You don't get to choose who you love.

I made this comic for the amazing Ztoical's visual campaign ahead of the Irish vote on marriage equality in May. 

It was nice to have this impetus to make a comic about something I believe strongly. 

And a marriage is a marriage is a marriage, whoever you are and whoever you love, that promise is the same and should have the same name. 

And the other thing too, that monogamy is a choice. I've never believed in soul mates or love at first sight or any of that, and I think that's a big part of why I've managed to be one half of an excellent relationship that has lasted almost 14 years and one and a half of marriage so far. But the faith thing is true too. Monogamy is like dieting. You can only do it if you believe in the back of your head that you deserve the rewards and that they are worth it. Not faith in a fairytale ending, faith in a continuing adventure.  

I wrote the words before I had thought of the visuals, and it's a little bit cheesy. 

The hardest line to illustrate was the 'sometimes it should end' line, and I want to issue a disclaimer that I absolutely do not think that mothers are the only victims of domestic abuse, or that domestic abuse is the only valid reason for giving up on a marriage or relationship. There are lots of reasons relationships should end. It's ironic that in a piece where I'm actively aiming to show many sides to the story of love and subtly subvert clichés that having only one panel to show an idea can put one in danger of the opposite.

But I absolutely do believe in marriage equality, and if you are in a position to vote for or support it, I wholeheartedly urge you to do so. 

And to follow the tumblr campaign this kicked off here.

Horay for Love

It's almost Valentimes ladies and gentlemen (and anyone who does not identify as a lady or gentleman), I did this reworking of a collage card but with bonus classical romance shtick piece above. There is also a really cool (if somewhat cheesy) love themed comic that I made that I'm not allowed to show you yet, but hopefully will be able to give you all that as a Valentines gift. 

Do NOT be forgetting to head along to my Etsy Shop if you are interested in one of the alternative Valentines cards or Love Zines for one of your loved ones, or to encourage your loved ones to buy them for you.

 If you are not in a state of loved bliss per say, or that is to say, a singleton by chance or design. I am sharing this story for you which I stole from Invisibilia. I don't believe in it at all, the idea of soul mates that is, or this particular creation story. But I enjoyed it anyway.  

The story is by Simon Rich and it's called "The Children Of The Dirt." from the book The Last Girlfriend on Earth

 According to Aristophanes, there were originally three sexes - the children of the moon who were half-male and half-female, the children of the sun who were fully male, and the children of the earth, who were fully female. Everyone had four legs, four arms and two heads, and spent their days in blissful contentment. Zeus became jealous of the humans' joy so he decided to split them all in two. Aristophanes called this punishment the origin of love because ever since, the children of the earth, moon and sun have been searching the globe in a desperate bid to find their other halves. Aristophanes' story though is incomplete because there was also a fourth sex - the children of the dirt. Unlike the other three sexes, the children of the dirt consisted of just one half. Some were male and some were female and each had just two arms, two legs and one head. The children of the dirt found the children of the earth, moon and sun to be completely insufferable. Whenever they saw a two-headed creature walking by, talking to itself in baby-talk voices, it made them want to vomit. They hated going to parties and when there was no way to get out of one, they sat in the corner, too bitter and depressed to talk to anybody. The children of the dirt were so miserable that they invented wine and art to dull their pain. It helped a little, but not really. When Zeus went on his rampage he decided to leave the children of the dirt alone. They're already f*cked, he explained.

Happy gay couples descend from the children of the sun. Happy lesbian couples descend from the children of the earth. And happy straight couples descend from the children of the moon. But the vast majority of humans are descendants of the children of the dirt. And no matter how long they search the earth, they'll never find what they're looking for because there's nobody for them, not anybody in the world.

In other news here are some new Facebook Project drawings for you to see. This is Jerson with a spoon on his nose. And Jess radiating peace and love. Both the photos they were adapted from were from weddings. So it's kind of on theme.

Horay for LOVE

Elegant kitsch

My long summer of thesis writing is finally over, (I done a Masters).  I'm back in the saddle as it were with a typically long list of things to see and do, but some of the pressure off.

When you're, you know, artzy, creative typy, a person that is driven to make things, there are definitely more people like this than just me, when you're that - it can make you a bit sad and crazy when you don't have time to make the things you want to. 

Last weekend I took all the postits around my desk that had things on them like 'remember to connect cultural capital back to Bourdieu', and 'check reference to Ullman - Polyvalancy! - happenstance!', 'pop art is outdated nostalgia not contemporary critique in the classroom' and 'remember to eat' (at least one of these is genuine), and put up in their place all the postits from the side of my desk of ideas for drawing and artworks that i'd scribbled down during the last few months when I haven't had time to draw them. 

And tonight, I sat down and made one of them a reality. 

And it felt really good.

It isn't for anything really, and I'm not even sure if it's about anything. It was just a picture in my head I wanted to get on paper. 

Soon I will do more proper blogging and tell you about other things I got up to over the summer with wedding portraits, live burlesque drawing, flyer designs and other stuff. Probably.

