An exciting MAY!

7 months ago (also the last time I had a hair cut), I left my day job and started freelancing as an illustrator and photographer full time!  I'm still going and it's the most amazing change I've ever made in my life. I feel so lucky to have such a supportive group of creatives, family and friends around me, and a special mention to my greatest supporter and love of my life Mr Shane Hannan.

I've been having a little break from my blog so that I can put all of my time into launching my new Illustration and Photography websites!!  Lots of exciting things are in the works for the future...
But in the meantime! A few things have happened that are too exciting not to blog about.

May has been a magical month for me with lots of exciting projects and adventures...

I entered a brand spanking new illustration in the YEN Art Awards Competition. This one is pretty close to my heart and will be for sale on my online shop soon...


Princess Polly got me to illustrate a whole wall in their new Indooroopilly store!! I took a few Instagram photos on opening night and it was packed with people. It's pretty special to think that I can go and see my illustration at my local shopping centre whenever I like.


My favourite shop Sunday Social asked me to photograph their new Autumn / Winter Look Book.
We had an amazing day at the beach with perfect weather. Make sure you visit the store in Winn Lane if you are in Brisbane or head over to the online shop: sundaysocialstore.bigcartel.com
Models: Thea, Penny and Jesse,
Styling by Jess and Thea,
Makeup by Penny
Hair by Jenni

As a little bonus I got to have a bit of a shopping spree! I was in my element!! I'm really serious when I say Sunday Social is my favourite shop!

Forkmyfood invited me over to be an official taste tester for her raw, vegan dessert blog post.
It was my lucky day.
This is what I got to taste:
White chocolate, strawberry, lemon cheesecake,
Home made almond milk
Raw hazelnut chocolate
Coconut & cashew icecream
 (Photo by Photo by forkmyfood. )


Pommy entered in the Winn Lane dog show and won BEST IN SHOW!! What a little champ!! (And I took around a million dog photos, in a dog happy delirium ). I've been thinking that this might have been the best day of my life... and that maybe I am destined to be a dog photographer. haha


My childhood friend got married in Clare Valley, which totally made my heart melt!  I illustrated a portrait for the newly weds.



Just a few things going on at the moment that have put a big smile on my face and made it all worth while...

Lavender Tea & Pretty Dresses

Illustration Inspiration: Pretty Dresses at Ra Ra Superstar 
Water colour and digital illustration by me!

Left: Key Lime Structured Sheath Dress     Right: Flamingo Paradiso Dress

The weather is getting warmer, the smell of fresh cut grass is in the air and listening to all of your neighbours splashing and laughing with glee in their pools, while you sweat it out is just not cool. This lovely refreshing Lavender iced tea will make you feel as cool as a cucumber as you sit by the fan and embrace summer with elegance and grace.  

INGREDIENTS

1L Boiled Water

A pinch of fresh lavender OR a small teaspoon of dried lavender

2 Black Teabags 

Honey to taste 

Sliced lemon & ice to garnish

METHOD

Pick some fresh lavender from your mothers garden (or dried lavender from the store). 

In a glass jug add 2 black teabags with a light sprinkling of lavender flowers. Be careful to only use a small amount of lavender to avoid the taste of drinking from a perfume bottle. 

Add the boiled water and let the tea bags brew for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags and add a heaped table spoon of honey for a sweet tea or less to taste. 

Once cool add ice and sliced lemon to the jug and pour into cute retro glasses like your granny used to have. For a naughty variation add a big scoop of vanilla ice cream to your glass. 

If you are an impatient iced tea drinker like me; speed up the process by making a condensed version of this with only 1/2 a cup of boiled water and then fill the jug with cold water and ice. Instant iced tea. 

Glasses and Jug from my local op shop. 

Leah Goren Interview

Today I am very excited to share an interview with Leah Goren, a Brooklyn based illustrator and textile designer. I love following Leah's work on her blog and am also a big fan of her etsy shop.

Your range on Etsy (and Anthropologie) is beautiful!  Where else can I look out for your designs?

A handful of my products are stocked at a tiny boutique called Violet and Claire in Tokyo, but beyond that everything I make I sell myself. I work primarily in freelance illustration and licensing, and the items in my shop are more of an example of how my work can be used rather than their own line.



How did you get into textile and pattern design as an illustrator? 

I just sort of fell into it naturally. I've always been interested in fashion, and once I realized I didn't want to actually study fashion in school I started designing patterns for fabrics on my own. I like that putting a painting on a product makes the painting instantly interactive, and isn't just a stagnant thing on a wall or piece of paper.



What helped you to follow your dreams and take the risk to create your own business? 

I started my Etsy Shop while I was in school, so there was really no risk!  I didn't have to support myself yet so I wasn't concerned with making a profit at the time, it was really just a good outlet for the things I made.


Can you tell us about the process of your work? 

I start by painting, and I always use reference images. I'll just Google images of specific things if I know what I'm going to be drawing, or just scroll through blogs if I need ideas.
After I'm done painting, I scan my drawings and assemble a repeating tile in Photoshop.
From there I can edit colors and the final layout before I send it off to be digitally printed on fabric.


Can you tell us about your cat Moses? Is he supportive or distracting to your work? 
Does Moses have any funny habits? 

Definitely a distraction, he's terrible. He walks all over my desk, tries to jump on my shelves, tips over my paint water on purpose, lunges at my scissors when I'm cutting fabric. Sometimes he just makes me hold him and will do anything so that I just hold him while he sleeps, and of course then I don't have any hands to do work with. I like him the most when he's done wreaking havoc and falls asleep on the chair or in his box. He's the best though. His favourite foods that he's not supposed to have are smoked salmon, butter and cream cheese, and he loves playing with wire twist ties.He's also great at playing fetch.


