A fair to remember...

Don't forget that some of the girls will be out in London this weekend at various Christmas fairs. Karoline will be selling her screenprints as well as the Love to Print Winter range of cards and prints on Saturday at the London Designer Makers Fair in Euston. On Sunday she'll be sharing a stall with Joe Rogers at Truman Brewery's All I Want for Christmas event. They'll also have Jane Anderson's digital prints and Christmas cards for sale. Ruth Green will be at Spitalfields Art Market for most of this week and all of the weekend, if you're in the area please make sure she isn't working too hard. Mary Kilvert has a stall at the Of Cabbages and Kings Christmas Fair on Saturday.

London Designer Makers

The girls will be out in force next weekend with Ruth Green at Spitalfields Art Market, Mary Kilvert at the Of Cabbages and Kings Christmas Fair and Karoline will be taking part in the London Designer Makers Fair. She will be selling some Menagerie postcard books as well as the latest Love to Print range of Christmas cards, mini prints and limited edition Winter boxset of prints.

19th December London Designer Makers Fair, St Aloysius Social Club, Euston 12pm-6pm

www.designermakers.blogspot.com

Spitalfields Art Market

If you're doing any last minute Christmas shopping in London look out for Ruth Green at Spitalfields Art Market from the 15th to the 20th of December. As well as her prints she'll also have Christmas cards and a limited amount of 2010 Calendars.

http://www.spitalfields.co.uk/

Prints Charming

All the long hours Karoline has put in at the printmakers studio recently have finally paid off because 3 of her new screenprints are in an exhibition entitled Prints Charming at Welcome Home in Glasgow. The exhibition opens this this thursday and runs until Christmas eve but the really good news is that all the prints are £20 and under. Welcome Home is a multi-disciplinnary gallery and store with an on site studio for production, artist in residence schemes, exhibitions, events and workshops.

www.welomehomestore.co.uk

Kate's first solo exhibition

Throughout December 2009 Kate Hindley will be exhibiting some of her personal work on the theme of 'beasts and monsters' at the Artrix Complex in Bromsgrove. Bromsgrove is Kate's hometown but for those of you unfamiliar with it's many delights, Bromsgrove is in Worcestershire and not very far from Birmingham.

All I Want for Xmas

Things are very hectic at the moment with most of the girls busy selling their artwork at Christmas fairs up and down the country. Jane Anderson and Karoline will be sharing a stall with fellow illustrator Joe Rogers at the Old Truman Brewery for All I Want for Xmas. They'll also be selling some of Paul Roberts' fabric monsters and Sara Fowles' cushions, purses and bags.

5th-6th December All I Want for Xmas, Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London 10am-6pm
12th-13th December All I Want for Xmas, Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London 10am-6pm
19th-20th December All I Want for Xmas, Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London 10am-6pm

http://www.trumanbrewery.com/files/rooms/2764/Newsletter.html

Joe Rogers http://www.colourboxonline.co.uk
Paul Roberts http://www.monstersmonsters.co.uk
Sara Fowles http://www.needlesandhooks.co.uk

Merry Mary Christmas Fairs

Mary Kilvert has stalls at various craft fairs in the run up to Christmas, she'll be selling cushions, lavender cats, badges, pocket mirrors and prints, all perfect for Christmas treats!

Saturday 5th December 11am - 5pm
Advent Music and Gift Fair,
Ramsden Hall,
Balham, London, SW12 8QX

Sunday 6th December 11am - 4pm
Craft Guerrilla Christmas Market,
William Morris Gallery,
Forest Road, London, E17 4PP

Saturday 12th and 19th December 10.30am - 5pm
Of Cabbages and Kings Christmas Fair,
Abney Public Hall, 73a Church Street,
Stoke Newington, London N16 0AS

Out and About

Some of us will be promoting the Menagerie book at artist's book fairs and art fairs around the country. Karoline will be exhibiting a range of books and prints at the Spike Island Artist Book and Zine Fair 2009 in Bristol on Saturday October the 31st. www.spikeisland.org.uk/events/bookandzinefair/2009
She'll also be at Handmade and Bound in London on Sunday the 1st of November. www.handmadeandbound.com

