News! Limited edition Tea towel for The Hudson's Bay

Last fall The Hudson's Bay commissioned 3 designers: Virginia Johnson, Bev Hisey + myself to create a tea towel for a limited edition series which will appear this Spring.

My design is similar to my Alphabet Legs print with the addition of some very citrusy flowers and a daschund (named Walter FYI!)

House + Home's Special Decorating issue (on stands now) features the article below on the colloboration.




The tea towels are made of a beautiful linen cloth woven in the U.K. by Ulster Weavers.


The towels will be available mid April for 14.95,
There'll only be 1000 available so get them fast!
Thanks so much to Arren Williams, Creative Director of Home at the Bay for organizing this collaboration.

New Work: Greek vases + bowls (in lime)

Available for licensing through my agency i2i art.

New Tulip Mobile Pattern

Tulip mobile in Pink



Tulip mobile in Ochre + Grey

These new pattern were inspired by the work of Textile designer Lucienne Day.
The texture in some of the tulips was created with pastels.
Better images can be seen on my Tumblr.
Available for licensing through my agency i2iart.

Interview

Vancouver based Design gal Barbara Matson interviewed me for her So Canadian eh? series yesterday. You can read the interview here. Thanks Barbara.

Above: My illustration Monday Morning which is included in the interview.

In the studio: Screening my Lacy legs print

Pass 1

Pass 2

My assistant Canary Lord Percy oversees the drying of the prints.

Back in the studio

I am beginning another edition of my penguin books silk screen prints!
Araceli joined as my assistant + we spent a very inky Saturday at the Halo Halo studio printing the first orange layer.
It was quite chilly so we kept warm by singing show tunes. Am convinced this made the prints come out better.

Very inky screen.

Me with prints drying on the rack in background and my A Room of One's own screen which will be printed on top next week.

Hijinks

Thursday was gallery night

Araceli + I on streetcar on way to neighbour Richard's opening. The gorgeous bouquet is from Jaiden's petals.

My neighbour Richard (Storms) at Birch Libralato.

Arnaud Maggs at Susan Hobbs

Jen Bekman

Wow just listened to Debbie Millman's Design Matters podcast with Jen Bekman - owner of 20 X 200 + Jen Bekman projects.
Very interesting to learn how Jen's varied work + life experiences (and issues with authority!) eventually led to the creation of 20 X 200. Her scrappy, slightly bad ass nature really comes through in the interview and is completely inspiring.

One gem that stuck out:
"Your list of what you need to accomplish is always longer than your list of accomplishments
... But you have to look at the latter one every night and take a sec to enjoy your achievements in order to get the energy to move forward the next day."
Amen to that.

Such a good interview. Methinks required listening for any creative entrepreneur type - and extra special for the creative woman folk! Listen to it here.

Jessica Helfand on Pinterest

Good article by Jessica Helfand in LA Times yesterday.
She asks:
"Is Pinterest a repository for aesthetic pleasure or a pop-up mall?"
ie. is it too focused on selling product rather than sharing inspiration?

These are good questions (and her Harold Pinter puns are great) but I was surprised she didn't raise the other thorny Pinterest issues: those of copyright + pinner's rampant lack of proper crediting of their sources. This is a pet peeve of mine - will write more on it this week!

Illustration

Here is an illustration I did for an article on buying ethical diamonds.
Art director Carol Moskot.

Salon night

Last night was my monthly Salon evening with some of my favourite Design women.
Linda Felton - the animated woman below the light fixture! - and Editor of Covet Garden magazine played host.
Surrounding her are Janet, Jennifer, Donna and Heather.

I knew from the minute that I saw Lynda's address spelled out backwards in wooden letters that I was in for a decor treat. Her house was to die for.
(Wonder if this drives mailmen + delivery people crazy?) :-)

Lynda showing Kim one of her many Inspiration scrap books.

Deep in discussion.


I will use this caption space for a slight digression to announce... that Janet above has just been nominated for a Juno for Recording package of the year for her photo of singer Laura Repo.
Way to go Janet.

Colleen Nicholson deep in a discussion - about either Pinterest or Twitter!

Julie Jenkinson, Lynda and a howling Donna Griffith.

A wonderful night of great food, wine + company - and lots of laughing. Balm for the soul.