End of Year Give Away!

To end the year on a high note I am giving away two of my new prints: dress judy and small iron.

In 2011 I'd like to expand my company and make more products so to be eligible for the draw please add a comment to this posting suggesting something you'd like to see me produce next year. Tshirts? Tea towels? Rugs?
Lemme know! I'm looking forward to your comments.

Two winners will be chosen at random on January 10th.
Please provide an email address so that I contact you if your name is chosen.
Good luck!

Dorothy Draper: Brash + Bold

Because Draper's furniture is full of swirls + curves it is extremely fun to sketch.

Reproductions of these pieces are now available through Kindel furniture.

I'm continuing to work on my project for the IDS in January.
The client requested some illustrations with a 'Dorothy Draper' sensibility.
A quick trip to wikipedia filled me in that Dorothy Draper was the most famous decorator in America from the 1930s to 1960s. Her style was big, brash, + bold, and bordered on what some would consider gaudy. She used her trademark cabbage-rose chintz and neo-baroque plasterwork to create innovative + dramatic interiors for hotels, restaurants, department stores and private homes.
It's fun when illustration assignments connect up with my interest in design history.

Bliss

A night off with glass of wine + Gary Shteyngart book = Bliss.

Cozy

Inspiration for my entranceway.
Home of the American painter John Dowd for Elle Decor.
Don'tcha just wanna curl up in there?
Love the antiquey couch mixed with folksy pillows.
Photographer William Waldron. (who has a stunning website)
via the wonderful design traveller.

My Scissors at the Workroom

To coincide with the selling of my sewing related prints at the workroom my big orange scissor prints are currently hanging in the front windows. They feel right at home amongst the sewing machines and gorgeous fabric!
The workroom is located at 1340 Queen St. West in Parkdale and if you've never been you really ought to pay them a visit.

Getting Away for the Weekend

Get-a-way!


Gorgeous scenes like this always make me think of the Group of Seven.

I got a way for a lovely rode trip on the weekend. The snow up north was really beautiful.

Alphabet legs completed

The screen
I also use this screen to make my Alphabet cards

Screening onto the acetate and then doing a draft

Final print Signed and numbered

Last night I completed my Alphabet legs print.
It measures 12" X 22" and is a 3rd edition of 10. I'll be emailing the customers who ordered this print in the spring but if I have forgotten you please drop me a line!

Here comes the wall and Thoughts on Entryways

With one 7 foot wall a nice wide entryway and private bedroom are created!

Today my contractor began putting in the first of two walls which will divide my big front area into an entryway, bedroom and studio. When the walls are finished I am most excited about working on decorating my entryway! I think entryways are often neglected but given that they are the moodsetter for your entire space... they really ought to get lots of design attention! When done right I think they can be incredibly cozy + welcoming spaces. I plan on defining the area by painting it an interesting colour and then adding lots of storage, a big fun gilded mirror and a lamp on a console or cupboard to cast a welcoming glow upon my guests!


Here's a photo of an entryway done right.
The saturated colour defines the space and makes it look "confident and considered".
I love the mix of a venetian mirror, industrial-looking lamp, and chinoiserie chest against the blue backdrop.
From one of my favourite design books: Domino: The book of Decorating.

Alphabet legs Layer 2

Applying the black ink.
(The scissors do not print because that part of the screen has been papered over)

Ta da.

Today I completed the 2nd layer of the Alphabet legs print.
One more layer to go!

Beginning work on Alphabet legs print

The print as it appeared in Canadian House and Home in May


Layer 1 is the red polka dots
Inking the screen

Pulling ink with squeegee onto the acetate

The acetate is used for registration

Placing paper under the acetate

First layer complete

I Heart my Expedit Bookcase

Ikea's Expedit bookcase used as room divider between my livingroom and office.
Decor note: Below is also my new fake Sisal rug. So much cozier than cement.

