Sponsor giveaway: Enthos
Posted by Amy on Wednesday April 21, 2010
Not loving that shirt on your back lately? Well it’s about time you got a new one, and I’ve got the perfect solution for you this week. Enthos is a t-shirt design company, and if it’s one thing they have, it’s illustrated tees.
They’re giving away ONE ultra-soft poly cotton blend t-shirt (sweat-shop free, of course) to ONE lucky commentor on Pikaland. Just leave a comment on this post by 27th April to be in the running. Keep those shirts on till then!
UPDATE: Commenting has now closed, thanks so much for participating. The winner of this giveaway is Laura.
Comments [55]
The Endangered Species Project
Posted by Amy on Wednesday August 5, 2009
Molly Schafer sent in an email about her collaboration with Jenny Kendler in a new project called The Endangered Species Print Project.
The Endangered Species Print Project (ESPP) offers limited edition prints of critically endangered species. The number of prints available corresponds with the remaining animal or plant populations. For example, only 30 Amur Leopards remain in the wild, so for this edition, only 30 prints will ever be made. All proceeds from ESPP are donated to conservation organizations. A different organization, whose mission is to the ensure the survival of the specie depicted, is chosen for each print.
The first four prints offered by ESPP are The Golden Frog, The Vancouver Island Marmot (shown above), The Seychelles Sheath-tailed Bat, and The Indri Lemur and are available as 8” x 10” archival giclées. I love the fact that the two artist are using their talents to support conservation efforts and biodiversity, and hopefully to raise awareness about these endangered species who are under the threat of extinction.
Comments [4]
Artist Interview: Xin of Doinky Doodles
Posted by Amy on Sunday March 29, 2009
Ever since I stumbled onto the fabulous work of Xin of Doinky Doodles (previously of Maki Squarepatch), I was hooked. I am amazed at what she does — she draws, illustrates and sews, and to top it all off, she has a little brick and mortar shop of her own in sunny Singapore. Her philosophy of using recycled materials is fabulous, as is her knack of mixing found fabrics to create awesome creatures! I think her custom creations are RAD (I kid you not. See her flickr stream to see why.) Read on about why the name change to Doinky Doodles, and how she names her creations!
Name: Pixin
Location: Singapore
Website/Shop: www.doinkydoodles.com
Blog: www.doinkyupdates.blogspot.com
Illustration media: sewing & painting
Tell us a little more about yourself!
Hello! My name is Pixin and I am the workaholic behind Doinky Doodles, shop of handmade madness. During my final year in art college , I was cutting up found infant and toddler clothing (party dresses, school uniforms, even an old Christening gown) and reconstruct them into dolls. I fell in love with using these reclaimed clothing as they had so much possible histories and stories in each of them. That final year project really kickstarted my interest in creating colorful, happier objects using recycled clothing and fabric scraps.
So how is it like living in Singapore?
Living in Singapore is good in that- it is small and resources are limited. So it forces you to work within limitations in order to come up with something as interesting as someone else who has more choices/resources to tap from.
How did you get your start in illustration?
Hmm, I think I begin to illustrate a lot more when I started making zines or illustrated journals, and these zines were made to document feelings of absolute failure after a break-up. I think I started illustrating more intensely and constantly when I got dumped. Gee, I must really thank that guy for dumping me:D
I remember that your art was sold as Maki Squarepatch, until a while back when it became Doinky Doodles instead. Could you tell us why the name change?
Maki Squarepatch was a label started by my elder sister and I. She was working as a marketing person behind the label while I designed and created the pieces. After two years working together, there came a point I felt I could be doing a lot more if I am on my own. So Maki Squarepatch had to go. Like a breakup, the name leaves a not-so-feel-goodness in the mind. So I opted for a name change in order to start anew.
How did you manage the aftermath of the name change? (I know it’s not easy to transfer to another business name while Maki Squarepatch was already very well-known in the craft circle.) Was it difficult for you emotionally?
