Pencilled Pretties, Pastel Pilgrims and Peculiar Pets

Most. Exciting. Update. Ever! (And, also, a little bit cringe-worthy, too!)

 

I made an itty-bitty film! If you have twelve minutes to spare you can watch it- that is, you can laugh at me making a giant tit out of myself and also, talking a little bit about my work. Oh, and there's some super-cute footage of my puppies the day after we bought them home! What's not to love about that, hey?

 

A huge, squishy thanks to my gorgeous fella Dave, who, as well as filming the whole thing, has spent weeks worth of evenings staying up until the wee hours putting this all together for me. I think he's done an awesome job- hope you do too! ♥

beauty in sadness

One of the greatest misconceptions about art, I think, is that sad subject matter cannot equal a happy picture. There is beauty in sadness, too ♥

mad hatter's tea-party grand opening

We had quite the whirlwind weekend, with the very grand opening of our show, 'Mad Hatter's Tea-Party: A Curious Art Exhibition with Marita Albers, Kate Bussey, Andrea McKey and Mel Macklin'. Let me take you on a little tour of our mad morning!

 

By 10.30, the gallery was crammed full of people!

 

 

 Gargantuan ceramic flowers beautifully made by Kate Bussey.

 Gorgeous mixed-media sculptures by Kate Bussey.

Me in one of Andrea McKey's mad mirrors. 

Andrea McKey's gorgeous neck-candy. Andrea has been a huge influence on my own artwork over the past ten years, and it was she that taught me how to make fimo beads, many moons ago! She is as fantastic and dear a friend as she is an incredible artist. 

You can see more of Andrea's gorgeous work on her website: http://www.artbyandreamckey.com/

 

Gorgeous mixed-media sculpture by Kate Bussey; 'The Lady's Mad Hair' by Marita Albers. 

 'Lionel Rich Tea' and 'Much More Curious' by the marvellous Marita Albers. I can't help but smile whenever I see Lionel, he's such a sweetie! That pink sweater just melts my heart!

 Beaut babushkas by the marvellous Marita Albers.

Fabulous felt finches made by me, and just a snip of some of Marita Albers' gorgeous paintings. I always think of her canvases like glittering little jewels, with all sorts of secrets hidden in them. Every day I look at them, I see some new, wonderful thing. 

A little tableau of my art dolls, and a very fancy garland made up of watercolour miniatures by one of my all-time fave art heroes and very dear friend, Marita Albers. 

   

My pastel pilgrim art dolls, inspired, amongst other things, 

by Wednesday Addams and gelati.

 Lucie Diamonds, my star art doll.

Our exhibition was opened by former Chief Minister for the Northern Territory, and TactileARTS patron, the lovely Clare Martin. Just over ten years ago, Clare made a speech at my own high-school graduation, and I have always remembered how warmly and fondly she spoke. We are so lucky to have Clare such an active part of our arts community, and I was absolutely delighted when she accepted our invitation to open our show. 

My very dear friend, and an absolutely incredible illustrator, Sandra Kendell. Sandra has been a huge source of support and encouragement for me in my own dreams to illustrate picture books, and hers are some of the most unique, detailed and downright beautiful I have ever seen. You can see some of her work right here: / http://www.sandrakendell.net/

Our very wonderful Ingrid Gersmanis, who quite rightly took home an artist prize for her fantastic Wonderland threads! Ingrid is the marvellous manager of Darwin's art-supply store, Jacksons, as well as an artist herself, and a keen mermaid fancier. She is also the very proud adoptive mum to quite a few of my dolls and prints! I will really miss people like Ingrid, who so proudly support their local arts community.

Just a small sample of some of the mad hats that frocked up to our art show! Kate's styro hearts made a curious 'doinking' noise every time they wobbled around in the breeze!

 Our gorgeous Kate.  

My friend Sonia made my absolute year with her fabulous princess outfit! She looked so gorgeous I got an extra artist prize together just for her. Alice would be so proud (and jealous!)

Feeling so darn lucky to be exhibiting with such awesome friends and artists! Thank-you SO much to everyone who supported us- it is you, sayers of sweet things, fabulous friends, and adoring adopters of our work who keep us smiling and dreaming.

