Artist Danna Ray most eloquently describes her work as an exploration of the inherent transience and connectedness of all things. It's an apt description of her soft and subtle illustrations of cloud and sky, mountain and grass, and that which exists in between. I'm especially drawn to her calm palette of creamy yellow, pastel blue and indigo.
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Oh, how I love shopping for Peachy Prints... Just look at what I found today, my darlings. Combining quite a bunch of my favourite things (fabric, paper, thread), the whimsical illustrations of Nikki Catalano are precisely what I needed to brighten up my day. She describes herself as a dreamer who loves drawing birds and bunnies best.
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A little more vintage wrapping paper from my stash to brighten up your day. Doesn't it just make you want to throw a bridal shower? Too cute, I say! Buttermilk yellow, robin's egg blue and fairy floss pink are such a charming trio, don't you think? Reminds me of cupcake frosting and those divine sugar Easter eggs my mother used to make.
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I spotted a vintage hosiery box today and it reminded me of these gorgeous Maidenform "I Dreamed I..." ads from the 50s and 60s. Here are just two of my faves from this classic series, where buxom beauties dreamed of wild adventures. From walking tightropes to barging down the Nile, all would be achieved in barely more than a Maidenform bra! Now, if you're a fan of Mad Men, you'll be delighted to know that costume designer Janie Bryant recently teamed up with Maidenform on a fab new marketing campaign. I can't wait!
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I thought you might enjoy these sweet pastel illustrations by Amy Borrell and the way she uses fine, intricate details and soft splashes of watercolour. They remind me of summer days at the beach when i was a little girl. Did anyone else want to be a ballerina when they grew up? I was too busy chasing unicorns...
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If you took a peek at Dear Colleen after spotting her smashing rosette in Wednesday's Style Me feature, you might have been surprised (and delighted!) to discover her other talent for groovy typographic prints. With cheeky little sentiments that will make you smile in cheery neo pastels, inky black and indigo, these prints are the perfect thing to brighten up your home or office space. Hooray for Kiwi design!
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With such an extensive portfolio of dreamy drawings and peachy prints, it's no wonder Devon Smith has captured the hearts of indie art fans across New Zealand. I didn't travel as far as her home town of Dunedin on my trip, but I did see her work in almost every cute shop I visited! From Auckland to Christchurch, Dee's enchanting forest creatures and rosy-cheeked girls appeared on everything from gift cards and pendants to t-shirts and brooches. It was hard to narrow it down, but these two prints are my faves.
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No ordinary grocery totes, these nifty little Sprout Bags are the brainchild of kiwi design team Ooid Design in Dunedin, New Zealand. The Sprout Bag Project featured limited edition graphics from collaborating designers around NZ and worldwide. Made from 100% unbleached organic cotton, they're as handy for shopping trips as they are for the planet! Neat, huh? Buttons, pegs, raindrops and sprouts... such cute motifs!
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Now, I know she's no secret to the blogging world, but no Kisses for Kiwis Week would be complete without Sarah McNeil and her soft, dream-like animal drawings and cute handknit accessories. Not only is she super talented and loved by fans around the world, she's a real sweetheart too! Sarah has actually very kindly recommended a bunch of her favourite Kiwi artists and designers for this week's special feature. What a gem! And what a great way to kick off Kisses for Kiwis Week. Oh, I miss Wellington already!
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Hello lovelies! Well, I'm home again after a wonderful holiday in New Zealand and, as you may have noticed, Wolf and Willow has a fresh new look to welcome me home - yay! A big thank you to Yee Von Chan for her beautiful illustration work (you might remember her from this little post). I hope you've enjoyed all the fabulous guest posts over the past two weeks. I know I have! For the rest of this week and all of the next, I'll be featuring some of the many talented artists and designers that I discovered on my trip. So, stay tuned for "Kisses for Kiwis Week" here on Wolf and Willow - you're sure to be inspired and delighted by the creative style of The Land of the Long White Cloud!
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Hi there! I'm Carmen from Forgotten Fancies. I love cosying up in an old library during winter, discovering old treasures and pre-loved fancies. One thing I have noticed is that people don't tend to get dressed up when they visit the library. This is what I will be wearing the next time I visit my local library.
