To Dry For 2012 & WOMA 2012

To Dry For had a competition to design a new tea towel for them and this was my entry:

Unfortunately my sailor* didn't win. It would have been so cool to see him on a (manly) tea towel! But, alas, it was not meant to be...
*I think he actually looks a little more like a Whaler, but "Ahoy Whaler" didn't have as nice a ring to it as "Ahoy Sailor!"

* * *

However, I also submitted my Pandora piece to Women Make Art's 2012 and it has been accepted into the exhibition which takes place in Grenada, West Indies.

This one actually means quite a lot to me: being recognised in my own region for my illustration which is very different from the aesthetic norms and typical subject matter of most Caribbean art. I believe that - having grown up in The Bahamas - Bahamian influences are inherently going to be part of what I produce in some way. But I have grown very tired of the way I see the same tired old story of the Caribbean has been told in the same old tired way: serene beach landscapes, palm trees, hair plaiting, slave faces, quaint old island living, still life paintings of Caribbean fruits.
Are Caribbean artists drawing these same old subjects in the same old way because they want to, because they are used to it or because it is what is expected of them (from outsiders who do not realise there is more to our lives than beaches, sunshine, fishing, etc)?
I appreciate that element of our culture as well, but I have no interest in being a part of that 'single story' approach.

The exhibition will run from March 31 - April 14, 2012 at the Gallery, St. George’s, Grenada.
If you're in the area, please give the show a visit. (Take photos! I'd love to see them.)

♥

Viking Dudes

Apparently they were not as brutish and unclean as popular belief would suggest! Nor did they wear horn-hats...Or drink from horn flasks...Next thing you know they'll be telling us they didn't actually have magical Norse god powers. hah!

Nonetheless, I am a fan of horn-hats and hammers! So the next time I post about Vikings it will probably (hopefully!) involve some fact-bending horn-hats.

Also, on Thursday 1st March 2012*, I launched my official website! YAY! Please go have a look see :)

WWW.NICOLEMILLO.COM

*That day was also St. David's Day and World Book Day! Did you know?

♥

Zara When She Rubbed Her Eyes

Here is a preview of the cover of one of two book commissions I have just finished.

Both of them were really fun to do (as well as challenging at times) and I'm pretty pleased with the results of both.

I thought the first story was going to be my favourite because the subject matter of the second book (cover above) involved a lot of creatures (which is not my forté) where the first was more in my comfort zone. However, I think it's because of having to work so hard on the second one and having things work out really positively that I've begun to appreciate what the second book put me through and it became my favourite for that reason.

♥

drawn textures

I think it looks a bit like a (strange?) band poster, but it's some 'research' for some work that I would like to do in the near future.

♥

CLICzine

CLICzine issue #5 is out and I did the cover for it! YAY!

And because CLICzine is a Welsh publication, you flip it over and it's in Welsh too!

♥

Anty

Here's a little peek from fun a commission I'm working on :)

Also(!) the surprise I was talking about in previous posts is slowly coming together. Here is a preview:

When girl scouts compete...

How far will one girl go

to win the legendary

ULTIMATE COOKIE QUEEN BADGE!?

♥

Holga, baby

I don't remember if I ever mentioned it, but I got a Holga 135 camera a while back.

Happy Fwah-Fwah!

Happy Last/Twelfth Day of Fwah-Fwah!

he is mixing up seasonal treats

Pouffy Pleaty Project

I just finished making this bag today!

 I used Lisa Lam's For Pleats Sake pattern for the most part, but obviously liberties were taken (particularly in the straps department...). I kind of wish I could keep it - my first bag of its kind. Alas, it is not for me.

It was challenging in parts, but overall, super fun! I think I enjoy a good sewing challenge anyhow. And it feels so good when it all comes together.

It took me three go's to get the pearl prong snap done without a set of snap pliers. (Instead I used a thread spool and a hammer! haha!) Well worth the trouble, I think!

♥