New 'Girls Who Draw' lineup

It's time we introduced the lineup of this years Girls Who Draw postcard book. Anke Weckmann has designed the cover as well as 2 postcards, she is joined by 5 other new contributers including Mary Kilvert, Kate Hindley, Ruth Green, Amy Timms and Michelle Turton, each of whom has designed 2 postcards. 5 of the original group featured in the Misfits postcard book have returned to each do 2 new postcard designs, they are Gemma Correll, Sarah Ray, Yee Ting Kuit, Jane Anderson aka Currentstate and Karoline Rerrie. We've posted short biographies with Menagerie postcard designs from all of the girls. If you want to know more about any of the girls most have their own websites, blogs and online shops which we have listed.

Sarah Ray

Sarah Ray is an illustrator based in Birmingham UK but originally from the dark depths of Herefordshire (fondly known as the Shire). She completed a degree in Illustration in the lovely city of Cambridge and since has been working freelance, drawing for clients such as Orange, The Artgroup and Friends of the Earth. As well as doing commissioned work, she also likes to exhibit and sell handmade things. She likes tea and dancing (not necessarily at the same time) and she likes to smile a lot because it’s nice to.

www.sarahray.co.uk
http://squeakyunderpants.blogspot.com

Mary Kilvert

Mary Kilvert graduated with an illustration degree from Kingston University in 2004. Her illustrations are characterized by fluid line, decorative patterns and a whimsical style. She creates her images using fine line pens, watercolour, collage and digital colour. Mary
works for clients in advertising, publishing and editorial. She is inspired by patterns, animals and folk tales. She works from herstudio in London which she also shares with her black cat and is represented by Lindgren and Smith in the United States.

www.marykilvert.com

Amy Timms

Ruth Green

Ruth Green is a printmaker based in Birmingham. She makes screenprints, linocuts and etchings. Her work is inspired by design from the 60's and 70's and by the British countryside. Ruth also has work published as posters and greetings cards. She has worked for Ikea, Woodmansterne and The Art Group. She regularly exhibits at galleries and art fairs throughout the U.K.

www.ruthgreendesign.com

Kate Hindley

Kate Hindley is a freelance illustrator currently working in Worcestershire. She graduated from Falmouth University in 2008 and since then has developed a whimsical style inspired by all things woodland and folksy. Her work combines pencil doodling with a bit of digital tinkering. She will be holding her first solo exhibition throughout December at the Artrix in her hometown of Bromsgrove.

www.katehindley.co.uk
www.hollowlogblog.blogspot.com
www.katehindley.etsy.com

Yee Ting Kuit

Yee Ting graduated from University College Falmouth in 2006 with first class honours and has been working freelance since. She has taken part in various group exhibitions throughout the U.K. Her work is produced digitally using a combination of Photoshop, Illustrator and hand drawn components. Her style is influenced by graphic design, icons, patterns, typography and printmaking techniques. Clients include the Guardian, Tigerprint and Runner’s World magazine.

www.yeellustration.co.uk

Anke Weckmann

Anke Weckmann is an illustrator living in London where she spends her days drawing, drinking tea and listening to audio books. She likes spring, elderflower cordial, little birds, cats and making all kinds of pretty things.

www.Linotte.net
http://ankeweckmann.blogspot.com

Karoline Rerrie

A long time ago Karoline worked for Matthew Herbert and illustrated most of his Doctor Rockit album covers with various paraphernalia including rockets, coffins and flamenco dancers. This helped develop her style, in particular the use of quirky characters, hand drawn lettering and humour. Karoline now uses these elements in the artist's books she illustrates and self publishes. She prefers to work by hand and sees her illustration as a craft which lead her to start making images and books using a Japanese Print Gocco as well as screen printing.

www.lonelypanda.com

Gemma Correll

Gemma Correll is based in the 'fine city' of Norwich, UK, where she has stayed since completing her BA (hons) degree in Graphic Design, specialising in Illustration, in 2006. She works as a crafts person and freelance illustrator for clients including Virgin holidays and Primary Teachers magazine. She also likes making her own zines and other goodies such as handpainted mugs and shrink plastic jewellery, which she sells in various retail outlets online and in 'real life'. Gemma’s inspirations include body builders, Butlins holiday camps and small, furry animals.