To be honest, I had been really lucky. The name change only made sending information to the media confusing as they would think Doinky Doodles is trying to do a pirated-version of Maki Squarepatch. I had been lucky in that, the shops that I place my goods at still support my work, whether it be named Dinky, Poinky, or Wonky. Curators whom I’ve worked with to provide exhibition-pieces for their shows in the past are still keen to showcase what I do. So I learn to be hopeful and just keep on creating because that is ultimately the more important part of my task.
So what’s the biggest difference between Maki Squarepatch and Doinky Doodles?
The biggest difference is the freedom to decide on what I want to work on next.
Past customers had been wanting to buy gifts for their male friends and couldn’t find a thing at the shop as most of the things I made for Maki Squarepatch was more suited for girls & women. With Doinky, the first goal was to include something for male customers. One day, an artist/friend whom I admire and respect a lot, Kelvin Tan, showed me his sketchbooks filled with drawings of strange mutants and creatures. These drawings would soon become our collaborative effort in broadening the product range with printed mutant-t-shirts, buttons, postcards, as well as soft toys made based on his mutant drawings.
Could you tell us more about your thought process when you start a piece?
It seems to often start with an strange story, character or scenario. For instance, I recently made a set of 10 handmade toys for a friend’s wonderful floral boutique/shop. I was imagining a man buying flowers for his lady and that he may like a toy that represents him to go along with the flowers. So I made these characters and gave them names like ‘Pink Nick’, ‘Brocolli Boy’, ‘Mr Privacy’… Okay, it makes not much sense now…but back when I was preparing the toys for her flower shop, it was this scenario that was the thought process.
Do you keep a journal/sketchbook, and would you mind if we had a sneak peek? (a couple or a few images would be good, if you can manage!)
Yeah here’s a sketch in my book!
What or who inspires you?
Mostly what I find funny or absurd inspires me.
What keeps you motivated?
Maybe it is a self-indulgent obsession- I really do create to be happy. Nothing beats completing a toy that makes absolute senselessness so fun to hold, pinch, squeeze and give it super names.
What’s your favourite tool?
Color markers.
Are you a full-time artist?
Aye eye!
What advice would you like to give people who are interested in being an artist full-time?
You have to be sincere and have real love for it, because that itself will keep you constantly on the move to create. You’ll never worry about having blocks, because you love what you do. Don’t become an artist just because you like the idea of yourself being a mystery to others- not cool!
Where do you see yourself within the next few years?
Would be great to have more overseas galleries showcasing my toys, while collaborating on more exciting new projects with artists/friends.
What message do you want to send out to people about your work?
Each Doinky Doodles creation is handmade using recycled clothing and fabric scraps. No two Doinky creation is alike as no rulers or templates are used in creating the pieces. Individuality, Colors and Absurdity are elements that prevail in every piece of creation.
Tell us something random about yourself!
I am a bread freak like my dad. We both get absolute thrill just looking at bakery shelves filled with bread.
———-
{Thank you Xin!}
On another note, I will be away from tomorrow until Thursday, 2nd of April. I won’t have internet connection or my laptop with me, but I’ve already prepared some posts for you to enjoy along the week but the email replies will be a tad slower (not that it’s lightning speed anyway when I am here… oh well, I’m working on that!)
As well, I’m hoping I won’t go bonkers from being totally cut off! See you all soon!
Comments [5]
Porridgepapers
Posted by Amy on Friday November 28, 2008
Beautiful letterpressed cards and wine tags from Porridgepapers. Though the wine tags would be the perfect pair with your bottle if you’re giving it to an eco-friendly host as the paper can be planted, unfortunately the wine tags that was illustrated by Brizida Ahrnsbrak are no more.
P/S- you can always read their blog to see if they’ll stock up on some more!
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Doinky Doodles
Posted by Amy on Friday November 14, 2008
Some of you may be familiar with Maki Squarepatch, a shop run by two sisters, Xin and Enqi who makes these wonderfully offbeat bags, stuffed toys and clothes from recycled clothes.
Fast forward two years and Xin just set up her own portfolio at Doinky Doodles as the two began to pursue their individual goals and dreams. She also runs a new Etsy shop where you can find what she does best — piecing together pre-loved items to make huggable creations.
She’s also an artist, and you can see her fabulous zines and follow her via her Flickr stream.