My dear friend Andrew helping me build it on Friday eve.
FYI He also set up my Ikea Gallant desk in the same night. Now that's friendship. :-)

Here is a close up on the livingroom side.
I had so much fun making little "vignettes" in each of the squares with my wooden letters, tins, and Baby ben clocks.

Here it is on on the office side. The shelf provides an incredible amount of storage. Books fit two deep. Side note: I loved finally unpacking my boxes + seeing my books again. I missed them so!!

Ok! I finally carved out a bit of time for home improvement and purchased the white expedit bookcase that I've been pining over! I set it up as a room divider between my livingroom + office and I think it looks quite dandy. I feel this piece is one of Ikea's best designs ever. It provides a ton of storage + gives a real graphic punch to a room. Highly recommended. :-)

Home note: Observant design folk (that's you Nat) will also notice that I switched the positioning of the rooms so that the livingroom is now closer to and facing the kitchen. I thought this much more "guest friendly".

WOW:Tim Walker: The Peter Pan of British Photography

Magical. Love the giant watering can and tipsy lamp.
Side note: As my friend Janet said "It would be nice to have his budgets!"


To me this looks straight outta a dream.

So does this.

This one doesn't fit with his fantasy style but I love it anyway.

I'm working on a new project for the IDS show in January. The client has asked for something very "Whimsical/ Alice in Wonderlandish". While hunting for inspiration I came across the wonderous work of photographer Tim Walker*.

Using stunning sets + lavish locations Tim creates narrative photo-stories with dreamlike fantasy lands where animals + humans interact, giant props take center stage and the everyday is juxtaposed with the absurd. As design traveller explains his photo creations contain collective unconscious archetypes so that they are easily-read, mysteriously touching and Alive.

A note on his creative process: On his website Tim Walker explains that keeping a scrapbook is key to work. Methought very interesting.

* Discovered through design traveller (again!)

Inspiration: Elle Muliarchyk

Elle Muliarchyk: Model turned photographer and director. She started out by surreptitiously taking photographs of herself in dressing rooms. Very guerrilla! Gutsy. Takes Risks. Inspirational.

Press: National Post

Yesterday my Brooks Brothers Silk screen print appeared in the National Post's Gift Guide.
Thanks to Nathalie Atkinson.

Christmas card design

Bicycle riding left wing pinko (That's me)

Within 24 hours of Don Cherry's outrageous "left wing pinko" rant at the investiture of Rob Ford Matthew Blackett and Spacing magazine had produced buttons and magnets!
Get them here.
I think this would be good on a tshirt as well.

Cheeky wine label

from Swanson Wineries.
I'll take 12.

Sketch: Holiday Booze + Ornaments

Speaking of booze...here is a sketch I did a while back for a feature on festive drinks for the LCBO's Food and Drink magazine. Art director Karen Lim.

Windsor Arms High tea

The lovely Margot Austin with our tea and scones

The devon cream - so decadent.

After lifting up these tongs above I was filled with an intense desire to put them in my purse. (Weighty hotel cutlery always has this effect on me!)

Hotel Exterior. So charming.

Yesterday I enjoyed a lovely business meeting- slash- High tea combo at the Windsor Arms Hotel. Settling into the tea room with scones, devon cream + tea on a very cold Toronto day felt like the perfect place to be.

A nugget from Alain de Botton

"The point isn't to achieve everything, simply to honour what one suspects one is capable of."

-from the twitter feed of alain de botton.

New Print: Small iron

I have just completed a new print. Please meet "Small iron".
It based on the old iron which my mom used. Please note dangerous looking 2 prong plug!
Below some pics of my process.


Mixing the grey ink


Applying the ink with spatula

1st layer

Papering the screen for the 2nd layer

2nd pull. Squeak!

Completed print.

This print is for sale at
Telegramme
194 Ossington Ave.
and beginning next week will also be available at
The Workroom
1340 Queen St. West.