The Atlantic has a selection of stunning bird photos from the 2015 Audubon Awards. I am pretty sure that the award is named after the world renowned ornithologist and painter John James Audubon. You can see more of the winning entries here.
Horned Puffin. Photo: Aaron Baggenstos / Audubon Photography Awards
Brandt's Cormorant. Photo: Jack Sassard / Audubon Photography Awards
Domestic Goose. Photo: Bradley Lewis / Audubon Photography Awards
All photos from The Atlantic.
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Happy Wednesday all! I don't know who drew/ painted this gorgeous creature you see to your left as the card I found her on gives no name of the artist. She is very lovely, however.
This is just a quick post to let you know about an enormous and utterly magnificent giveaway over at Shade of a Bonsai. One of my prints is also in the mix there too!
I hope everyone is having a terrific week! :0)
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It is most definitely spring here in Sydney. We are awash in cherry blossoms (see above), azaleas and tulips.
For your looking pleasure, I have some links below to things that have tickled my funny bone and kept me entertained this week:
1) A French TV commercial no self respecting cat fancier should miss: Les Chaton Telecom.
2) A fab giveaway featuring two of my prints here.
3) An extract from the much anticipated biography of Jane Fonda by Patricia Bosworth.
4) The world's most bizarre houses.
5) A super instructive step by step guide on how to draw your very own fox.
I hope everyone has a fab weekend! :0)
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Crufts, for those who don't know, is an annual dog show in Birmingham, England. It started in 1886 and according to The Guinness book of World Records, is the largest dog show and competition in the world today. Competitors come from all over the world, it is usually held in March and it is run by The Kennel Club. It has just finished and the Best in Show has been awarded. I thought these photos taken from the four day event were pretty terrific!
Aren't they gorgeous!
All images from The Guardian.
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This is Green Eyes. He is another pussy cat to add to my growing range of pussy cat prints. I now have five pussy cat drawings available in a set! The set includes Green Eyes and the following four furry people:
It's just so much fun drawing cats I can't tell you! As I mentioned in an earlier post, I've always kind of avoided drawing them too seriously because I had this idea that it would be way too hard and it should be left to professional cat drawers and that I couldn't possibly do them justice. I think this just illustrates what a crazy pussy cat nutter I am and what a strange way the brain works! I think it also shows that you shouldn't just "accept" what you say to yourself and that you should test out your own beliefs. I mean who knew drawing cats was so much fun? I certainly didn't!
Oh! ...and before I forget: I'd just like to mention that there is an absolutely amazing giveaway on Lady Croissant's blog for Ada's sister: Baby Blue and an Automatic 340 Land Polaroid Camera! Click here for more details!
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Awww! People! What's going on here? Well, it is in fact a baby owlet that apparently fell into a lion enclosure at a zoo in England and just hung out with the lioness and then wandered off three days later - unhurt! Full story here!
In other news, there is an amazing $100 giveaway of goodies over at Under The Shade of The Bonsai Tree.
I am in a cool giveaway with 23 amazing artists over at Pikaland called the Pikapackage!
Finally, here are some items I am coveting on Etsy...what do you think?
To The Moon Ring and Pink Metropolis.
Happy Thursday folks - it's
only one more sleep until
the weekend! EEEEP!
P.S. Thank you everyone for
the Bird Cage Dress love -
much appreciated! XO's
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First of all -----> click here to enter a huge giveaway of my work over at Pikaland! All you have to do is to comment on the post about my gigantic seven print giveaway and you could win! What could be easier?
Secondly, I ordered this brand new cartoon/ comic book story on line after seeing it reviewed on Book by it's Cover the other day.
It's the first comic book by Blaise Larmee and it's a dreamy tale of parties, motel rooms, mysterious projects and night time swims. I couldn't put it down! I also feel hugely lazy because this young person has written and illustrated an entire book in the sweetest soft drawings ever! It's inspiring stuff!
If you would like to order a copy for yourself you can go here to do so!
I'd also like to mention that my prints are now available on the beautiful WallSpank art shopping site too!
Hope everyone is having a good week!
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The winner of the fabulous Kate Banazi print 38 Mate is Jacqui of Under the Shade of a Bonsai Tree!
Congratulations!
...and thank you very much again Kate for such a gorgeous giveaway and interview!
