The Hand Drawn Creative Blog

Any questions?

It was great to speak on the "I did it my way" panel at the Go Global conference last week. Contacts were made and new lessons were learned from some great speakers from Moonfruit and moo.com amongst others. Always good to be in London again too (the conference was on London's South Bank, allowing me to cross the Millenium bridge to get there.) Thanks again to Emma Jones & Simon Wicks. Thanks also to Emma Cattell for the press shots you see here.

Brave Sir Robin

I've contributed this piece Brave Sir Robin to the travelling Elemental Birds exhibition, curated by my good friends Andy & Inga Hamilton (AKA MyTarPit & Rockpoolcandy)

 

Bearing in mind the brief's call for positivity, I drew upon my own recent life experiences (starting a new career as a freelance Illustrator in the depths of a recession). It can sometimes feel like it's "you against the world" – but when you manage to pull it off against overwhelming odds, there's no feeling quite like it. I've transferred this sense of "positive defiance" into my piece "Brave Sir Robin, which was inspired by actual events.

From my Garden studio, I often see a little robin in my garden who always holds his own & stands his ground
when larger birds (especially magpies) try to scare him off. I always think "good for you little guy." Stay strong - stand firm!

The Elemental Birds project is a very special experiment to see if artists, printmakers and craftspeople can physically embody feelings of peace, harmony and goodwill in their artwork and tangibly affect the environment in which it’s shown.

Currently in the USA, the exhibition will also be stopping by Lisburn as well as New Zealand and Japan.

PYRAMID ATLANTIC, Silver Spring, MD. USA. 26th September - 3rd October 2011
http://www.pyramidatlanticartcenter.org/...

USA Show:- RICHARD F. BRUSH GALLERY, Canton, NY. USA 23rd October – 9th December 2011
http://www.stlawu.edu/gallery/

NI Show:-R-SPACE GALLERY, Lisburn, Northern Ireland. UK dates tbc 2012
http://linenroomslisburn.com/

NZ Show:- Warepuke Print Studio, Bay of Islands, North Island, NZ dates tbc. Xmas 2012/early 2013
http://www.nontoxic-printmaking.co.nz/...

Another Interview

I seem to popping up everywhere these days. This interview was published a few weeks back in the Belfast Telegraph's Business section. Nice to be asked – and finally a bit of local exposure. Props to Chris Harrison for the PR here.

Menswear

I've recently hooked up with a small, exclusive menswear brand nineteenthirty to create some new illustrations. Here's the first illustration I've created for their new range of 4oz. eco cotton backpacks.

Nineteenthirty's Bronagh also kitted me out with this swish new shirt (for when I finally find the time to go out somewhere nice). I'll also be helping to dress the walls of Nineteenthirty's new retail venture on Belfast's Lisburn Road this December – pictures to come.

And let no-one know until I'm gone

Freshly reprinted for those who missed the first run. 20 copies have been made available through my Etsy Store. Just click on the image below.