Desk Life ♥

hello chums, just thought i'd throw together a quick blog post before I head off on my annual travels through the UK to France and on to Andorra and Spain. I don't leave until Thursday but i'll be super busy tomorrow packing and stuff (or more likely reading all night and then packing at the last minute!) so I'll do a blog tonight instead.

i've mentioned it before on here a few times but last year I FINALLY bought myself a proper desk so that I have a place to work and also to display some of the random colourful junk i've collected over the years. You might be thinking 'who cares about a stupid desk' but it's my blog and I really like my desk so I'm gonna talk about it a bit and post some photos so if you're dead inside and hate anything fun, then you don't have to stay here...

 

So back to the desk. As an artist i'm quite a visual person (wow there's a surprise!) and I like to have lots of inspiring things near or around me when I work to help give me ideas or just to brighten things up a bit. I'm fortunate enough to have a retired painter and decorator for a dad which means the wallpaper in my room is utterly hideous and won't be replaced any time soon. So I long ago resolved to cover every available inch of it with as much random crap as I can muster. Hence the walls full of stuff!

 

I tend to keep a mix of items around my desk, you'll notice quite a bit of my own work pinned up along with designs from other artists I admire or just general bits n' bobs people have sent me or i've collected on my travels. Although I have a separate space to paint in (which sadly has walls i'm NOT allowed to decorate with cool stuff!) my desk is where I come up with most of my ideas for designs and products. It is for all intents and purposes, precisely where the magic happens.



I know i'm not the only artist that works this way, in fact most of my arty/illustrator/designer friends have similar desks or studio spaces chock full of items they've acquired over the years. I'm not sure about them but I know that I find it really helpful to have a heap of cool stuff in front of me while i'm working on a design or making something.



I'm lucky enough to have some very generous creative friends who've sent me all sorts of nice stuff like fun prints, postcards and groovy stickers! I stick most of this stuff up next to my desk to help with colour palettes and you know, because it looks pretty! And if YOU had hideous skin disease wallpaper then you'd probably slather pictures all over your walls as well.

I'm a big kid at heart and i'll probably never really grow up, so you'll also spot plenty of daft toys on my desk, like my trio of Monster High girls and my mini popobe bear collection. There's quite a lot of Geeky stuff as well, like fanart and other homages to various fandoms. I also keep my 'thinking crown' handy for those times when creative block strikes, I pop on the glitter crown and issues usually resolve themselves. And if they don't, who cares, i'm wearing a crown, nothing matters.

The desk is also home to my beloved Pullip doll and a whole host of other critters including Catbug, Puppycat, Paddy the gnome, my Lego Ghostbusters set, Moomin family, Sailor Moon, Toothless the dragon, Maurice the monkey, Arale, Jack the giant Popobe bear, Tofu Dolls, Dunny figures, oh and a Tardis because why not?!

it might look like a cluttered nightmare but it's surprisingly well organized (for me!) and I have quick access to all of the bits I need to create stuff and if I can't find something then I just shuffle through it all and swear profusely until I can. It's a very successful if entirely inelegant system of organization, typical to most artists. 



you might also spot Tom Hiddleston's face lurking on the desk as well, this was a recent gift from my friend Lorna as sadly the real Tom Hiddleston wasn't available, apparently. You might ask 'but Jade, why so much stuff everywhere?' and all I can say is that as far as i'm concerned, if it's not teeming with stacks of random stuff then it's not a real desk!

you might also think that i'm not left with much space after all that junk, and i'd like to take a moment to ask why on earth you're so judgmental but instead I will tell you that despite the clutter I manage just fine...

Now onto the other reason I wanted to do a post tonight, yes that's right, I lured you here under false pretences only to ambush you with something else entirely! As I mentioned at the start, i'm off on my holibobs this week which means i'll be closing the shop for a bit. However, i'm going to the post office in the morning so if you've been hankering for a treat or need to buy a present for someone, this is your last chance until the end of the month!

And as a special sweetener, i'm throwing in a FREE Girl Gang sticker with every order + EVERY purchase gets a 20% off voucher for their next order!So i'm not sure what you're waiting for, go buy something cute! SHOP NOW

and on that happy and colourful note i'll say goodbye, I won't have proper internet access while i'm away but i'll do my best to post stuff over on my Instagram page so if you want to see what I get up to on my holiday, then maybe you should follow me on there!

so until next time, that's all folks! speak to you all again soon...

