Monday 19 April 2010

Plaça dels Angels

George at Plaça dels Angels

Dalmation at Plaça dels Angels

Tea Shop Illustrations

One of a few illustrations from my Tea Shop series which I printed to postcards, and this was my favourite because the caravan seems just as iconic as the girl. I also favor it for evidencing how a wash of colour like this suggests something of years past - rendering something new somehow classic and appropriate to be nostalgic about.

Caravanning


I have a mild obsession with caravan's - not so much being in them...but the wondrous scaling down of necessities and the idea of being completely content in one white box with windows which can show you a view of anywhere.
This particularly small caravan I saw for the first time on Brick Lane, and I got my own as a gift last Christmas. It ticks all the boxes for a keen caravanner who loves everything about the caravan, except for committing to it long term. I find that a caravan this size (and as stunningly kitsch as this) does not have a shelf life at all.
The shops website is rather nice and they are I believe the only retailer for said caravan;http://www.caravanstyle.com.

Sunday 18 April 2010

News on Child's Play Project

The body of work for the group exhibition 'Child's Play' in May is underway and I'm working on something typographic with George Law and for the first time with illustrator Jonny Ford also based in Sheffield - we're working together on a large scale drawing/collage of a dolls house. The house will be intentionally beautiful with all the ideal elements present, invaded with more mature concerns for what can deteriorate and be lacking.

I'm keen to look into a child's way of working and making art, and how this cannot succeed for an adult with a plethora of adult preoccupations, which mean a house must have a survey, an extension must be approved and a roof must be blocked to keep the squirrels out.
Will post some recent work soon but for now here's a fabulous 1948 advertisement from Woolworth's, for a doll's house "so exciting you'll want to play with it yourself". That is, until you have to get on with the ironing...