May 2008

Blimey, I miss my Surtex mates: Sara Taylor Designs

I really do feel a little Surtex sick. Like being at camp all summer and coming back to real life. It was kind of fun. We all had our little booths and we’d go over to each other to complain during slow periods and rush over to each other after a good contact came by. We’d keep an eye on each other’s booths when we needed to run and pee or get coffee. It was just a nice mini community. I was across the isle from Potterton Books, a British company that finds rare examples of designs and patterns and puts them into huge books as rare collections. Companies can buy them and be sure no one else will have them. Publishing companies can too and then publish their findings. Anyway, the booth looked like a bookshop on Diagon Alley. Nick, the booth proprietor was an ably chap. We made fast friends. He let me look at rare art deco wallpapers. I wish I had 5k.

Sara Taylor was a few booths away from me and Nick. Another Brit. She makes stunning patterns and designs. My favorite of her work are her china tableware. They’re modern, quirky, and at the same time elegant and sophisticated. Sara is a real talent to watch for. Check out her wall art, greeting cards, and more.

She had a bloody good booth. I’d wait in a cue with plaits in my hair to see her. I know how to speak British.

Check Sara out.

Surtex Overview: Been there, did it.

I’m back! Sorry Maquette’s been dormant for the last two days. I was fully engaged with Surtex. Everything else was totally neglected. Sorry Dave & Pita. I love you. Here’s a little overview with pics of my booth!

I met so many artists to keep in touch with and root for. As for my experience, it was really interesting and I would say good. I made some really amazing contacts that I don’t think I would have made if it were not for the D*S, Decor8, Design For Mankind, Skinny LaMinx, Oh Joy! and many others. The combination of debuting my patterns at the show and online seemed to work together nicely. I don’t want to say too much about which companies I’m talking with. I certainly would not want to jinx anything. But I promise to keep you posted.

Thank you all my dear readers for your support and for hearing me out during my jitters and pattern obsessing. I’ll be posting more art soon as I have a couple of illustration jobs I’m working on and tons of ideas for personal and collaborative projects. So stay with me. Grace on D*S also did a wrap up post on me and my neighbors following the lovely initial post she did that brought so many people to my humble booth.

I had journals, t-shirts, bags, cushions, purses, fake polaroid application photos on the wall, tromploeil frames with illustrations on the wall, wallpaper, posters, cards, and all of my patterns in print sleeves on the table. My faux notebook paper with built in dirty doodle was a hit. Maybe one of the stationary companies I talked too will pick it up?? I hope so!!!

A view from Surtex…

birdies everywhere!!!

Ok day one is over…my feet are really tired. I should not have worn heels. Anyway on a more important note, I made some talented friends at the show. Here’s a little sample of my new design buddies. I’ll do a post on each of them after the show. I never post on Sunday but I was excited to introduce you to these talents. I’ll tell you all about my show when it’s over…like on Wednesday perhaps

These new talented friends are all having their first show like me! We’re gamblers.

1. Dadabank is an LA based design co. that makes really slick silhouettes that have so many applications from home decor to comsumer products. The designer is a classically trained painter.
2. Sawdust and Tinsel is Eloise Corr Danch my new friend. The moment I saw her floating by in an adorable dress over a long sleeved shirt with her thick name-plate necklace and wavy raggidy anne hair, I knew we had to meet. Her booth is delightful! It’s full of very crafty handmade drawing/collages and mixed media sewings all with a fashion edge. She’s even having a show at the Anthropologie to display her paper dresses. I can’t wait to see them. She’s a Brooklyn girl like me so we’re going to meet up and perhaps collaborate or at least pow-wow about art and design. With the name of one of my favorite children’s book characters and the hand of and illustrator, crafter, pattern maker…I’m excited to learn more about her and her work.

Today was only the first day though. There’s so much more to see. Enjoy the beginning of your work week friends.

Blogorati mentions + Surtex nerves….+ “For Like Ever” is coming to my livingroom soon.

I know everyone and their mom loves this poster. Well I do too. Wish I could be original. But I just keep thinking about it. I tried not to order it….but I ordered it. The colors are phenomenal and I feel that it’s so timeless. I can live with it, and enjoy it everyday. It makes me feel good, so it’ll be here in our home soon. Can’t wait. I’m thinking thin white gallery frame with white beveled edge matte.

On another note, I feel very lucky and honored to see my work featured on some of my favorite blogs in the world like Design*Sponge, OhJoy!, Decor8, Design For Mankind, Freshly Blended, Bloesem, Skinny La Minx, Dork…so many people to be grateful to. I really hope I can make a go of pattern making so that all of the wonderful support the design blogorati has given to me will be worth their while. Lots more to do and only one more day before the Surtex set-up.

I can’t possibly begin to thank all of the designers, artists, and bloggers who have supported me by featuring my work on their blog and offering my encouragement. My family knows how grateful I am to each of them for their support too. My husband just set up a press page for me so that I can have a permanent thank you to them on my blog and website. Here’re the links.

I do have jitters about putting my work out there. I am going to try not to be fragile. Some people might like my work and other might not. That’s just a simple mantra I’m going to tell myself.  I’ll try to post photos of my booth and the show…maybe I’ll even get to visit friends at the Stationary show and snap some shots of their booths? So check back in on Monday.

I’m also guest blogging on Trust Your Style. Mary Jo posted the links from yesterday’s post on “Colors to wear and live in“. There will be another post on Trust Your Style by me on Friday and Monday so check there too!!

I wish you all the most lovely weekend ever. I really hope you do something special that makes you smile. Maybe some art…maybe some cooking…maybe some loving?…

I’m guest blogging on Trust Your Style today: Wear + live in your favorite color palettes.

I’ve been such a navel gazer lately…totally wrapped up in my patterns and prepping for Surtex. Mary Jo Matsumoto who I’ve done a ton of illustration for asked me to guest blog on Trust Your Style for a couple of days. So I’m quite happy to accept. I just did a post for her about wearing and living in your favorite color palettes. It’s a pastiche of fashion and home decor, two of my favorite types of design. I found great fashion and beauty items and matched them with corresponding palettes of home decor items. Check out Trust Your Style Thursday to find out where to get these stunningly colorful items. Those Nanette Lepore shoes are truly my dream come true. They’re probably not comfy though.