a little aside

While this Magpie was supposed to be reminiscing on the good old days, a conversation today brought up feelings that made me feel so worked up I ... erm, wrote a poem ... about the matter.

That'll show 'im.

The illustration is very much a work-in-progress, but where better to put your first ever poem than online!

A fond farewell to the day job...

After two years of working for the Firestation Arts Centre in Windsor, I fancy a little reminiscence into some of the lovely work I had the pleasure to put up there ...

Firstly, there is the lovely Richard Heeps, who I met in 2008 at the Windsor (un)Contemporary Art Fair - luckily I caught him then - as he sensibly decided not to return to the overpriced, fusty old affair.  His solo show with the arts centre was followed by a group show this year by Bleach Box, the gallery run by himself and his wife Natasha, that specialises in contemporary photography created with traditional methods.  What a hassle-free pair to work with, Richard providing the art and Natasha bringing the muscle ;) ...  no dawdling with this lady!

We showed work from his colour-saturated Man's Ruin and Dream in Colour series, featuring eye-catching Rockabillies and vintage cars, portraits of mid-century-style lovers in Norfolk and Sweden and the glamorous Las Vegas.   

I was moved to buy a couple from the solo show, one for me and one for someone I've fallen for ... lucky me, now I get to look at them both.

The other Bleach Box loves for me were Charlie Meecham's trees - I'm a sucker for them, like many people - but I particularly liked the brown autumnal one that most others didn't like quite as much. That'll be the dark Finn in my soul...  Maybe Charlie's relationship with West Yorkshire bears a similar fascination and love of nature.

Wood 2.01s

More later about other exhibition loves ...

Oh Jenny, with all these articles you are spoling us!

Our favourite birdy artist Jenny Robins has written two articles about us!  One in the new local online magazine Beat, and one in the frankly wonderful Amelia's Magazine.  We love you Jenny ... 

... On which note it might be highly appropriate to mention you can buy her new set of postcards at a fraction of the cost of the originals (although these are also very sensibly priced) - from her website here.  The set of originals, Who What Where When Why How is on show at Mill House Cafe as part of the Fragments show.

 What, our favourite, is already sold ... sniff! Good taste though, buyer.

Fragments opens...

Hey all,

Just a quick update (inbetween last minute packing for Lisbon tomorrow!) with some pics from the fantastic Fragments private view at the Mill House on Monday eve.  Wine, pretzels, mini marshmallows, great company...oh yes..and a really lovely show!  Thank you to all the artists, artist's friends/fam, VIPs(!) and Magpie's mates for making it a lovely evening!

Ali

Jenny Robin's owls - WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, HOW and WHY

Private view..and the wine has been poured!

Two Magpies and the Fragments artists!  Jenny Robins, Zita Saffrette and Dan Prescott

Fragments is upon us!

It's hang-time part 2 for us during our short birdy lives at the Mill House, and we are pleased to announce the successful candidates who applied to the call-out for the Fragments show.  Hanging on Wednesday eve, this one will be up 1st July - 31st August.

Our new shining stars are: Jenny Robins, Dan Prescott, Yuki Aruga, Zita Saffrette ... and we may be showing a couple of our own pieces too ... but we will return to that later.

Some of Jenny Robins' birdy pics.  See her website here ... Her work is just brilliant, joyful, colourful, witty and fun.  We'll have lots of her smaller works, can't wait to see them all.

Dan Prescott's Magpie King I.  How could we resist!  Another great illustrator, Dan's makes lovely monochrome graphic work.  His work can bee seen on Lazy gramophone.

 Zita Saffrette's stunning painting Shorelines.  Our one real painting of the whole bunch!

And Yuki Arunga, our last-minute applicant, draws slightly surreal, technically outstanding animals in ballpoint pen on board.  Here is Emperor Wilhelm, sporting a fabulous 'tash.

So, thank you all for applying, and also thank you to all the artists from the Collection project who made our first show so good!

Finders Keepers

Aussie artist Beth-Emily's style revels in the beautiful and birdy, creating delicate super-pretty whimsical drawings.  You can buy cards and prints at her Etsy shop here.

Also from Oz, Sydney-based, Puddin Head create rather nice linen towels with stags and flowers, found on The Finders Keepers website.  And what a great site that is!  Something to keep our beady little eyes on in future...

Something else discovered on The Finders Keepers site, Pippijoe's fabric designs - hand screen printed textiles in simple, classic designs, printed on organic cotton and hemp.  

 

Fabric is available by the metre, in ready-made packs, as bags, baskets and cushions ... and lovely greetings cards for when we simply can't commit to more ;)  Altogether an ethical, stylish company from Melbourne, worth a look!

Little Hands

Just discovered the brilliant Little Hands, making beautiful design for children.  They make artwork for walls, lampshades, books... Here is some children's book illustration:

The duo's work is infused with nostalgia and bursting with imagination, no wonder they have some pretty impressive clients... And they make a mean panda wallpaper!

Quite keen on this one too, we are suckers for those animals in human drag:

Great stuff for the kids that we can enjoy too :)