love this...

Ive recently rediscovered a blog i LOVE to look at when im feelin a lil blue or uninspired... its called Oh Joy!

just a screen grab from the site.

The images on here are so beautiful, they literally make me so jealous that i want to claim every single idea, design, or drawing as my own! Spurs me on as well i suppose! makes me want to draw more, thats for sure... for example: looks good to me blog

BEAUTIFUL* - love it love it love it!

Textile designer-cum-Illustrator Caroline, makes me want to get outta bed and start drawing again! and crack open that box of water colours ive been meaning to use! Ive always loved this style.

Perhaps watch this space... see what emerges...

workin' 9 - 5 what a way to make a livin'

So ive gone and got myself a 'proper job' working in an office - albeit its a creative office - Garda Design, Billericay - They're great there!

Here's their website, but its being updated as we speak (infact ive been having a little dabble in designing it!..). INFACT Garda is going through a whole re-brand, which is great, because I get to see what goes into changing all the logos, letter heads, marketing materials etc...

Thats my seat there... the lovely empty one, nearest the left!

I've been up to London to meet a client UK P&I Club, which is part of Thomas Miller - a big shipping insurance firm in Fenchurch Street. Ha! I felt really grown up - 'A client meeting in London'. Basically they just had to proof read and sign off some pages of the rule book we've had printed, and actually today I spent most of the afternoon cutting up the 'Dummy'... (to make sure the pages collated)

As much as im enjoying it - its really taking it out of me! After 6 months idly popping into the studio when I wanted, i now have a 7am wake up! phew! catch a train by 8.26... be in work by 9 have to work all day til 5.30, then get the train, home by 6.30! eeeeek! and then its bedtime!! hahaha 'that's life ey!'

ah leave me alone - ive been in education since i was... what 4?! this is the first time in 20 years I haven't been allowed to go home at 3.30! its tough man! heheh

To be honest, its what i need. It wasnt that I was getting bored of ceramics, I was just feeling a little 'uncreative' or stuck in a rut so to speak. This'd usually happen over the summer holidays, but then I'd get back into the swing of things at Uni and i'd be fine! Its probably because i havent really got the time to do things i WANT to do em now!? hehe.. especially get those 'Whats up Dollface?" brooches out there!

just a quick reminder there for you!

AH well.... lets see how it goes, The guys at the office are great! I'm getting along well with them, banter has started already!

I'm really excited about the job and it's prospects so..

fingers crossed*

ooooh im getting my own email address soon too! its one of the things ive been most looking forward to! Ive been having to use an old employee's account. Ive been sending emails as 'Ian'! ha!

Jotta: A collection of articles written by Calum Ross

How cool is this!? Calum Ross (a colleague and friend who attended Immersion with me) has published a book containing his articles he wrote for the website www.jotta.com.

It just so happens that Calum wrote an article about me...you may remember it? Refresh your memory here...

Anyway, its looking really good! Read more here. on Calum's blog

WICKED*

Private Commission

More details coming soon*

Its VERY exciting.. so check back regularly!

BUT here are a few taster images of the surface qualities of The Private Commission

Why should you want to work with me?

This was the poster displayed at the networking lunch, Immersion arranged with guest speakers from the 'industry'. Everyone the on the course had to prepare a poster and answer the question 'Why should you want to work with me..?'

It was actually pretty hard, but using the skills we had learnt over the course of the.. well course, I was able to put things into perspective and realise that I do actually have quite alot to offer...

HURRAH!

Alumni profile

Check it out! Ive been featured on Central Saint Martins/University of the Arts London website

Click here to read full interview

Sneak Peek...

Here's a little sneak preview of what you can expect to see from me in 2010 as well as my large cylinder vessels (the next collection is based on children growing up too quickly!)

A range of brooches/jewellery called 'What's up Dollface?'

"Unique handmade ceramic brooches decorated with precious metal lustres and secret recipe glazes"

A range of brooches - 'All washed up!'

"Unique brooches made from broken pottery washed up on the shores of Beaumaris, Anglesey Wales"

These were inspired by a visit with my friend Cait to her grandmother's in Anglesey. We were on the beach and we kept finding pieces of broken pottery - good stuff as well. Some even had 'Wedgewood' written on the back - well 'Wedg' anyway! The pieces of pottery had obviously been dumped in the sea and some point (possibly at Liverpool?) and made its way down to the shore of Wales. Each one is totally unique!

I suppose you could call them a 'diffusion range' as they still tell as story and hold a memory and that's whats important to me!

The mug was a christmas present I made for my Dad based on the chewing gum floors larger vessels.



I'm also in talks with an internet based vintage clothing store - Vincent West Vintage to produce some merchandise and marketing for them.

So watch this space!