What is it like living in NY and what do you enjoy about your neighbourhood? 

Recently I've been really enjoying walking around my neighbourhood, Bushwick. It's really "up and coming" as they say, and there aren't a ton of shops, bars, restaurants, etc. here yet. So it feels smaller, I feel more connected to people I see, and as new places open it really feels like I'm part of a growing community. I go to yoga here, I pick up my CSA here, we are forever loyal to our little cafe on our block. It's great!


Do you have any new exhibitions or projects that we should look out for? 

I'm always working on projects with friends when I can. Right now I'm doing some quilting projects with my neighbour who is a whiz at quilting. We're going to make some pillows too. I have a zine I did that I'm about to get printed, which a bunch of my friends contributed to, that'll be up in my shop soon as well.


What are your dreams for the future? 

Keep making things! And I would love to do house wares at some point, table ceramics or kitchen things would be so fun.

For more Leah Goren:
Website:http://www.leahgoren.com/
Blog: http://leahreena.blogspot.com.au/
Etsy Store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/leahgoren


My two new beautiful long skirts that I ordered from Leah Goren, below. 
It was a very tough choice deciding which patterns I wanted to go on the skirts.
I love wearing a maxi skirt to the markets, to a picnic or to the beach.  

I'm not sure about you, but I'm totally inspired to try my hand at some textile illustration/design.
Thank you so much Leah for doing the interview and I LOVE my new skirts!!

Fitting things in!

Apologies for not blogging last weekend: I got really rundown and sick, which was just in time for the busiest and funnest week that I have been anticipating for quite some time... Luckily I got through most of it!  Some more really busy weeks to come - I'm looking forward to a good rest in a few weeks.

Moonrise Kingdom, Illustration, Catwalks, Semi Permanent, After Parties, Beach escapes, popped my Sousaphone cherry, Long drives, Red Deer Beer Funnels, Diner En Blanc, white balloons, Ice cream cuddles, editing with tea in bed, breakfasts, exhibitions. 

MOONRISE KINGDOM!

I have been waiting to see this film for about a year now with such intense anticipation that I saw it twice.  It is heartfelt and playful. I love the flow of the shots, the pauses, the cuts, the play-like scripting. Everything about this film is so wonderful.   

Animations inspired by Suzy's books that she reads out loud on her adventure: 

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Festival

I was super excited to get the experience of taking some photos of the runway for The Weekend Edition.  It was a little intimidating next to all of the pros with my semi-pro equipment and amateur approach!  But it was so fun to play and experiment and so so exciting.


Kirra Jamison - Locomotor exhibition at Jan Murphy Gallery.

I have been very excited to see this exhibit and haven't had a chance to go yet. Make sure you check it out before September 22.

Semi Permanent Design Conference
Some of my favourite speakers for the day were Beci Orpin, Bec Winnel, Beastman and Andrew Quilty.

One common theme I noticed throughout the conference was that creatives are restless. They need variety. This restlessness drove the speakers to become multi-skilled, gave them a thirst for learning and experimenting and working on a range of projects. I think it is this restlessness that drives all creative's to seek an alternative lifestyle that opposes "the day job".

I also noticed that all of the speakers were obsessed with a particular theme and subject matter. The all developed distinctive and recognisable styles and it was amazing to see the transformation of their work before it reached this point.  It almost seemed like their work at a certain point suddenly blossomed into a style and into success. Maybe it's the consistent style and subject matter featured in each of these speakers bodies of work that makes them memorable and sought after.

 Just my thoughts.


Advice that I took from Beastman:
Thumb nail sketches!  DIY approach + collaborations. He organised his own exhibitions. (See Erin, organising an exhibition at your home is a great idea). Through collaborating with others he could get more opportunities and was able to be a mural painter.


Some advice from Beci Orpin.
1. Learn to design away from the computer
2. Get involved with things that you love. (ie. if you have 4 jobs - make sure they are all involved with things you love. She worked in a bookstore, did screen printing, freelance design etc etc)
3. In the start - say yes to everything. Do as much as you can. (Even if the pay isn't favourable)
4. Travel (and while you are there make an effort to spread your work internationally)
5. Get some business skills or advice (or marry someone who does)
6. Go above and beyond. (The more you work, the busier you are, the better your work will be)
7. Keep trying new things (Pretend to know how to do something you don't)
8. Be flexible, but stay true to yourself. (If you are flexible with your style and the type of work you do - you can get more work. )
9. Working from home can be a necessary evil. (Working from home means Beci can be around her children and work while they are at school or asleep at night)
10. Be Nice
11. Work Hard - often

Advice from Bec Winnel:
Submit your work online to all sorts of online communities, portfolio sites etc
Submit your work to competitions and exhibitions
Be an internet slut - all social media, blogs etc...  Get your work everywhere!
Ask others to look at your folio
Look for Role Models
Create dreams

Advice from Andrew Quilty:
Take your camera everywhere
Take photos/be present at events that you think will be notable  (ie. Andrew took his camera to the Cronulla Riots and captured amazing shots that he was able to sell to different publications)
It is your duty as a photographer to document events
Make meetings to show your work
He also inspired me to use film more!

Day trip to Noosa:

(Above: Barksdale Brass Band)

A little treat for myself !
Dawn Tan - Ice cream cushion love. It is very nice to cuddle and pretend to lick.

(Modelled by my sister Lucinda)  Icream Softies available at Dawn Tan's Online Shop.

I wish I had some drawings to show - but I have to keep them secret at the moment.


Also, Happy Fathers Day Dad!


Remember to keep the date free on September 26 for my exhibition!