Some new sketches

These are some sketches from a book cover project I was recently working on.
The protagonist of the story is a 12 year girl who loves to read.

(A person immersed in a good book is one of my absolute favourite subjects to draw and always reminds me of my dear brother Shawn who loved to read*)

 After sketching I narrow it down to the above 2 drawings.

 I decide I like this gal with the bangs best and place her in a wing chair.

I decide it'd be a fun and cozy touch to add fabric to the piece so i scan some burnt velvet fabric  and place it into the drawing using Photoshop. To be continued....

* ps. One day I'd love to do a show solely dedicated to images of readers and dedicate the show to my brother Shawn. Now that I've put that in print - I guess I'll have to do it. :-)

Uppercase magazine + my friend Scott

The latest issue of Uppercase magazine arrived yesterday. It was filled with all sorts of juicy features as usual but my favourite part was seeing the sweet face of my friend Scott Linder beaming from the contributor's page.

 Scott drew upon his own incredible collection of books to write his thoughtful + funny article.

Readers of this blog will have seen Scott's face several times in the past as he is my constant companion whenever I am in New York. With his saavy sense of the city + a deep knowledge of literature, art, and design - he is truly the ultimate tour guide! 


Scott Linder in his natural habitat: rifling through treasures at the Strand bookstore.

Scott maintains a fantastic tumblr called bookshelftherapy.
It is quirky and wise and wonderful.... just like him.

New York May 19th -21st 2013.

Way to go Lena Dunham.

New sketches: Circus guys

I'm working on a detailed pattern with lots of figures in a circus theme. 

It is inspired by the quirky + very dense wallpapers of Saul Steinberg.

Above is Mr. Flying Trapeeze. We-e-e-e.

 

Here is Mr. Acrobat with a pennyfarthing.

I was happy with his hairy chest and the loose/unperfectness of the wheels.

Favourite discovery of 2012: Michelle Yee of Soft Mechanic

My favourite discovery of the past year was massage therapist Michelle Yee of Soft Mechanic.

I discovered Michelle when she entered a give away for one of my prints on the Marion house blog.

I clicked on her name and when I saw she was a RMT I immediately thought "Ooh Ahh Barter!".
(I do hope Canada Revenue Services is not reading this post).
As Michelle is a self described "serious decor enthusiast + art lover" she let me know she'd love to do a trade of her massage services in exchange for prints. (Lucky me).

*There's several things about Soft Mechanic treatments that make them extra special.*

First off - as is clear from her sweetly welcoming website* Michelle is an extremely warm + thoughtful therapist who cares deeply about her practice.
I love this line from her site:
"I believe in the restorative power of beauty, the preciousness of little things and the grandness of giving ourselves permission to rest."
Isn't that great?
Michelle  takes extra care to make sure I feel welcome + comfortable at all times... plus she provides the most BLISSFUL massage EVAH! (EVAH said in Brooklyn accent)

Secondly the treatments take place in Michelle's home which is recently renovated and quite gorgeous..so the visits are a complete treat for the eyes as well as muscles. I never fail to leave feeling 'decor inspired' -plus motivated to clean my apt more and finally buy that waffle shower curtain! If you book an appointment make sure not to miss her vintage globe collection and fabulous marble tile in the bathroom.

 One of my favourite spaces: Treatment room at Soft Mechanic

Lastly Michelle's music is in complete contrast to the icky new age stuff that is normally pumped into spa rooms. She plays lots of cozy indie folks** like Patrick Watson, Elliot Smith, + Nick Drake plus lots of current bands I've never heard of...so I always have a few names to look up on itunes when I get home with my relaxed body. :-)

Going to Michelle's house was definitely a highlight  of 2012 + very importantly provided much needed comfort to me during a difficult second half of last year.

I feel incredibly lucky to have met her and can not recommend her enough.
xxx to you Michelle.
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* Designed by the talented Avery Swartz fyi!

**Also known as The Sad Bastard playlist. :-)

Tea Towel in National Post

On Dec 24th my teatowel appeared on the cover of the Weekend Post. It was included in an article on designer tea towels and featured several from the collection of Arren Williams- Creative Director of Bay home fashions. Here is the link to the online version of the article:
http://life.nationalpost.com/2012/12/25/style-design-tea-towel-time/

Above is the blurb which accompanied the photo of my teatowel in the inside of the paper.
ps. My capsule collection for The Bay should appear in stores in early April.

Dreamy Holiday Get Away

Bonjour! I've just returned from a dreamy holiday away in Montréal.

(American Readers take note!: Montréal is a beautiful historic city in Quebec Canada with gorgeous architecture, great shopping + restaurants. ie. All the charm of Europe without the expense!
Added bonus: I think they have the best bagels in the world.)

Old Montreal looking so cozy + romantic at Christmas time.

