Totally Cool

Actually, Totally Severe.
I am loving this girls work, and she is super generous, with almost all of these images available to download for free as wallpaper, backgrounds and iphone screens!

I first found her via Spoonflower,
in fact I am about to buy the pattern above for my prototype bag.

Her blog is very interesting, and very nice to look at Totally Severe
 Enjoy!

Bonnie
:)

Artist Spotlight Farnell

I am always excited to introduce you to UK designers and artists and as such it gives me great pleasure to introduce you to the work of Farnell.

When did you know you had a need to doddle/design/draw?

"Ever since I was at school always knew I wanted to work as a graphic designer or go to art school.

After completing my degree in graphic design around elven years ago I have worked in various sectors of the industry ranging from book publishing, design agencies and in-house creative teams."

"Farnell is a personal blog where I don't have to worry about brief restrictions/client constraints and can just be creatively free to do whatever I want and have fun exploring new ideas/techniques and methods."

What are your influences?

"Art nouveau, deco, Scandinavian folk art, music, people, animals and film, anything and everything vintage, typography, illustrators, and artists from all walks of life, from street art to children's illustrators."

What is your favourite medium to work with?

“ I mainly work with Photoshop, Illustrator and Wacom Bamboo, but I still love to doodle simply with a pencil and pad.
I really want to explore adapting my designs into lino cutting.
I am from a generation where the Mac has taken over and the speed of working in a fast commercial environment has taken over.
So my mission is to develop my designs into lino cuttings. I may even explore paper cutting if I ever have the patience!”

What would be your art dream, like an album cover of your favourite artist, or a coffee table book, a wall in Brooklyn covered in your work? That sort of thing?

"To be asked to design the graphics for the next Blur album."

What advice would you give to other artists about things you have had to learn the hard way?

“Just enjoy what you are doing, as soon as you stop enjoying it move on to the next thing. Keep it fresh and keep looking for inspiration.”

Visit Farnell or... help Farnell get his peacock printed by threadless by voting online here:

Artist Spotlight Merlin Glass

I spotted the gorgeous work of Liam Carey on his blog on UK Handmade.
Liam Carey is a master glassmaker from Cornwall who makes stunning blown glass works of art like these:

Where it all began...
At the age of 16 Liam went to work at Liskeard Glass, in Cornwall, England where he soon fell in love with the craft and art of glassmaking.

At 21 he took the opportunity to buy the glassworks and renamed it Merlin Glass.
Liam made vases, bowls, scent bottles, vessels, flowers and was watched by 1000`s of visitors from near and far, truly mesmerized by the noise, heat and smell as Liam created beautiful works of art.

In 1994 Liam made a prototype for Laura Ashley which was the start of his relationship with glass knobs.
Liam has gone onto make 1000`s of glass knobs.

Becoming a recognised master glassmaker, designing and making beautiful collections.
As a designer Liam is influenced by beauty, form and function.
Living in Cornwall it is surrounded by stunning coastline and rugged moorland. It is these forms that have stimulated Liams ideas and feelings.

Many of his pieces reflect nature, flowers, seeds, pebbles and sky patterns.
Each piece is very personal, encapsulated with Liam`s creativity.
Liam has observed the colours in nature and the space between them.
He likes making small, free formed pieces with subtle colours and simple patterns.

His other passion is in architecture and observing design, structure, materials and art.
He is particularly interested in doors and locks which has influenced his designs for glass knobs.
Making handles which are used and admired by everyday people, bringing light and beauty to the world of interiors.

I have been chatting with Liam's wife Carol about his work and she told me that the love hearts are Liam's favourites.
She said ' we have one of these on our front door, and it is our way of welcoming visitors into our loving home!' (I really like that they are called love handles! So much prettier than mine!)

'Millefiori is also another favourite, millefiori meaning a thousand flowers, these beads are from murano and are just exquisite.'

'The clear smooth door knob is a real classic and most popular.
People also like the colours of the amber and peridot green whirls and daisy.
It is not only about the glass but also the shape as some of the shapes and indeed the textures, particularly a frosted feel adds to the experience.'

'When visitors come to our shop in Liskeard, Cornwall they love to feel them and hold them, they are very sensual.
Customers which buy Liam's work want them because they appreciate their quality, the fact that they have been handmade for them, they are made to the highest standards where they are swaged on, not just glued on so the metal work is rolled over the glass guaranteeing them.
We send them all over the world and the variety of homes they go into varies greatly from period homes, to farm houses, coastal villas, heritage buildings, contemporary homes etc.'
  
More information and contacts for Liam can be found using the links below.
Merlin Glass
Liam Carey

Artist Spotlight Bulldog Pottery

Bulldog Pottery is Samantha Henneke and Bruce Gholson
I love their work so much.
I wish it was easier to send because there are so many of their pieces I would like.
Samantha and Bruce's unique work is continuously sought after and as such they have a large CV of exibitions and craft Fairs.
You would think that turning out work of this standard would make them a bit (justifiably) unreachable, but they are lovely and so laid back about their talents.
They say:
"We are full time studio potters living in Montgomery County. We live among 70 other studio potteries. Most all of these potteries are open to the public during the week."
See what I mean? no trumpet blowing at all, but then with works like this, there is no need to say more:

Artist Spotlight Kelly Lynn Daniels

Kelly Lynn Daniels is the owner of Dancing Clay Pottery in California and is currently completing a bachelor of Fine Arts in ceramics at the California state university.
She has been part of several group exhibitions within California and held her first solo exhibition earlier this year.

She explains her creative process below.

"I use clay to throw spherical parts on the wheel which I later assemble into biomorphic shapes. Some forms employ surface treatments such as slip trailing, sprigging and resist carving techniques to create unique patterned surfaces. Other forms become canvasses for an exploration of carved imagery and a juxtaposition of organic shapes contrasted with sharp geometric designs. These shapes and designs travel rhythmically over and around the voluminous forms inviting touch and an investigation of the surface. Many of these pieces are created while listening to or referencing musical works that I am interested in."

You can follow Kelly through her blog, or website.

You can also purchase Kelly's works from her Etsy Store.

Artist spotlight - Shropshire Studio

I am completely in awe and in love with the sculpture work of these two talented sisters.
It's the sort of thing Tim Burton probably has at his house.
Shropshire Studio