Illustrated Journal

I am very happy to announce the release of a small "journal" printed with my illustrations - perfect for keeping a diary, notes, stories, romantic musings, lists, daydreams.

77 Pages, 15 x 23 cm (6 x 9 inches)

Soft cover printed in full glossy colour, bearing my "Lily Rose" illustration on the front, and "Summer went the way of spring" on the reverse.

A brief bio on the inside, each notebook will come personally signed. Open edition.

Right pages contain black and white reproductions of illustrations from my "of lace and moss" series. Left pages printed with dotted lines for notes, diary, stories, romantic musings, journal keeping.

Available now in person at the Shoppette: lot 405 Camden Stables Market, London
or in my etsy shop: www.monikaviktoria.etsy.com

Custom Romantic Portraits

A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do... and if it means painting pretty portraits of gorgeous girls, then so be it!

Slots now open for custom portraits painted in my "of lace and moss" style.

Beautiful Secrets

The working title for this piece was “Remorse”. However, as I neared completion she began to look less and less remorseful, so I gave her the title of one of Sarah Blasko’s songs instead, “Beautiful Secrets”.

I managed to get my greedy hands on a beautiful ornate frame, and it feels incredibly decadent to have one of my paintings framed like this. If I could have my way, all my paintings would be exhibited with such glorious frames at my solo show later this year… but alas, I would need a small fortune!

My Sweet Mother’s Rose Tree

Something hopelessly romantic from me again :-}

 

Almost every Hungarian folksong will open with a verse somehow relating to nature, and references to flowers or birds often allude to the girl being sung about. One of my favourite songs opens with the line: “My Sweet mother’s rose tree.” Further along in the same song the two lines that inspired this piece translate roughly as: 

“I would recommend for everyone, that dreams are better than love,

Because dreams bring you calm, whereas love is only heartache.”

Édesanyám Rózsafája

“Mindenkinek azt ajánlom, a szerelemnél jobb az álom,

Mert az álom nyugodalom, a szerelem csak szív fájdalom.”

I’ve happily become acquainted with a fantastic local band here in Győr called Arabona, who re-work a lot of traditional Hungarian folksongs when they perform, and this one really wrung my heart - like any good hapless romantic. When I am painting I always listen to music, and I find that often what I am listening to will begin to inspire the mood of the piece inadvertently. Quite often a line from a song will end up becoming the title because the two can no longer be separated for me. Whilst I was painting this one I was listening to Florence and the Machine, and another verse caught my attention that seemed equally fitting:

“No more calling like a crow, for a boy, for a body in the garden.

No more dreaming like a girl, so in love, so in love with the wrong one.”

I’m debating painting the shadow of a rose tree spreading out above her. But we will see. Hope you like her!

Gossamer Haze

Have you ever... and I mean EVER seen me upload three drawings in two days?

Let alone an A4 sized piece?! (all the others are just A5 :-)

In all honesty I wasn't sure if this one was finished-finished... but I liked the hazy pastel softness, like a setting sun tinging the landscape with a bruised golden light.

I had imagined this one to be much more defined, but unfortunately when the bottle of liquid masking fluid tells you to not leave it on the paper for more than 24 hours, it should also say to REALLY not leave it on there for six months...... ooops.

Another long awaited piece finally completed. I'm slowly getting there. And after visiting the Norman Lindsay Gallery today, I know what my next challenge will be..... bigger artworks. Much bigger........

Blossom

Inspired by the ephemerally sweet porcelain dolls of Higher Delights

Delighted to own one of her first, little Blossom has indeed been an inspiration. I like to draw pictures of the art-dolls that find their way to me, and this little darling was no less enjoyable to portray.

Kelly is incredibly talented, and it has been such a pleasure watching her creative process right from the start. She herself has blossomed into a talented and inspirational artist, and is really only in the very beginnings of this fruitfal path she has chosen. I look forward to watching her dolls evovle and grow.

Give me the words...

I like poetic titles. But I am stuck on this one... the song that was playing as I pondered what to name this piece sang to me softly: "give me the words....that tell me, everything..."

How appropriate... Please help me find the appropriate words to title this piece... what story do you cypher?

Part of my ongoing attempt to finish all the drawings that I started and never completed. I drew this one well over a year ago, and was too trepaditious to colour at the time, as my watercolour skills were still utterly feeble. Very very happy to have finished it!

In a Forgotten Room

Another very very old drawing that I felt compelled to paint and finish, for peace of mind.

Frustratingly the paper I had drawn on was very resistant to my watercolours, almost as if it had a greasy or slippery surface texture - it didn't behave at all like the beautifully absorbent paper I use now. Painting this one was hard and time consuming, but I got there in the end :-)

Orchid Border

I've decided to try and complete all my unfinished pieces before I start any new ones....

