true adventures

Big Sur- I've been to the most beautiful place in the world

babes in the woods

oh canada....

down by the river

some illustrations from an old book of my uncle's about fishing by a chap called C.F. Tunnicliffe..

tapestry

This is a design for a tapestry. It will feature in an upcoming film directed by Carolina Melis about the island of Sardinia's weaving traditions. More details to follow.

thank you Valencia Street book shop

lakes are forming in the pockets of your brain...

silences between leaves- my birthday walk

far away but remembering

Here I am wandering the foggy streets of San Francisco, thousands of miles away from my green and sometimes pleasant land. My thoughts keep returning to Elspeth Thompson who's Wonderful Weekend Book I had the honour to illustrate a couple of years ago. I only met her the once but we stayed in contact and I was affected by the way she lived and seemed to find joy and beauty in the details of everyday life. I am so shocked and saddened by her death but like many others I will always remember and be so so grateful for her inspiring words.
This is a poem she recommended for reading when the clocks go forward. It seems apt today somehow...

WILD GEESE
BY MARY OLIVER

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting —
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.

You can read her obituary in the Telegraph here

Live Painting for Hugo Boss

The week before last I was commissioned by PR company Hubbub to hand decorate wooden cuttout trees at two promotional events for Hugo Boss, one in Covent Garden and one at Bluewater Shopping Center...

Sainsbury's Advert

I recently designed the set for this Sainsbury's clothing TV commercial for AMV-DDBO. It is being aired from today apparently. Our TV has broken so please watch out for it for me...

Philip Dennis

My dear and talented friend Philip Dennis has just launched his website. Please have a look and check out his beautiful work.

Book of Leaves

Listening to this beautiful album by Rachel Grimes ...

A doodle that got out of hand...

The Railway Children

I recently illustrated the cover of the new Puffin Classics version of The Railway Children by E. Nesbit which was very exciting for me as it was one of my childhood favourites. It's in all good book shops now.

Forest Gate

An Illustration for last week's New York Times Review of Books of a review by Simon Akam.

My First Ceramics

I have recently collaborated with the very talented ceramicist Mary Fenton. The result is a very small selection of hand etched pottery. I hope to have some more professional photos up soon but in the meantime hear are a few snaps and watch this space for more pieces....

Santa Maria

Finally completed today, something I've been working on for a while. It depicts a view of the Santa Maria Cathedral in the city of Mahon in Menorca.

Some Drawings from New England

Some drawings I did in my notebook last Autumn when I was in New England.

LOVE - Takeo Takei

Courtesy of A Journey Around My Skull I have discovered and fallen in love with Japenese 20th Century Illustrator Takeo Takei

R.I.P. Lucienne Day

One of my all time heroines the designer Lucienne Day, has died aged 93. The Guardian Obituary puts it better than I can:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2010/feb/03/lucienne-day-obituary