If you're quick, I'd recommend watching My Dog Tulip on the iPlayer; there's something very beautiful about the crudely drawn landscapes, which transition through each British season, and little animated extracts from the main characters notebook, in which his scribbly drawings of his adventures with Tulip come to life. Light-hearted, short and sweet with some funny (and some rude!) bits. And beautiful writing from its original author, J. R. Ackerley, too.
Wednesday, 29 February 2012
Saturday, 25 February 2012
printmaking with Trevor Haddrell
I was extremely lucky this month to be given the opportunity of a small masterclass from Bristol's very own Trevor Haddrell (Trevor doesn't have a website, but if you google him, you will get a glimpse of his extraordinary engravings). Clearly, I am not a natural, but with a bit of work, I am hoping to hone my clumsy vinyl cutting skills and produce something worth doing something with in the future!
treasure hunting
Hello world! It's been a while, and I do apologise. I drew this colourful fella for a very special lady who gave me the best news I have received all year not so long ago (I'm going to be a bridesmaid!!), so I hope she won't mind if I share him with you. I feel like he should be integrated into an illustration of some sort...watch this space!
Having been in a sullen, sulky mood for most of yesterday, it was a relief to get out of the flat and do some treasure hunting around Bristol's finest second hand book shops and vintage outlets...I'm sure these beauties will come in handy at some point! (You can never have too many flower books, in my opinion.)

Also, I had to by the latest copy of Bone-shaker for this illustration by Rosie Gainsborough...
Currently reading: The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht
Currently enjoying: Lizzy Stewart's thoroughly beautiful and entertaining London diary
Currently looking forward to: First Aid Kit at Rise next Wednesday
Labels:
books,
bristol,
drawing board,
illustration,
peacock
Tuesday, 13 December 2011
French gems
FAVOURITE AUDREY TAUTOU FILMS
1. Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain AMELIE
Is this not the most perfect film ever made? I am more than a little bit fanatical about this film (the man who used to play Yann Tiersen songs on a bluesy old piano in Bath hasn't returned in a while. I fear I might have something to do with this) and insist on watching it at least twice a year (usually shortly after hearing snippets of the soundtrack in shops or sighting a man with an accordion). Every time I see it I notice a tiny (magical) detail I've missed on a hundred previous viewings.
2. Un Long Dimanche de Fiançailles A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT
I'm going to say that this is my second favourite Audrey film, where as in truth, I can't really remember very much about it. Except that it was superb. And that Jeunet is a genius. So I think I need to watch it again.
3. Hors de Prix PRICELESS
I loved this film! It is lots of fun and great to see her in a role so far removed from the films above. She is a fierce character who romanticises with wealthy old men who can afford to give her the luxurious lifestyle she desires, until she accidentally seduces a hotel bartender by mistake (who is fabulously French looking and extremely funny).
4. HE LOVES ME, HE LOVES ME NOT
A bit of a sinister one, but pretty entertaining with lots of twists! I will say no more.
5. BEAUTIFUL LIES
When I first started watching this a couple of days ago, I thought to myself, 'I wish Audrey Tautou was my hairdresser' until I realised how fierce she is in this film! It is a bit of a comedy of errors, set on this majestic looking island in the south of France, where, having received an unwanted love letter from a stranger (in reality, a guy who she employs), Audrey's character redirects it to her mum who is in desperate need of a revival, after struggling to come to terms with the fact that her husband has left her for a younger woman. You can probably imagine how this might go badly wrong. Not my favourite of her films, but certainly very entertaining! I love how the male protagonists in her films are quite unconventional, 'real' people and not shiny Hollywood actors.
6. Ensemble, c'est tout HUNTING AND GATHERING
This would probably be third on my list if I could actually get hold of a copy!! It appears it was only released on the other side of the globe (if anyone can find me a copy, I will be eternally grateful!). All I can do is recommend the book, which is superb. It is essentially an awkward romance set in a neglected, but very grand Parisian building, where the lives of four unlikely characters become intertwined.
I'll add to the list when I've watched some more! I wasn't charmed enough by The Divinci Code to add it to the list, but perhaps I'll give it another go. Please send me your recommendations!
Tuesday, 8 November 2011
sketchbook
My desk is covered in pens and mugs once again, and I am enjoying the heat from my angle poise lamp and the sound of Jono McCleery, and the smell of spices coming from the kitchen...
...Quite relieved that my attempt at a raspberry was chopped off in the scanner.
Sunday, 16 October 2011
Thursday, 6 October 2011
One of the nice things...
...about working in an art supplies shop, is collecting these little scraps of paper...
Sometimes I find heartbreaking sentences, written in small pencil letters.
'Why didn't you hire me?'
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