Inspiration: Flea markets

I found these dolls at the 77th Street Sunday Flea & Green Market during a recent NYC trip. There is something quite quirky wonderful about them. Love her peacock feather outfit.

New Work: Brooks Brothers Silk screen Print

Close up

Here's a photo of my new Brooks Brothers suit print.
It's printed on Maidstone 100% rag paper and measures 26" X 39" and makes a fine Christmas gift.
See earlier posts for pics of the whole inky process.

Inspiration: Bev Hisey

I'm still in a very nesty space these days.
Love this Moroccan rug by Bev Hisey. The yellow is so juicy.

Press: Breakfast Television

Today the lovely Samantha Pynn (Host of Pure Design on HGTV) featured some of my prints on a segment of Breakfast Television on CITY TV. Samantha is also a contributor to Style at Home magazine.

Inspiration: 1950s fabrics

The cover is Lucienne Day's Small Hours 1953

Cover is Lucienne Day's Perpetua 1953

Lucienne Day's famous Calyx
love the texture within the 'fat tulip' shapes

A textile by Terence Conran and David Whitehead 1950

I am working on a project involving patterns right now so am pouring over two of my fave books for pattern inspiration:
Fifties Furnishing Fabric
and V&A Pattern: The Fifties
both part of the Victorian and Albert collection of books.
I love the abstract flat forms, spindley lines and blobby bits in these 1950s designs.Its clear many of the designers were influenced by modern painters such as Paul Klee and Joan Miro.

Back in the studio

Mixing the ochre green (Yellow + blue + titch of red)

Inking the screen.
Putting the ink on with the spatula always reminds me of putting icing on a cake. yum.

Pulling the print

And lift... Ta da!

The green layer

The final result with ochre and black passes added on top.

Wrist Watch Wednesday: A very special Rolex Oyster Everest

Ok so my Wrist Watch Wednesday segment has been somewhat neglected (understatement) but today Scott Williamson wrote to me with a great story regarding this very special watch owned by his dad Donald Williamson.
60 years ago his father was the very first brave soul to step in during the SS Noronic fire, one of the worst disasters in the history of Toronto.
For his bravery he was awarded this beautiful Rolex watch which has a wonderful inscription on the back. Scott has recently restored it and wears in proudly.

Creativity according to Andy Spade

This is a quote from an interview between Andy Spade and Glenn O'Brien from Interview magazine.
Je comprend.

Press: Globe and Mail

Today's Globe and Mail features an article on the mural I created for Hollace Cluny.
It's in the Style section page L6 written by Danny Sinopoli.
Here is a snap shot of the online version of the article.

Inspired by Rand + Haake: Crayon boat

Inspired by the collages of Paul Rand and Martin Haake I'm experimenting with combining different media in my drawings. I like the mix of the scrawley crayon with the line drawing.

Sketches

Am working on sketches for some new silk screen prints.
I will be continuing my alphabet series which I started with s is for swing.
Here's the latest for all those knitters out there: w is for wool.

Words to Design By: Paul Rand's theory of contrasts

This sums up perfectly why Rand's designs work so well. Am gonna post it in my studio.

Design Inspiration

Beautiful poster by Design studio Heads of State which was influenced by the work of 1940s record pioneer Alex Steinweiss.


Stills from wonderous film titles created by Saul Bass.
Great use of contrast and such a sense of whimsy.
What a Master!!

I've already featured this book but it bears repeating.
Highly recommended.


Two great Rand book covers.

Began work on the poster today.
Step 1 = Flipping through my typography and book design books. New Vintage Type, Paul Rand, A Mano and Masters of Poster Design are four reference books that keep close by at all times.
The design studio Heads of State, Saul Bass and Paul Rand were very inspirational as always.
All are wonderous at contrasting textures and producing a simple elegant solution.

Inspiration: Beautiful handwritten Type

I got an assignment for a poster full of handlettered type today so have begun the process of gathering inspiration.
Found this beautiful hand written note from a site which highlights some of Jane Campion's documentation from the making of her film Bright Star. I love the crease of the envelope, and the big H and the d curling back on Hampstead... but most of all I like the ink blobs on the E.

The grey obsession continues

Don't you just love this unexpected combination of warm grey and yellow? Delicious and sophisticated.

A gorgeous deep shade.

This is Benjamin Moore's Kendall Charcoal.

Always looks so much lighter in the can!

My grey obsession continues.
Have finished painting office and livingroom -- both in grey.
There are so many beautiful shades - so deep and soulful - and they make everything you put on the wall (especially pink, orange and yellow just POP!) I just don't see how anyone would want to use another colour?

Press: Uppercase Journal

Uppercase featured me on their blog yesterday.
Thanks Janine!

Press: Style at Home

Brett Walther interviewed me for Style at Home magazine today. The article will appear in the February issue (which drops the first week of January). Here is a blog post he wrote a while back regarding my penguin prints.