And the winners are....

Thank you to everyone who participated by leaving me some feedback about my new website!

Especial thanks to those who took the time to write down their emotional responses, and highlight the particular features that either delighted them, or that were not working - this will help Amal and I find those glitches and fix them! :-)

So far we have heard that the pictures are slow to load, and on certain Mac's using Windows explorer some or all of the thumbnails won't work. Please please let me know if you notice anything else!

Can Kaili, Kimmi, and Noxy please send me their postal addresses to my e-mail: monimano@hotmail.com

I would love to send you something as a show of appreciation!

With the end of 2010 drawing near, I have many great hopes for the new year. I hope to push my art further, and may this year be a lot more productive than the last. I plan to work on completing all illustrations I have started so far (something I promised for 2010, but it didn't happen). I also plan on starting upon a series of works to compile a Children's Book Portfolio to submit to publishers. This will be my big goal for 2011....

My big goal for 2010 was to have an official website up.... it is so unbelievably fantastic to know it happened!

Official Website Launch

Party Streamers fly through the air, fireworks crack in the sky in a blazing bravado of colour and light, and children run through the streets decked in flowers and screaming for joy.

Well, if this was in the real world, and not purely digital, the festivites woud be wild and raucus. As it is, things go on as usual, but inside me is a great and bursting joy.

It was pointed out to me that today, the day of my website launch, is also the Winter/Summer Solstice (and a full Lunar eclipse) - a time of rebirth and renewal. This feels incredibly perfect - I'm in need of a bit of a renewal. I'm happy that having this site will mean a beautiful online portfolio for people to see my artwork in a creative and unified way. After all, my art is who I am and why I am, it is everything about me, it is what I treasure most.

I invite you, dear readers and friends, to visit the site, take a meandering stroll through the woods, and let me know what you think! Both my website designer and I are positively jumping around, eager to know everyone's response.

Comments left before December 27th will all be considered in the running for presents!! I will be giving out some Giclee Prints and little arty goodies in return for your valued and much appreciated feedback (Bribery? perhaps.... :-)

So, without further ado, may I present....

monikaviktoria.com

Website Announcement!!

 I have been wanting a beautiful, girly website for so long now… for so long. I spent years (no joke) trying to find the perfect designer to bring my extravagant dreams to life (well, to digital life anyway) and pretty much thought I was on a hopeless mission…

Until now! It’s all about to happen, I am besides myself with anticipation and excitement!

To celebrate the official launch I will be hosting some festivities and give-aways here, to share my joy.

Participants need to visit the website, have a little wander through the woods, then return here and let us know what you think!! I would love to hear everyone’s responses (good or bad, seriously! This isn’t a cry for pure adoration and praise….. well, maybe a little, heehee)

Prizes will be handed out, including Giclee Prints and other fantastical goodies!

Curious? You can get a preview here: www.monikaviktoria.com

A HUGE thank-you to the absolute angel who finally brought this dream of mine to a reality, and has worked tirelessly for the past year to bring this to fruition. Thanks Amal, I am indebted and forever grateful xx

The launch will take place NEXT WEEK on Tuesday the 21st of December!

If you follow me on facebook, I’ll be sure to scream about it when it’s officially launched!!

Kisses!

Salon de Petits Tableaux

 

I have six of my watercolour artworks featured in this exhibition!

All the artworks had to be under a certain size (luckily, as someone who paints tiny, I definitely qualified!)

I sadly was not able to make the opening as it is far away from me, but if anyone is in Bowral NSW, and feels like taking a photograph for me, I would be so so so grateful!!!!

The White Russian Collection

At the glamarous boutique I work for, we recently launched Victoria Buckley's latest collection, "the White Russians"

Does our muse look familiar? :-) For anyone who is not yet aware of my doll-insanity, the latest leading lady for Victoria Buckley Jewellery is a porcelain doll I commissioned from Enchanted Doll.

Inspired by the exquisite lost world of the Russian Aristocracy, the White Russian collection brings to life the mythical dreams of Tatiana,
a fleeing sylph entrusted with the treasures of the white Russians.
The beautiful porcelain doll Tatiana, created by world-renowned master crafters Enchanted Doll, lives surrounded... by the elegance and refinement of the immortal era.

This fairyland collection is crafted from 18ct white and rose gold,
diamonds and richly coloured gems.
Rare high-grade white Russian diamonds from the Siberian Tundra crystallise the refinement and elegance of the epoch. The perfection of these icy white gems is brought out by the inspired Master Russian diamond cutters who obsess over unlocking the fire within.

The Strand Arcade certainly tizzies itself up for the night, I love it.

Dressed up for the night....

New T-Shirt - Dia de las Muertos - Marie Antoinette

Inspired by the celebration Dia de las Muertos (Day of the Dead) and her coquettish highness Marie Antoinette! The moment I finished this watercolour i knew it would look great as a t-shirt design...

I love this design most of the ones I have so far made available, full of frivolity and fun, yum!! I can't wait to get it as a hoody and sew pink ribbons all over it!

Dia de las Muertos - Marie Antoinette

 

Dia de las Muertos - Antoinette

Inspired by and anticipating the arrival of a new little porcelain friend I found myself greatly attracted to the Day of the Dead celebrations, aesthetics, and face painting styles.I found myself googling and flickr searching extensively, loving what I saw. We do not celebrate anything like this in Australia, and whilst other traditions (such as Christmas) have migrated over here, holidays such as this and All Hallows Eve (Halloween) have not. One day I would love to be able to visit South America at this time of the year.... wow! To be immersed in such a vibrant cultural tradition would be an incredible experience.

I've been quietly working on ideas and themes for my next "series" of artworks, and this piece is an example of the analogous and minimal colour scheme that will be dominant throughout the works.

Next blog post..... introducing this as a T-Shirt and Hoody design, hurray!!