Sketches for Good Egg

I'm working on a canvas tote for the lovely cookbook store Good Egg. (which just happens to be owned by my friend Mika -see previous posts!) Mika liked the Julia child quote I painted a few weeks ago so we've decided to possibly incorporate it into the design. Here are some doodles and ideas.
Would love to hear if you have a favorite.

Inspiration: Dunderdon

My friend Lyndsay introduced me to a great clothing line today: Dunderdon from Gothenburg Sweden.
Style = "Scandinavian Sombre chic": kinda lumberjack meets librarian.
Love the Bergmanesque models with black tights and flat shoes. Also happy to discover they have a store in Soho. (Am off to NYC for quick trip on Thursday).

Back in the studio: Brooks Suit Part 2

Black line print in the drying rack.

Tonight I printed the black line version of the Brooks Brothers suit.
I printed some on Maidstone 100% Rag paper and some on Kiraku Kozo.
Both papers have a lovely deckled edge.

Into the studio: Printing the Brooks Brothers suit

Brooks Screen 25" x 42"

Studio

Lovely collection of squeegees

Inking the screen

Ta da!


Red suit drying in the drying rack

Today I began work on my new edition of Brooks Brothers Suit silk screen prints.
I printed them in the wonderful studio run by the Contemporary Textile Co-op in the 401 Richmond building.
I'm producing a varied edition: some single pass prints in red, some in black and some in a combination 2 layer print in olive green + black. Tonight I completed the single pass red ink prints. I printed some on Maidstone 100% Rag paper and some on Kiraku Kozo paper from the Japanese Paper Place. (FYI They have a wonderful artist resource centre there and fantastic staff to help when selecting papers!)

Stripey socks

Duxbury grey, Coventry grey or Florentine plaster?

Sadly this is why i haven't been blogging lately!
Am obsessed with choosing paint colours for my office and livingroom.
It'll be great to have my brain back soon.

ps. The secret to a nice warm grey is to add yellow to it. Otherwise it looks cold and battle shippy. This I learn 4 walls later. Oy vey.
See I told you -- obsessed.

Julie and Julia

I saw Julie + Julia tonight and had a tight throat though much of it. Yes corny.
Was quite moved by the stories of the two main characters Julia Child + Julie Powell - both unconventional women full of pluck who worked very hard to figure out their place in the world. Also very inspiring to learn that Julia Child didn't start cooking until she was 37. wow.

New Work: Hollace Cluny Wall Mural

Detail

Exterior of the shop 1070 Yonge St

The drawing which the mural is based on

Pottery by Jennifer Graham

Pillow by Bev Hisey

My Big Scissor Print against wallpaper by Tracy Kendall

My Mural at Hollace Cluny is up!
My illustrations in red vinyl also appear in mirrors in the store and on the front window. Here are some pics including the drawing which the mural is based on.
ps. When I visited today I was struck by the fantastic pillows of Bev Hisey and pottery of Jennifer Graham -- so have included pics of their work as well.
So much lovely stuff in the shop from great Canadian designers - Come take a peek!
1070 Yonge St.

Brooks Brothers

Today I received my invite to the Brooks Brothers party which will mark it's first store opening in Canada.
Back in 2003 I created illustrations for their 185th Anniversary book. Attached are the illos I created of suits from 1930 and 1950. In 2006 I also created a small edition of large silk screen prints based on the 1930s suit. I'll be making a second edition of it this month and it will be available through Hollace Cluny.
ps.
Recently Brooks Brothers CEO Claudio Del Vecchio acknowledged that Mad Men has added a new cool caché to the long established label! Who doesn't want to look like Donald Draper?

New work: Homemakers Magazine

Here's an illustration I just completed for Homemakers Magazine. It is for an article on how to winterize your garden.
I had fun incorporating some fabric into the drawing.
This material is Blue Vine floral made by Windham Fabrics. I found it on one of my absolute favorite fabric sites: Purl Soho. It's connected to a great little shop in Soho on Sullivan St in NYC. I have trouble breathing when in there. Highly recommended for textile enthusiasts!