One Year Later...

Hello again, wow i'm really starting to get back into this blogging malarkey, here's hoping the enthusiasm lasts! This one will be kind of a personal post but hey, I never said it would all be fun and games and delicious cakes! Before you start reading the rest I feel I should probably warn you that this post is rather heavy on the old parentheses. (enjoy)

Okay so yesterday morning I got a rather groovy email from a chap I haven't spoken to in over a year (hence the title of the post) but it's nothing overly dramatic or particularly too exciting (at least probably not to you, I mean obviously it is to me or I wouldn't be blogging about it would I) it's just that he bought some big ol' paintings from me last summer and wanted to send me an update on their current whereabouts.

For those of you that follow me on my various social media accounts such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest (shameless plugs I know but this is a blog after all!) you might remember that around this time last year I was just wrapping up my BA degree in Fine Art and showing my work in the degree exhibition. 

Although I took a lot of progress shots for my degree file (and for Instagram) I was going through my prolonged 'no blogging' spell so I never actually documented the process on here. Obviously i'm not about to regale you with a whole start-to-finish essay about something I did a year ago, but I am going to at least explain a bit about what I did.

For my final pieces, I produced four large scale acrylic and posca paintings for the show on 1819 x 607mm (about 6 x 2 foot each) boards and in case you missed it last year, this is what they looked like up on the wall in the exhibition space.

 

The paintings were pretty big, a real pain in the patootie to move anywhere and even more fun to actually put up on the wall. But once they were up in the space they were kind of striking enough that people paused to look at them, which is all I could ask for really! If you can't quite visualise the sizes mentioned, here's a snap of one of the exhibition visitors gazing up in adoring wonder at one of the paintings (actually she's my friend Porscha but I did NOT pay her to pose for the photo, honest!).

Followed by the only photo of me with the paintings in existence, a slightly blurred farce of a photo. Unfortunately i'm blinking like a total moron in the pic, but ignore the fact that I look like a bewildered sloth and focus instead on the paintings in comparison to my height (i'm wearing heels by the way). Now you'll understand why they were such a chore to lug about and why they took me so ruddy long to paint (a full week on each board from start to finish in case you were wondering).

Well, since the degree show was held during the TT festival (more about that HERE) in a public space (a local shopping centre) we got all sorts of wonderful visitors from all over the world and as luck would have it, one afternoon I got a call saying that someone had been in to the exhibition requesting to buy my work.

Initially I didn't think much of this since i've had people ask to buy my work before and then I never hear from them again. I mean I was kind of attached the paintings at this point, i'd spent the last month huddled over my kitchen table slaving away at them night and day. I drank so much Red Bull through curly straws during the painting process that I now can't even look at a can without shuddering or immediately thinking of Lana Del Rey (her music set on repeat pretty much fueled the entire month of painting).

I'd coated aforementioned table in spatters of paint and for a solid month my flatmate couldn't actually use the table at all because it was so covered in pots of paint, brushes and massive flipping wooden boards! They were the biggest paintings i'd ever attempted and I wasn't even sure that I wanted to actually sell them. They were, and still are, incredibly personal pieces of work.

Then I began to realise that if I didn't sell them I would no doubt be stuck with them forever. Which means I would probably either damage them by accident or get really angry one night and set fire to one, or all, of them while screaming insults at the flames. 

I have a strange relationship with my work but these paintings were 'my girls' and however much I loved them (and I did) I knew it would be easier if they weren't cluttering up the place. I was undeniably flattered that someone had even momentarily considered buying my work so I got in touch with the prospective buyer and quickly realised that he was actually serious!

Obviously I was SUPER excited by this news, it's nice to know that someone likes your work enough to want to actually pay money for it! A few emails later and the deal was secured (as it were) and a few weeks after that, I shipped the paintings over to England and met the buyer off the boat (yes it was as thrilling as it sounds). Anyway, at the time when I sold the paintings I genuinely didn't know what was going to happen to them. The buyer said he planned to hang them in his house and that he'd send me a photo, but months went by and I had other things to think about so I just sort of began to forget about 'my girls'. 

