Sponsor giveaway: Benconservato
Posted by Amy on Tuesday March 9, 2010
Everyone should have a monster to call their own. Mine would be one that’s a little rough around the edges, scruffy looking with a gruff voice, but a big heart (and one with a smile goes a long way too.)
If there ever was a lady who could translate my perfect monster onto paper, that would be Emma Kidd of Benconservato. She’s based in Australia, and is an artist, illustrator, printmaker, and photographer who’s always busy dreaming up and drawing monsters!
She’s giving away a set of Monsters Behaving Badly Colouring Book and a 6-pack of Colour Me Happy Gocco Party Invites to ONE lucky reader if you’ll share with us your favorite monsters (real or imaginary!)
Giveaway ends on 16th March 2010 and the winner will be announced via email!
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Joana Rosa Bragança
Posted by Amy on Tuesday March 9, 2010
Joana Rosa Bragança is an illustrator based in Portugal and can I just say how lovely her work is? Everything is so pretty and beautifully detailed – she has mad watercolor skills! I’m so in love with how she draws people too: soft, rounded and fluid. Check out the lack of elbows. SWOON.
Check out her flickr and here’s her blog about her little pet!
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Society6 Artist interview: Aurelie Grand
Posted by Amy on Tuesday March 2, 2010
Awhile back I posted about collaborating with Society6 to pick out an artist every month (it’s more like a bi-monthly thing though!), and our third pick this time goes to Aurelie Grand. There were tons of applicants, and while it was no easy decision to make, Aurelie stood out because of her sense of style, and the various media that she uses. Here’s definitely one lady to watch!
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Name: Aurelie Grand
Location: Montreal, Canada
Website: www.aureliegrand.com
Shop: socuute.etsy.com
Blog: lilyk.canalblog.com
Illustration media: ink, digital, photography, acrylics, fabrics
Tell us a little more about yourself!
I was born in Toulouse «Pink City», France. I grew up in a small village closer to the Pyrenees. My dad has always been an illustrator (though he was also a full time dentist for a while) and I used to spend hours in his studio either watching him or doodling. As far as I remember drawing’s always been my number one occupation. I honestly never stopped. How nerdy is that?
I currently live in Canada with my boyfriend Max who’s also an artist.
Where do you live? What stands out about living where you are, and what is your daily schedule like?
I spent 3 fun years in Vancouver, Canada and I recently moved to Montreal, Quebec because I wanted to experiment the North American East Coast for a while and we have long-time friends here. Montreal is culturally rich, there’s a lot of artists, parks and bikes (and snow), that’s enough to inspire me.
I like to wake up early and start my day by sketching ideas, new projects etc… Then I have to say I’m not very productive in the afternoon so I’m networking, reading, having a nap, or just hanging around . My favorite shift at the studio is 9pm-2am. I guess I get more focus at night. I also like to take the bus home from the studio with drunk people.
How did you get your start in illustration?
I wrote and illustrate a book when I was 9 or 10. It was an elementary school project, a sort of novel inspired by a school trip. It was about 2 detectives (a dog and a hamster) who were investigating on missing horses in a farm. We sold the books to parents and friends at the school annual show. Ha!
I didn’t go to art school right after high school, even if I really wanted to (I wanted to be a graphic designer actually) mainly because my family did not seem to agree with the idea but I know now that I wasn’t ready anyways. So I went to university to study cell biology and animal behavior for 4 years which was seriously interesting but I soon realized life’s too short and I was wasting my time there.
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Poketo Papercut wallets
Posted by Amy on Wednesday February 24, 2010
I’m a huge fan of Poketo, but I think their latest collection of papercut series wallets may just be my favorite yet.
Featuring the works of Jayme McGowan, Thereza Rowe, Jared Andrew Schorr and Joe Rogers of Colourbox, these wallets would be awesome when put together! If I had these lovelies they would most likely be framed – they won’t be seeing the inside of my pockets that’s for sure.
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Sponsor giveaway: Fawa
Posted by Amy on Tuesday February 23, 2010
This week’s sponsor giveaway comes from Natalia Cervantes who runs Fawa in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, along with hubby Shijune and her two year old son Junn.
Her shop is stocked with lovely handmade items (do check out her hand-carved stamps and hand-painted fridge magnets!) and original paintings.
She’s giving away ONE each of her original acrylic paintings on paper to TWO lucky Pikaland readers! To be in the running, just leave your comment in this post before 2nd March, and we’ll email the winner after.
UPDATE: Commenting has now closed, thanks so much for participating. The winner of this giveaway is Anita Z and Carol Gudanowski!
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Spinthread
Posted by Amy on Wednesday February 17, 2010
Go ahead and wear a piece of art. Gorgeous hand-embroidered work by Lorena of Spinthread.
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Old World Primitives
Posted by Jamie Shelman on Wednesday February 17, 2010
I’ve been in love with Stephanie’s vintage style chenille ornaments ever since I purchased her victorian cat ornaments for the holidays. Those big cat heads and little furry bodies, I can’t get enough. I love them all! (did you notice the little valentine in the cats mouth?) Find her works in her Etsy Shop and visit her website for more!
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Sponsor giveaway: Oh My Cavalier!
Posted by Amy on Tuesday February 9, 2010
Julianna Swaney of Oh My Cavalier (featured previously) just opened up a new Bigcartel shop, where you’ll find wonderful exclusive items, such as these Mechanical Animals paper dolls.
She’s giving away one set of these lovely set of 6 cut out and assemble paper dolls, made from her original watercolor drawings and inspired by an antique toy set of the same name to ONE lucky Pikaland reader. Enter by commenting on this post by 16th February to be in the running!
UPDATE: Commenting has now closed, thanks so much for participating. The winner of this giveaway is Flora May!
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Vanilla Bug
Posted by Amy on Wednesday February 3, 2010
How adorable are these finger puppets? They’re three French hens screenprinted onto calico fabric (with wonderful little touches like rosy cheeks and a necklace touched up by hand!) The trio fits handsomely into their own pouch, and were all handmade made by Amy Borrell, a freelance designer + illustrator based in Australia –- check out more handmade items in her Vanillabug Etsy shop.
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Jordan Grace Owens
Posted by Amy on Monday February 1, 2010
Jordan Grace Owens is an artist and designer who likes to work with her hands — cutting, sewing, painting, and the general making of things. Her Etsy shop – “Hollandsworth”:http://www.etsy.com/shop/hollandsworth is named after the family name of her great-grandmother; a crafter who made lovely quilts and gave them as birthday gifts to Jordan. I love the items she has in her shop, especially the bearded men pins!
Keep up with her on flickr and her blog (where you can also see a recent press clipping about her — she has fabulous hair!)
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