Richard Bawden

Richard Bawden is an artist with collections held in the V&A and Tate. He combines two of my favourite things: cats and linocutting.

Evening's entertainment

Wedding invites

A couple of really good friends asked me recently to do their wedding invites which I was delighted to do. We discussed some rough ideas and then I started producing proofs from lino. They gave me a couple of vector drawings to work from which ended up working out really well and which they have made into some amazing wedding merch.

Cutting lots of paper

Printing

A couple of proofs

Cutting the inserts

The front of the final invite

And the back

I had a load of fun doing these and was really pleased to be able to help out my friends in this way. As I have only just begun printmaking I was really touched that my friends would have the confidence in me to let me do their invites. Thanks to Martyn and Ilaria!

New designs!

I have been working over the last few weeks on a number of projects: some larger prints, some new card designs and a commission for a couple of friends (more on that when it's finished). I have finally been able to add some of my new cards to Etsy. Am hoping to add a couple of the larger prints in the next few days.

Devin Powers

I came across Devin Powers' work during my travels on the internet. Hope he has a show in London soon.

Southbank

A little while ago I went out onto the Southbank of the Thames river here in London to take some photos, it was first thing on a weekday and was pouring down with rain so was pretty deserted. I love the concrete structures, like the National Theatre below, which line the river. The graffitied area is a popular skate spot under one of these buildings which they tried to shut down a few years ago but after lots of public pressure decided not to; normally it is full of peope but was empty.

Pop up shop

Today there is a pop up shop at 178a Glyn Road in Hackney. There is jewellery by bhmakes and Corrie Williamson, upholstery by Lucy Madge and Sandra Calvo, some of my prints and in the studio upstairs is Christa Davis' vintage and reworked clothing. It is definitely worth a visit and is open until 4pm today.

Snail mail swap

My partner, bhmakes, is part of the Slow Design movement and as part of this she participated in a snail mail swap where makers and designers around the world send each other packages through the post. I love the immediacy of the internet and modern technology but there is something pretty special about anticipating something through the post. She made some beautiful notebooks and included one of my cards along with a pen and a pencil. One of the people who recieved her package, One Craftee Mumma, took this picture which includes my design and I really, really like it.

Anti-military poster in Pisa

I saw this poster for an anti-militarisation meeting while in Pisa a few weeks back. I love the passion the imagary depicts. It is probably not an original and may well come from a Mexican artist but kudos for using a woodcut/linocut on a political poster, more of this in London please. I may well be tempted to start attending meetings again if they did.