Sadomasochism for Accountants

A while ago now I did this book cover for Edinburgh-based writer Rosy Barnes' e-book, intriguingly titled Sadomasochism for Accountants. Not, as you might think, an instructional manual, but rather a comic novel set in and around the world of a fetish club... and full of quirky and dubious characters portrayed with affection! Lots of fun to illustrate and now available to buy here on Amazon.

Morebattle Panel

In other news, although I'm far from home, I'm also working on a information panel that is going to go in the village of Morebattle, where my parents live... to inform the general populace and walkers who might be passing through of the various points of interest in that neck of the woods! Here are some initial images from that... Finished board to follow soon I hope!

Recent Drawing on Public Transport

Lately I've been drawing quite a lot on the metro and the bus... it passes the time magnificently and the motion forces me to loosen up and stop drawing in such an uptight way! No wait, that top one was drawn on the sofa actually! And the two coloured ones are very much experiments in coloured pencil and gouache, with a mind to fashion illustration...evidently not drawn on a bus.

Chez Moi!

Coco Chocolate Packaging

Chocolate bar wrapper I did for Coco Chocolate a while back.

Future T-shirts

Going to end up on t-shirts I hope... also, have another project to share shortly...

Joyeuse Noel

Mon dieu, it's been a while since my last post! I have been making work... just v-e-r-y slowly! Nicely settled in now though and ready for a productive New Year... First of all, though - CHRISTMAS, see card above.

PARIS

I've moved to Paris!

House of Flexney

Lady Avis and London

A new a5 sized image of a Elizabethan lady that will appear in an 'Postcards' exhibition at the Line Gallery in Linlithgow in October. More soon...!
As you might have noticed, I didn't quite get it together with the pop-up exhibition (due to lack of space and time and becoming briefly housebound due to rioting!) Oh dear, famous last words. I actually had a bit of a holiday instead - involving LOTS of culture, including a wonderful trip to the Horniman Museum, a trip to the fantastic ceramics department of the V&A, a weekend in Brighton - (the Pavilion is amazing!)... and much more. Back up in Scotland the noo, and in the process of sorting out my plans... Anyway thought I should nourish the blog with some work, since it's been a while!

I went to see this wonderful installation by Carnovsky at DreamBagsJaguarShoes in Shoreditch. When viewed through red, green or blue filters, the layers of printing emerge and recede to reveal breathtaking flora and fauna. At night, the same effect is achieved by changing coloured lighting. Magnificent!

Attractive lady on a plate in the V&A.

Fantastic ceramic lion in V&A.

Brilliant masks display in the Horniman Museum!

Brighton Pavilion, alas you're not allowed to photograph the interior.

Aaaaah, and finally! I went to Ottolenghi in Islington as well... Best meal ever, and Yottam Ottolenghi came in while we were tucking in, bonus.

Query...

Hello, I was wondering if anyone has any ideas of good little craft/design shops/galleries in the Red Door/Concrete Wardrobe down here in London? I'm looking for places that could stock my jewels... If you have any suggestions, please let me know!

In a similar vein, I ought to mention Black Box Boutique, a new curious design emporium which opened a couple of weekends ago in Edinburgh's Grassmarket. I have some plates and tiles on show there, alongside the work of numerous highly talented jewellers. The displays have been designed with so much flair and attention to detail - very worth a visit!

The Latest Dispatch

Tardy update: I have recently been all over Edinburgh's Broughton Street like a rash... notably in Concrete Wardrobe, where my slot as Maker of the Month has just wound up, and in the newly opened branch of Coco Chocolate, just across the street. I painted a large mural for them... see photo above... Or pop in in person for a delicious cup of cocoa or purchase of some delectable chocolates. Just produced this logo for Coco too.

In other news, I have relocated to London this month! I have (semi) ambitious plans to get a pop-up exhibition of cardboard knick knacks on the go. There, now it's in writing I'd better blooming follow through!

Stephen Bird...

...Is amazing! Wish I'd made most of his work, thanks very much.

Smorgasborders

On the slim chance that you are Peebles-way, I have some jewellery showing in this exhibition of Borders-based artists, which opens ce soir.

New Ceramic Bowl

This and other bits and pieces like it are on show at Concrete Wardrobe. Some blurb on me below if you're interested...

This weekend that's just passed was a most marvelous one – because on Saturday it was my sister's wedding day! I mention this because I had quite a hand in the aesthetics of the day, and would like to show you some innovations of mine which added to the general jolliness of the occasion. Beginning with the invitation I posted a while back, which formed the inspiration for the rest of my creations on the day...

Such as these giants cardboard birds and flowers that decorated an outside wall of the house...

And these signs for the well-catered-for dietary requirement guests!

Giant pointing hands are always quite authoritative.

I conceived of the concept for the 3-tier cake back in February (?) the start of the year, and from then on, my mum and I toiled with the sugar paste to create this delightfully gaudy carpet of flowers, with my mum's ceramic birds and figures emerging from amongst them.

My good photographer pal Erika Stevenson was also in attendance – her photographs of the day are wonderful and capture the spirit of proceedings like nobody's business... trust Erika to include a comedy dog snap (or two).

All in all, it was a lovely, and very creative day!

Maker of the Month

Hello All! I have returned once again from obscurity – I've spent the last four weeks learning how to teach English as a foreign language, to enable me to fulfill my dream of escaping this rain-soaked land and supporting my artistic endeavors with interesting and sociable work... (That's the plan in any case!) Anyway, on either side of said course I've been exceptionally busy, and from tomorrow in Edinburgh's Concrete Wardrobe, you can sample some of the fruits of my labours, in a showcase known as Maker of the Month. There will be a window display of my devising, featuring this little boat, and a hell of a lot of animal brooches... (can you guess what it is yet?), plates, tiles, cake stands, a large bowl, illustrations and other new jewellery. So do go for a look... The showcase will be up until the end of July, at 50 Broughton Street, which is a lovely place for a stroll in any case, with it's marvellous cafés and quaint shops. Join Concrete Wardrobe's facebook page for more info.

Q&A

Stockport College Illustration student Laura Gilbert has conducted an interview about my work over on her blog, which contains interesting posts on many different illustrators... My responses do go on a bit; I've never been good with word counts!

Storlann Part 2

As promised, more title pages from the Gaelic short stories I've been illustrating.