Cold nights by the fire... I mean heater

Cold nights by a tiny heater, snuggled up on a Victorian style lounge reading Gormenghast. A gothic castle falling into decay and an eccentric cast of dark and sullen characters. I have fallen in love with the imagery of the scenes and Mervyn Peake's hauntingly emotive descriptions.
Given to me as a gift, I cringed at a distant memory of watching the film as a teenager with a friend who was utterly besotted by the young male antagonist. I say cringe because he's quite cruel and conniving. But I'm thoroughly enjoying the read. A delightfully macabre tale of the melancholy and desolate.

I've been dreaming endlessly of illustrating it.... maybe one day :-)

Other than that, I ask you: what could be more thrilling as an artist than new art materials?

With a stationary store closing down nearby, and oh so tempting discounts, I couldn't resist... so I succumbed and spoiled myself to some high quality new watercolour paints and those amazing watercolour block-pads that I've only ever drooled hungrily over.

These cost me a pretty penny, but they're the sort of thing that when full priced, you just gaze longingly at.....With my first Art Trade in the works with an artist whom I admire greatly, I wanted to have some yummy materials at the ready! :-D

The Alleyway

You won't believe me when I say: I am pleased to unveil the THIRD drawing I have completed for 2010!

Yes.... only the third. (I'm not counting the nine I drew for the Enchanted Competition in January)

It's been a strange year so far. One where I've concentrated most of my efforts on getting business cards made, and organizing prints, and getting postcards made, and finding packaging, and co-designing a website, and trying my best to get to a level of believable business professionalism in order to be *ready* should my art career suddenly take off... with all that failing it's back to the drawing board!

"The Alleyway" took a long time to colour and finish. I am willing to right now admit my deepest secret and shame in my own work: my in-experience and fear and unhappiness in drawing backgrounds. This is only my second "out-doors" background. I long for the day when I can confidently draw out a crumbling gothic city, a chic outdoor parisian shopping arcade, a windy mountain top with a tiny delapidated shack, a dense tropical rainforest, a victorian cobblestone alleyway..... it seems so far off right now.

I also know that day will only come with -a lot- of practice. So here's to many more! *chink*

In the works......

A lot of things are brewing in the cooking pot for me, but I wanted to give a little hint about the most exciting one of all.....

my website

Even though it is just a "coming soon" page for now, I am already unbearably proud of it.

So much so that I haven't hesitated printing the address on hundreds of my gorgeous new business cards!!

Romance and Nostalgia...

When was the last time you received a beautifully hand written letter or card in the mail?
Scented with parfume and sealed with a kiss?
Covered in postage stamps from far away lands?

There is a hopeless romantic within me and I know my heart skips a beat every time the postman comes by. A letter? A parcel wrapped in brown paper and tied with twine?
Usually, it's with something un-romantic and un-exciting like a bill or bank statement.
But sometimes.... the postman brings a parcel wrapped in brown paper and filled with possibilities... that I pretend I haven't paid for myself and purchased on etsy, and pretend instead that it's a mysterious gift from a secret admirer... (even if the illusion only lasts for a few seconds, it is sweet nonetheless!!)

I now get to announce something that hopefully, will help you to know this same feeling of old-worldy letter receiving.... or at least, sharing that feling by *writing* to others!

I have created a small edition of gorgeous glossy postcards with a selection of my watercolour illustrations from my portfolio.... and they are just tickling me pink!

They came out astounding, I love them! I wish I had a more thorough address book as opposed to email list!

And I think the best part is the quality is so scrumptious they can double as delightful small prints, whether they're displayed in a vintage frame or simply pinned to the wall, I think they'll look divine!
I just couldn't be more excited about these :-)

I had ten designs printed - (I realised I only *had* ten horizontal format illustrations!) - and am selling them as single cards, and in packs of 5 and 10.

They are of course, obtainable in my ~etsy boutique~

So get those quills and fountain pens out! The jars of ink! Pour yourself a glass of something scandalous, light the candles, and start composing ;-)

Enchanted Prints

Finally I have put all the available prints left from my "Enchanted Doll Series" in my etsy shop!

~A3 Enchanted Doll Prints~

I created the series earlier this year as part of the 2010 Enchanted Doll Birthday Competition hosted by artist Marina Bychkova, and the entire project took me 3 months to complete! So it is a good closure, to get them up in etsy, ready for new homes.

Etsy Treasury

I try hard with my little flailing Etsy paige.... so whenever I get one of my pieces included in a treasury listing it just tickles me silly!!

Here's my "Garden Tea" featured in the bottom row of this "Secret Garden" themed grouping

Garden Tea Print

Return

I've attempted to slip unnoticed back into the daily grind after a glorious month away, of not having to do anything at all if I don't want to, of swinging in porch chairs and napping to the sound of summer birds, of walks in the woods and deer-spotting and turtle catching and frog chasing.

Alas, a month off work certainly planted the seed of what 'freedom' feels like in me. But cold wintery reality came creeping back at the emptying of my bank account and whispered secret words of wisdom and temptation I could not refuse.

So here I am back in Sydney, back to full time work, and when I have snippets of spare time, back to my drawing desk. I have some new pieces in the works, oh but for some time to dedicate to them!!!

Stay tuned for more :-)