New Illustration

updates

There is lots going on this week..... I went to Greenwich Market on Sunday, Today I had coffee in Enfield Town with my mum (a bit of mother/daughter bonding!). With the rest of my day I have been working on a new illustration (the work-in-progress photo's are below) and preparing my work for an exhibition on Thursday. I'm going to deliver my illustrations to the Castle Pub in Camberwell on Wednesday. I have also been mentally preparing for going to work on Tuesday. The day job is seriously starting to grate on my patience. It is starting to stop me from doing important 'art related stuff,' and is effecting my mental stability at times! For example I'm going to miss out on the wine tasting and exhibition on Thursday because I'm on a late stift and and plus it's late night opening. I'm getting fed up of the competitiveness.... apart from that I love it!?!? I am seriously going to start activating a plan of action for my life...
With regards to the rest of my week, I will have to go out and get art materials for the mask making escapade on Friday (with the kids that me and Charlene teach). I have to admit I am not looking forward to the chaos that I am sure will unfold within the classroom on friday.... rowdy 7-8 year olds + art materials + pva + masks to decoarte = a head ache for any grown ups in the room (will have to remember to bring some paracetamol with me!)
I'm working yet another Saturday and so I looks like my only day off will be Sunday, which I'm sure will not end up not being a day off at all..... I so need a holiday!

Teaching

Me and Charlene were teaching today in New Cross Gate. I have to say that this has been one of the most challenging experiences of my life so far. We were preparing designs to make masks next week. Here are some of the children's drawings...
.... it is so frustrating that in some children I see so much potential but I feel like I spend most of the time "enforcing the law." There are times that I regret taking this on but I've always believed in taking risks and challenging myself to do different things. I think that I will learn a lot from this experience. So far, I have learnt that children are great (some of the times), that I am a natural disciplinarian and that I have more patience than I thought I had.

My Reworked ANTI Valentines Illustration...

Happy Belated Valentines Day!

A Leather Binding

Binding this leather book has been so stressful. I've had so much trouble casing the book in and in the end I had to cheat slightly. I really think that I need some tips and have been thinking about taking proper lessons. Apart from that I am quite pleased with how I have managed to produce something relatively good for a first.

'Ohh La La': Burlesque Inspired Exhibition

http://www.oohlala-art.co.uk

A Day out in Greenwich

So yesterday was Valentines day... this year I decided to buy my own Valentines day present (a red Alexander McQueen skull scarf). Although I am now significantly less 'richer,' it made my day. I recommend all single people treat themselves to something on St Valentines....
Anyway, I went to Greenwich today. I don't think that I have ever been before (if I have, I wasn't aware of it at the time!) Perhaps bizarre for a self confessed Londoner, like myself. I walked around Greenwich Village and Park and went for a Cream Tea at 'Royal Teas'in Royal Place (a tip off that a friend gave me). I ended up talking to a stranger about art, which was interesting. It is a real treak from North London...I went on the DLR, which always freaks me out as my dad tells me that there is no driver and the whole system is run by a computer. Is it just me or is this frightening!?
I loved Greenwich and spent sometime I on redesigning my website, I made some sketches of the format etc.

Back to Work!

Work was really boring, probably the most boring day I've had in the 6 months that I have worked there, for the sheer lack of customers. I'm still trying to get used to my fringe and have still been mostly listening to 'Ultimate Dirty Dancing'.....
However, on a good note, my MA illustration tutor came in to see me, it was lovely to see her. I met my mentor after work, and discussed art and related issues. The big mistake being that I ate something sugary and now I'm wired and probably will not sleep all night (I think that my body has got used to a lack of sugar, I almost feel a little crazy as a result). We talked about going to see the Hogarth exhibition. I love Hogarth.....and I adore the above image for the amount of detail. I'm curious to get back to drawing and all my detailed art work, perhaps using pen and ink, for a change. We also talked about waiting for an 'artistic reason' to get of London for a while.

I got a message from a friend in France, it was really nice to hear from him. I'm working late shifts for the next two days, which is not much fun! At work there is the re-launch of the central atrium on Wednesday, and I found out that on the night I need to be on the ground floor to give directions to people, what a way to spend Valentines Evening!?

I plan to go down to Greenwich on Thursday or Saturday, this week. I'm really frustrated that I've been so busy and haven't had the free time to just sit down and really work on my illustration work. I've got tons of exciting things planned for the near-ish future so stay posted....

Day Seven: My Last Day of Freedom!

Tomorrow I'm back at work, unfortunately for me. I've had a really good week, I have done loads of things but feel that I haven't generated enough art. Mainly because I've been running around here and there...
Last night and this morning I prepared three new book blocks ready to be made into finished books. However, I've got too many ideas, and nice materials to work with and I just can't make a firm decision on how to finish them.


Today, I also went to the Private View of fellow MA Illustration graduate, Miriam Bance. Her solo exhibition is currently at the Stables Gallery, Gladstone Park, Dollis Hill Lane.....

http://www.miriambance.co.uk

Day Six: Portabello Road

What a miserable day, the weather was really dismal. I went to Portabello road today and meet Charlene to plan our lessons for the kids. We've got potentially an amazing project in store for them, even if I do say so myself. What a difference though, last time I was at Portabello market it was a hot summers day in June, and I have to say a much better experience as a result of the warm weather.

