Great idea for holding jewelry. Painted bunny sculpture mounts!

Saw a lot of screenprinted wraps at SF’s first Renegade holiday weekend. Makes me wanna bust out Billiam’s Yudu and try some abstract-ish printing of my own.

Annoyed with myself that I totally missed The Harbinger Co. at the show – I know everybody’s doing it now, but seriously, her cutout earrings are awesome. I’ve been wanting the medium hair curl earrings ever since they hit Moxsie. Then, while sharing his Christmas gift picks with, Billiam showed me he picked the same ones for his sister. Is it against the rules for me to wear them now?

Great concept: frame it and write on the glass with an overhead projector pen!

I totally need a new jewelry system...

Love this printing group's style. Just not sure they Renegade was the right place for them.

Will have to go back and fill in the artists who made the stuff pictured above…

Yes, that’s exactly what it is.

You'll never guess what I am ..... I am in disguise.

Tomorrow Saturday 19th December 2009

Cnr Johmstone and Booth Streets Annandale.

Come between 9am and 12 midday for all your last minute gifts.

Lots of handmade. Lots of beautiful pieces. Lots of local talent.

Mention you blog along at harrysdesk by saying. “I KNOW All ABOUT YOU!” (because of course you don’t), and I will give you wholesale price on all pieces.

See you there!

Check out our new t-shirt line- let me know what you think!! Each hand-printed features designs created by me and my 6 yo son My apologies for the shameless plug, lol.  But hey- at least it explains why I’ve been slacking on my blogging!

Why am I whirling like a dirvish today?

Because it’s 2 degrees F. today and I need to keep warm? No.

Because I like the feeling of being dizzy? No.

Because I just won the lottery? Getting warmer….

Today whilst editing video I heard a quiet “honk.”  It was the postal worker who didn’t want to get her warm butt out of the car, I don’t blame her, arriving at The Digital Art House with a special delivery.

And what was in this special bundle from the talented and wonderful and amazing folks from Medium Control?

My Watson wear!!!! The following fotos are self portraits, so give a girl a break-no one else was home and I was just too eager to promote the talented Tommy (design guru).

Meet Watson and follow his antics here.

Thank you Watson (and humans) for making me a little warmer on this bitter cold December day.

This is it – tomorrow is the big day. It’s time for another Handmade Arcade and I can’t wait. Hours and hours of meeting new people and being surrounded by so much handmade awesome. I’ll be at the L2 Design Collective booth showcasing our holiday cards and banners, totes and gift tags and whatever else we happen to make today (this morning I’ve just put the last coat of varnish on these little test print boxes, for instance).

Stop on by (and I wouldn’t be too too upset if you brought a cup of hot chocolate with you) and say hey.

And here’s one more little idea – this Christmas when you’re thinking of how to spend your money, think handmade.

It was freeeezing on Saturday in Oakland but shoppers still made it out to support their local artists and craftsmen/women! Minty Fresh Prints had a successful day in the wind! And…everyone LOVED the cupcakes. That always keeps me happy.

A little sweetness goes a long way!

Here’s a real treat; an interview with Mark and Rhynie Cawood, the husband and wife team behind Publisher Textiles. We’ve long been fans of Publisher’s work, often seeking out their screen-printed cushions for the lounges in our showrooms. Enjoy their interview below and check out their website to see their complete range of wallpapers, fabrics and products.

How did you come to be doing what you do? (eg. study, work experience etc…)
Mark studied and worked as a screen printer for many years, and I (Rhynie) studied fashion and graphic design. But it was a pure love of fabric and pattern that got us started on our path.
We both love drawing and making stuff, so designing and producing textiles and wallpapers became a work medium to facilitate our passion.

As far as starting a company is concerned: The business started small and direct from a rented corner in a friends factory. Original printed fabrics and garments were created during the week and sold at Paddington markets over the weekend.

Describe a typical working day?
There is no typical workday. There’s always the task of running the business, and there is the joy of designing prints, developing ranges, picking colours, sourcing fabrics, shooting products and then there’s the challenges of dealing with print or production issues.

Can you give us a brief rundown of your creative process?
Everything starts with scribbles. We do most of our conceptual work at home over a good bottle of wine and some music. From there, images are refined and artwork is drawn or painted neatly. Then it moves between the light box and the computer to get repeats right and colours separated.
Once a design goes onto screen, it’s ready to be printed. At this stage we spend a lot of time in the print room, either going through existing colours from our shelves, or mixing up the right colour, to create the right combinations.

Where do you look for inspiration?
Anywhere and everywhere – life, art, nature, culture, fantasy….
Most of our designs reflect what is happening in our journey – which can be better understood when you know the story behind why we called ourselves Publisher Textiles.

To publisher means to put into print.

