snip snip spaghetti

Well, here we are, Wednesday again! I do hope it's been a wonderful one for you; for me it is effectively a Sunday and heralds the start of another potentially awesome week of being a carnie artist and lording it at my marvellous market shoppe.

I must say I am feeling particularly chirpy and excited about this coming week, mostly because I can finally put my lovely readers out of their misery, and share the brand-new print I've been teasing you with these past few weeks!

Like almost every little girl, I loved the story of 'Rapunzel' growing up, and like almost every big little girl, I was absolutely delighted by Disney's gorgeous interpretation a few years back. Being a total geek, I've always been fascinated by the symbols and themes of traditional fairytales, and increasingly frustrated by the cotton-wool approach of so many modern interpretations. 'Tangled' is so unabashedly fun and charming in so many ways (not least the casting of the adorable Mandy Moore as the voice of Rapunzel) that you'll find few complaints from me there, harmless as it is.

In fact, this particular tale was watered down pretty much in its conception: by the time the Brothers Grimm got to it, Rapunzel was already snug in the mould of damsel in distress. Does it not strike anyone else as remotely dumb that she didn't just hack her plaits herself? Why wait for some silly prince to come along and knock her up before she decided she wanted freedom? (Oh yes, by the time the wicked witch threw her out, Miss 'Punzel was already up the duff with twins. But then, there's only so long storytellers can maintain their heroines' maidenhood with a story that is essentially about a girl trapped in a giant phallic symbol).

Even as a little girl the sorts of heroines I loved best were always the deciders of their own fate, and the sexier for it. Always pretty, but in an interesting and flawed sort of a way. Rapunzel is traditionally portrayed as golden-haired, but I much prefer the mysterious, exotic look of a raven-haired girl, and so decided my interpretation needed dark roots, 'dirty' roots even- I like to imagine dying her hair was the first thing she did when she escaped her tower prison and began her own little Rapunzel Rebellion. (This was mostly inspired by an enraptured viewing of old Green Day video clips showing on the blinking television set in the cheap 24 hour diner where she took refuge that first night of freedom). The regrowth is starting to show now that she's been on the road a few weeks. So too is her rose tattoo healing- she wanted something badass but decided that getting a tattoo was really quite outrageous enough, and would still have given rise to a right cracker of an argument had the old witch been there to see it, which made Rapunzel smile and enjoy the whole sadistic pleasure of being inked. And besides, Rapunzel isn't too tough to admit she really does have a soft spot for roses!

Like a typical teenager, Rapunzel gets bored waiting, with nothing to do. It must have been ages ago that she ordered. Maybe a little snip might give the waitress a hint . . .

Thoughts?

Mel x

pretty, pink and a little bit punk ♥

Happy hump-day peeps and squeaks!

Just thought I'd share a snippet of a drawing I've been working on this week . . . oh, and any excuse to fiddle around with Instagram! Only a week has passed since I finally gave in to the iPad craze and as Dave will testify, I am already addicted to those gorgeous lo-res, faux Polaroid effects!

Thoughts?

Mel x

♥ Time for Rabbit-Tea ♥

Hullo you wonderful people!

Well, after a few weeks filled with all sorts of pleasant diversions and distractions, I can finally share my 'Time for Rabbit-Tea' series with you, as promised, whittled down to 3 and in full colour.

While the Blogger format dictates that I must put these in a particular order, I originally drew these with the idea that viewers could create their own order and narrative for these characters. They sort of began a full year ago, in their black-and-white forms, as a surreal interpretation of the way I often feel, waking up groggy from a long afternoon spent dreaming and napping. I wanted to create something beautiful and fun, and of course impossible in the way that only dreams can be.

These are of course available in my Etsy and market shops; $50 each or for a special price of $120 for the full set!

I would absolutely love to hear your thoughts on these. Which is your favourite of the three? Do you have a story of your own about these characters you'd like to share?

Love and bunny snuggles,

Mel x

little dollies sweet as lollies ♥

Well hullo there, and a very happy start-of-the-weekend to you!

So, I've been spruiking off for nigh on a year now about dolls and my textiles background. And, after three months of prototyping and experimenting, these little poupées are ready for anything! Each and every one of them is one-of-a-kind (OOAK), developed from my very own pattern and design, and unique in all the world.

Meet Beatrice, wearing her happy jumper and frilly skirt- the perfect outfit for frolicking in the sunshine on a Dry season day.

. . . And Harriet, whose love for all things polka-dots is rivalled only by a weakness for cute shirts and liberty prints!

. . . Katy, inspired of course by rockabilly retro and the lovely Miss Perry.

. . . Daniella, who loves peaches, bunny rabbits and her twin sister Sophie.

 . . . And Sophie, an auburn little rose of a mermy girl, just a few minutes younger than her sister Daniella, her bestest friend in the whole world. 

