Art Lab For Kids is a wonderful new book by Susan Schwake, the mastermind behind artstream studios. It’s a source of ideas and lessons for creating all manner of different art with children… mind you I learnt a couple of new things from it too.

Beautifully photographed and clearly laid out, it steps you through 52 different art styles, each relating to a particular artist; a type of “how to achieve their look” guide.

And I am delighted to be one of the artists! I’m on the watercolour and pencil page.

The book is lovely, meaty and inspiring. You can buy it online here, and find out more about it here.
 

“I found your colouring book in a newsagent in Adelaide. I was picking up some magazines for a friend who’d just had a double mastectomy after her breast cancer returned. Not being good at sitting still, she was frustrated at being stuck in a hospital bed. When I saw your colouring book, I knew it was the perfect gift – colouring in is so soothing, I know it will not only keep her mind off what she’s been through but help in her healing process as well. So thank you for creating such a gorgeous product. x” … from anonymous.

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“Lolo isn’t lonely anymore” is my colouring book. It’s been out for a couple of months now, and I’m starting to get some really touching feedback.

Not to mention some pretty nifty colouring in by a class of Kindy kids…

Feel free to email me your colouring in!

The book is now available to buy online, from the Lalaland shop!
They ship both locally and internationally.

I’ve also been told it has been spotted in the following shops:
- High Tea with Mrs Woo in Newcastle, NSW
- Little Paper Lane in Mona Vale, NSW
- The Art Gallery of NSW Gift Shop, the Domain, Sydney, NSW
- Pepe’s Paperie in Canberra Civic, ACT
- A toy shop called Big Dreams in Northcote, Melbourne, VIC

I was invited to be part of one of Mel Stringer’s great zines. (Mel is well known for her zines, but probably more recognised for her illustration work in Frankie Magazine).

Borrowed Suitcase is collection of works by a stack of really great zine artists and illustrators from all over the world. It’s out now and can be bought online here for the measly spare-change sum of $4!

Earlier in the year I was given the opportunity to create my own colouring book, and it’s now out!

Following the journey of a girl who moves from the city to the country, Lolo Isn’t Lonely Anymore is a story book that you can colour in. With lots of detail and shading to colour over the top of, this style of colouring book is suitable to a wider range of age groups than the standard type.

The book is published and distributed by Lalaland, is available in various book shops, boutiques and toy stores across Australia and New Zealand, and will soon be available to buy online in the Lalaland shop.

I’m so excited about the book, I keep forgetting to mention that Lalaland also released two of my illustrations as prints, and one as one of the large postcards that they are so famous for.

I have placed an order for a stack of the colouring books, so that I may sell them directly too. I’ll let you know when they arrive.

Works (including mine) are still available to buy online for a little bit longer, along with the book.

(Images courtesy of the Drawgasmic Team)

This July saw the launch of the amazing Drawgasmic exhibition and book! Put together by the ever-cool team at Cranky Yellow.

“We’re bringing together the work of 1000 international artists, illustrators, and designers in an exhibition and book unlike anything ever created before!”

My contribution is “Seabeard McGee” (above), and you should see some of the others! There are so many good ones to choose from. All works are for sale. Have a look!

DRAWGASMIC
Now showing at 2720 Cherokee / Art Dimensions Gallery.
2720 Cherokee Street, St. Louis, MO, USA, 63118.

So I broke into a little sweat when a friend left a message on our answering machine the other night saying he’d seen me on TV. It was a news program, but a reputable one, and I was in the background, but thankfully not doing anything embarrassing.

The story, on the 7.30 Report, was about the success of Frankie Magazine, with lots of footage of the Finders Keepers Market. So my 3 seconds of fame was proudly riding on the coat-tails of Frankie Mag. And what a fine coat it is!

You can watch it here for the next few days on the 7:30 Report, from Tuesday 8th June (fast forward to just before the 25th minute).

An Artful Agenda invited me to contribute to their charity project again this year. With the range of items even more broad than last year, this year you can get daily planners, lesson planners, August to August diaries, and appointment books. The cause this year is supporting arts education in public schools.

You can buy the art-filled diaries online here!

I was also invited to take part in the Feed Your Soul project, hosted by Indie Fixx. If you want some free art, to brighten your home or feed your soul, go check it out!