1. Seaside Fields Dress 2. Owl Carry Your Things Bag 3. Cork Wedge Sandal
Carmen x
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The night before I flew out for New Zealand I stumbled upon these enchanting illustrations by fellow Melbourne artist YeeVon Chan and I just fell in love. I couldn't wait to post about her, so here I am just one day into my holiday and already popping in to post! These ones are titled The Dreamweaver and Autumn Spirit, how lovely is that? Aside from sharing a love of chocolate and forest animals, YeeVon is working on a little something special for Wolf and Willow right now... but you'll just have to wait and see. For now, Kia Ora from Auckland, my lovelies!
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Okay, this one's from the archives, but I thought I'd share it with you anyway (just for fun!) because I bought a rather snazzy safari coat last week and it got me thinking... National treasure Beci Orpin created these yardage prints for Lisa Gorman last year, I think. I mean, could you imagine a better combo? I still feel they're very fresh and adorable, don't you? Perhaps they'll make a comeback? Beci's recent projects include a range of childrens clothing, some fab book projects and cute and quirky homewares. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next. I promise to keep you posted.
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In addition to being a talented artist and illustrator, Leigh Viner is a makeup artist and fashion designer too. And you can certainly see those influences at work in her gorgeous drawings, can't you? The best part? They're all available as prints from her Etsy store for not-so-glamorous prices. Yay! Now, which one to choose...?
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It's been a while since I posted a childhood memory, but when I spotted Possum Magic in the bookshelf last night, I couldn't help myself! Mem Fox and Julie Vivas are Australian icons. Generations of Aussie children have fallen in love with their charming stories and sweet watercolour illustrations, and I'm certainly one of them! Possum Magic is my favourite. It tells the story of Hush the possum, whose Grandma made her invisible to keep her out of trouble. But in her heart of hearts, Hush wants to be visible again. In search of the long-forgotten ingredients needed to reverse the spell, Hush and her Grandma travel the country indulging in "magic" Australian snacks such as lamingtons and vegemite sandwiches. It's ever so cute!
They ate Anzac biscuits in Adelaide, mornay and Minties in Melbourne,
steak and salad in Sydney and pumpkin scones in Brisbane...
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Oh, bless! Look what I found. Some charming vintage wrapping paper from Hallmark. These ones are from the swinging sixties and I just can't believe how beautiful they are! From the cute little poodles and dainty pink shoes in the girl's birthday party wrap to the cheeky blonde cherubs and sweet doves in the bridal shower paper, I'm completely smitten. How about you?
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Melbourne girl Eveline Tarunadjaja says she's inspired by unrequited love and fairy stories. I think she makes a little poetic magic herself with her sweet and mischievous illustrations. I love the intricate Art Nouveau style and vibrant blues in this illustration. It reminds me a little of the flower fairy books I enjoyed as a little girl, with beautiful fairies peeking out from behind fluffy petals.
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I confess, I don't know anything about this charming painting! I just discovered her on my friend Jessica's desktop and couldn't help but share her with you. The mystery will be solved tomorrow when she comes in! The only clue is the tiny print at the bottom...
Drink to me only with thine eyes...
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There's definitely something magical about Swiss husband-and-wife artists Michael Husmann and Pascale Mira Tschaeni. I think it's sweet that they've been called a 'dream couple' in the local scene, don't you? My friend Sally discovered them on one of her online 'fashion adventures', admiring a collection by Rittenhouse that artfully splashes Husmann-Tschaeni across bedazzled silk dresses, embroidered skirts and printed swimsuits. I love the intense explosion of colour and texture and technique.
we paint, draw and spray on the reverse of perspex with enamel, oil, glitter, pearl-powder, crayon, pencil and a lot more... we paint and draw many layers until we can't see the first drawing anymore... we turn around the painting and see the front side...
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In keeping with this week's wintery theme, these peachy prints from the lovely Shelley and Paula of Sweet William remind me of sunlit winter mornings. With their whimsical palette of icy aquamarine, snow white and cerulean blue they're the perfect thing to cheer things up on a chilly day. I especially love the fanciful Swan Ride print and the sweet patterned elephant in Wise. Adorable! A special thanks to my friend Brittni from Papernstitch for sharing.
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