drawing game, scrabble and trivial pursuit

things i experienced for the first time this christmas:
• played scrabble; fun but i can only make 3 or 4 letter words...
• ate pigs in a blanket; tasty!
• got a stocking; what a wonderful surprise to wake up to find a stocking!

christmas make

this week i did a lot of making for christmas gifts and cards. evenings with tea and biscuits with good friends. yesterday i went round debbie and rosie's house and we made christmas crackers. but i was not so good at wrapping them so i did some decorating while debbie skillfully did the rolling and wrapping. we had mince pie and nice smelling herbal teas.

big value jotter

this morning i woke up with a fever and lot of noise everyone trying to get to places in time. i heard my phone get a message, but when i checked there were no new messages. i lay in bed confused. later i watched garden programs day dreaming.

Blue Bird

My sister reads lots and she used to read me stories when I was little. This is a drawing I did inspired one of those stories. I found out that it was by a Belgian playwright called Maurice Maeterlinck.
Also now my Biking is the Best print is on sale at Little Paper Planes for any bike lovers!

greeting card illustration

Here are a couple of illustrations for a book of new year cards now on sale in Japan.

年賀状のイラスト描かせていただきました、インフォレスト社プリントするだけ　おしゃれ年賀状2010発売中です。

how to trim basil

last night a group of us from the studio gathered for blac night. a night of sharing skills, performance, story telling and a meal. we made a mini animation and catherine presented her shadow puppet. we learned how to maintain your bike, how to make a flower and a box from paper, and how to trim basil so it will keep growing.

After the Rain

After the Rain

After the all day rain,
The path now blooms
With blossoms pink and white.


Rey Ventura

cat drawing

new images!!

i've updated my website with new images and new links.

our first studio newsletter

catherine and i have produced our first studio newsletter, 'trolls live under bridges' with suggestions, jokes, biscuit ratings and more. email me with your address if you would like to receive a copy.

MA09 Exhibition

the MA Illustration Exhibition is coming soon at University of Brighton. Many friends are exhibition in the show and i got a chance to see some work in progress and they are looking great! I am really looking forward to seeing all the work together.
http://www.ma09.co.uk

british fete

on saturday catherine and i were at tea & make(a great british fete). it was a lot of fun and we had chocolate brownie, lemon cake and chocolate marble cake. met lovely people and had fun making an explorer beard by the the talented artic. the images are cornelia o'donovans' beautiful toys, pheasant's teapot and our stall.

john o' groats to land's end

a friend from the studio, david and his friend have gone cycling in scotland. they are cycling all the way down to land's end! you can follow their great adventures here.

Tea and Make

Catherine and I will be at Tea and Make craft market in london next weekend, Saturday 22nd August at St Saviour'S Brockley Rise, Forest Hill, London SE23 1JN.
There will sure be lots of cake too!

confirmed stall holders:
Abigail Thomas
Capital Bee
Cassie English
Catherine Grimaldi
Choc Star
Cornelia O'Donovan
Cup of Sea
Eva Nueno
Garudio Studiage
Hannah Waldron
interim
Kamala Katbamna
Laura Laura
Mr Scruff's Make Us a Brew
Pete Fowler (Monsterism)
Pheasant
pingo [art vending machine]
Polly George
Sara Tierney
Selvedge
The Artic
Yumi Okuda

crow and heron drawings

a couple of drawings i've been working on for a fable.

hat party

a couple of weekends ago, i went to a fun hat party. everyone wore hats, a lot of them handmade including this lovely giraffe hat and there were homemade treats like this yummy hat cake. i made a paper bag hat.

outside in exhibition

outside in, a biennial art competition for outsider and marginalised artists is opening at the pallant house gallery where i have been working as an intern. the exhibition opens from 4th august to 8th november. the images above by bob newman, kristen grbec and andrea cook.

t shirt illustrations

my first trip to wales

last week i spent one week volunteering at centre for alternative technology. we mostly helped at roger's field picking beans, weeding and thinning. in the evenings we went to some lectures. an architect called pat borer gave an interesting lecture about ecological buildings. at the weekend we went on a scenic train journey to barmouth - a seaside town, climbed cadair idris - second highest in wales! went skinny dipping in a lake!!