We see our ranges as chapters, and the designs as characters, which come in and out of the story. Each chapter echo’s a feeling or story or environment, which is generally something we are going through in our lives. So we publish our story illustratively, on textiles and wallpaper.

Our new range is called DUSK
The range was inspired by “Parklife”. We live on the park and love nothing more than to spend our Sunday afternoons with friends and family, just relaxing out in the sun, with some good food, and lots of laughs.

Kids play…. adults play….

Its that feeling of “joie de la vie” – even with the hectic pace that keeps us going through the week, we believe balance is important…. and love to get back to basics and connect with the important things in life… like soul food.

So we have combined the textures of raw hemp and silk, used earthy neutral tones with metallics silver (like cloud halo’s), midnight blue, burnt oranges and ochre, and injected fuchsia and bright yellow (like that friend that you haven’t seen for years, who pops in …. and ends up being the life of the party)

Who do you admire creatively?
Love the work of MC Escher – he has taken repeat pattern to a whole other level. Also love the work of the Wiener Werkstatte, Timorous Beasties, Shepard Fairey, have always loved Alexander McQueen – and so many more.

But as far as “real-life” creativity goes, I have always admired my mum. I grew up in South Africa, and we never had white walls. The house would change continuously through the years, and somehow she would create different environments that mixed African bead and wireworks, with antique family heirlooms and my dad’s (who is an artist) macabre and often dark paintings and sculptures, massive pieces of wood that had been found in the dessert, Venetian glass. Everything was styled to perfection.

What has been a career highlight?
Moving into our own factory space!!!!
There is nothing better that having space and tools to play with.

And winning the Telstra Business award for Best Business in NSW, in July. This meant so much to us because it has always been vital for us to have a sustainable business that can grow and harbor design and production within Australia. For a young creative niche business to be recognized in a professional forum, was defiantly a personal and career highlight.

What do you like/dislike about the Australian design industry?
It has always puzzled us that Australia only really takes its designers seriously once they have studied, worked or made it overseas.

Can you share a goal with us for the future?
To grow our business to a stage where it can sustain itself. I have had to focus on business the last couple of years, which believe it or not takes a lot of creativity. We aim to make a healthy, sustainable, ethical creative business, which can facilitate artistic projects, and keep a dying craft alive.

What are you reading at the moment?
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

What’s your favorite piece of furniture?
Our bed.

The temperature’s dropped, the fire’s lit, the tree is up… Christmas is on its way & The Dog House is stocked full of festive hand printed goodies!

Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire

Who can forget the first ever Simpsons Christmas Special, when Homer & Bart bring home abandoned greyhound, Santa’s Little Helper? Inspired by Simpsons character & infamous animated greyhound, ‘Santa’s Little Helper’, I have created a range of  seasonal prints for both dogs & their families!

From stocking fillers to stockings…

Last Christmas my eldest rescue greyhound, Max, received a pair of novelty doggy reindeer antlers in his stocking. Photographed in his festive headgear, I can assure you that Max received lots of turkey titbits in exchange for his co-operation!

I converted the photograph of Max to a monochrome image (using the technique described in this tutorial), & created a printing screen of the image, along with the caption ‘Santa’s little helper‘. I  hand screen printed my new design onto cotton bags, doggy bandanas, stockings & baby hats using non-toxic fabric ink. (The ink has been fixed using heat, making it resistant to machine washing at 40°C, dry cleaning & ironing on a cotton setting.)

SANTA’S LITTLE HELPER hand printed snow white and crimson red on festive green organic cotton tote bag

This festive tote measures 36 x 40 cm with a depth of 8 cm & long handles for carrying over the shoulder. It is made of 100% certified organic cotton twill in festive green & carries the EarthPositive® label, having been ethically made using a climate neutral process.

The image & text are printed in snow white ink, with the greyhound’s nose picked out in crimson red. Stylish, super practical & eco-friendly, this bag is the perfect seasonal accessory for any greyhound lover!

The bag costs $17 (approximately £11)* & is available to purchase from my Etsy shop.

SANTA’S LITTLE HELPER hand printed white on red cotton doggy bandana

This triangular bandana measures approximately 50 x 50 x 75 cm, making it suitable for any medium or large sized dog. It is made of 100% cotton in crimson red with the text printed in contrasting snow white.

This festive bandana is the perfect seasonal accessory for your hound this Christmas!

The bandana costs $13 (approximately £7)* & is available to purchase from my Etsy shop.

SANTA’S LITTLE HELPER hand printed cotton Christmas stockings

These stockings measure 32cm (heel to toe) x 43cm (height) & are made of 100%  cotton with contrasting stitching detail at the edges. The text & images are printed in bright festive coloured ink.

Why not stuff one brimful of doggy treats & toys & spoil your hound rotten this Christmas!

