Spring Magnolia

The magnolia down by The Boat House.

It was one of three planted by my parents for a friend that died.

Rather wonderfully every time we look at it, we remember him and smile.

Elisa by Citizen Couture

What a flurry of posts today! I'm so honoured though that I had to tell you straight away. The super glamourous Citizen Couture posted a little sketch I did of Elisa Nalin on their tumblr and twitter. I sketched Elisa last week when I saw her photograph on Citizen Couture and loved her use of colour. Properly popping and fun.

Thank you a lot Citizen Couture!

(definitely check out the site... it's dreamy).

Citizen Couture

Citizen Couture Tumblr

Citizen Couture Twitter

Diary Drawing

Occasionally, mostly when I'm feeling a little bit mental, I draw some rather peculiar pictures.

They're a sort of diary, and are a release of how I'm feeling (obviously not literally, my rib cage isn't exposed, nor do I have a butterfly as my pelvis!) I drew this very last night when I wasn't quite ready to pack up the studio.

They seem to scare the bejeezers out some of my friends.

The Wicked Witch at Harrods

Best window display EVER? Well done Harrods.

Summer Holidays

I'm dreaming of the Summer and my holiday in Cornwall.

St Enodoc, Daymer Bay

Anthropologie Drawn

Another lovely dress illustrated from the Anthropologie look book.

Brimming Boarders Mini Dress £228
Pecaut Sandals £128

Anthropologie

Boob Scarf

Feeling chilly? Careful you don't get a titty-hard-on.

And kudos to the ladies on either side for the boob tattoos.

I dare you.

Boob Scarf

Anthropologie Drawn

I so loved the floral print of this dress from the Anthropologie look book I did a little watercolour of it.

I can see myself getting carried away with design again.

Baripada Necklace in Blue £58
Scattered Stellata Dress £98
Ever-Orange Bracelet £116

Anthropologie

Full of the Joys of Spring

Oh Instagram, how you bring out the joys of Spring!

It's bursting all around me here in Wales as I hop, skip and jump about like the goon that I am.

There are daffodils, lambs (I've turned into such a townie, my family would be horrified) and longer days. I love it. My father has just bought the tiniest little fishing boat and we took it out on the water for the first time last Friday. The sea was like glass, not just in the estuary where the swans were... swanning around, but properly out at sea, beyond the bar. It was stunning. And freezing.

This local honey ice cream is the nectar of the gods (well, in the valley at least) and is the reason for the rather large thighs wobbling about, mine included. It's the world's best ice cream, and that's a bold statement from someone who was addicted to gelato in Italy for a bunch of years. There's something incredibly spoiling about going for a walk on the beach eating ice cream.

Word Clock

This word clock is so cool.

Doug's Word Clock

Paolo Roversi at The Wapping Project

Well that wasn't such a difficult decision then.

I've been umm-ing and argh-ing for a couple of weeks now about whether or not to shlep up to London again in a weeks time. Then I heard that my most favourite photographer, Paolo Roversi is showing at The Wapping Project until March 31st. How on earth did I not know about this until now?? Crazy. Suddenly a remarkably easy decision to make. These are some of his hauntingly ethereal images.

 Roversi's Muse, Guinevere van Seenus

 Guinevere van Seenus

Kate Moss (1993)

Amber Valletta
'Rainbow Warriors' Vogue May 1996

Natalia Vodianova
Vogue Italia

Natalia Vodianova
'Morning Beauty' Vogue Italia October 2010

& a short interview with Roversi by Dazed Digital...

DD: How closely did you work with the gallery on image selection?
Paolo Roversi: We worked together. We chose images from my book Studio, a selection of my nudes and then it’s about Guinevere, one of my favourite muses.

DD: You spent over 15 years working with Guinevere. Why does she inspire you?
Paolo Roversi: She’s a beautiful creature! Beauty is very important in my work, it’s the most important engine. Guinevere is a mysterious girl. She is feminine, masculine, fragile and strong. She has a lot of different characters, a lot of different levels of beauty. She can stay in front of the camera like a statue. She can then become like a dancer, a ballerina. She is a performer. She can really light up my imagination and my creativity. It’s very important for me.

DD: Your portraits suggest an admiration of classical painting and photography. Are these equally important to you? 
Paolo Roversi: Absolutely. I have been been influenced by a lot of painters, a lot of photographers. I think it is good to be influenced. The masters give you inspiration to do your own work.

