Roses and snails

Here is my design for last week's Lilla Rogers 'Make Art That Sells' assignment which was all about children's book illustration. I am loving this course so far and can't wait to explore some new markets armed with lots of top tips from Lilla. 

'The Snail And The Rose Tree' was written by Hans Christian Andersen in 1861. There is no fairy tale ending for this self-centred snail who has no time for beauty in his day to day life.

I created this design in watercolour and collage. The floor around my desk was in a bit of a state by the time I finished this!

Textiles by Mary Schoeser

I love a good textile design reference book and Textiles: The Art of Mankind by Mary Schoeser is a must have for any admirer of the wonderful world of decorative textiles.

Covering textile art and design from around the world and through the centuries, the book meanders through diverse subject matter such as Indian woven silk fabrics from the 15th Century, the sinuous and elegant line work of William Morris' block printed furnishing fabrics, densely stitched robes worn by Turkmen tribal women, through to the brightly coloured brocade weaves of 20th Century Guatemalan dress fabrics. These examples are just a tiny slither of the vast selection of beautifully documented textiles featured in this wonderful tome - and I call it a tome as it is one very heavy book, beware Ikea shelves! Over 1000 images reveal the beauty and variety of textiles in stunning detail.

The author Mary Schoeser writes: 'Over the past forty years, the first hand sight of hundreds and thousands of examples has convinced me that textiles are beautiful, inventive, expressive, and more. They reveal the human compulsion to engage with texture, colour and storytelling. They record our ever-changing feelings of play, joy, wonder and profound thoughtfulness. They preserve skills, encourage creativity and represent continuity'.

Themes covered in the book include Impact, Ingredients, Structure, Surface, Added Dimensions and Imagery. By juxtaposing historical and contemporary textiles from around the world, the author highlights an unbroken story of skill and invention stretching back thousands of years.

Textiles: The Art of Mankind by Mary Schoeser is published by Thames & Hudson Ltd, 2012.

Journey on a Cloud

I picked up 'Journey on a Cloud', a Children's Book Inspired by Marc Chagall, written by Veronique Massenot and illustrated by Elise Mansot at the National Gallery of Victoria bookshop recently, and I think this title definitely makes it into my all-time favourite children's picture book list.

One of Marc Chagall's most enduring and mysterious paintings Bride and Groom with Eiffel Tower forms the backbone of this beautifully crafted children's book. 

Zephyr is a day-dreaming mailman from a small village of blue houses and hills. One day he embarks on a fantastic aerial journey aboard a cloud, taking him on an adventure exploring distant and colourful lands.

Journey on a Cloud (Voyage sur un nuage) was first published in French by L'Elan Vert in 2008. The English edition was published by Prestel Verlag in 2011. The English edition is available on Amazon UK, and in Australia at Fishpond Books.

New Pattern Books from the V&A

I really need to stop reading those Amazon UK emails with the heading 'Recommended for You'..... The latest collection of V&A Pattern books are due for release in April 2012, and I am looking forward to receiving these always excellent pattern reference books in my mailbox.

Sanderson by Mary Schoeser showcases the vibrant wallpapers and fabrics produced during the 1950's through to the 1970's by the highly regarded British manufacturer.

 Heal's by Mary Schoeser showcases the wide range of contemporary fabrics offered by this retail institution around the mid-twentieth century.

Liberty & Co by Anna Buruma charts the development of the legendary company through their innovative textile designs.

Modern British Designers by Samantha Erin Safer traces the past 50 years of innovation and creative genius in British design. Designers featured include Zandra Rhodes, Terence Conran and Shirley Craven.

 The V&A Pattern Box Set IV published April 2012 by V&A Publishing

One (or two) for the library

These two titles - A First Book of Nature and Outside Your Window, written by Nicola Davies and illustrated by one of my favourite St Jude's artists - Mark Hearld, will definitely be winging their way to my bookshelf when they are released in February 2012.

A lovely tale - Cinnamon Baby

I came across this beautifully illustrated book on the weekend whilst browsing the well stocked shelves of children's picture books at the Hill of Content Bookshop, Bourke St, Melbourne.

Cinnamon Baby is a contemporary fable celebrating the special bond between mother and child, and is an ode to the power of the senses.

Miriam is a baker who makes the most delicious concoctions, including a cinnamon bread so delightful that a musician named Sebastian buys a loaf of the bread every day for a year. Sebastian falls in love with Miriam and asks her to marry him, and before long a beautiful baby is born to the happy couple.

All is blissful until one day the baby starts crying, and crying, and crying..... Miriam and Sebastian find themselves at their wits end, unable to soothe the wailing child.

