Happy January...

Image courtesy of mydelineatedlife.blogspot.com

January is a month

Of cold and ice and sleet,

But don't you worry, brother,

We're turning on the heat!

I love this vintage calender insert painted by Peruvian pin-up artist Alberto Vargas. Dating from 1944, it certainly brightens up the post-christmas blues. Vargas was one of the best of his time, demonstrating a flawless technique usually with watercolours and air-brushing. 

The poem is great too, I've been trying to figure out why in place of the 15th there is a funny little squiggle. Any ideas? 

I can't quite believe this is my first post of 2012, I had a busy month back, moving house, with an unfortunate non-existent network connection whilst working lots over the festive retail period- has not left a great deal of time for posts. Lots more to come!

Happy January everyone! x

Illustration & Style Icon...must be Verhoeven

For as long as I can remember I have so very admired and gushed quite a fair bit at the work of British Illustrator Julie Verhoeven. Her drawings are captivating flamboyant, vivacious and provocative. Her explosive use of colour depicts her invented sinister-esque characters well bringing them to life, giving them personality and an identity within the fashion world.

Not only is she a fab illustrator, she is an incredibly eccentric snappy dresser too. Rarely seen without clashing bold prints, patterns and spots in sight, Verhoeven's wardrobe epitomises her character ideals and their mischievous yet scantily clad acid individuality.

Throughout my life as both a student and now graduate, I find myself constantly referencing her work for inspiration, technique and color theory. She is indefinitely on my list of icons, not only for her tremendous artistic contribution to the fashion and arts world...pushing boundaries for print and illustration to be featured more in fashion through mutual collaboration. But also for her fabulous style, living inspiration and artistic genius. Amazing lady!!!

XXX

All illustrative images courtesy of Julie Verhoeven & Portrait photographs courtesy of Anothermag and Showstudio.

NICE Things

I thought it would be rather a nice post to share with you a collective of things I have been exploring and had the pleasure of looking at this week. Take a peek...

ART. Lovely illustrations that I have been admiring by one of my favorite illustrators...Tina Berning. 

FASHION & APPAREL. Lucky for us Anthropologie has just launched into sale, I have been glancing today at their beautiful jewellery, homeware and accesories. Here are some lovely things that I came across...

In-The-Lead Shades, beautiful acetate, 

Made In Italy, £59.95

Flourishing Stripes Tank, sumptuously embroidered Marigolds,

 £39.95

Gorgeous Lemon Stick Wedges, By Miss Albright, 

£79.95 , I love these!!!

ICON. Madonna circa 1987...the year I was born. I've recently been worshipping photographs of her voluminous platinum hair, dark eye-brows and pillar box red cupids bow. I'm currently trying to channel this look...I find myself wearing red lipstick most days now. I just need to grow my hair a bit longer but its getting there! xxx

ABSOLUTE

BEAUT

BOB DYLAN paintings

Three Chairs

Fisherman

Dallas Hotel Room

Rose On A Hillside

Bicycle

Sunflowers

Some beautiful art by talented artist and musician Bob Dylan. The Three Chairs from the 2009 collection is my favorite. All of the other prints are Limited Edition from his 2010 collection- The Drawn Blank Series. I love Dylan's loose gestural style, it reminds me of work by The Fauves in the early 20th century, explosive in colour and texture. I like the contrast of the harsh dark lines with his soft and calm colour palette. 

All images courtesy of bobdylanart.com

beautiful...CONSEQUENCES

...I am beyond belief that this is my first post of the year... Dare I say I am on it again and there will be lots more feasts for your eyes from now on. Yay!

Last month I had the pleasure of attending one of my beautifully talented friends group exhibition entitled 'CONSEQUENCES' organised by Freyia Lilian Porteous amongst other clever illustration and animation students of Manchester Metropolitan University. Situated in the wholesome abode of Nexus Art Cafe, this venue utterly was perfect for displaying this creative collective. 

Ruth Beesley: Beautiful drawings evoking past childhood memories and dreams

Jason Edmunds: Please Tell Me What To Be

Thomas Harnett O'meara: An amazing colour spectrum contstructed out of cardboard and wood.

AKA; The Church of Jazz

Laurence Peffers:  An illustration or two for the lonely hearts

Lani Irving: Jason & the Pelican

Pearl Mitchell Photographs: Bruises as a physical memory

Such a BEAUTY Freyia Lilian Porteous with her work;

"She floats all over the stage and into the audience then vanishes like a fading cloud"

With such busy working schedules at University, I was very impressed to be presented with an exhibition  thoroughly organised and inspired by such a close-knit group of lovely creative young people, well done guys and dolls!

xxx

Another great: DAISY DE VILLENEUVE

She is amazing, great brogues too.

Just a quick post, been looking at some of Daisy's fab work this morning and couldn't resist not writing a post on it.  Daisy De Villeneuve is a London born lass, a designer, illustrator and writer extraordinaire (what I'm currently aspiring to at the moment).

Her work is vibrant, spunky and speaks volumes through her creative use of the classic felt tip pen. Her colour-ways, characters and scenarios that are constructed with added text, are full of energy and are just too lovely visually. They always manage to cheer me up :)

Funnily enough, Daisy looks the spitting image of many her illustrations which is quite remarkable. I think this can happen a lot, people have said to me before that I look like my work.

This week I'm going to be getting on with some drawing, I'll post some of my work if and when I'm happy with it, I feel my creative streak is coming back...Finally!!!

All illustrated images by Daisy De Villeneuve and photographic portrait of Daisy from Alistair Guy.com

The Beautiful work of Nathalie Lete

Ace Parisian artist Nathalie Lete... is my new heroine. Her work is stunningly sweet with childlike drawings, paintings, etchings, ceramic art and prints that are illustrated in warm bright colours.

Her interior pieces are equally as beautiful with hand tufted rugs, one off ceramic ornaments and lovingly hand painted plates with funny faces and animals. OOOh I want this lovely *Paris* rug!!!

                                                
Her work is sold all over the world in cute little boutiques including Couverture in Notting Hill, I know where I'll be stopping off the next time I'm in London! 

Inspired by nostalgia, nature and vintage toys, Nathalie has an ongrowing collection of quirky objects and figurines that fill her colourful house and work studio.

Nathalie's style as an artist and designer is truly unique and her expression of colour, print and pattern is really very special. Since coming across her work only a few weeks ago, i have been inspired by her beautiful work...though I has of yet to pick up a paintbrush...maybe sometime soon eh!

Check out some more lovely images on her fabulous website Nathalie-lete.com 


Ps:Watch this its amazing...Nathalie Lete...Art in action.