The last time I saw them all together side by side was about a fortnight after the exhibition came down, stacked in my kitchen the day I packaged them up for their trip overseas. I bought a funk-load of parcel paper as well as 100m of bubble wrap (possibly the best purchase i've ever made in my life as there are literally hours of fun to be had with a roll of bubble wrap that is 100m long) and I carefully wrapped up the paintings ready to set sail for Heysham.

When we docked in England I met the guy that was buying the paintings and just over a month after i'd first set brush to board I handed them all over and they were no longer my responsibility. Which is probably a good thing since they'd have undoubtedly ended up stacked next to my fridge if i'd have kept them, or more likely plonked behind the sofa gathering dust.

Anyway since then I haven't thought much about them, like I said i've had other things to think about. But over the past few days i've found myself pondering over their sale and wondering whatever became of them in their new home in Cambridgeshire. Did they get put up in a house, did they get sold on, were they shoved away in a garage? So in true nosy-parker style I messaged the buyer just to try and find out what happened to them.

 Well as luck would have it, as I said at the start of the post (before I started wittering on uncontrollably) I received an email from the chap that bought them and he sent me this...

and this - "Hello Jade, I'm sorry that I never got around to sending you pictures before so here you go. As you can see they are hanging on the wall in my house. Have had no problems with them, they been very well behaved! I'm very fond of them and will not be selling them."

So now I know, and now YOU know as well. They're safe and sound in a hallway hanging above a staircase. Which is frankly pretty awesome to know! I like the idea of them keeping watch over the stairs, no doubt intimidating people with their candy coloured ferocity (at least I like to think that's what they do). It's kind of brilliant knowing that my paintings are still being displayed, now all I need to do is crack on and start painting some NEW ones.

 And on that sentimental note I think I shall draw this post to a close. Mostly because i've exhausted the '( )' buttons and I can't really think of anything else to say. Lucky you.

It's not really a great ending to a blog, it's not even a very good ending, but it's an ending all the same.

So until next time, that's all folks!

thanks for reading (or if you just looked at the pictures, thanks for that too)

bye for now... 

Creative Café #17 ★

so it's time for another Creative Café post! as promised...

you know the drill, go and get a cup of tea or something, grab a cake/biscuit/chocolate bar etc

settled and comfy? good stuff, let's get on with it then!

today it's all about a smashing Manx artist, someone whose work i've admired for many years, this person is very talented and produces some really incredible artwork! this feature is also coincidentally the first one to feature a guy so without any further ado, today it's all about... Adam Berry!!!

like i said, Adam is a Manx artist/designer/animator who is super duper talented!!! he's not the first guy to be featured on the blog but he is the first guy artist to get a creative café feature! i know this is traditionally a verrry girly blog but you'll see from his work... his unique style of design appeals to both guys and girls.

i've followed Adam's work for a few years now, he was the artist in residence for a year at the local Sayle Art gallery in 2008 and i remember visiting the gallery one day while he was painting this amazing piece featuring a girl in sort of pop art colours. it was during my first year at college and was the first time i think i'd ever seen his work! (i was kind of closeted from the Manx Art world when i was studying for the IB at my old school!) 

sadly i never got to see his residency final exhibition but i remember going back to the gallery at some point in 2009 and seeing postcards of his work, so naturally i had to get some!!! (they're on my desk board at college) then seeing canvases of his work on sale in Zooma in Castletown. i could never afford a canvas but the style of his work has stuck with me since the first time i saw one of his paintings so i guess you could say that his work has inspired me over the years what with the bold outlines and bright colours of his style!

his work is so beautifully detailled and kind of timeless in a way, mainly because his pieces often contain varying styles of illustration. often his work conjures up images of the 60's with rounded melting text and multitudes of colour. but then some remind me of Victorian style art nouveau illustrations, full of flowing lines and tendrils of text, then others make me think of 1950's Pop Art with their collaged layers and spray painted features! then some pieces are just purely modern in style and medium. it's this flux-like style of creation that i really admire!