www.gemmacorrell.com

Michelle Turton

Michelle Turton is a freelance contemporary illustrator based in the sunny Midlands working with both hand rendered and computer based illustrations. Michelle graduated from Falmouth College of Arts in 2005 and has since worked on a variety of projects from editorial illustration to logo and website design. Michelle is one half of the inkygoodness duo and her weapon of choice would have to be the pencil.

www.michelleturton.com

Currentstate

Currentstate is the work of Birmingham based designer and illustrator Jane Anderson. Working across a range of media including illustration, print & design. Jane has showcased her work across the UK, including exhibitions in Selfridges and the V&A – London as part of Channel 4’s Creative Industries Party. Her work has been featured in publications such as Ten4, Computer Arts, Frieze, Fused, Blink and Chroma Magazine.

www.currentstate.co.uk

Hitting the shelves...

Only 600 of the Menagerie books are available to buy, over the next few weeks we'll be keeping you updated on some of the shops, galleries and websites who will be selling the books. This week they went on sale at the Ikon Gallery shop in Birmingham, www.ikon-gallery.co.uk and Anke Weckmann is already selling them from her website, www.Linotte.net. Some of the girls will also be out and about selling the Menagerie books at art fairs around the country, we'll have more news about them soon.

All new Menagerie Book

It seems like we've been working on the Menagerie postcard book for months, putting it together over summer was problematic because many of the girls were away on holiday. The artwork didn't make it to the printers until just before the August bank holiday, always a really busy time. Despite that Tuckey Print made us a handful of copies especially for the launch of the Inky Goodness 'Wonderland' exhibition at the Vaad Gallery in Birmingham. Michelle Turton, who has contributed 2 postcard designs to the Menagerie book, is also one of the organisers of Inky Goodness and the 'Wonderland' exhibition included 5 other illustrators from the book. Over the last few weeks Tuckey Print have been busy gluing and taping together the rest of the 800 books, it didn't look like much fun and we owe them a huge thanks for all their help and patience. Thank you Ian, Stewart, Richard, Mike and the rest of the team at Tuckeys.

Anke's cover design

Anke Weckmann has designed a beautiful cover for the new Girls Who Draw postcard book. We are very lucky Anke could fit the book into her busy schedule especially as she has also contributed 2 postcard designs. This year the theme is Menagerie and alongside Anke are some of the original group of girls who featured in the Misfits book, including everyone's favorite illustrator Gemma Correll. Sarah Ray has taken a break from screen printing to come back for a second time with Jane Anderson (aka Currentstate), Yee Ting Kuit and Karoline Rerrie. But the fun doesn't stop there because Anke isn't the only new girl, we have artwork from the very talented Kate Hindley, Amy Timms, Ruth Green, Michelle Turton and Mary Kilvert. We're particularly pleased Mary has joined us as she wasn't able to last time so we've waited a whole year for her.

Girls who Draw present 'Misfits'

It's been almost a year since the first Girls Who Draw postcard book was printed. It was based on the theme of Misfits and featured the work of 10 illustrators including Gemma Correll,Yee Ting Kuit, Jane Anderson (aka Currentstate) Tanya Meditzky, Sarah Ray, Karoline Rerrie, Jess Bradley, Yee Ping Kuit, Zoe Darnell and Clare Power. We distributed the Misfits book ourselves and sold it through shops around the country as well as from art markets and artist's book fairs. Misfits was featured in the wonderful + 1 magazine and some of the group exhibited artwork at the Plus International Design Festival 2008 in Birmingham. In 2009 we were offered a last minute exhibition at Exposure Gallery in London and despite terrible weather conditions Misfits and Miscellany opened in early march. Gemma Correll, Yee Ting Kuit, Sarah Ray, Currentstate, Tanya Meditzky, Zoe Darnell and Karoline Rerrie all exhibited artwork from the 'Misfits' postcard book alongside some of their other illustrations. Most of the group sold work in particular Sarah Ray whose screenprints were a runaway success.