INSPIRATION

Wardenclyffe’s Presentation (A Short Story for Fyretober)

Wardenclyffe’s Presentation Jess Smart Smiley I have chosen my subject. My tools and supplies are arrayed before me. Master Wardenclyffe tends to the maintenance and construction of the other machines. The warehouse is substantial and frequented often by Master Wardenclyffe’s countless investors and admirers. Many financiers, heads of state, cultural mavens, and military leaders observe…

The Book No One Wants to Read (Book Review)

The Book No One Wants to Read by Beth Bacon Wow! What a brilliant, wonderful experience! This book tells jokes, keeps secrets, plays games, and makes deals with the reader (while also endearing the reader to the power of words in the most delightful and clever ways). This wildly subversive celebration of literacy (including visual…

Let’s Tell a Story! (Book Review)

Let’s Tell a Story!: Space Adventure Written by Lily Murray Illustrated by Grace Boruch My family loves this new series! This fun concept book allows your little reader to make their own story using the characters, places, and surprises on each page. Filled with fun to last years and entertain generations, Let’s Tell a Story!:…

The Collected Toppi, Volume 5 (Book Review)

Wow! Any effort to say something meaningful or insightful about this book (and the collective body of work Sergio Toppi gifted the world) will be dwarfed by the sheer scope and brilliance of the stories themselves. That being said… The Collected Toppi Volume 5 is yet another staggering, magnificent collection of stories masterfully expressed through…

Getting the Most Out of Your Sketchbook

There’s a big difference between a sketchbook and a portfolio. Growing up, I erased, scribbled over, and tore out my mistakes so that only my best work remained. I didn’t know any better at the time, but I could have gotten much more of out of my sketchbooks with a few simple tweaks. What I…

Personal Messages (Tiny Art)

How great are these packs of “Personal Messages” from Neil Farber and Michael Dumontier?! There are now 4 volumes of “Personal Messages”, each signed and numbered. According to their bio, “Neil Farber and Michael Dumontier began working together in 1996 as founding members of The Royal Art Lodge collective (of which Marcel Dzama was also…

Better Than Secret Santa?

If you think Secret Santa is rubbish, take a look at this ‘ungifted‘ green solution courtesy of Pentagram. Ungifted Secret Santa is a free platform where you and your workmates can gift each other nice surprises instead of stuff that’s destined for landfill – it could be anything from a month of memes to a surprise…

Look at This. Look at It!

Check out these stunning photos of Cormorant fisherman Lao Huang by photographer Peter Yan. His last name is Huang, and he is 86 years old. The locals call him Lao Huang (meaning old Huang in Chinese). He told me he’s been a fisherman ever since he was a kid, and both he and his brother…

Handmade Work Apron

That’s it! As soon as I’m up and out of bed, I’m getting myself a handmade work apron from Lisa Bennett. I mean, just look at them! I design and make workwear for artists, makers, home and garden – in my sunny studio, in hilly-leafy South-East London. ‘In The Making- Aprons’ are worn by printmakers,…