Saturday, May 10, 2008

Website update

My apologies for not posting anything for about a month, things have been somewhat hectic around here. Our daughter was out visiting us from Toronto for just over 3 weeks.

The website is progressing well, I just have to photograph some new items. My wife and I stopped doing any work around the house a little while ago for a few weeks in order to redo our laundry room. Our work stoppage also included the website.

We stripped off the old linoleum and I put down black and white vinyl tile. We painted all of the walls white except for the first wall that you see when you walk in as well as the wall behind the door. Those two walls are painted a very deep raspberry red, it looks like a normal red, but is actually a red the colour of red currant blossoms. It also matches the colour of a vintage plastic kitchen clock that is in our “Bird’s custard” yellow kitchen.


Here is a peek at our wonderful laundry room just after we had finished doing the work. 



Oh, and yes in about a week, all things going well, the new site will be up and running.

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Favourite Books

As an artist I like picture books, some of those books are children’s picture books, but I am referring to books with lots of pictures. I always look at what I believe is the best design, the best people in their field of endeavor. (This sounds great when it is written down in black and white but how do I qualify my love for 1950’s and 1960’s sci-fi/horror flicks. They are so bad. Some of the special effects aren’t very special. I love the giant rats that are dogs dressed to look like giant rats and actually just look like dogs dressed to look like giant rats.) Back to the books. Here is a list of books that have been an influence to my work and I hope that you may enjoy if you can get your hands on them.

There are a lot of books from my childhood that have had a big influence on my work. My mum had a Dennison Party Book from 1929 that I loved to look at as a child. The front and back covers as well as a few of the other pages are gone. I did manage to find a complete copy in good shape several years ago but I still own the original copy that my Mum had. I also own several other of the dennison books.

Another book that my mum had and I now own is “Mrs. Beeton’s Household Management”. I love the beautiful colour plates of the cakes.


This colour illustration is for “Fancy Cakes”.


This colour illustration is for “Sweets and Gateaux”.


My grandmother gave my brother and I a copy of ”The Road in Storyland”, published in 1932. The illustrations are beautiful vibrant colour outlined in black and are the work of Lucille W. and H. C. Holling, edited by Watty Piper.



This illustration is for the story "The Easter Rabbit"

Margaret Schiffer’s book, “Holidays - Toys and Decorations”, is the one book that has had the most influence on the direction that my art has taken.

The book “Carolyn Quartermaine REVEALED” is about the British textile artist of the same name. Her use of colour is wonderful.

Trisha Guild is another British textile artist and interior designer. She is extremely influential world wide in interior design. Her book “Trisha Guild – Pattern” is absolutely incredible. Her use of colour and pattern is mouth watering.