People Tree in Brighton

last week i had some fun with paint helping my illustrator friend, chris haughton paint a new fair trade fashion shop opening in brighton.

how great the sea is, how small my split ends are

yesterday i had a nice cycle along the seafront to saltdean to draw rabbits and horses. there was a gentle breeze. cycling can be so relaxing and enjoyable. in the evening i went to my friend simon's house where many of his lovely neighbours and friends gathered to enjoy his band, mates of mine play.

lovely morning

i had the most wonderful morning today. debbie and i cycled along the seafront for a free breakfast. The sun was shining and some pleasant music by the hornblower brothers.

treyarnon bay and an ottoman embroidery

last week i went on a camping trip to cornwall. it was the most luxurious camping trip i've been on! we had ceramic plates, table cloth and had risotto for dinner. we stayed at a campsite by treyarnon bay. i love the sound of wind in my ears when walking in the meadows.
my friend kim was visiting from japan too, so we had a day in london. we started at the victoria and albert musum and ended with curry in brick lane. we are already planning our next camping trip in the americas.

fun with architecture

i tried out some stamps that i got some time ago in a charity shop in manchester. it is a box of rubber stamps called fun with architecture by david eisen.

The Recipe for Marmalade

Illustration for a poem by Emily Wills.

graveyard drawing

at the weekend i went on a stroll and location drawing at woodvale crematorium with debbie. it was really quiet and there weren't many people around. we saw a fox. the pond looked a lot bigger on the map than it was. on sunday we went on a bike ride to stanmer park. rosie found a barbie colouring book and we practiced some poses from it. after a bbq pork, potatoe wedges, spinach and cheese cake meal, we went to the pub for pub quiz. we came second! great weekend!!

the front garden

it's been sunny and warm, i am spending more time in the garden. vicki, my housemate and i sit out with our cups of tea observing the birds and flowers. the tadpoles in the pond are doing well.
last year they didn't grow to be frogs... at the weekend i went to see the coach rally that debbie told me about. there was a lot of impressive driving on show.

drawing at the hunterian museum

yesterday i went with a group of friends on a drawing trip to the hunterian museum at the royal college of surgeons in london. there were many animals in jars.

kitchen tool drawings

i have been doing crayon drawings of kitchen objects. and also going for walks, planning walks. last weekend i went to a hillfort in hollingbury with gabs through soft grassy golf course.

Drosera

At the weekend, I went on an enjoyable group walk to Downe Village. Everyone walked really fast and I somehow managed to be the last person in the pack everytime! This is a drawing I did in the greenhouse at Down House. I do love drawing plants growing in a greenhouse.

my first crochet blanket

I have finally learned to crochet after several attempts over a few years. It's not quite big enough to cover my bed yet but it still keeps me warm on the sofa. Thanks to ALL the wonderful friends who taught me. Such relaxing activity for an evening.

Childhood Camping Days

I have been reading Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott and it inspired me to draw things I remember from my early childhood.

Junkboy

Illustration for Present, a dreamy melodic song by Junkboy with some Japanese lyrics.

let's make badges

Here are some lovely handmade brooches that we made on Friday. The red and white ones are martenitsas. My friends from Bulgaria made them. They are worn to celebrate the beginning of spring. There was some drawing and crochet action too. I also baked a lemon drizzle cake. It was a pleasant evening.

indoor market at phoenix brighton

If you happen to be in Brighton next Sunday come visit ArtJunky 3 at Phoenix Gallery. I'll be holding a stall with Debbie(<-- check the new website), Audrey, Fiona, Naomi and Margarida selling cards and things. There'll be cake and tea and clothes swap too!

crayon drawing of kitchen objects

Original works that are available from the exhibition WE=TROUBLE at Secret Project Robot is now up on Tiny Showcase.

Drawing day at the Booth Museum

A page from sketchbook drawings of stuffed birds and bones at The Booth Museum of Natural History.

Original Prints for Sale at Little Paper Planes

Some more of my illustration prints such as this are now available to buy online at Little Paper Planes.