tea-towel

Hmmm what to do with this design - prints or a tea-towel?

Edward Lear Southampton Show

Organised by the illustrator Andrew Baker and animator Linda Hughes (working together as Paper Galaxy)  who have persuaded more than 40 artists to contribute works for this special exhibition at Southampton Solent University’s Concourse Gallery, to say, “Thank you, Mr Lear”. 

‘Happy Birthday Edward Lear’ will feature work by an astonishing range of over 40 artists and illustrators, including Glen Baxter, Peter Blegvad, Geoff Grandfield, Times cartoonist Morten Mørland, Simon Pemberton, John Vernon Lord and Vaughan Oliver, who created the artwork for all of the Pixies’ albums. 

Assemblages

Assemblages made from miscellaneous items found on El Morche beach, Spain, July 2012.

Winner!

photos: Robert Chadwick courtesy of the AOI.

The AOI (Association of Illustrators) Images 'best of British illustration' exhibition Private-view at Somerset House tonight.

I just scooped the bronze award in the Children's book section for 'Toy Hospital' a spread from my (incredibly original and still to be published) Children's book "And here is the News..." So chuffed.

Computer Arts review
AOI photos
AOI blog

'To Your Health' Private view

Time Out London First Thursdays, (late night art on the first Thursday of every month in East London) and Fridays Private View both pulled in a huge crowd to The Basement Gallery East London. 

To Your Health

A sneak preview of my submission for the H E R O O F S W I T Z E R L A N D Exhibition #4
TO YOUR HEALTH
6th to the 23rd of September
The Basement Gallery, Lomography
Private view Friday 7th September 6:00 - 9:00

Inspired by early memories of coin operated mechanical theatres encountered on Southend pier. 

Magnificent Magical Drawing Machine

As part of the E17 Art Trail, Kirsten and Elaine, the lovely ladies at E17 Art House Framing & Gallery requested my services as engineer for their Magnificent Magical Drawing Machine. Sit in front of the machine facing the mirror, insert your £1, honk the horn and within 10 minutes your portrait is delivered - magnificent!

I merely make sure that the machine is well oiled so that it runs smoothly.

I will be engineer again between 1:30- 3:00, Sunday 9th September so come on down and say hello.

Photos: Nicola Tree

Happy birthday Edward Lear part 2

Sophie Thompson

As my original offering for the London leg of the Happy Birthday Edward Lear exhibition was bought by actress Sophie Thompson (sister of Emma - no I didn't know that either), I had to come up with something else for the Aldeburgh and Southampton events later in the year. 







My starting point was the ever so slightly obvious but eternally engaging 'The owl and the Pussy Cat'. Taking the order of the animals mentioned in the first half of the poem I get - owl, cat, owl ,cat,cat,cat,cat,owl pig. There are enough cat references in our house thanks to daughter Phoebe and rather fortunately my mother has a suitably kitch owl collection. After many initial studies, the drawings are edited, arranged, photocopied and again in reverse ready for a trip to the print room for a day of mono-printing. 



Mono-prints for sale - whole frieze (3 available) or framed individual characters (1 of each available).

To Your Health

'To Your Health', a group show brought to you by those fabulous guys at Hero of Switzerland 6th - 30th September (Private view - Friday 7th September) at the Lomography Gallery Store, Spitalfields market. 

Images 36 at Somerset House

The Association of illustrators Images 36, 'The Best of British Illustration' is taking place at the prestigious Somerset House, The Strand, London this October.  As previewed in Design Week's, What's On. 

i-D July Mixtape cover art

You would have thought after so many years as an illustrator that I'd learnt my lesson, but no. i-D online contacted me to illustrate July's i-D Mixtape cover art - cool job! For no pay! - who wants paying? Doesn't everybody work for free? I make a rule NEVER to work for nothing but for this I made an exception. So I said that I would provide 3 ideas and after a few hours I have 2 that I like and 1 which is rubbish - obvious, cliche and ugly.

Now experience has taught me to only send roughs of images that you are prepared to follow through as inevitabely the art director will always pick the one you hate.   but I said I'd send 3 so I sent all three with the following message:

Hi Milly, 3 ideas

1 - Had to use a casette tape somewhere just because it's such a lovely, iconic shape but I think this looks like one of those kid's horrid flying things with big head and eyes (cant remember what they're called).

2 - Summer (July - haha) pic-nic - kinda fun would perhaps add/subtract a guest or two...?
3 - Again Summery theme based on seaside Punch & Judy show. Could replace the kitten with another.
You decide (in a Newcastle accent) just not #1!

Milly replies:

Hey Adam l adore the first pic with the flying mixtape, could we also include the words July Mixtape into the illustration, l think this would work so perfectly, love love love.

!!!

So I do and I hate it but Milly is really happy with it and I guess that is what counts, right ?

Waybuloos.

Private view

Happy birthday Edward Lear private view at the Poetry Society, Covent Garden.

from left to right: Paul Bommer, Adam Graff, Nick Appleton

Happy Birthday Edward Lear

There was an old man with a beard,
Who said, "It is just as I feared!
Two owls and a hen, 
Four larks and a wren, 
Have all built their nests in my beard!"



Further information:
Dominic Trevett
Poetry Society's online press release
AOI blog

Spring at the Smokehouse

An incident on the pier
Acrylic on paper
250x500mm






As a starting point for this project, from my collection of iPhotos I selected one photo from each year beginning 2004 taken on or as near to March 21st (the first day of Spring). Using these eight photos I generated a narrative led photomontage from which to base my painting.


Forman's Smokehouse Gallery and East Village London in collaboration with Art Catcher Ltd. present works by 50 artists expressing interpretations of spring. Exhibition 5 April - 6 May

3x3 directory

I have just received my 3x3 illustration directory. Included in the 'Whimsical' section (!) is this image which I did for the Oliver Burkeman's, This column will change your life: Admiration, an honourable emotion, Guardian Weekend magazine.

Picture Show

E17 Art House is happy to announce that 'Picture Show' will be exhibited at the Everyman Cinema in Hampstead from Friday 2nd - Thursday 29th March 2012.

Ballad of

Those lovely ladies (Lindsey & Claire) at 'Ballad Of' an on-line exhibition space and magazine have featured my work - Yay!
Follow them on Facebook twitter

3x3 Annual No.8

I have just received my copy of the 3x3 professional illustration annual containing three of my winning entries. These images are for The Outsider, Albert Camus. 

whether the weather

Just finished my latest contribution to the Weather book. A five artist authorial project now in it's fourth year.