(now stop right there.... I know you were about to say you've heard me say THAT before.... but this time I really mean it!)

I've found that I've slowed right down at the "colouring" stages of my process again. I'm taking a lot of care but pieces are taking days to weeks to complete. Surely if I solely concentrate on the thirteen images I have sitting here uncoloured, and colour all of them, I'll learn a thing or two and even get my speed up a little bit?

So it's a count down. This one was number 13. I finished it today. Twelve more to go....

The problem is I started this piece so long ago (I finished drawing it a year ago and only got around to adding the first dabs of colour a couple days ago!) that there was obviously a use I had intended for it.... but it's long since forgotten.

Any ideas of what I could use it for? It seems a shame to waste such a nice inviting space in the centre......



(I might have to talk to my website designer!!)

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 ;-)

Fine Art Giclee Prints - Limited and Beautiful!

I have been searching for months for the best way to transform my original watercolours into beautiful, professional quality Fine Art Prints.

This might sound surprising to some who know my own personal preference for Originals over prints, and wherever I can I would rather save up and buy one original, rather than ten digital prints.
This was untill I discovered Lisa Falzon's work who, as a digital artist, doesn't have originals for sale. I waved the white flag of surrender and took back my promise to never buy a digital print.
The quality was gorgeous... I've sinced invested in several of her prints, and knew I would like to be able to offer something similar. I wouldn't settle for less, I didn't want cheap photo paper, I wanted luxurious heavy cotton paper, and lustrous archival inks.

♥

I am delighted to announce my search has come to an end!!!

I am announcing the first four artworks to be released in a highly limited edition of 20 prints each.

Professionally printed on luxurious 310 g/m2 ARCHES cotton rag paper: 100% cotton, completely natural with no chemical additives. Printed with Archival Giclee, acid free Inks.

I was most delighted when the few friends whom I have shown the prints responded with amazed exclamations of "Wow!" :-) The quality really is fantastic, they work really well on a slightly bigger scale.... it has inspired me to work a little bigger too from now on, the drawings look nice as A4's...

Please visit my Etsy Boutique to see them!

Mi Wo Same - The Last Look

Mi wo same - in Japanese: The Last Look, the final image to be burned into your memory before a parting...

I started this piece this time last week, then much to my chagrin, just as I was about to have 5 glorious days off in a row because of Easter, and was preparing to spend them pursuing art and creativity, I fell quite ill. I spent all 5 days, and two more after that, in bed. I haven't had that many days off in a row in a long long time. I was, and still am, very annoyed at this wasted opportunity.

anyway.... I was glad to finish her today. I've seen the preview of the invite for the group show, and I'm excited :-)

I originally wanted to find a nice frenchy sounding name for "The Last Look", as if she was quickly taking a last glimpse of herself before she heads out. My partner told me the Japanese term for it, with a slightly different connotation - a last look before a parting. I thought that fit nicely here, a bit of mystery...

The Consideration

It's been a long time since I have completed one of my proper artworks. By proper I mean part of my "Of Lace and Moss" series. 

With a group show coming up in late may, I have been inspired to dally no more! Especially knowing I'll be showing alongside Caitlin Shearer, whom I admire greatly. 

Speaking of Caitlin, let me diverge from my path and talk about her for a little bit. A fellow young female Australian artist, I discovered her work online and have been eagerly following her art and progress ever since. I finally got to met her the other night when she had her works on exhibition in the boutique down the hall from me in the Strand Arcade. I think I was quite boisterous. She was quite overwhelmed. I probably made it worse!! There was free champagne and tiny ice-creams on offer - a deadly combination for my class and eloquence. 

Seeing her incredible paintings in real life was quite amazing... overwhelming in fact. I went home close to tears (I had an emotional week!!!) frustrated at myself. Whilst I enjoy working for Victoria at her beautiful boutique, I was suddenly very conscious of the fact that my most precious asset is my time, and all my time is spent working for someone else. I can draw, and enjoy drawing - but have no time to do so. I wished more than anything that night that I had more time to do what I loved more than anything in the world, that is, to devote it to my art. 

~*~

Anyway, that being said, I was most definitely inspired to focus on my dream and try to scrape together a few hours here and there where I can sit down at my drawing desk and work. Lose myself in this romantic world I like to depict. 

I completed this drawing last year, and like so many of my artworks, left it in an unfinished state whilst I became distracted with other exciting compositions or beckoning side projects. My model was a gorgeous girl who was very inspirational whilst I worked with her during my time at Alannah Hill. Natalia was an amazing young woman, and single handedly started up her own fashion label, "The Last Romantic".