Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Collected Progress

As spring begins to give way to the first hints of summertime, changes are afoot in my artistic life as well. Last week I moved the majority of my art supplies over to my new studio, which I share with two other creative ladies (there will be more posted about this space in the near future - for now, we're in embryo-mode, getting the place tidied up and planning a myriad of exciting things).

It'll be interesting to see how this new space effects my production methods - it's certainly nice to get out of my wee apartment, away from my cluttered little desk and into a space with considerably more breathing room. I also now have access to a printing press, which means I've started to plan little printmaking projects to add some variety into my watercolour world.

Here's a glimpse of the studio-in-progress:



I'm also happy to say I've officially finished three pieces (of 20+, of course) for my next major show (February 2012) - here's one of the three!

Please say hello to Margaret X. Arthurson, the wife of Arthur A. Arthurson. She is wearing the regalia of the Very Secret Society for New Marine Taxonomy (VSSNMT) (being a little-known secret society dedicated to re-categorizing the sea), and flanked by the symbols for the VSSNMT proper as well as the bird's foot, which indicates affiliation with (or, in her case, leadership of) The Mollymawk Collective, the women-only offshoot of the VSSNMT.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Seven Languishing Victorians...

Please, won't someone think of these seven languishing Victorians, sitting lonely in a drawer and wishing for a lovely new home? If you're interested in getting a strange but personable new roommate, then click here!.

As an added bonus, anyone within easy TTC range can email me, tell me which Victorian tickles their fancy and I'll sell the dude or lady to them for cash, no shipping, no worrying about them surviving in the mail!

Here are the seven intrepid wannabe explorers currently hanging out online:



Florence Plover left her home in Bristol at the age of 14, stowed away in the hold of a merchant ship. After disembarking in India, she spent the rest of her life living in a series of treehouses in the jungle, learning the languages of the forest creatures, especially the elephants.




Harold Harkins spent the first half of his life living comfortably in London. The son of a barrister, he was set to step into the stern shoes of his successful father when a chance meeting with a magpie in Greenwich Park turned him to a life of poverty and ornithological study.




Samuel Redfarm prized only his perfectly groomed hair and his collection of rare Patagonian butterflies, which covered the walls of his London home




Pearl Palterson, daughter of one of the richest men in Victorian London, grew up with a love for the natural world. Restricted by her status from gallivanting across the world in the name of Science, she instead began to fund the travels of other naturalists. Because of her generous patronage, the number of scientific discoveries made by women skyrocketed.




Lawrence Woodbottom fell into the life of amateur naturalism quite by accident, having wanted only to identify a strange bird's call that had been waking him up at ungodly hours each morning. During his search for the bird's proper name, he became engrossed by the library's collection of ornithological texts and spent the rest of his life documenting the many birds of England.




Beatrice Goodside began considering herself to be an eccentric at the tender age of 8, prompted by the realization that not all schoolgirls obsessively collected, preserved and displayed insects. Her parents, both hobby naturalists themselves, encouraged her entomological leanings through the often painful derision of her classmates, and Beatrice grew to become one of the only female entomologists acknowledged as a scientific and exploratory equal by her male colleagues.




August Fawndale saw his first whale at the age of three, while on vacation with his parents in France. From that moment on, he became obsessed with the mysterious creatures, and, at the age of 15, designed a small, steam-powered submersible that he hoped would allow him unprecedented access to the world of his beloved cetaceans.


Visit these seven on Etsy

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

ART FOR SALE ON THE INTERNET!

Hark, those who like inexpensive art! This lady, among others, is for sale on Etsy (click to visit the shop) right now!



As promised oh, nearly a month ago (yes, I am a first class procrastinator, what of it?), I am putting work up for sale on Etsy. It is all original work (watercolours for the most part), and, as an added bonus, it is all very cheap!

The proceeds of any sales will go towards supporting my artistic endeavours, especially the book I'm planning on publishing along with my next show in February 2012. Click HERE to get yourself a new Victorian roommate!