DD: Is it the process of taking portraits that you enjoy?
Paolo Roversi: Yes. For me it is a very slow moment. If I took your portrait now, it’s not one, two, click. It is an intense moment, between you and me. I want you to give me a lot, as much as you can. And you feel that, and when you feel that you want more too. You live a special moment together, an emotion together. Without this, the picture is boring. If you don’t live that moment together, the picture will never be strong.

Just one thing... where's Wapping??

Paolo Roversi

The Wapping Project

Dazed Digital

Juice

I framed this picture of a friend early this morning.

She has the most wonderful face to draw.

Bambi In The Sun

Bambi Northwood-Blyth is shot for the new Urban Outfitters look book, and what a wonderful look book it is too. I love the sun soaked end-of-the-day images, they make me yearn for the longer summer evenings.

Some of the clothes are quite pretty too.

It is this shoot though, photographed by Cass Bird for Bergdorf Goodman Resort 2012 of the young Antipodean that is properly sun soaked and wonderful. I love this shoot, the clothes, the styling, the colours. It rocks.

Bring on the summer. And the pretty clothes.

High Brow Eye Brows

Seriously? They look like they've caterpillars on their faces! Bejewelled, bedecked, and be...bugged. I'm not so sure Karl, the Chanel Fall 2012 collection in Paris was beautiful but you're trying to make Bianca Balti look odd.

It ain't kind.

And anyway, eyebrows are delicate things. I'm told glossy Americans and glamazons the world over consult trained eyebrow shapers. Not such a bad idea. I'm all for war-paint, face-paint, embracing wode (did you know that the wode of olde had semen in it? Rank) just look at the wonders Peter Philips created at Fendi on Natasha Poly or the rather majestic artistry from Pat McGrath at Balenciaga for Fall 2007 modelled by Gemma Ward.

Bianca Balti at Chanel
Fall 2012 

 Chanel Fall 2012

Natasha Poly at Fendi

Spring 2012

Gemma Ward at Balenciaga Fall 2007 & Lily Donaldson 

The whole 'disappearing eyebrow' can be stunningly ethereal. Lara Stone looks other worldly sans brow but it can also look scarily Marilyn Manson esque. Poor Bianca Balti (people should really leave her brows alone, no fair) got the spooky treatment at Givenchy for Spring 2012. And Aussie beauty Bambi Northwood-Blyth, famed for her full brows posted pictures on her blog of her hitting the Jölen. Ouch.

Bianca Balti at Givenchy
Spring 2012

Bambi Northwood-Blyth's bleach brows

One interpretation that nails it is this image from French illustrator Cedric Rivain.

I love his work, especially this image from Balenciaga.

Balenciaga by Cedric Rivrain

Mayfair Style

My friend Nick Power is having a show at 54 The Gallery in Mayfair next week, and sent me this photograph that he took when he was hanging his paintings. Properly awesome.

I rather like that it's a Rolls Royce and not an Aston Martin.

Do go and see his show if you're around Mayfair.

It's on at 54 The Gallery, Shepherd Market W1J 7QX

Monday 12th - Saturday 18th March 2012

nicholaspower.co.uk

54 The Gallery

Crafty Ideas

Oh my giddy aunt! Over the past few weeks I've had an over whelming desire to go craft crazy. My sister and I are plotting an entire weekend devoted to D.I.Y which is a new experience for me. I'm usually the first to realise things that I buy are of far better quality than if I'd tried to C.D.T it (remember those lessons at little school?!)

I've been collecting regular glass mason jars for donkeys, for no particular reason. Until now. A San Franciscan friend tipped me off about Pinterest a few months ago and I've collated an unhealthy amount of images to work from, some more realistic than others. The only problem with Pinterest is that crediting the source is proving rather difficult and so I'm sorry if I'm not able to with some of the images. These are only a fraction of them, but the collection of good ideas is still growing. I can't wait to get started!

We may need more than just one weekend...

Hoola Hoop with fairy lights -
this would look magical over a table al fresco this summer.

Customising envelopes -
eat your heart out Smythson. Great for wrapping paper too.

Papering the sides of a chest of drawers drawer -
so pretty! Not sure my Dad would like me experimenting on his furniture.

Vintage suitcase Draws -
nice idea but I can see where this one would lead... a big old mess. 

Bottle Top Tea Lights -
I love this!

I'll let you know how I get on. I'm sure it'll be terrible messy and lots of fun!

Symthson.com

Little Lady

This is a little sketch that I did of a friend's daughter. She's absolutely mental and so funny. I've tried to make her look as serene as possible but she still looks like she's about to interrupt or jump up and dance.