Nancys Dad.

'Exit Strategies'

Kate Gibb, 'The End?'

The latest edition of Granta magazine entitled Exit Strategies, arrived at the studio today.

Browsing through a couple of illustrations really caught my eye. Closer inspection revealed the artistic perpetrator as Grantas own Art Director, Michael Salu.

Michael Salu, 'America'.

As if he isn't busy enough, Michael has started the Granta blog. Documenting their varied creative pursuits it offers you a chance to sample them individually. Look for yourself here & worth keeping in check with for sure.

'Winter Solstice'

Today I am working on my accounts. Well that was the case until I chose to become preoccupied by a badge making machine left in my studio. What an addictive gadget that could turn out to be. Yesterday, (like many others) I wished to live somewhere remote and quiet, clean air, clear skies.. the antithesis of London life. If only not to have missed Saturdays eerily spectacular lunar eclipse. Take a few minutes to watch William Castlemans time lapse of the whole event and observe the moon radiate a deep blood red. Spooky.

Stripes & Halftones

A rewarding aspect of working regularly alongside Stussy, is it allows me to hone my skills as a printmaker. Of late, my contribution to them has been as a colourist and mark maker I guess. Revitalising and updating their bountiful back catalogue of stock logos, through additional texture & playing optically with colour has kept me technically on my toes. Some of this work in progress remains purely as that. The prints shown here particularly challenged me but never made it off the board.

100% cotton, utilitarian art?

I couldn't bear to hear myself blog about tea towels again. (Or mention that its our Open Studios this weekend). Feel free to pop by, (emoticon).

'Open Studios this Weekend...'

Try a relaxed approach to the festive period & pop to 'Great Western Studios' this coming weekend for our annual Christmas Open. The studios have grown vastly in the last year so lots of new bits & bobs for everyones perusal. Myself & Sophie Smallhorn have gotten together creatively, (festively even, could be the appropriate word) although there are no Santas hats on our tea towels.. Bah!

December 3rd & 4th, 12 - 6pm both days.

'Living in Patterns'

Pollyn's latest album 'Living in Patterns' holds this weeks grand accolade of being Rough Trade's record of the week. That's pretty high praise in my book. Art Director Adam Weissman is one of the bands three members. Our creative relationship stems mainly from our collaborative work with Stussy. With a title that couldn't feel more apt to oil my creative juices, I relished the opportunity to create their sleeve art. Read what they have to say here, its all good.

'Things & People'

I totally forgot to tell of Sandy Suffields unique little blog 'Things & People'. Introduced to each other via Sophie Smallhorn, a mutual friend & hugely impressive silkscreen artist & sculptor. Her premise is for you to pick a thing that has been influential in your life, accompanied by its story. There are a lot of real weepies.. so tissues to the ready. Not for mine though, its just one more tale of sibling rivalry. A consistent fave of mine is Chris, whose friend grabbed a crisp from a bag that was his doppelgänger. Such luck!