One of my top five for inspiration: Hillman Curtis

Recently I re-listened to Debbie Millman's interview with Filmmaker/Designer /Author Hillman Curtis.
It's available from the website of her radio show Design Matters.
I had first listened to it after I heard him speak at the 2007 Design Thinkers conference. His soulfulness emanated from the stage that day -corny but true! - and I was compelled to learn more about him.
His story of going from work that had become uninspired and routine to work that was very meaningful for him was really inspirational. (And incredibly similiar to the path Frank Gehry outlined in the documentary Sketches of Frank Gehrey.. but I digress)
I loved how Hillman encouraged artists to be vulnerable and keep themselves open. My favorite line from the interview was "When I do work that feels really true... I feel closer to God.
Great guy.

Design Loves A Depression

Great article in New York Times yesterday by Michael Canell.
Design Loves A Depression.
via Apartment therapy
Good quotes:

"Design tends to thrive in hard times. In the scarcity of the 1940s, Charles and Ray Eames produced furniture and other products of enduring appeal from cheap materials like plastic, resin and plywood, and Italian design flowered in the aftermath of World War II."

And from Paola Antonelli quoted in the same article -

"What designers do really well is work within constraints, work with what they have. This might be the time when designers can really do their job, and do it in a humanistic spirit."

Yes yay for constraints! restraints! and limitations! All good for aiding creativity.

Pack your bags! James Yang's Away from Home

Wow. James Yangs's film Away From Home really makes me want to pack my bags. (and not forget my scanner and memory stick!) These gutsy illustrators are very inspirational.
(Where to first? Barcelona, Berlin or Argentina...)
First presented at the ICON Illustration Conference last summer.
via the fabulous Swiss Miss. Thanks.

Lynda Barry: On Creativity and Not listening to the 2 Questions

For New Year's Day Q replayed Jian's fabulous interview with Lynda Barry. Lynda was speaking about her latest book What it is which was described as part autobiography, part philosophical exploration and many parts instructional guide. She made a strong case for the belief that creative work has more to do with mental health than entertainment.
She cited some research that explained that the brain flow of children involved in deep play and the brain flow of adults in deep concentration is identical. Consequently she believes that creative work has a biological function ie. it should not be done just so you can hear someone say "This is good". She feels if we don't use it it's like having a vitamin deficiency. YES.
The point is that it is good to make something for no reason, but just for the experience itself. And she goes on to say that the neat thing is that if the experience is good, it'll transfer in the "marks' you make. YES.
Also explains that there are 2 questions that inhibit adults and present an obstacle to creativity:
"Is it good?"
"Does this Suck?"
She advises us to ignore those 2 questions and just create.
You can listen to the full interview by going here. I highly recommend it.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year Everyone.
This is one of 13 images I illustrated for a 2009 calendar for Workopolis.
I worked with Creative Director Carolyn Verkuyl.
Below are a few more months I created.
I used a silk screen background and very minimal colour.
The Light bulb image below was inspired by Saul Bass, one of my favorite designers.

Perfect is the Enemy of Done

I've been reading The Huffington Post Complete guide to Blogging over the holidays.
It's full of all sorts of helpful advice such as "Perfect is the Enemy of Done".
In that spirit -- my first new year's resolution is definitely to be more done than perfect.
One of the contributors Gretchen Rubin also explains that it's easier to blog every day than it is 3 or 4 times a week because you get into a rhythm, loosen up and stay engaged with the topic.
So in the spirit of that thought -- my second resolution of 2009 is to try to blog atleast 5 days a week. Why do i feel like about 823 people just typed the same thing in the last hour?
Happy New Year dear readers. May 2009 be wonderful for you.

Press: Wish Magazine Winter 09

'Orange Scissors' silkscreen in Living Room



Lovely family.


'S is for Swing' print in Simon + Henry's bedroom


"An Intelligent woman's guide" Penguin book cover print in hallway

The home of my fabulous friends Liz + Steve is featured in this month's issue of Wish magazine.
The article which was written by Tanya Linton is entitled Fabulous Family Style with the tag line
" Anyone who thinks a cool pad and kids don't mix hasn't had the privilege of seeing when it does". Several of my silk screen prints appear in the spread including Big Orange scissors, S is for Swing and one of my Penguin book covers.
The shoot was produced by Suzanne Dimma -one of my favorite interior designers.
The issue is on newstands now - sadly it's Wish's last issue!

Press: Canadian House + Home

My Room of One's Own print appears in the December 08 issue of Canadian House and Home.

It's partially blocked by a tray of donuts (very glamourous).
Here's an image of the print in full as well as a shot of it "in situ" to give you a sense of the scale of it.

Artist's Gallery on BlogT0

Blog TO set up an artist's gallery and asked me to participate.

Inspiration: I met the Walrus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmR0V6s3NKk

Back in 1969, 14-year-old Beatles fan Jerry Levitan snuck into John Lennon's hotel room in Toronto. Armed with a reel-to-reel tape deck, Levitan convinced Lennon to do an interview. 38 years later, director Josh Raskin created an animated film using Levitan's original interview recording.

Written directed and animated by Josh Raskin
Pen illustrations by James Braithwaite
Computer illustration by Alex Kurina

Love the combination of Barithwaite's 'yellow submarine-ish'pen + ink drawing with victorian ad cuts, newspaper articles and photographs.
Also love how Raskin animates the character of Jerry Levitan solely by opening his mouth like an old fashioned marionette.
A lesson in less is more.
Beautiful and witty.

New Work: Prints

I've been silk screening up a storm this weekend.
Love being with my squeegee and ink.
Completed a 3rd edition of my underwood typewriter
and printed 2 new pieces Birdie and Eloise shoe.

New Work: Aries girl

This is an illustration I just finished for a book I'm working on.
It's published by Penguin Books and will be released in the Spring.

Candid Obama shots

Happy Election Day

Go Obama Go.

New Work: Ad for Air New Zealand

Here is the full ad as it appeared in Extra magazine.



Art direction: Ron Spohn at Spohn Design (nice guy)

Animation of my typewriter

Marc Whiteway and I have begun collaborating on some animations using my illustrations and his flash skills.
Here's the first one.