Thursday, July 28, 2011

Miss Meow likes to drum


A couple of months ago I was having a particularly crappy day... I was tired & a little stressed & I struggled to feel positive about anything! Unwashed dishes, an empty toilet roll, a cat that meowed for food... all these things seemed to push me beyond my limit. It is very possible that there were also tears over those petty issues. Ridiculous, I know (did I mention I was quite tired & stressed?!)  Anyway, I jumped in the car with my list of errands in hand, plugged in my ipod & grumpily hit 'Shuffle'.

And there it was.
A song I hadn't heard for so long.
The whole album is an absolute favourite for me.

How? oh how did my little ipod understand just what I needed at that moment!
I turned up the volume and every bit of air within my car danced with the music of The Cat Empire. As 'Sly' played I did my seated-driving-a-car-dance, I sang loud, and I drummed & drummed that steering wheel. Oh how I would love to be able to keep a beat (for longer than 9 seconds) and be a drummer in a band. But for now, I am sure that other motorists look at me with admiration for my awesome steering-wheel drumming talent!

Later that day, I decided that I needed to create an illustration in honour of The Cat Empire & their make-you-want-to-dance tunes. I tried several sketches of girls with cat's ears growing through their hair, cat headbands, or even cat's heads with a girl's body.
Nothing seemed to work.

Then, on one fine Wednesday afternoon, I bumped into my friend, Jules.
There she stood wearing a black coat with a fluffy, furry collar & on her head was the cutest furry cat ears headband! She looked adorable.
"I must draw you" I said.
And draw Jules I did.
Thank you Jules.
Thank you Cat Empire.

And here is your sneak peek for now - the rest will be revealed after next week's exhibition. I am feeling a little excited.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Hey Presto?!


First comes the idea, then the sketching, then the scanning & photoshop-ing, and the colouring. 
Then the printing & the reprinting for all the late night mistakes. 
There is the very important choice of fabrics & the wonderful op-shopping experience to acquire those fabrics. Then the marriage of an illustration & fabric. 
The addition of sewing detail is a subtle feature, but so important in my eyes & my favourite pieces always end up being those that are the most time-consuming! 
A hanging wire is attached to the hoop. Then, lastly the printed/sewn illustration can be stretched & fixed in the hoop. 
Presto!.. (I know, a ridiculous word to use for such a detailed process) its done! 


I need to sew pretty details & contour lines tonight, but I am ever so tired... the thoughts of Vintage Carousel keep me going... Not long now.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Love at first sight

 



They lay leaning against a wall. A group of four... they looked like a family, bound together with 'Senior' overlooking and protecting his clan. I wanted them. The whole family.  Without hesitation I took out my purse and paid their price...they became mine.  

Their blank wooden bodies would be the perfect canvas for my illustrations & despite many failures along the way, they have now begun to be transformed into something even more beautiful. The exhibition will be their unveiling but how will I ever let them go? I feel like a mother watching her babies grow up and leave the nest....

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Its not all roses

Just spent the last few hours working on a new piece for exhibition... its on this cool upcycled wood... Complete failure!!!... Oh my goodness!... its terrible. Mmm... right... late night disappointments are so much harder to swallow than middle-of-the-day disappointments... Onward I go, I guess....