Early one morning Miriam suddenly has an idea... and once again all is well in their world.

Cinnamon Baby is written by Nicola Winstanley, and illustrated by Janice Nadeau.

First Published in Canada by Kids Can Press Ltd, 2011.

A few hours in Vienna

I finally made it to the National Gallery of Victoria's Vienna Art & Design exhibition, which is showing until the 9th of October 2011.

Gustav Klimt's art work held an immediate appeal to me after coming across it in my early high school years - his sumptuous use of decorative pattern and stylised ornamentation was such an inspiration for a young girl with a love of pattern and textiles.

Italian garden landscape 1913 by Gustav KLIMT

Austria 1862-1918

oil on canvas

Kunsthaus Zug, Stiftung Sammlung Kamm

Fritza Riedler 1906 by Gustav KLIMT

Austria 1862-1918

oil on canvas

Belvedere, Vienna

The star of the show (in my humble opinion) 

Emilie Flöge 1902 by Gustav KLIMT

Austria 1862-1918

oil on canvas

Wien Museum, Vienna

Also on display is a fantastic collection of Successionist poster designs, book designs, Wiener Werkstatte product designs, bentwood cafe furniture, architectural designs, (and most importantly!) textile designs by the likes of Koloman Moser, Josef Hoffman and Dagobert Peche.

Plate from Flachen Schmuck series, 1901

Koloman MOSER Austria 1868-1918

National Gallery of Australia Research Library

Plate from Flachen Schmuck series, 1901

Koloman MOSER Austria 1868-1918

National Gallery of Australia Research Library

I'm now heading to my couch with my catalogue in hand. Have a great weekend!

l'Herbier d'Emilie Vast

Staying up into the wee hours to watch Cadel Evans racing his way through the French countryside to victory in the Tour de France inspired me to re-visit these beautiful books by French artist / designer Emilie Vast. I picked up a couple of copies in Paris a few years ago for the Linen House design studio library, but these are so lovely I couldn't resist adding a few titles to my own library via Amazon France.

Arbres

Feuillus d'Europe
Published by editions MeMo, 2009

Petite flore 
des bois d'Europe 
Published by editions MeMo, 2010

Plantes sauvages des villes

Published by editions MeMo, 2011

Spare, elegant, with a touch of inspiration from Art Nouveau decorative design - Emilie Vast's art work is beautifully laid out on thick matt paper in a subdued colour palette.
A great reference point for anyone interested in contemporary botanical illustration and textile design.

Take a look at Emilie's website here
editions MeMo

Lovely illustrations from Bernadette Watts

Every now and then I love to kill time (aka procrastinate) by browsing around the shelves of my local bookshops. A couple of days ago whilst in Readings St Kilda I came across a paperback version of The Brothers Grimm classic fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, illustrated in an eye-catching 1960's style combination of wax crayon, texta and oil pastel by English artist Bernadette Watts. 

This version of Little Red Riding Hood was first published in 1968 in Switzerland by NordSud Verlag AG, the version I purchased was published in 2009 by North South Books Inc, New York.

Bernadette Watts studied at the Maidstone Art School in Kent, where her tutors included the popular children's picture book illustrator Brian Wildsmith. 

Bernadette has illustrated dozens of folk and fairy tales over the last forty years - her many titles include The Bremen Town Musicians, The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse, Aesop's Fables, The Ugly Duckling, and The Snow Queen. I love her illustrations in this version of Little Red Riding Hood - the painterly, chunky oil pastel drawings of whimsical flower fields, forests, the delicate Little Red Riding Hood, the wicked wolf, and last but not least, her grandmother, are all so very magical.

Now I'm off to hunt out my box set of 32 Micador oil pastels from my RMIT days! I wonder if they are now available in a set of 72?

Take a look at Bernadette Watts' website here.

Lovely things from Liberty

Liberty is always my first port of call when visiting London. A shop filled to the brim with design treasures and textile loveliness.  Here are a few of my favourite textile-ly things:

A whimsical silk and wool printed scarf....

An elegant 'Tree of Life' silk scarf....

An embossed sketchbook

A 'Mirabelle' Liberty Print canteen tray

A wonderfully detailed patchwork Tana Lawn print 'Milo', by illustrator Brian Wildsmith

A colourful floral print named 'Kayoko', designed by children's book illustrator Emma Chichester Clark

A wild rose print 'Clara' by a favourite illustrator of mine - Jane Ray

Another textile treat 'Durie' from Brian Wildsmith

And last but not least, a cheery floral print 'Clemmie' by the very talented and popular children's book illustrator Lauren Child.

www.liberty.co.uk