, a butterfly mug, floral oven mitts and a matching apron - all united in a very springy palette of juicy oranges purples + lime green.


Here's a close up of the canapé plates, butterfly mug and tea towel from the Queen St display.

FYI The yellow bird is based on my canary Lord Percy and after creating so many drawings of my furniture and shoes... Percy is thrilled to be (finally!) featured in my work. :-)

The Production team at the Bay headed by Pinakin Mistry did a great job on the packaging of the collection. I particularly like the adorable round box for the canapé plates.
Thanks also to the talented Jenna Russelle of PRNT for helping me with the floral repeat.

Here's another shot from Queen St store display.

And Great News: The Bay very generously donated two complete sets of the collection for a Give Away! Tune in tomorrow for a chance to win an item from my collection! 

One of my favourite places in the world to be


Saturday night at the bar at F'amilia with MM.

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Covet Garden


The latest issue of covet garden is out with cover illustrated by me.
What's more exciting is that the issue features the happy home of my wonderful massage therapist Michelle Yee of Soft Mechanic and her fella Glen.
Here's a pic of Michelle's massage room with my Room of One's Own print on the wall.
I just love getting under that moose blanket! One of my favourite places to be.

Thanks to the fabulous Lynda Felton + Jessica Reid of Covet Garden for the gig. xx

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Illustrations for the LCBO

Not too much blogging going on here as I've had my head down for a full month working on a new project for the LCBO in conjunction with Blammo Ad agency.
Last year I created illustrations for 3 videos for LCBO and I'm now working on 4 more.

This is the full version of an illo which was created for a LCBO video titled " How to shop for Wine".
In the final edit the client chose to crop out the light and part of the heads.
You can watch the video here.
This is a rejected sketch. I like her big chunky necklace + glasses and think she looks like she works as an art gallery curator. I've named her Miriam! :-)