In the end, there wasn't actually a fire, but the important thing is that I know where my loyalties lie.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
New York Stories: Fire Priorities
In the end, there wasn't actually a fire, but the important thing is that I know where my loyalties lie.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Falmouth beach
When I was in England recently, I visited Falmouth for a couple of days. My dad was talking to the illustration course at Falmouth University and my whole family took the excuse to head to Cornwall. I love the beaches there. Such good textures. That weird green slimy seaweed! The grey ocean! The rockpools! The stones! I spent a good part of my childhood summers in Cornwall staring at it all. This was a nice reminder.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Dealtime
I'm doing a deal on Fab.com, running over the next few days. Check it out! A bunch of my prints, garland kits, and jewelry are up for less than Etsy prices. It's pretty awesome seeing my stuff up there.
A flame in the hand
Found this white ceramic hand when I was in London and painted it. It's intended as a soap dish but I like it better as a candle holder. More devices for prayer.
Monday, March 26, 2012
New York Stories: the R train
No point pretending these are strictly daily drawings any more, but I'm getting back into the swing of it now I'm back in the city.
Friday, March 23, 2012
Figaro
Left: Me & Fig, 1999. Right: Me & Fig, 2010.
The world lost a good cat this week. My long time friend. I don't mean to be maudlin but really, this guy was a big deal. I chose him - the runt of his litter - when I was ten; he was hilarious and eccentric; he came with me to university; I left him in London in my parents' capable hands when I came to New York a year and a half ago. He developed the habit of resting his head on my shoulder as a kitten and it remained his favourite way to be held for his entire life.
My mum found this painting a while ago, depicting another cat with the same interests.
Left: 'Girl With Cat', William Morris Hunt, 1856. Right: Me & Fig, 1999
I got to see him when I was back in London in the past few weeks, said goodbye, and he died a few hours after I left. Bye Fig.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Homesickness
My first one-day-turnaround drawing for the New York Times Op-Ed pages. Sketches due by 2pm, final due by 5.30pm, runs in print the next day. This was awesome to work on, with art direction & moral support from Matt Dorfman. I'm just gonna come out and say it: I love deadlines. I need to get a room with deadlines.
You can read the article here. It's about people moving to other countries and keeping ties to home via technology (hello, this article is about Kaye Blegvad).
Monday, March 19, 2012
Another burning woman
She has an idea & it burns through her.
This time I was smart enough to use a tripod so I could make a simple stop-motion.
Friday, March 16, 2012
A plea to the New York based readers
Things are getting busy over at Kaye Blegvad, Inc. The next few weeks are going to be crazy- I think crazy enough that I can't actually do it all myself. So I'm looking for some temporary assistance in the form of a human being or two.
If anybody interested in illustration or making jewellery would like to help me / hang out with me, it would be the most amazing thing ever. It'd mainly be helping produce products, working on jewelry, packaging and things like that. There might be a bit of dashing around town to pick stuff up, but mainly we'd just be working together, probably with a Netflix-on-projector accompaniment. I hope it will be interesting and a bit fun.
I'm based in South Slope and work in spaces in Gowanus and Carroll Gardens. I'd love it if somebody could help for two or three days a week from about March 22nd to about April 8th, but it's all flexible. If you can only do a couple days it'd all help! I can't offer much by way of wages (I know, I know, it sucks, I've been there, once I am rich I will make it up to you) but I can cover subway rides, buy lunches, and offer some jewelry rewards. I promise not to treat you like a slave.
Hit me up with an email if you're interested! And feel free to pass my info on to anybody who might be keen.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Perpetual face vase
I've been rather jealous of the 3D perpetual face vase that Leah Goren has. I made this as a sort of skew wifff, very poor man's version, with ceramic paints and a vase from a charity shop. It turns and turns and the faces just flow into each other. Filled it with some simple flowers I bought for my mum.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Arm yourself
Fighting for something / fighting for anything. Into the fray.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Pater Noster
My dad in red and in green. He sings! He plays! He flies through the air! It's good to be home with my family.
If you have noticed a lack of 'New York Stories' in recent days: it's because I'm not in New York. It feels a bit untruthful to make them here. I appreciate that that's not a terribly good result for a project intended initially to be daily: I will resume it with as much discipline as I can muster. But only once I'm back in New York. Too much else here in London.
Having said all that, I'm not actually in London today: I'm spending two days in Cornwall for The Absurd Event: 10th Anniversary Illustration Forum at Falmouth University. My Pa is one of the speakers.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Fighters
I'm getting back into a project from a while ago: an army of girls, fighting with knives. Aww, here it goes...
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Paper Spitfire
My Grandpa turned 89 yesterday. I made him this paper spitfire to mark the occasion. He flew planes in his youth.
He's also an illustrator - a wonderful artist, mainly for children's books. He has well over a hundred to his name.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Lino cut girl
A print I made just before going away. It's a tiny block - 3 x 4". This is printed with a different kind of ink than last time - less thick and gave better detail I think. I've still got my eye on building that press, if the time ever materialises, because printing by hand is getting a little tiring on the ol' wrists.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Snow at Cortelyou Road
So, I'm home in London for a few weeks. It's odd to be back, but good, but jetlagged (of course). I should be making myself sleep right now (2am London time) but instead, I'm thinking about the one day of settling snow we had in Brooklyn this year. Here it is at Cortelyou Road Station. This was a nice morning.