And exciting things coming up in the soontimes too, like a Big Draw event I'll be running with Storyhands in October, and the hopefully not too distant relaunch of my website. And some comics stuff. Probably.

If you are curious about the postit, this is it:

A few hours after I drew it I went back and feverishly scribble the phrase 'elegant kitsch' (misspelled) along the bottom, but on reflection I don't actually know what I meant by this. Deadline delirium. It's possible it was meant to go on one of the thesis postits.

And don't worry mum, I did remember to eat. A lot.

And handle in handle away the lovers go, through the hearts and flowers, into the depths of space.

I managed to remember to take down most of my valentines stuff from the shop today, although I have left up a few cards and re-branded them as 'greetings', 

because you know, 

IT'S OK TO EXPRESS YOUR LOVE ANY DAY OF THE YEAR.

That's probably enough sticking silly love words together for another year. Time to get back to drawing and  illustration. Speaking of strating the illu (that's not a thing), I went to a talk by Quentin Blake hosted by the AOI last week and wrote about it for Amelia's Magazine. Which you can see here. 

 He was quite inspiring. He didn't actually give 5 tips for creating great illustrations tho. That was me extrapolating from his postulating. 

Here is my drawing of him (Quentin) 

In the big news this week as well (as well as well as the weather and the tube strike and the usual), is that I have got a new telephone. Although Alex is referring to it as a television. Because of it's prestigious size. It has a big screen. For the showing you my artworks. And a good camera. For the showing you my artworks again and again on many social platforms. 

Which is to say. I have got Instagram!!!

Look i already did lots of instagram!

If you are an instagrammer please come befriend me. i am obsessed. For the now. I even baked some dodgy looking valentines biscuits and posted them. (tragic).

I was a loyal Blackberry user for a long time but I've come to realise it has been holding me back. From posting so many pictures of random stuff.

Horay. 

If you are wondering about the title it is a quote from the clangers. 

This episode. 

 

Which is a very lovely love story you should watch for Valentines Day with your cat. Actually it is quite problematic. But still. 

It's the time of the season for loving

So yesterday I was at the Jumble and Pearls Valantines Fayre at the Book Club.

As well as selling cards and prints and bits and pieces I did some live portraits and I thought you might like to see them so here they are.

Every portrait event I do is different and like any fair or market there's always an element of unpredictability. Last time I did a vintage event almost everyone wanted watercolour, and this time everyone opted for a pen portrait - these are quicker and cheaper so it may tell you something about the denizens of Shoreditch over those of Islington. Live drawing is also always bringing me new surprises and experiences - at this fayre I drew 6 beautiful french girls at once - a record - and was also asked to do a portrait of a bicycle. 

Exciting times.

 This is the lovely and talented Q of Maiden Found - you should def. check out her hats. 

 A portrait of a bicycle - a BRAKE bicycle to be specific 

I didn't even notice the great expression Rachel of BRAKE bikes is pulling in the background here - makes the picture all kinds of awesome on top of les belle dames

 Also guys - do not be forgetting to order your Valentines cards and zines from the shop by the end of the day on Monday - the cutest cards you'll see anywhere with a sting in their tale. And the new zine compilation with the best of the last 2 years designs.

HORAY FOR LOVE

So I managed to choose 8 cards to print - they are now available to buy in my Etsy shop I chose these ones.

And also and of course as promised - I have made the second installment of the Because You're Worth it love zine. Featuring all the best alternative valentines I have made since I first published the original zine. 

That is available also - buy them for your nearest, dearest, secret admireee etc and usv 

This is them both. 

SUPER EXCITING VALENTINES VOTE COMPETITION

HELLO

So I've been making alternative collage valentines on and off since moving to London 5 years ago (wow, really? 5 years?)

After a few years of this I compiled my favourites into a mini-zine which I have been selling online and at various real life venues ever since. I also did a limited edition entirely pink version of this to use up the excess ink in my broken printer, as something special for you guys. 

I've made 7 new designs this week, but I want to step up this little corner of my 'practice' you know. As well as offering the originals for sale and making a second issue of the Love mini-zine, I want to print 100 Valentines cards to sell using some of the best designs from all 5 years, and sell them at a much cheaper price point (£1.70). I want to send these to print this Sunday in order to have a few weeks of optimal Valentines selling time, 

but this is where I NEED YOUR HELP.

I'm not sure which designs are the best to print. 

So I thought I'd ask for some help, and throw in a cheeky little competition to make it worth your while. I'll run this here and facebook too, to make it super easy. 

WHAT YOU COULD WIN:

one randomly selected entrant will win: a copy of both old and new Love zines, and a printed Valentines card of their choice. And a two finger KitKat. 

Two additional entrants will win their chosen printed Valentine card. 

WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO:

In order to be in with a chance of winning, please tell me which designs (up to 6) you think I should print, 

be sure to say which design you would want to be sent to you if you win. 

you can do this in a comment on this blog post, or on the corresponding facebook photo album. 