'Mad Hatter's Tea-Party' will be showing at TactileARTS til Sunday, August 4th, 2013. 

This is Olivia, a character from a story I've had rattling around in my head for awhile now. Originally I was going to illustrate it with my dolls, but the more time I spent making them, the more inspired I was to draw them, they became so real to me! 

I'm really hoping to get my children's book dreams off the back-burner sometime later in 2013! 

I like to think my blondes always have the best fun- Princess Lily makes macarons, the Cat-cher chases cheeky cardinals through the snow all day, and one is the heavenly guardian of all things holey and doughnut-related . . . They each remind me of the boundless possibilities and potential for happiness that art can provide us ♥

parasols and paths cherry-scented

Of all the places in the world I have yet to visit on my bucket-list, Japan is right up there. 

This may have a whole lot to do with my many re-readings of Haruki Murakami novels, which are surely more of a surreal parallel to the Japan that exists in reality, but since I was a teenager, his is the country I imagine. And he loves cats, so he's clearly pretty awesome. 

It could also have a lot to do with a lifelong love of Hello Kitty, and my not-so-secret dream to visit Sanrio Land. I also think it would be rather jolly to find me a Totoro and sit on a strawberry-shaped bus-stop. Probably my heart would explode with happiness and I'd need a hug from Keropi to calm me down.

When I finally manage to save my pennies enough for a plane ticket, I would love, most of all, to see Japan in spring. In my mind, I cannot think of anything more beautiful than rows upon rows of cherry-blossom trees in full bloom. This little geisha seems to think the same, as she takes a leisurely promenade through the old city one spring morning.

There were a lot of things that inspired me stylistically with Sora, my little geisha. I am always fascinated to find those stylised, hand painted vintage postcards from Asia in the early 1900's. I know they were terribly unrealistic and manufactured mainly for tourists, but the geisha of yore are so compelling with their quiet, sweet faces and painted lips. 

Like my other girls, Sora is super-stylin'. I was lucky enough one Christmas to get a pack of kimono fabric from my excellent Auntie and Uncle, and I discovered that even in the plainest of patterns, it is incredible: heavy, and lush and so elegant. You might also notice that her okobo are a little like Dutch clogs; I really enjoyed playing with very heavy, pear-shaped forms in this picture. 

Traditionally, I know geisha spend many hours painstakingly styling their hair into impossible up-do's, but Sora is still quite young, and a little mischievous- the breeze is having a grand time ruffling her hair, and very soon, if it's keeps blowing about like that, I imagine her hair will soon be full of cherry-blossom petals!

 Hope you enjoy my little Sora as much as I did creating her x

the hand-blown heart brigade

 

Meet Carmen, and her little dog Bruiser. Carmen saw an ad in the paper one day, about  little puppy needing a forever home. She never really planned on getting a dog, but his lovely blue eyes seemed to be telling her, Carmen, that he needed a human to take care of. She didn't read the paper all that often, so she took it as a sign that they were meant to be the best of friends.

And from the first cuddle when she picked him up from the pound an hour later, they absolutely were.

The Cat-cher and the Cardinal

"Some people say that cats are sneaky, evil, and cruel. 

True, and they have many other fine qualities as well." 

- Missy Dizick

The Too-Crowded House

I wrote 'The Too-Crowded House' about two years ago. 

 

The formal writing came after I had illustrated it, and for a long time I had a lot of strange characters saying silly things to each other in my head. The troll made me laugh most of all, and I still get a bit of a giggle when I think about him clutching stinking socks.

 

Mr Spottles remains the archetype for all of my cat characters, and I have popped heart markings on almost all of my animals since as a little tribute to him. 

 

The stars were particularly special to me too; the first picture I ever put on my shop was 'The Grumpy Star' and she is, of course, what inspired me to name my shop Grumpy Star Studio.  

For one reason or another, I never did manage to get it published (and no, I am not at all interested in self-publishing). All the same, it is a story that was very dear to me when I wrote it and I thought it time I shared it somewhere. 

