While I was playing around with maps a few months back I came up with a really beautiful idea to put the vintage maps I've collected inside bird shiouettes. I thought I'd start with US states and match the state birds to the maps!
Here are the first few now available in my etsy shop.

I came across a beautiful etching in a little gallery in Darwin today by artist Jorg Schmeisser. I love the layers of drawing and the mix of notes and sketches, a bit like a travel diary. I think it would be a great starting point to remember each trip just making notes, drawings, studies of flowers and building etc all on one big sheet. Could also add in photos, prints and maps. His work reminds me a lot of Horst Jansseen and a little of Joshua Yeldham.

The picture just doesn't do it justice, a beautiful work by Joshua Yeldham, my favourite at the Archibald and Wynne Prize this year. Stunning blues, purples and pinks.

So Im not exactly sure where I took this photo, except that it was near Tekapo. This is the start of a work where I'm going to experiment with mixed media on a photo. I've started by printing it out large format onto some lovely 100% post consumer recycled paper that I have. Masked of the sides and painted in most of the water.

Loving the work of Kathe Fraga. Her work resembles aged decorative fresco panels, adorned with birds flowers, vines and leaves in a modern Chinoiserie style.

Finally a holiday! The easter and anzac break is here and Im getting stuck into some artwork - plus finishing off all those little DIY jobs around the house. Here is the latests print added to our etsy shop. I did this as a gift card a couple of years ago, don't know why it didn't occur to me to turn it into a pretty print sooner. The creative monsoon website is also down for a revamp but check out our new online gallery. A bit of fun, I'll be changing the exhibitions on there every few months so be sure to keep checking back.

I love this quote from Audrey Hepburn, I've been meaning to do a little design with it for ages.

"I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles."
— Audrey Hepburn

Available in our etsy and redbubble shops

This week I was feeling a little inspired by the work of Frida Kahlo. Ive been looking at a lots of Mexican wedding ideas for the 'i do' it yourself site, and she just kept popping up! So I put together a little homage to Frida, a digital mixed media collage using one of her quotes "Feet, why do I need them if I have wings to fly?" Available as a print from our redbubble and etsy shops.

Some cute new works added to our etsy shop this week, miniature toy town effects of Venice. There are SO many more photos to go through so Im sure there will be more to come.

Ahh the Sydney Opera House, those beautiful tiled sails, nothing can beat it for architectural beauty right? Well, this isn't the Opera House...

pic by abrinsky

…when I first saw this picture I thought someone had been having fun in photoshop, but this is actually the Lotus of Bahapur in India. A house of worship designed by Fariborz Sahba. Of course the Opera House is still first for originality, the Lotus wasn't built until 1986, but Im surprised such a beautiful building is not more well know.

Pic by b a l w a n t

Pic by Richard Lamprecht

So I cant really say new work for this, its something I did many years ago and just found on an old backup this weekend. But its still really lovely :) 'Buddha and lotus' available in my etsy and redbubble shops.

Bad, bad me Im so far behind with all my blog posts!
Last year we finally made it to Sculpture by the Sea, two years right by Bondi and we'd never been before!  My favourite sculptures were the steel camel complete with its own sewing machine by Suzie Bleach & Andy Townsend, and a beautiful wave made from eucalyptus sticks by Peter Collins. But of course I have to love the steel French Bulldog sculptures by Geoff Harvey standing on sentry duty along the coastal path.