The stockings cost $15  (approximately £10) each* & are available to purchase from my Etsy shop.

SANTA’S LITTLE HELPER hand printed snow white on festive green organic cotton baby knot hat size small

This adorable baby  hat is size small (circumference 45″, length 40″) & is knotted at the top. It is made of 100% organic combed cotton in khaki, with the text in contrasting white. The fabric is super-soft, making it gentle against young sensitive skin.

Perfect for keeping little elves’ heads cosy and snug at Christmas time!

The hat costs $15  (approximately £10)* & is available to purchase from my Etsy shop.

SANTA’S LITTLE HELPER hand printed snow white on crimson red cotton Santa sack

This sack measures 38cm (w) x 43cm (h) & has a drawstring closing. It is made of 100% cotton in crimson red with the image & text printed in contrasting snow white ink.

The sack costs $15  (approximately £10)* & is available to purchase from my Etsy shop.

PAW PRINT & XMAS TREATS hand printed cotton drawstring pouches

These pouches measure 10cm (width) x 13cm (height) & have a drawstring at the top. They are made of 100% cotton in either crimson red or festive green with the text / image printed in glistening white. They slip nicely over your wrist or into your pocket.

These brightly coloured little pouches are perfect for storing your dog’s holiday treats in. Why not spoil them with something extra special over the festive period!

The pouches cost $6  (approximately £4) each* & are available to purchase from my Etsy shop.

*Special Promotion

Blog readers are elligible for FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING on all Christmas items at The Dog House. Simply copy & paste the url of this post into the ‘note to seller’ upon check out & I will refund the shipping costs via PayPal. (This offer is valid until 25th December 2009.)

Ensure your purchase arrives in time for Christmas by ordering before 9th Dec (international customers) / 20th Dec (UK customers).

5% of the profits from the sale of all these items will be donated to  my local greyhound rehoming charity, Gracehounds (Scottish Registered Charity No. SC038872).

Happy Christmas from Max, Molly & me!

She is on Jay Leno right now and I want to be her friend. I want to sing with her and have her hair.
Ok sorry, I sound like a crazy thirteen year old.
I found a website that is really cute and everyone should go there.
Check it out. http://cuteoverload.com/ In fact, this is a really cute picture she posted today. Oh, so I started at Cotton Plus today. It is a store in the mall that puts graphics on shirts, hats, mugs, etc.  Notice I’m not saying screen printing because they send their work out to get screen printing and embroidery done. So working there today it made me realize that I would never send my work there! The 2 girls I worked with today dont know anything about graphics and everything they did looked like crap! And I also realized that I could do this! All they do is take what people give them, which is usually a picture or font, print it on transfer paper, and place it on the shirt and press it with a hot iron press! Thats it! I could completely do it… And do it way better. Because I would actually scan things at the appropriate dpi, and make things look good. Plus I could design cool things to put on the shirts, not just something that says “Worlds Greatest Dad” which dad would never wear anyways. So anyways… Jonathan and I could totally do that. We just need some money to get started so we can rent a mall cart or something. But I know we could do it. Jonathan has a good printer, and all you need is a bunch of shirts and an iron. Shoot, the manager I worked with today said the guy that started it just took orders all day and took them home and they could pick it up the next day. Anyways, I’m getting all worked up. Later.

Although, that might be kind of cool…hmm…

This Saturday I plan on meeting my dearest friend Nancy and heading over to the Midtown Global Market in Minneapolis to attend the No Coast Craft O Rama.

This will be my fourth year attending this Midwestern Mecca of Homemade goodness.

Not sure what to get that special man in your life?  How about conjoined sock monkey twins, or underwear made out of old t-shirts?  There is something for everyone at the No Coast Craft O Rama!  The fair opens Friday night and goes until five on Saturday.

See you there, or crochet a granny square.

6-color, all hand screenprinted "Going To See My Baby Sage" art print. (Click for more info or to purchase!)

Love love love! Everyone falls in love. You included! And you are looking at my hand screenprinted, limited edition art print “Going To See My Baby Sage”.

This screenprinted happy day is a brand new colorway of a very popular print that I did in 2007, but in a super small edition, now returned in sage green & soft lemon, just for you.

Going To See My Baby Sage is my 6-color, all hand screen printed art print with holiday green sage, bright bike red, dark grey, black and soft transparent lemon hand mixed and non-toxic water based inks. And yes! The lemon cloud breaks the margin/border just like a good cloud should, and is partially transparent over the white margin. Tweet! Edition of 95. Size: 16 x22 inches (39.4 cm x 55.9 cm.) Paper: acid free & archival Cougar, White 100lb cover weight.

Click here for more information or to purchase from my website, or visit my Etsy shop or even check out my 1000 Markets shop.

Shirt for Morgan's Birthday Party.