Review: How to be an explorer of the world
Posted by Amy on Wednesday October 29, 2008
Yesterday I had this urge to go to the park, and I was pretty excited about it, seeing as I had packed everything (camera, a picnic mat, sunscreen and good walking shoes) that would make for a good afternoon at Lake Gardens, one of the biggest park here in Kuala Lumpur (think of it as a Central Park, only much, much smaller).
My enthusiasm and spirit was high, and it was because Keri Smith’s book was in my hands, dropped off by the postman on Saturday.
How to be an explorer of the world is Keri’s fourth book after so many other inspiring creativity-inducing books such as Living Out Loud, Wreck This Journal and The Guerilla Art Kit. I was always interested in the topic of creativity, and its many manifestations throughout my daily life, but Keri brought clarity to my thoughts and inspired me with one of the articles from her blog that first caught my eye: How to Make a Living Doing What You Love.
Like everyone who got caught up in work, life and the stresses that come along with it, I forgot about myself. I was lost in a mass of information that somehow doesn’t make sense, I was looking at many things, but I wasn’t doing anything with the information that kept hitting me face on. I was “off”, and so was my lens for viewing the world.
Reading Keri’s blog made me rediscover who I am, and what I have become. My one-month stay in Japan reopened my eyes to discovery, to patterns and things, of people and places. And when I came back, I wondered why I didn’t have that sense of awe of my own place, as much as I did of Kyoto. Was it because I thought it was mundane? Probably. But I think I wasn’t wearing Keri’s Goggles of Enhanced Perception.
The book’s premise is simple enough: let yourself be a scientist/ethnographer and view the world in a different way by collecting and storing items and thoughts derived from analyzing your surroundings. It’s like when we were kids — all we do is explore; and then when we’re all grown up, we forget how — I know I did.
The book is deliciously simple but nonetheless thought-provoking. There are 59 exploration tips, and at the back of the book there is a special section for you to jot down your findings and results of your exploration.
Keri lays it out straight and tells you that nothing in the book is new (some of the theories are also found in her earlier books), but rather, the ideas and thoughts were inspired by great thinkers and artists of our times. I love how she lays out her concepts and engages you to try and deviate from the norm when it comes to living your life — living consciously, rather than unconsciously strolling through life.
As for me, I never did use that picnic mat that day. I was on my feet, taking pictures and just having a lot of fun with Mr T. I discovered a lot more than patterns and mere findings that day too. I remembered to have fun.
My exploration of organic growth patterns on the barks of various trees.
{You can get a copy of the book on Amazon}
Comments [9]
The Box Doodle Project
Posted by Amy on Wednesday October 29, 2008
Clockwise from top left: Part of the box doodle project made by Alex Fux, Godunov Roma, David Hofmann, and Mateo
Have you seen the wonderful imagination behind the Boxdoodle project? I think it’s super fun and inventive — all you need is a box and lots and lots of imagination.
Comments [2]
Spreading the love
Posted by Amy on Saturday March 29, 2008
Boy With Keyboard, print on wood made by using collaged drawings and paper
Kelly Puissegur runs Retrowhale at Etsy, a shop that’s dedicated to Ace of Hearts, a dog rescue foundation that saves dogs from being euthanized and finds loving homes for them and Heal the Bay. 10% of the proceeds from the sale of her plantable cards will go to the two charities.
Sprouts plantable cards are made from handmade, recycled paper and they are embedded with your choice of basil, chive, or wildflower seeds. Each card comes with planting instructions, an envelope, and is packaged in a 100% biodegradable clear bag. I think it’s a fantastic alternative to greeting cards, especially if the recipient is a green thumb!
Chula
Chula, her first mixed media paining in the Help series aims to help Ace of Hearts. With the sale of each painting, she will donate USD6 to the foundation. Being a dog lover, I can’t help but feel really inspired by the philosophy behind her Etsy shop: charity and eco-consciousness. Although I can’t find much information about her, she runs a blog that’s fairly new, and is part of Etsy for Animals: Artists Helping Animals.
UPDATE:
Chula and the rest of the Help series are all sold out — congrats Kelly! :)