Deadline is Saturday 18th January

HERE ARE THE CARDS

I've narrowed it down to the 23 designs below - go click through them and see what you think

I advise you to make sure you read all of the words on the card before deciding you like it, because some of them have a bit of a kick in the tail. If that's the expression that makes sense. 

Wedding Blog

So, I got MARRIED isn't it?

This is a very good thing, which makes me very happy. Woo and also Horay!

'aisle' shot, by Svadbas Photography

HORAY FOR LOVE 

This thing of wedding though, somewhat ate my life, and has put other things into the shade a bit, and I wanted to write about it, how we went about our wedding, and which parts of it I would recommend, but was ages ago now, and I still haven't done so to my satisfaction. 

I have tried to write about it with a touch of myth busting (tradition shmadition and bridezilla moodkilla) and navel gazing (why was I so adamant that all of the butterflies used in the decoration be hand cut from field guides not printed, so no two were the same, it's a wedding, not a conceptual installation), budget analysis (just always comes down to priorities doesn't it? We spent big bucks on flights and fireworks and booze, birds of prey, a mariachi band and some very nice portaloos, but not on flowers, dresses, cake etc.), what it's all about (well duh, it is about LOVE). 

Me and my now Mr Alex, with Robert Indiana's LOVE sculpture in New York, 2007

I feel so blessed to have been able to celebrate with my favourite person and commit to him, and to have such amazing family and friends to share it with, so many of whom helped it all come together. There is so much to be said there. 

And I have spluttered and stalled and failed to write what I really want to say. So you can have the above, and here are lots of pictures (yay!). I may just share with you some of my favourite wedding wisdom soundbites that I may have said a lot during the process and deliriously on the days themselves. But I'll leave them to the end. 

If you are friends with me on facebook, apologies, I know you have already seen roughly one billion photos of my wedding. 

SO. First we went to Dubrovnik, Croatia for 4 days with 10 of our nearest and dearest. 

A small wedding abroad had been our plan from the day that Alex first suggested marriage, and there was no particular reason for Croatia being the place we settled upon, except that it is pretty. And relatively affordable. 

 Dubrovnik is nice

This is the island of Lokrum, where we marriaged.

We did some sea kayaking the night before the wedding. With a sunset.

 It was well glamorous. Photgraph by Frances Bonnington, 

Photograph by Ellie Cryer 

all following by  Svadbas Photography

we had a boat. it was beauuutiful

Nick and Ned

my bridal party, attempting to deformalise the 'aisle' moment. 

 The actual wedding. Oh my days. Everything drops away and it's perfect you know? This was the best bit.

My mother reading

Cheesy group shots avec palm trees

 Dubrovnik is a Game Of Thrones Location, but these ladies were not playing the Rains of Castamere, thankfully

 Hugs are very important. This photo makes me tear up every time. totes emosh.

 You've got to mix it up a bit isn't it? Our photographer was totally amenable to our less usual requests.

A week later we had a big party in my new parents in law's garden. We wore the same outfits but there was a lot more people. And birds.

wedding collage by me

Photographs below by Recollection Photography unless otherwise stated. 

We done that thing with the flowers in the jam jars. 

I cut up lots of maps into circles and sewed the together. because I am too cool for bunting.

already mentioned the butterflies. 

Vintage teacups tho, you can't go wrong can you? 

Oh there were some people there too. 

Hugs are very important at wedding parties too.

 Barn Owl!

Photo by Paul Lismer

 Photo by Paul Lismer

Fancy dress was also very important.

and music! 

Croquembouche! Thank you to my amazing sister in law Rebecca 

ommonomnom

not to mention my amazing actual sister Hazel, who was in charge of running the party (she did a brilliant job)

As well as Croquembouche we had a multitude of colourful jellies made by friends and family. Jelly = win.

 Photo by Hannah Robins (my mum!)

 A well stocked bar was also a big priority for us. And jaunty bar staff. 

 stationary and quiz

 Love Poem

 good times. I love this photo by Paul with all the red. 

It's all a bit of a blur now, but looking at these photos make me feel pretty good about it. We went through a lot of stress and angst trying to make good choices, and I think we did a pretty good job. 

What I learned about weddings, nominally advice for goingtobeweds:

1. A wedding is the day you learn the most about how you would do it better next time, and then stand up and say you will never do it again. 

2. Most other people have not spent anywhere near as long as you looking at wedding blogs and magazines. They don't know that vintage teacups and flowers in jam jars were not my idea. I might as well have had bunting and cupcakes.

3. For everything that might seem like accepted wisdom about how to plan a wedding, there will be someone who disagrees (quite often you), so don't worry about it too much, sort out your own priorities. 

4. Your priorities are allowed to include pleasing people other than the bride. Of course.

5. A wedding is the day all about you, that makes you realise how much your family and friends mean to you.

6. A wedding is the day all about your family and friends, that make you realise how much your partner means to you. 

awwwwwww, shmalzzy walzzzy lovey love.

did I mention?