Here is another “birthday shirt” that I finished this week for my friend, Melissa. Her daughter, Morgan, is having a karaoke sleepover and she wanted to have shirts printed for the girls. The design shows a microphone and the text, “I rocked it at Morgan’s 11th Birthday Bash!” I screen-printed 13 hot pink shirts with black ink.

Mr. Randall “Monkey Pants” Reasoner did his thesis presentation today and I got to sit in and listen.  I snapped a secret shot while he was fielding questions.  I have been practicing my covert photography.  This photo’s exposure time was 1/2 a second but still not too much blur.

The dude is really into space, the space-race, things related to monkeys, and feeding alcohol to baby pigs.  He is super weird, but his thesis work looked good.  If anyone wants to check out his monkey work go check out the thesis shows starting next Monday in the gallery at Texas State.

If anyone ever challenges me to a drawing contest I am going to draw this.

This is the big goddamn exposure unit for exposing the six foot screens.  It sort of looks like a coffin.

Spent all of yesterday installing my two pieces and taking pictures at the Maryland Art Place. I’m really happy with the way my silkscreen on the black paper turned out. Click here or on the photos to see all the fun and a bunch of the other pieces that are in the show done by my fellow classmates. “Instant Messages” opens December 1st! More info at the MAP website.

Update: If you would like to buy a pack of the cards featured in the below post you can do so here. Thanks very much for looking and for all your positive comments!

~o~

Once again December is almost upon us, so I’ve been hard at work on the ol’ annual production line!

These cards are the result of last week’s screenprinting session and an extended rendezvous with a bone folder and a sharp blade (oh, to be able to hand-print a full bleed and thus make trimming superfluous!).

I find that this time of year can get a little unnecessarily frenetic so I always aim to create a ‘festive greeting card’ that is a small oasis of calm in the midst of all the busy-ness we make for ourselves or have thrust upon us. Since moving to the Netherlands I’ve noticed bare-branched winter trees have become a recurring theme for me. It’s strange, because there are plenty of bare-branched winter trees in London at this time of year… but they apparently didn’t make the same impression?

As is so often the case at this stage in the process (or any process of ‘mass-production’) I’ve become most interested in the abstraction that is the inevitable result of multiplication and repetition…

I’ve been enjoying the zigzagging chevron shapes created by the rows of cards as I trim, score, fold and stack ‘em up. Those shapes combined with the yellow/golden colours of a pale autumn sun low in the sky transform them in to something entirely ‘other’… and when given the ‘Pathological Puppy’ treatment in Photoshop a repeat pattern quite unrelated to the original design can be arrived at:

But back to the actual cards…

This year I have made a few more than we’ll use and several packs of four cards each are available in my shop, should you wish to have your festive (or any other) messages delivered by a pale blue bear…

… or a pale blue wolf.

Hand screenprinted, 4-color tour poster for The Spinto Band,. Click here for more information!

Hey hey! Brand new poster finally released and out there for you! It’s my fall 2009 tour poster for The Spinto Band, with Generationals & Pepi Ginsberg’s Park The Van “Family Values” fall super tour.

Hooooraay! I love ‘em. Bright, fun, hard workin’ and rad. 3 super sounds in one show poster.

This poster is my all hand screenprinted tour poster for some super bands (check them out and see if I’m lying.)

What you see here is a 4-color poster with magenta, sunny orange and black inks. Size: 16w x 22h inches. Edition of 145, though I have only 30 for sale and the rest were sold on tour with the band. Paper: acid-free & archival Cougar 100 lb White, cover weight.

Now available for purchase at my website HERE!

Here’s a couple photos of the print being built:

1st color down

2nd color, transparent magenta, lets the orange under layer show through and it makes a nice ruby red where they overlap.

And, some more good old fashioned hand printing process photos are here on my Flickr page too.

Ok, so I teased you with the back tag a couple of days ago. Now it’s time to reveal the front.

I am in two minds as to whether this is too ‘angry’ to join the harrysdesk collection.

Some have said that anything that has a button on it can’t possibly be angry, but I am looking for some more feedback.

If you like you can comment on the two options as well. Stitching on letters or not.

....well what's the verdict?..... (without letter stitching)

I have positioned the buttons carefully. Enough said.

with stitching on the letters.....

This past Saturday we attended the Bring It & Screen It class at Fill in the Blank Gallery, located in the Lincoln Square neighborhood of Chicago.  What a fabulous find!  For $5 (or $8 to buy a t-shirt there) you could choose from a few Chicago artist designed screens & make your own shirt.

Fill in the Blank Gallery offers screenprinting, drawing, painting classes & host a variety of events.  There is some pretty cool art hanging on the walls too!  Definitely worth the time to check it out!  I’ll take some photos of our designs & post later!

© Fill in the Blank Gallery

© Fill in the Blank Gallery