there's also a great sort of psychedelic vibe to Adam's work and obviously i love the way he  incorporates lots of sassy pinup type girls into his pieces. all of his artwork is beautifully executed in a bold but brilliant style, bursting with so much intricate detail that my brain boggles just looking at it!

anyway i've rambled on for long enough, have a little skeet at some more of Adam's work. (ps - this time we have multi-picture collages due to the size of the originals + it means you won't get hand cramp scrolling for half an hour like usual...)

so there you have it! really stunning stuff for sure! each piece is absolutely sublime!

links time now...

to see more of Adam's art and design work be sure to check out his official website here - Adam Berry

you can also buy prints (and originals!!!) of his work from his online shop here - Print Shop

be sure to 'Like' his work via facebook too - Adam Berry Artwork

you can even follow him on twitter to keep up to date with all his arty goings on - @adamcrapola

oh and don't forget, Adam also takes commissions for designs and stuff so you can also email him about all that here - adzberry@gmail.com

all that's left for me to do now is say a big ol' THANK YOU to Adam for saying yes about the feature! he was also kind enough to place a little link to my site on HIS newly re-launched site so thanks again for that as well!!!

All images featured in this post belong to Adam Berry © do not claim, use, distribute, reproduce or trace ANY of his work without his express written consent. All Rights Reserved.

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so that's that! not much else to tell really, i've been working my arrrrrse off on some new commissions which i'm trying to get done asap so i can finally get on with some college work!!!

i won't be back in college until Wednesday but i'll try to find something to post about before then!

so until next time, that's all folks... ◕‿◕ ★ xX

Creative Café #8 ★

another Monday, another week...

let's kick off August with a lovely new Creative Café post shall we!!!

ok dudes and dudettes you know the drill, go now and get some tea or some coffee or some fizzy pop, grab a biscuit or a cake (or in my case some popcorn!) and settle down for some super duper creative loveliness!

today it's focusing on the truly gorgeous artwork of the fabulous Amariah Rauscher 

i first discovered Amariah's beautiful paintings and sketches one day a while ago while randomly trawling through etsy, i thought it was about time i featured her here! :)

Amariah is an artist living in Springfield Illinois, USA. 

she creates delicate and whimsical pieces using charcoal, pencils and watercolours and her style is just divine!

her little characters are so sweet and the colours she paints with are so pretty! i just love everything she does!

she also paints lots of little books into her pieces, her characters seem to enjoy reading and writing (oh i wonder why i like her paintings so much... ) 

anyway, you know me, i'll start rambling and gushing now so instead... enjoy this beautiful, colourful stream of Amariah's amazing work

 

totally gorgeous right! i know, i know, it's all just so sweet and lovely!

but she also creates the most fabulously detailed drawings and portraits! check these out...

incredible stuff! 

Amariah is also represented by Prospect Agency in New York, you can see her full Illustrator profile here - Amariah Rauscher

soooooo so pretty! love love LOVE it all!

she also sells prints, magnets and bookmarks featuring her work in her etsy shop - the Extent of Silence

i'm verrrry tempted to get myself a print (or two) since they're all so cute!

to see more of Amariah's work, check out her website here - Amariah's Studio

or head over to her Flickr photostream - Amariah Rauscher

you can also 'Like' her work on her Facebook fan page - Amariah Rauscher

and follow her on Twitter - @amariahrauscher

plus, be sure to check out her blog - Amariah Rauscher

massive MASSIVE thanks to the lovely Amariah for letting me feature her work on here :)

All images featured in this post belong to Amariah Rauscher © do not claim, use, distribute, reproduce or trace ANY of her work without her written consent. All Rights Reserved.

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not much else for today my dears!

a new delivery of postcards arrived earlier featuring some new designs but there's only a very limited number of each design so if you fancy one... get it quick!

 

you can see them all here + the bundles they are also available in, get yours here - Jade's Etsy Shop

but apart from all that, i've not really anything else to tell you!

so i guess that's all folks... ★ ◕‿◕ xX

ps - i KNOW i said i'd kick off the new Giveaway on the 1st but... well i haven't actually left the house in over a week so i haven't been able to get any more stuff to add to the bundle!!! i'll open it for entries in a couple of days, just stay tuned my lovelies! x