Jenny McCabe's wonderful textile sketches of swallows. I love observing nesting swallows at work. Around the house at the moment there are excited screeching schools of house martins learning aerobatics from their parents. Jenny's sketches and appliques catch the fleeting movement and magic of these observations.
A treat from French illustrator Geraldine Alibeu, who works in textiles and ceramics as well as more traditional illustrative forms. Geraldine has many books published in France and has a great website, be sure if you speak French to watch her lovely animated interview.
I adore these illustrations by Anne Herbauts, yet despite a very successful career with over 20 books published it is very hard to find images of anything but her book covers.
"I am in the words and the images at the same time. The realm in which I really work is in the space in between the two" Anne Herbauts.
Often people say to Freya and Fin "Oh it must be great having your mum", high and undeserved praise, as I am usually not full of creative fun after a day/week at work. Today though, I was inspired and we have done our own family flip switch books. I think you could use this in many situations, team building at work?
I had a workshop with childcare professionals today. Occasionally I get to take one off workshops, showing different art and craft activities that you can do with children of various ages. Today we made lots of movement toys; zip lines, elastic band woodpeckers and climbing toys. Then we made books, dividing them into three sections, to make books where you can swap heads, middles and legs. Here are some examples of the books they created using photographs of themselves as a starting point.
It is wild and stormy here in Scotland. One of the most beautiful trees in my garden was killed by the wind yesterday (a lilac), that I loved for feeding the butterflies and sheltering the birds. The tree damage has been terrible, it is the wrong time of year for such ferocious winds. With the loss of habitat and shelter the birds are suffering also, and two blackbird fledgelings have already been bought to my attention, one past saving, the other one fine. Anyway with these and many other thoughts, I started a new series called, 'Lock up the cat and let the birds play'. I have to say, with inspiration thrown into the mix by Laura.
Lynn Allen makes beautiful and fascinating works, drawing on her cultural heritage. "All the matriarchs in my family have been members of the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in South Dakota . . . I can trace my Native heritage back six generations to Ita ta Win (Wind Woman), born in the 1830's. I have the writings of my great grandmother, photographs and beadwork."
"There is danger, there are lies, and there are forgotten truths." Lynne's work has the craftsmanship of an artist beautifully combined with compelling social history, biography and storytelling.