One of the biggest reasons for the dreamiest of my trip (in addition to my travelling companion bien sur!) was our hotel! We stayed at the Hotel Gault in Old Montreal and I can't recommend it enough.

Hotel Gault Exterior - I loved this elegant corner door

The Gault is a boutique hotel housed in a former textile headquarters which was built in 1871.
The façade is considered "Second Empire-style" (ie influenced by the buildings of Haussman's Paris) and features vertical pilasters carved into blue-gray limestone.  It's a five storey building with only 30 loft suites making it truly "boutique". The first floor featured a restaurant, cafe and cozy library with a fireplace. The staff were very welcoming and always friendly + helpful.

 
 Hotel Gault Exterior. Tres snowy!
The exterior of the building is in complete contrast to the very contemporary + beautifully designed interiors.

Our Room Night 1

Check out that wall - I never met an 19th century exposed brick wall I didn't like. :-)

Our Room next couple nights

 - featuring: foyer, work area, to-die-for bathroom with mod tub + lux fixtures plus (not seen in photo) - tres comfy King bed,  lots of custom closets and **2 beautiful french windows which opened up to the most dreamy view. **

The rooms were so big- they felt like little loft apartments rather than hotel rooms. SIGH.

(Don't hate me. :-)

Beautiful view from one of the french windows. 

Breakfast at L'Express

Atwater Market

 Dinner at Joe Beef

Very cozy interior with great filled chalkboards.

View from the Bar

Me on Rue des Artistes in Old Montreal

Breakfast at Beautys

92 year old Founder Hymie Sckolnick holding a postcard of himself from 1942 (!)

Closeup of postcard. (Is that not the cutest?)

Place d'Armes + Notre Dame Basilica looking very special + Christmasy

 Close up of Maisonneuve Monument in front of Notre Dame

Noel bread

Other highlights included:
- visit with Louis and Charles 
- le Cartet on Mcgill St
- a visit to Pointe-à-Callière: Montreal's Museum of Archaeology + History (A-mazing)
- very special Christmas dinner with sweet Zab + family
and a visit to Fairmount bagels to stock up on sesame bagels for the drive home.
Num num.

*Au revoir Montreal! Je t'aime.*

Christmas pudding card

Here is a Christmas card I recently created for the lovely designer Marg Dyer of Austen Eliot Communications. Lucky for me she printed off a few extras for me to send out.
I think the wobbly pudding will be particularly appropriate for my foodie friends.
ps. Marg and I have plans for some more card collaborations in the new year. :-) Stay tuned.

Jesse Harris' Mural in my hood

I love Jesse Harris' mural which recently went up at the corner of Queen + Dovercourt.

It's a funny + very direct way of commenting on the rapid gentrification and changing face of my West Queen West neighbourhood.

This project was coordinated by Spectrum Art Projects + COOPER COLE Gallery, and partially funded by the City of Toronto’s StreetARToronto program.

Some images from the last couple weeks

 

 The wonderfully cozy home of Heather Shaw of pi'lo

  

 And her Splendid Holiday party inside :-)

Geoff McFetridge show at Cooper Cole

1161 Dundas Street West

Ian at Geoff McFetridge show  

 

Ian + I talking about patterns at Lakeview Lunch

(That's his sketch book)

Reading a book on Calder's jewelry (A-mazing) at Al's jewelry sale

Lovely Nora.

New Work: R-r-r-i-ng! Telephone pattern

New Work: Checkered Hen Pattern

Exciting News!
My agency i2i art will have a booth at Surtex: The surface design show in NYC next year. 
You will see this Hen Pattern plus many others in Booth 340 May 19-21st 2013!

New patterns

This is "Dancing Desserts" in two different colourways.

Available for Licensing through i2iart.

GIVEAWAY TIME!

Two weeks ago Design blogger Time Maze visited me at my home for a studio tour and silk screen 101 lesson. Together we printed my edition of 70 small brogue prints.
His blog contains several photos of our afternoon together including several decor shots!

Above Tim + I in my studio. 

Tim is now hosting a GIVEAWAY for a chance to win either my Christmas teatowel or small brogue print.

GIVEAWAY 1: Christmas Teatowel!

 GIVEAWAY 2 : Small Brogue Silkscreen print!

  

To enter pop over to Tim's blog 

and leave a comment on how you'd incorporate one of these pieces into your home. 

Good luck! Contest closes December 17th.

New Print: Brogue in smaller size + Upcoming Giveaway

I have a new silk screen print.

It's a smaller version of my Big brogue print and measures 7" x 4.75"
It's an edition of 70 and is signed + numbered.
Price = 60.00 and is the perfect gift for the natty dresser in your life.

Speaking of natty.... a dapper decor blogger from Toronto will be hosting a GIVE AWAY for two of these print starting tomorrow. Pop back in the morning for details.