The stars eat your body - Del Kathryn Barton

On Friday night I attended Del Kathryn Barton's 2009 solo show titled "The stars eat your body". I absolutely adore her work. Her figures mingle between being beautiful and grotesque, sexual and unsettling, whimsical and eery.

I cheekily took a few snapshots of my favourite sections from one of her wall-sized paintings, and wanted to share them here. I can't say I've seen any direct influence of her style on my own work, but I do find it incredibly inspiring. Since Friday night I've been itching to find a porcelain watercolour palette and start working BIG... And by big I mean big for me, you know.... A3 or A2 sized, teehee :-)

Dear Santa....

All I want for Christmas is....

Looking for something unique for that beloved aesthete in your life? The sweet gothy girl you've been crushing on? That lovely fellow who wears Victorian-era bloomers to the office? A Black-Eyed Suzie gift certificate is for all those in your life who have a penchant for the creepy cute...

All dolled up and ready for....work

It's beginning to look a little bit like a doll museum at work. And I like it :-D

Bramble, the doll made for me by Crystal A Suh has come to the boutique. I now get to gaze at her lounging in the engagement ring cabinet all day long. And she adores it, her chin turned up ever so proud!

Odette, who used to be in the front window for years, has had to go back stage,  as there can only be one Leading Lady....

Victoria, Rachel and I spent an entire day stripping the front displays bare, cleaning the glass, and putting up the new posters. Most excitingly, Ophelia has made her debut. A beautiful Enchanted Doll made by artist Marina Bychkova (I know I am still yet to introduce my own!) Here she is, the new leading lady of Victoria Buckley Jewellery!

Victoria mentions her too, on her blog

Curiouser and curiouser...

I couldn't imagine how my creativity would suffer if I worked full-time in a place that did not inspire me, or make me happy.
So even though I haven't had much time to pursue my personal art in the recent weeks, I have been able to put my drawings to good use at the boutique.

Victoria recently designed this Alice inspired ring, and since I've been put in charge of wrangling her etsy page, I created a few little "background" drawings.
(It's only taken me about 3 months to finally be able to take a semi-decent photograph though!!)

Do visit her adorable etsy page to view her sweet jewellery, and more of my quirky little drawings!

Pocket full of Poesy

The beauty of an original #9

Caroline Kha

I was delighted when an artist friend gave this beautiful painting as a Christmas gift a few years ago. It was a beautiful gesture, and greatly appreciated. I love the painting, it reminds me of a nostalgic idea of youth, romance, and melancholy. I definately have a melancholy streak to me, and just can't get enough of art that portrays that mood in a hauntingly beautiful way.

The beauty of an original #8

Not usually the sort of little guy I’d go frivolously purchasing. However, In this case I was acquainted with the artist, a lovely young lady making bears out of recycled old shirts and clothes with fashion label Incu.


I really do adore anything that makes clever use of recycling and using up old materials, and am a big fan of eco-friendly anything. Her little bears, dressed in stylish corduroy pants, and flannel collared shirts are sweet, but my heart was utterly captured when she created this set of all white opera-going teddies. (Sadly not a part of my collection)

Jessica Sutton – Crafternoon

The beauty of an original #7

Scary?
Interesting?
Charming?
A litle bit of all of the above? And a dash of Froud and pinch of Labyrinth?

This little creature was made by a very dear friend of mine, Laura, when I was keenly encouraging her to try her hand at dolls. I knew anything she created would come out marvelously, her work and tastes always reminds me of the faerie world created by Brian Froud. This little guy reminds me of the goblins of The Labyrinth... I can definately see him frolicking with David Bowie.... maybe it's the polka dot tights...

I thought I'd share him here, since I am in full doll collector mode. You might as well forget my name as just refer to me by that title, the Doll Collector.

Laura Jade Hindes - Smaragd