NOV 10: CHRIMBLE CARDS

Here's a few christmas cards I've designed to sell at my up coming art fairs. There;s a few i designn ed in the summer too but only just got round to having them printed. Mr postie delivered them over the weekend and they look lovely :)))

October 10: ABRACADARA IT'S MAGIC.

So it's finally hot off the presses fols, our third 'Girls Who Draw' postcard book MAGIC and I'm very excited. It features the work of eleven Illustrators including a few of our regulars Karoline Rerrie, Gemma Correll, Anke Weckmann, Sarah Ray, Currentstate (Ce Moi!), Yee King Tuit, Kate Hindley, Ruth Green, Mary Kilvert and two new contributors Alys Paterson and Beth Morrison. The book contains 22 gorgeous postcards and the covers were designed by the uber talented Kate Hindley.

An exhibition of the same name will take place at Solihull Gallery in 2011 and on to other venues later in the year. Keep an eye the blog and our tweets for more details. The book is available through my online shop www.currentstate.bigcartel.com. Buy it, its Fab!

OCT 10: MAC: XMAS CRAFT FAIRS

I'm doing lots of fairs from now to end of December including the MAC (Midland Arts Centre) Marketplace: Contemporary craft fairs. I'll be selling framed prints, tote bags, greeting cards and postcard books.

Here's the blurb - Making a timely return to mac, contemporary craft fairs feature a range of high–quality work from some of the region’s most exciting artist makers. With over 20 exhibitor stands each day, this is an exclusive opportunity to buy and commission the very best in unique crafts direct from the maker and find the perfect gift for any occasion.

My christmas fair dates are:

Sat 23rd October - Moseley Art Market
Sat 20 & Sun 21 November - MAC
Sat 27th November - Moseley Art Market
Sun 5th December - MAC
Sat 11th & Sun 12th December - Hereford Art Market
Sat 18th December - Moseley Art Market
Sun 19th December - MAC

I'll also be selling my work down at the We Are Birmingham and a few more stockist which i shall post up here in due course.

SEPT 10: IMAGES 34 EXHIBITION, LONDON

I got in to the AOI's annual publication IMAGES 34 this year. My work was selected for the exhibition which took place at The London College of Communication in Elephant and Castle on 7th Sept.

The exhibition is a selection of the best illustration commissioned in the UK with some 200 works in categories such as children's books, advertising and editorial. Pretty good to be shown along the like of Andy Potts. Here's my page in the book below.

JULY/AUGUST 2010 - FESTIVALS, OIL PAINT & LINSEED OIL

Ok, this is my first post in ages. I've been pretty pants and updating my blog of late. And thats because I've been working on a big art commission for Wolverhampton Art Gallery. I'm working on four large paintings of a local community based around Phoenix park in Wolves. Its been a bit of a baptism if fire as it's my first oil paintings. Anyway its under wraps until its completion at the end of Oct. I'll pop up some images when its installed.

Over the summer thought I had great fun doing some photography for the festival annual. I covered Latitude and Shambala. I had a wicked time and the annual is Oct 2010. View my images on www.festivalannual.com.

JUNE 10 - INFLUX MAG ILLUSTRATION

Here's the latest car illustration I've completed yesterday for Influx magazine. It's a Jaguar XKSS as famously driven by the uber cool legend Steve McQueen. Its a beautiful car. I hope I've done it justice. Some subtle references in there for the man itself!

APRIL - MAY

Here's some new doodles I did to sell at art fair. Inspired by nature, loving drawing birds (something you are going to see more of for my forthcoming exhib at Here & Now Gallery in Falmouth in July) Thinking about turning a few of these into patterns for print or textiles.

MARCH - APRIL ILLY"S

Gosh I've been hopeless at updating my blog. Here's a selection of what I have been up to over the last couple of months. Firstly I completed a couple of jobs for SX media - one was to illustrate some summery type for the Pavilions and the second to add a touch of spring to a fashion shoot for Living magazine and the Mercury newspaper. Here's just a few of the images

MARCH 10: POP UP ART SHOP - ONE WEEK TO GO...

I’ll be selling my work at the Pavilions Pop-up Art Shop, which opens next Friday 2nd and runs till 7th April (10-6pm). I'm currently working some new designs, so come down and check them out. We’ve had some good press coverage, so were hoping its a great success. Be great to see you there.

Following hot on the heels of the hugely successful Brilliantly Birmingham Pop-up Shop in December, Pavilions Shopping Centre is set to become home to more local talent during the Easter holidays.

From 2-7 April, a five-day Pop Up Arts Shop will be situated in Pavilions, showcasing work from around 25 artists and designer-makers from Birmingham and the surrounding areas. From funky felt accessories and iridescent glass vases, to colourful ceramics and stunning prints, you will have the unique opportunity to buy gorgeous gifts, jewellery, art and homewares directly from the designers at prices ranging from £10 – £500.

JAN/FEB 10: NEWS UPDATE

It's been ages since my last blog. Tons of stuff happening in the first two month of 2010. An interesting commission from Influx Magazine to draw the gorgeous Vincent Black Shadow motorbike, as rode by Hunter S Thompson.

Over Christmas & new year I got busy in my Custard Factory studio doing some pencil on canvas work. In fact this year I have vowed to do less computer based illustration and get back to fine art and the hand-drawn work. Which is just as well, because I've just found out I've been successful in my proposal for large art commission. I'm absolutely ecstatic and can't wait to get started on creating oil paintings that reflect the local characters of a community in Wolverhampton. I also have a two man show coming up at a gallery in Hereford in the summer. Will keep you posted on those......

Last week I entered the Dazed & Confused "Drawn out decade' competition. Here was my entry.