Tuesday, 17 June 2025

David Pogran

 

It's my birthday and I have saved this David Pogran illustration till now (I found it on Christmas Eve last year) as it is just so summery, gentle and lovely. It always feel odd scheduling months ahead, am I still here on this magical spinning rock who knows  . . . 

Monday, 16 June 2025

Leonard Weisgard

 

'The Wizard of Oz' by L. Frank Baum, illustrated by Leonard Weisgard (1916-2000) published in 1955.







Saturday, 14 June 2025

Mo Li

 




It is rare for me to pounce on a graduates book, the last time I did it was Maisie Shearing's and Bridget Falmer's

This book by Mo Li called 'A Story From Nobody is fantastic, the words, the innovative illustration, the whole feel of it! I am proud to have it in my collection. I wish Mo Li all the best and, if and when I make my own publishers, this would be one of the first books I would publish. 






Below endpapers:

Friday, 13 June 2025

Ziyi Yan





Ziyi Yan's degree show at Glasgow was a series of zines 'A Pub For . . .' compiled from sketches in the cities pubs. The drawings have been collated according to three themes that emerged from her time in this environment: Conversation, Solitude and her own internal state. 











Thursday, 12 June 2025

Gary Ray Smith




The tattooed portraits of Gary Ray Smith will be exhibited from 27th of June at Indelible Fine Art, Brighton, and I wish I was there to see them all!







Tuesday, 10 June 2025

Jessica Corkran

 


"Just a whole lot of starving people who occasionally get bombs dropped on them and shot in the head. I can't actually believe what we are witnessing, it's just beyond evil."               Jessica Corkran


 

Saturday, 7 June 2025

Grace Mitchell


'The award-winning musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street by Steven Sondheim has been reimagined into countless movie adaptions that tells the tale of Benjamin Barker, a barber who was sent away from his family on a false charge. 
15 years later he returns to London with a new name, seeking revenge on the Judge who wrongly accused him. Mrs Lovett, a baker lady who lives below his Barber Shop, helps Todd in his plans of luring customers in for a shave, by disposing of the bodies and turning them into the best selling meat pies in Fleet Street.
I've chosen Mrs Lovett's Pie Shop to inspire 3 graphic props to enhance her dusty old pie shop and add more depth to the storyline to produce verisimilitude within the viewer.' Grace Mitchell

As I said yesterday pies were a theme across Scotland's Art Colleges this year! 





Friday, 6 June 2025

Morgan McLeod

 



There was a theme of pies across the Scottish degree shows this year, here are some of the pies and food based creations of Morgan McLeod.

"Mass production versus Master Bakery.
This installation presents a personal perspective on a topic evolving in consumer culture. It invites viewers to step onto the high street and witness two generations of bakeries standing face to face. Both sides mirror my own experiences as a consumer. The traditional bakery offers a diverse range of clay produced products tailored to those involved in my life. From classic sweets to savoury treats, there’s something for everyone. On the other hand, the successful franchises represent the rise of business strategies in the industry. My work in fast food and current retail experiences are reflected in this side. With a light-hearted approach, I use wordplay which in reality is used to encourage customers to sign up for a loyalty scheme, hinting at the distaste in the interrogation sign up process for the loyalty card."