Anyway, apart from that I went to 'Falkiners' to get some book board and marbled paper. Oh the fun I had carrying it home (the board is bigger than me), whilst listening to 'Ultimate Dirty Dancing' on my ipod....

Day Five: Teaching and Myspace

Today was really hard work, I rapidly learning that kids don't make it easy for you to help them. I have to admit that I'm glad next week is half term, and we get a week off....

All I've got from my myspace profile is messages from strange men telling me how 'gorgeous' I am. I only ever signed up to get info for a LP illustration for a band. Anyway after three months I decided to post up an entry and was amused that you can post up a mood i.e: happy, sad, depressed, cheerful......or bouncy (this is how I choose to describe myself).
MY myspace
More interesting, my Uncle, the poet, is now on Myspace

Day Four: It snowed!

I can't believe it snowed again, there was at least three or four inches on the ground this morning. I had planned to go down to Greenwich today, but I thought better of it when I saw the snow and thought about the chaos that that equals in 'lovely London town.' I braved the weather (wearing a woolly hat, gloves, mittens and the essential pair of authentic cowboy boys, for wading through the snow) to make a dash for some art materials and to pop into Charing Cross Library.

Day Three: At the V&A

Today I had some errands to run, but I found the time to visit my favourite museum, the V&A. I remember always going there when I was studying for my degree in Theatre Costume. However, the fashion/costume collection is not as good as I remember! I always feel that each time I visit, I discover something new. The building is just as inspiring as the art on display. Plus it's so cool that my dad restored the original flooring. Artistically, London is one of the, if not the best, place to be. Sometimes I hate being a Londoner, especially travelling in the rush hour and sometimes that journey from seven sisters to home is just too much to bare! But my dad always says 'when you're fed up with London, you're fed up with life!'

V&A Illustration Awards 2006

Whilst at the V&A today, I saw the winners of the 'V&A Illustration Awards.' Here are some photos that I took. I was actually really impressed by the work of the artist who won second prize, Audrey Niffenegger, who hand bound this book, entitled, 'The Three Incestuous Sisters.'

Day Two: Tea @ 'Liberty' and Wine @ 'Falkiners'

Today I met Sarah, Charlene and an American acquaintance of Sarah's for tea at 'Liberty.'
Then in the afternoon, me and Sarah went to the book binding shop in holborn for wine and a discount.... I finally bought some leather for my first leather binding... I managed to leave with my dignity, having drunk just one glass, usually it only takes one for me to be 'under the table' (as my mum puts it!)...
So far, my week has been great, loads to fit it but it feels great being away from the drama at work!
Here are some photo's, unfortunately I look a bit dodgy in them....

Day One: Artist's Block...

Yesterday I had a bad case of artist's block....I managed to get some work done but spent a large part of the day doing housework and baking stuff. This is what I usually do to combat the pain of artist's block. I hoovered, washed up about 8 times, baked pumpkin scones, blueberry muffins and homemade pizza. Domestic Goddess or just plain Crazy? (Photo: not one of my muffins, they got demolished before I could take a pic!)
I think what I need is a huge burst of Inspiration, as well as some new art materials and to do some research...(focus for the week!)
Well, it's the first day of my week away from my 'day job.' Today I braved the 'bright lights' of Enfield Town to get my hair cut.... I have successfully avoided the area for the last 3 months. The place just depresses me, I really feel that I've outgrown Enfield Town! I'm affraid of having my haircut almost as much as I'm scared of pigeons, and that's saying something! To make matters worse the only hairdresser that I trust is on maternity leave...To cut a long story short (excuse the pun)....I love my new haircut complete with quirky fringe. The guy who cut my hair was Italian from my mum's part of Italy, Campania, which is random...
Anyway, I survived a day in Enfield Town, to draw another day...I plan to post more regularly this week and make use of the extra time on my hands!

My Action Plan....

....Here is the plan of action that I wrote in 'Pret' today for the week that I have off.... Organisation is key!

Today....

Here are a couple of photo's of the the kids work that they produced today. They where making collaging pictures of the creatures in 'James and the Giant Peach.'

what I've been up to recently........

I love being busy and the last few weeks have been exactly that! Yesterday, I had tons of errands to run... I went to check out a gallery space in the Kings Road, for my perspective solo exhibition, this summer!? Today, I met Charlene at Starbucks to help her with blogging. I also went to get some paper for my next book binding experiment. I really want to do something challenging with the next book. I will definitely attempt a leather binding very soon, I just need to pluck up the courage. The excitement of the day reached a climax at finally finding a motley crue t-shirt, woohoo. I know, it's tragic by my own admission!
Anyway, back to Art. Tomorrow I'm teaching in South London and Saturday is my last day at work before the sacred week off... I have to keep busy next week because as they say 'the devil makes work idle hands.'
Apart from having to do boring things like having my hair cut and going to the optician, I want to get loads of art work done and make a definitive action plan for the year, it's all about organisation! There is so much I want to achieve this year and at the moment, I feel like anything is possible...x