You can catch these beauties at 'Outside the Square', opening 5.30pm, Friday 6th July, Territory Craft, Darwin.  

If you can't make it, I'll be sewing my little fingers raw making more to share with you here really soon. And, in the meanwhile, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Have a beautiful weekend,

Mel  ♥

hustle-bustle, bunnies and bowler hats ♥

Hullo there poppets, and a very happy hump-day to you all! Wednesdays of course, are sort of like a Sunday for me, and generally herald another 2am bedtime- cutting mats and framing, printing, packaging up postcard sets, cleaning tablecloths... a carnie's life is never dull!

Of course, the Dry Season markets also mean that my week is split between manning the shop and drawing. So often I say there simply aren't enough hours in my day to get everything done, and this, in a roundabout sort of way, is the very subject of my latest work.

You might recognise these images as three of the five that made up a black-and-white series in my show 'Strange Creatures, Sweet Allsorts'. In the intervening months, a lot of people have commented on the pictures I've popped up of them, until finally I decided, I needed to colour them and bring them properly to life!  Fingers crossed I'll have finished pictures to show you next week, but until now, here's a little teaser of my triptych 'Time for Rabbit-Tea'.

Mel ♥

greetings, and some sweet new cards ♥

Hullo poppets!

Well, as always, I'm buzzing about like a busy little bee, occasionally fitting in some much-needed gym time between ginger-cake quaffing, market merriment, manic drawing and mad-cat taming!

I shall in a week or so, fingers crossed, have a few new prints to show you. I'm working on colouring a series of drawings I started last year, and, quite typical to every stereotype about artistes, I am happy to keep you all in suspense a little longer until I finish them all for a grand unveiling! If you are on Facebook though, you can catch a few teasers either on my personal timeline, or the Grumpy Star Studio page.

In the meanwhile though, I've been attempting to develop my photography skills with some snaps of my brand-new Set of 5 Art Cards and Envelopes! You can snavel yourself a set of these for only AUD $10 on my Etsy Shop. They are blank inside, so perfect for any occasion, even just a special letter to put a smile on the face of someone you love!

All nice things,

Mel x



'new bloom in the star garden': a glorious giveaway

"If you love a flower that lives on a star, it is sweet to look at the sky at night. All the stars are a-bloom with flowers. . ."

- Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.

To all my friends who proudly wear their hearts on their sleeves and take time to stop and smell the roses, I'm so pleased to be able to share this new piece with you.

'New Bloom in the Star Garden' is a tribute to my very favourite book in all the world, 'The Little Prince', by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. 'The Little Prince' is a novella about a little boy with golden hair and a heart big enough to fill the universe. He leaves his home, Asteroid B-612, to explore other planets, including Earth. His adventures are filled with an array of colourful characters, whose personalities are loosely based upon the tyranny of grown-up thinking, or the personification of human motives and emotions (eg. narrow-mindedness, greed, vanity, pride, diligence, humility, kindness).


The Little Prince soon discovers that not all grown-ups or important people make wise decisions, and he inevitably shares these lessons with us just as he learns of them. The Little Prince himself is the embodiment of child-like wonder and curiousity, and learns to open his heart completely to the possibility of, and the responsibilities that come with, love and friendship.

 

 

It is, quite simply, unspeakably beautiful. You can read, or re-read it here.

 

I was very pleased to see, on a trip to the Bologna Children's Book Fair last year, that 'The Little Prince' has now been extended into a sweet little animated series, following the Prince's adventures after his return to Asteroid B-612. So far as I can see, the spirit and integrity of the original text has been maintained with the continued story, (which is only right of course), and it's had me thinking ever since- how would I choose to continue the story, if I could? 

 

 

I imagine the Little Prince has returned from one of his adventures with a packet of poppy seeds, in the hope that they will grow on his little planet and keep his beloved Rose company while he is off on adventures. With his little yellow sprinkling-can, he carefully plants and waters these seeds, and after watching some 27 sunsets, falls into a peaceful, happy sleep.


And the next morning, 'exactly at sunrise', this is what he saw: a real little rose-girl, more beautiful than the poppies that blow in the breeze around her, on Asteroid B-612. Perhaps the Little Prince will take her with him on his next trip to Earth, so they can be together for always?

'New Bloom in the Star Garden' is now available in my Etsy Shop.

If you'd love a chance to win your own copy of 'New Bloom in the Star Garden', you can go to the Grumpy Star Studio Facebook page for all the details.

Don't have Facebook? That's alright, all you need to do is:

1. Sign yourself up to subscribe to or follow the blog;

2. Post a comment here, in as many or little words as you fancy, why you'd love to win them.

One lucky winner will be drawn on Wednesday, May 23rd. Two runners-up will also receive a Set of 20 Art Postcards as featured in my Etsy Shop.  

 

Good luck!

 

Mel x