Baby Elephant Walk

Finally September has arrived and Baby Elephant Walk is in the bookshops! 

I feel like I’ve been working on this for so long, but much of that was the usual lag time in between the finishing and actual release date. In that space a month feels like about six.

I knew the tune, but before this but had no idea that it had lyrics, and absolutely no idea that it had Hal David lyrics. (If you aren’t sure of his song list just Google it, there will be more songs there that you know than you think.)

When it comes to talking about my artwork, words have a tendency to escape me. So here I’m going to tell you how the endpapers/first page came to be, but in pictures.

Make believe you’re in a jungle movie –

At this point all I really knew was that I wanted to page to be green and to have a big tree, so this was how I started . . .

Then . . .

Earlier I had done some sketches of plants and leaves, and after a bit of moving around finally decided which to use and where to put them . . .

. . . 

The view from here (some hours later) . . .

Until I finally had this . . .

And now all I had to do was add the animals.

I finished off the backgrounds of all the pages before I added the animals, while it meant that a few things got painted over it made for a better image in the end.

New Things

It's been too long

How did it get so late so soon?

It's night before it's afternoon

December here before it's June

My goodness how the time has flewn

How did it get so late so soon?

 - Dr Seuss

I didn't realise just how much time has passed since I was last here. A combination of working on a fairly large project and strong need to go to ground for a while had turned me into a bit of a hermit. 

But I didn't stop painting, I just kept forgetting the part where I share it with people! These are a few things I can share, some of the little things I worked on while working on the big thing;

My entry for the Illustrators Australia 9x5 show. The theme was 'Carnivale' and these are two little puppets called Twist and Turn - 

A couple of drawings for the A3 show, also an Illustrators Australia exhibition - 

 This one is just because I sat down in a park and had the idea -

The bigger project I can't share yet is a children's book, which will be out later this year. I can't give much away yet, but as soon as I'm allowed there will be pictures right here!

Kish+Co launch exhibition

This is one of my paintings for the Kish + Co launch exhibition that was held last Friday at their Hawthorn studio. It was a fun night with lots of great and very talented people. I feel quite lucky to have been asked to be a part of this show, the people over at Kish + Co are just awesome.

More info about the artists involved and photos from the night are all on their website, you really should go and have a look .

Illustration Friday - Cultivate

Down the Rabbit Hole

Taking it's inspiration and title from the opening chapter in the classic topsy turvey novel Alice in Wonderland, the Down the Rabbit Hole exhibition explores themes and worlds where everyday things are not what they seem and even the sweetest, most childlike subjects can be dark and twisted. Curated by Jess Perlen, the show includes photographers Daniel Linnet, Otilee and Ron C. Moss and illustrators Brendan Ninness, Cally Bennett, Jane Reynolds, Jodee Taylah and Rhiannon Mowat, who have provided works that explore these themes.

If you are a fan of Alice in Wonderland or just like your art dark and a little twisted, you really should come along to the opening night of Down the Rabbit Hole at Brunswick Street Gallery on April 1st. I am so excited to be included in a show full of such talented photographers and illustrators. 

(If you end up locked in a cupboard because one of your friends played an April fools joke on you, don’t worry, the show is on till the 14^th April.)

These are two of my artworks that will be in the show:

Tea & Sympathy

The Lion & The Unicorn

Bob Boutique show

I have some work on the walls of Bob Boutique at the moment as part of their combined artists Christmas show! I looove this store, it's such an inspiring little place to be. It's full of art, jewellery, clothing and homewares, most of which are made by local artists and designers.

If you are near Bendigo you really should go have a look, the address is 17 Williamson Street (in the Shamrock Hotel building). Shop hours are Monday and Tuesday 11-3, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 11-5, Saturday and Sunday 11-3.

If you can't make it there, the website has an online store with lots and lots of pretty things.

The things you find

I think March was the last time I had some days spare to clean up, it's been a crazy creative year and I find myself happily exhausted and also surrounded by a mess of paper and books. These last few days I feel like I've done nothing but file away paper, putting things into folders and plastic pockets and trying to restore some sense of order.

In the midst of all the cleaning I found this drawing of mine that I haven't thought about in a while. It's not better or worse than anything else I have done, but to me it is very special and I would like to share it.

This was the drawing that started everything I am doing now. At the time it was the first drawing I had done in a while, there are a lot of reasons why I stopped but none of them matter now. Now I'm just grateful that I started again.

Tea & Sympathy

It's taken me a few days to figure out what to write about this. I've checked back about 10 times (probably more) to make sure that it's real. A little while ago I entered Tea & Sympathy (above) in the ACMI Tim Burton competition, and it has made the cut for the final 14!

It kind of feels like the Christmas morning when you open your presents and find that, this year, your parents actually got you exactly what you wanted. Just knowing that Tim Burton saw my picture and liked something about it makes me very happy. That might be silly, but right now I really don't care.

This image started with the names of the two characters. I was listening to one of my Split Enz cds while I was painting and the song Sugar and Spice was on. Tea and Sympathy is half of a line from the song, and this time when I heard it I thought to myself, I wonder what they would look like as characters. The result from that wondering is the painting you see before you now.

Exhibition set-up

The show is off and running. Here are some photo's taken just after it was all setup and straightened out and given a final polish.

Opening night was great, thank you to everyone who came along. So many opening nights happening at the same time gave the whole gallery an awesome atmosphere.

'The Sideshow Train'

I have become a bit of a hermit in the last few months, but with good reason. I have two exhibitions opening next week, and the opening nights are literally one after the other. One of these happens to be a solo show, and that is scary on a scale I cannot describe.

The Sideshow Train started off as a small idea, a bunch of characters that feel like they don't fit in, like they are the from the sideshow that sits at the edge of everything. I had some of the names sorted (Tea & Sympathy, Nonsense & Riddles) but that was all. Then my husband looked through my sketches and started writing stories to go with them, and the little idea I had has become a lot bigger.

So, on Friday 24th September we will be spending the day turning the black room at Brunswick Street Gallery into the sideshow room. By 6pm it will be ready to go, and all are welcome to join in the fun that opening nights always are.

Illustration Friday - Rescue

This was one of those images that came to mind as a complete picture all at once. When I think of being rescued I think of music. I'm talking about the emotional kind of rescue, when you get stuck in your own thoughts and need something to pull you out.

I think most people would have a certain band or a certain song that always makes them feel better. For me it has always been Crowded House, every time I hear the first few notes of Weather With You my heart feels a little bit lighter.

Christmas chocolate box

I have recently had the absolute pleasure of doing some illustrations for Koko Black. I have been going to their shop in the Royal Arcade for years, I still remember the day I found out they did a hot chocolate mocha…yum.

The picture above is of their Family Novelty Box from the new Christmas range. That’s my handy-work sitting on the top there. All pen and ink and a large amount of detail, just the way I like it!

Illustration Friday - Music

'Cinnamon Girl'

Inspired by the song by Neil Young

Just because

I thought I would put these images up because they seem to be the ones that people like the most. It is always surprising to me which ones are the most popular, it never seems to be the ones I think it will be.

The first one is titled 'Threads' and the second is 'Red's Path'.

Current Exhibition

My first solo exhibition is currently on at the wonderful Bob Boutique in Bendigo. There is a mix of old and new work and five of my favorites are available as framed giclee prints. As with most of my paintings there is a strong fairytale theme. I can't help it, I guess I just love a good story.

The exhibition runs until December 1st and everything is viewable and buyable on the Bob website.