watercolour

Saturday finds me up early, skyping with my dear cousin and Godson. Pushing a few design bits and bobs around and enjoying the cooler morning with a cup of Irish Breakfast tea and delicious golden crumpets.

Whilst on my usual blog perusal I came across the prettiest nails I have seen - watercolour DIY nail painting via A Cup Of Jo. Delicate and intriguing, with the right amount artist embellishment. On to the ever-growing spare time to-do/experiment list!

I'm off to enjoy the Autumn sun and light breeze by the river.

Happy Saturday!

{image via Jo}

i am grateful

I've thought it's about time to share some of my photos taken for the I am grateful challenge. It's funny (and a little cliche perhaps) how the simplest things really do bring you the most happiness. From the blessing of embarking on a brand new day, to picking veggies of an evening - for these simple pleasures you have to be grateful.

Morning : Waking to a Brand New Day #iamgrateful

Purchase : a box of mystery goodies from The Fancy #iamgrateful

Food : These delicious lo-carb protein bars. The perfect office snack! #iamgrateful

Routine : Picking up the BF, admiring the subtle festivities of Riparian Plaza #iamgrateful

Warmth : amazing phonecalls from my cousin Casey Staar #iamgrateful

Food : Sweet sister time. Priceless. #iamgrateful

Quiet time : Finishing The Book Thief #iamgrateful

Routine : Our first 'big'harvest #iamgrateful

Gift : Sunshine yellow lillies, from the Boyf. #iamgrateful

Weakness : Movember lasted a little longer than expected. Loves it. #iamgrateful

Excitement : Receiving more snail mail from the North Pole. #iamgrateful

Experience : My workspace. Flowers, art & design. #iamgrateful

Counting blessings.

Next instalment to come soon.

Happy Friday

X

expecto patronum

{coloured, timid heart}

january

I think you should all have one of these lovely desktop calendars for January. So sweet.

{made by Rebekka from Dear Friend}

look now, see forever

Every child loves colour, stickers and putting things in inappropriate, unconventional places. A sweet sort of rebellion can be seen in one of Yayoi Kusama's latest installations.

This exhibition feature really speaks for itself - perhaps a physical and visual metaphor for the way children fill the world with colour.

Titled The Obliteration Room, you can pop down to the Gallery of Modern Art in Brisbane to see the technicoloured spectacle yourself. Kusama's exhibition runs through to March 12.

I'll be checking this out next week!

pardon?

'Silent is an anagram of Listen'

- Brian Maher

{image found on an inspirational trek - credit if you can}

splash

... this conveys more than I can say.

{stumbled upon here}

the unfinished

I'm not sure why, but I find there's something so enchanting about unfinished sketches... in this case, I began it a couple of years ago. The subject is the songstress, Sarah Blasko, and I never felt the need to finish it. I captured her eyes and felt that was enough.

'Sarah Blasko' - Chloé Newby
Pencil on canvas

je suis

A beautiful little artwork found in my www. travels... 

{around about here.}

the lady is a painter

... or has been before. Here is a detail of a piece from my 2007 series, white on white. My first attempt at painting in colour, during my short lived Fine Art degree.

'The Pillows Are All Mine Now' - Chloé Newby
Acrylic on Canvas

Recognise the subject?

special specimens

In a creative stumble today, during Web Class, my friend Mary had the beautiful paintings of Carly Waito on her laptop... aren't they amazing? Needless to say, I was blown away.

Below is a selection of works from her series 'Specimens' over the last three years.

Barite - 2009

Amethyst - 2010

Smokey Quartz - 2011

{You can find her works here}

hola!

That's right. Keeping on. Two weeks minus one day to have it all in the bag.

Where you at with your life, this time of year?

{gorgeous print by Mike Chavez}

wise words

I'm my usual daily blog reads I came across an inspirational post by Elsie Larson from A Beautiful Mess. I sometimes feel so bogged down with work, uni and other commitments, wanting to spend time with friends and family and ultimately refine my skills and hang on to the strength of the notion that "I know where I'm going"... but in all honesty life sometimes gets the better of you and you have to remember (as Elsie said);

It takes time (sometimes many years) to develop a vision and learn your "craft". Wherever you are, don't rush the learning process. The more time you spend developing your skills and style, the better.

So let life carry you away a little and dip your finger in every jar... the sky is the limit and soon enough you'll find your niche.

Try & enjoy the ride.

and so

... the second semester of 2011 really begins for me tomorrow. Time to channel all my energy into this final semester of my Design degree, get a little more arty-farty and drink loads of tea.

Not unlike the image below.

{arty heart}

glasgow to inverell

From Glasgow 1926, to Inverell 1992, the following crests represent the Newby family. (Only one side of my gorgeous family)

Using maps, typography, handwriting and inherent symbolism each crest has a story to tell.

The Birth of a Patriarch
- represents the birth of my Grandfather in Glasgow, 1926.

Patriarch & Matriarch
- represents the marriage of my grandparents in Wolsingham,
Durham County, England in 1947.

JAN the Second
- represents the birth of my father,
who holds the same initials as his father (a short lived tradition),
in Wolsingham, England 1954. 

Angelina Lauro
- represents the immigration of six Newby's from Southampton,
England to Perth Australia on the MV Angelina Lauro, in 1969.

John & Julianne
- represents the marriage of my parents in Armidale,
New South Wales, Australia, in 1982.

Inverell
- represents the last year both my grandparents were
with us other five Newby's residing in Inverell.

Potential for many more.

Any questions, feedback - hit me here.

sneak peek

Here's a sneak preview of a typographic/mapping piece I'm currently working on...

A little puzzling? This one is going to represent the birth of my grandfather 'Newby' in Glasgow Scotland, 1926 - the patriarch of our family and family name.

More to come and the full concept to share!

state o' mind

This page lost only days ago...

You'll still find me - floating somewhere, there.

{image courtesy pilot magazine}

cartophilia

In researching a current uni assignment, I have come across some amazing mixed media pieces by Matthew Cusick. Being a cartographer and designer, you can see why I have found resonance and simply admire these works.

Red & Blue, c.2010 

Charlie's Angels, c. 2009 

Geronimo (Detail), c. 2007 

Bonnie, c.2004 

Transamerican, c.2004 

Many Rivers, c. 2009

Kara's Wave, c. 2009 

Fiona's Wave, c. 2006

Colony, c. 2009

Ya dig?

I'm a portraiture enthusiast, but the waves here are my favourite. Must be the Piscean in me.


{matthew cusick}