I don't mind failing in this world

I love Malvina Reynolds so much. Please listen to this song, or if not read a few of the lyrics at the bottom of this post.

Recently I’ve been thinking so much about the extreme unfairness in the world and reflecting on what success is. We’re playing on such an uneven playing field that conventional signifiers of success seem very hollow to me. What’s the success of making a career in a field where such a large percentage of society is kept out by barriers to their success?

Sometimes I feel the weight of being a woman in this world and sometimes I feel keenly the fact that my class opens doors for me.

Yes a very thinky start to this week.

I don't mind failing in this world,
I don't mind failing in this world, 
I'll stay down with the raggedy crew, 
'Cause getting up there means stepping on you, so
I don't mind failing in this world.

I don't mind failing in this world,
I don't mind failing in this world,
Somebody else's definition
Isn't going to measure my soul's condition,
I don't mind failing in this world.

A morning in the studio

I’ve been working in the studio this morning while my to-do list glaring at me from across the room. It had VAT return and pensions written on it among many other boring things - nasty.

The view out the window is changing. took this picture through the safety glass and you can see the grid.

Sneak peak of our Christmas cards, I designed them late and then they got help up at the printer so we’re altogether a bit tardy for the Christmas train.

I’ve been folding paper lots, finding new little cut and origami-ish things, very satisfying.

Caribbean Style

I went on the Ashburton Antique Trail and all I got was this not very lousy book.

It’s a book about Caribbean architecture written by largely white group of people so that’s a problem. I won’t lie; I haven’t read the words but I’m sure they’re quite cringe. The imagery though is so gorgeous. So much so that I thought I’d share them with you. Sure does make me want to collage a house.

Car boot sketching

I wanted to make a habit of sketching at the car boot I go to. It’s a really good one for drawing at, it’s in the grounds of a livestock auction premises which means it has an extra bleak vibe. There’s a butchers van that has a loudspeaker with a man constantly babbling: describing large bags of meat at bargain prices. Behind the butchers van is a huge pile of manure from the auction. I felt awkward about sketching so just took a little book (lined too, so rubbish) but then worked up the sketches a bit when I got home.

The whole site is concrete and there were little puddles everywhere which I tried a few ways of capturing.

I want to improve my images of people, give them movement and make them less cartoony.

This lady behind a pile of clothes with her mask and sunglasses looked so odd that the picture is just a bit too weird.

This stall is my favourite at the moment - tables and tables of clothes and people rummaging, I will try to capture it again next time.

I also bought some things - which had a weird symmetry to them, I will incorporate some of the giant doilies in to some collages in different ways.

And some florals already framed

These pieces got framed already, I’ll exhibit them at a Totnes women’s festival exhibition that is happening in the studio next door to mine, so that will save on the usual courier fees.

Proportional representation

I’m a big supporter of the Make Votes matter campaign and of Proportional Representation in voting systems. At present in the UK we use First Past the Post which is archaic and doesn’t give a fair result. It’s been in my mind to make some imagery for the campaign for a while because all heir pictures and infographics are quite dryyyy.

I did a bit of research and found these brilliant images for a German campaign for Proportional Representation and now I’m feeling quite inspired to get going. I found them here.

Hadley Paper Goods make a regular donation to Make Votes Matter, you could do that too if you like.

I’ve made this Pinterest board for adding more images to as well.

Florals

Towards the end of the pandemic I started to feel a little cramped in my windowless studio at the time and a little bit isolated. I ended up making floral pictures and it was honestly the most uplifting thing. The form of plants are so comforting and making them is amazing and no matter what tendrils or petals come from your mind there is always something twirlier or wackier in nature (well apart form maybe the grumpy man daisies in the 2nd image).

I anticipate turning some of these in to wallpaper or textile designs with a little help from Becky.

And obviously some pieces are unfinished and lying around, as will always be the way.

Insects now

Got these guys crawling over my desk at the moment

I'm one to watch

Lovely to be featured in Living Etc Style awards as one to watch! Makes me fell I should stop posting about big hats on this blog and start showing some work, which I have been doing recently.

You don’t always get told when you’re featured on things like this so I have to shout out to my mum’s friend Barbara who tore out the page and gave it to my sister-in-law Lucy who posted it to me! teamwork.

Today I went to Totnes market and I bought . . .

. . . a massive hat. Very handy for when I need to feel a bit more Beyonce (better work on my photo face too; needs more smouldering sex appeal)

I was very pleased to hear that ABBA are reforming and touring the world as holograms, this is the kind of future I’m up for - this is an excellent use of technology. I’m extremely uninterested in Bezos and Musk shlonging around space seeing if there’s anything else out there that needs wrecking. Less of that, more ABBA holograms - thanks.

Pearly Queen

Just been going through my old scans and zipping them together, I only just found out that Photoshop can do that for you automatically! Before that I did it all manually and as a result had a huge backlog; what a wally.

You know, I like the wellness thing, I think it’s nice to look after yourself and all that but I also really love when old people credit their longevity with something proper fine - like drinking a quart of brandy everyday. I think this Queen is 92, smokes like a chimney and has a nip of scotch before bed.

Back in the studio after a break, took my eldest for a trip to Bristol. Since then I’ve spent two days working on Hadley Paper Goods stuff and tomorrow I will set aside the whole day for artwork, it’s going to be nice!

Totnes

A picture I did of Totnes that’s now a card to raise money for the St Marys fundraiser. Nice to do something for the community, not sure what I’ll do with the original but got it framed up anyway.

An amazing flower from the Lychgate cutting garden. I loved it so much I snipped it’s head off and took it home with me.

Collages

My last batch of collages to The New Craftsmen got snapped up before hitting the shelves/walls/website so that’s nice.

Wintery and Autumnal trees

Lots of wintery and autumnal trees on my desk this morning, I’m working on making some bigger collages. I’ve had ideas for large scale collages in my mind for a while now.

A pox on our house

We’re in between chickenpox cases at the moment, just waiting for the other child’s turn. Oat baths make for amazing ethereal photos though.

proof trimming

Today I’ve been trimming proofs and sending off final designs for new cards. I have this handsome Kobler trimming machine which must be a 1960s one but still super sharp and slices through the card with a satisfying crunch - very nice.

Things are starting to roll

Feeling much more set up in the studio, so much so that I took a few minutes to take some pictures. Soon I’ll actually have some work on the go.

Still in love with the windows; they even make the splats of seagull poo look great.

Becky makes the place look nice with her plants.

I’ve cleverly put my desk right in front of a heater - anticipating the winter time when those big windows will bring that studio chill that I’m used to.

I even treated myself to a new studio radio, displayed here with an idea for a very heteronormative Hadley card design.

Studio 2 Before again

Some more pictures after a bit of a clean-up