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Be sure to enter the fabulous Kate Banazi of Alyoisus Silk screened prints COMPETITION! Entries close Tuesday 16th February!
You can also find Kate's Etsy shop here and her brilliant blog here in the meantime...
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Tell us a bit about yourself
My name is Kate and I'm fully grown in height, so now I'm only growing in girth and gobbiness (I think I just made that word up). I was born in London and moved to Sydney three years ago. I am only just starting to settle down and properly explore this city. I still haven't driven myself over the Sydney Harbour Bridge as it scares me, plus I don't know how to get back, because generally driving is quite difficult with your eyes shut.
I did a fashion degree at St Martins which was an incredible experience and I had the privilege to be taught by and work with some amazing people. Without doubt some of the best tutors in the world. I wish I could go back and do it all again, and possibly listen a bit better.
I loved doing fashion illustration and design, and my illustration tutor showed me that it was possible to earn a pretty good living out of doing what I enjoyed. My college peers were and still are amazing, and some of the most famous names in the industry which often begs the question "what happened to you then?" but that's another long and tedious story which involves a thief, a coward and 25 waitresses. Really.
After I had my son I was taught to silk screen print by the talented Kate Gibb and worked for her for many years. I still freelance in menswear every now and then which I really enjoy as it's purely design, none of the tough stuff like manufacturing and sale, but I mainly work as an illustrator and silkscreen artist which I love.
I'm incredibly lucky to be self-employed in work that really challenges and stimulates me and which of course, I enjoy doing. I have a brilliant husband who is supportive of me, my decisions and is just an all round top bloke. It can't be underestimated - the power and influence of positive relationships around you.
When did you first decide to become an artist?
There was no decision made to start as both my parents are creative types and they come from a long line of creative types and much to their chagrin they begat a creative type. Secretly, I think my parents wish my sister and I had broken the mold and were accountants or brain surgeons. Which is laughable really, as if you knew me as the truly messy person that I am, as a brain surgeon, it could be quite a dangerous but possibly interesting combination. Possibly more Dr. Moreau than Mr. Fixit.
One of my favourite books though is Saturday about a brain surgeon and my home city of London. I'm rambling now.
So really, I was always geared up to doing it, as for generations on both sides of my family its been seen as a legitimate career choice. I am still surprised when I hear stories of my peers who have not had the support of their parents growing up and of being told to get a "proper" profession and that any form of art is a hobby.
Who are your favourite artists at the moment?
There are way too many to mention so I'll keep it completely nepotistic. The people whom I used to studio with...Zakee Shariff, Kate Gibb, Justin Hibbs, Toby Zeigler, Dinah Dufton, Tommy Penton, Lisa Jones...and now my friends form my illustration agency...Marcela Restrepo, Matt Huynh, Kat Macleod, We Buy Your Kids.
...and of course there's my son...Moofus. I have to say that, he'll be choosing my nursing home.
What are your top five favourite movies at the moment?
I'd find it hard to choose my top five so I'll tell you the last ten movies I've watched instead. Please don't judge me harshly: Footloose, Dr. Strangelove, Sherlock Holmes, A Room for Romeo Brass, There will Be Blood, Black Hawk Down, Wolverine, Zoolander, Burn after Reading and Holes.
Where do you see yourself in ten years time?
I really haven't got a clue. If you'd have told me ten years ago that I'd be living in Sydney there's no way I would have believed you. Also, in the last ten years two of my closest friends have died suddenly, so I try and live day to day and enjoy them the best I can even if it's super mundane stuff like washing the families knickers or cleaning up the dog's poo (I make it sound like we all share knickers, just to clarify, we all have separate underwear although there's a rumor going around that one of us is wearing the others).
Obviously that's easier said than done, so if I'm still lucky enough to be knocking around in a decade, I won't be doing any of our washing because everything will be self cleaning.
I'll also have honed my amazing teleportation powers to be able to transport me between London and Sydney on a whim - although it does tend to give me a mild headache.
Thank you so much again Kate! ...and now for the FABULOUS COMPETITION!
How to enter? 1) Go to Kate's etsy shop Alyoisus Silkscreened prints
and choose your favourite design and
2) come back here and tell me which is your favourite!
This is the ravishing silkscreen print 38 Mate that will be yours if you win the competition! Entries close in one week's time on 16th February 2010!
Wow wee! Good luck everyone!
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