 

The pictures are just four of my favourites from the story, and you can find them on my Etsy and market shops. 

Enjoy x

“The Too-Crowded House” by Mel Macklin

It started as an ordinary morning. The moon, the stars, Mr Spottles and Camille were all sound asleep. Most mornings did start like this. Of course, this particular morning was Camille’s birthday. But for now, her bed was warm and snuggly and the perfect place to dream about the wonderful things she would do to celebrate.

 

 

Mr Spottles would have preferred to continue his catnap. Still, he thought Camille would want to know about the nasty burning smell coming from the kitchen.

Camille and Mr Spottles blinked their eyes. They did not often find witches in their kitchen.

“What are you doing?” asked Camille.

“We’re practicing our baking and potion-making,” said one witch, peering into a bowl she was holding over her head. “Our exams are tomorrow.”

“But it’s my kitchen,” said Camille.

“Never said it wasn’t,” replied another witch as she stirred something in Camille’s best bowl.

“It’s burnt!” cried the smallest witch, pulling a batch of blackened cupcakes from the oven. “I can’t concentrate! I’ll never pass my exams! It’s too crowded in here!”

For several good reasons, Camille thought it was time to leave the kitchen.

 

 

Camille padded to the bathroom to rinse her eyes. She was seeing odd things this morning and must not be well. Healthy people did not see witches in their kitchen. They especially did not see octopuses brushing their teeth in the bathroom sink.

“Go away!” wailed the mermaid in the bathtub. “I have a horrible squishy spot and you’re crowding it!”

Worse than the mermaid’s spot was the smell coming from the laundry. The troll jumped when he sensed Camille standing in the doorway.

“Um,” said the troll, looking very embarrassed.

“Yes?” said Camille, looking quite annoyed.

“I’m washing my socks . . .” said the troll.

“And?” asked Camille.

“It’s feeling very crowded with you standing there wrinkling your nose.”

“Humph!” said Camille as she stomped off, her nose in the air.

There was a glow in the sunroom, not just from the light streaming through the windows, but from the seven sleeping stars curled up in armchairs and snoring softly. They were very beautiful.

Camille stood in the doorway and stared until one of the stars woke up:

“What are you looking at?” she asked in a voice like silver.

“We fell in a star-shower and need to recharge our solar batteries to get back home.”

“Oh” said Camille, still dazzled.

“Now, if you don’t mind,” continued the star with a pretty little frown, “I’d rather you didn’t crowd us so.”

Camille took a deep breath at the top of her garden stairs. None of her other birthdays had been quite this mad. She gave up hoping things might return to normal when she saw a giant snail looking up at her.

“Hullo?” called a tinkly voice, belonging, Camille noticed, to a girl with very large goggles on her head. “Lots of snail stair-racing practice to do before the world final next week. Makes it a bit crowded with you just standing around gawping.”

Camille hurried down the steps into what used to be her garden. Little gnomes here and there were painting and planting red mushrooms. Camille’s garden had become a miniature mushroom city.

Camille realised there was no room left for her anywhere.

“It’s too crowded here!”

Everything was very quiet. Tears trickled down Camille’s cheeks in the evening sunshine. She wished her birthday had been as wonderful as she had dreamed only that morning. At the very least, she wished she had someone to share a bit of cake with. But everyone had forgotten it was Camille’s birthday.

“It’s lonely here,” she sniffled very softly, so only Mr Spottles could hear.

“SURPRISE!” cried the stars.

“SURPRISE!” cheered the gnomes.

“SURPRISE!” laughed the witches.

“SURPRISE!” smiled the troll.

“SURPRISE!” burbled the octopus.

“SURPRISE!” tootled the snail.

“SURPRISE!” tinkled his rider.

“SURPRISE!” neighed the unicorn.

“SURPRISE!” giggled the mermaid.

“Surprise Camille,” purred Mr Spottles.

“I thought for a while you might have guessed what was going on. The problem was that I’d invited so many people and I’m afraid our little house did get a bit crowded!”

Under the moon and the stars, her belly full of cake and tea, Camille fell asleep.

And her heart, like her house, was crowded- with love.