{ the makings of a busy season! }

What a busy start to the new month and season it has been. Saturday's 'Spring Flea' was heaps of fun and a great success. As always, Black & Spiro pulled a huge crowd with the line-up trailing around the street corner awaiting 9am for the doors to open; and the footpath and shop were consequently sprawling with what looked to be very happy customers throughout the day!

Here are a few snaps from the day plus some more of my actual work. The little herb and flower pieces were done on my favourite Arches paper with the edges hand-torn.... I just love how delicate yet rustic this beautiful paper is. Each came with it's symbol or meaning handwritten beneath which was such an interesting process - I really enjoyed discovering the often ancient meanings and symbolism behind all these little gems from nature that we see and use every other day and often don't give too much thought. 

'Strawberry: Perfect Elegance'

These gorgeous things were part of the stand by the very talented Lulu Lucky & Ellen Newman 

who had (amongst other things) the most fabulous array of potted plants in their custom painted terracotta pots. 

Follow them on Instagram  here and here!

'Thyme: Courage'

'Nasturtium: Optimism'

 'Lavender: Dauntlessness'..... there are a few meanings for lavender, 

however something about this word and thought jumped out at me. 

Couldn't resist taking this big pandanus nut home! I often admire them on the palms 

so I was pretty excited that the girls were selling them. I think I've also found my next painting subject!

'The world is your oyster'

'She sells sea shells by the sea shore'

While all my pieces sold on the day I am always open to creating custom pieces so feel free to email my at pip_boydell@hotmail.com if you are interested in prices or commissioning a piece of your own.

That's all for the moment! This last week has certainly brought beautiful sunny days, clear skies and lots of new and exciting work - I'm hoping an auspicious indication of the season ahead! Have a great week wherever you are in the world and see you again soon.

Pip xx

{ spring flea - tomorrow! }

Apologies for not giving you the heads up sooner (I've been struck by this awful flu and it's really knocked me around!) - but for those of you who are in Brisbane you must head down to Black & Spiro tomorrow for the Spring Flea!

It's going to be a fabulous day brimming with lots of original and crafted pieces, fresh and potted flowers and even freshly baked cakes... basically, everything you could want for a day out on the first of Spring! I'm also joining in and will have some smaller, fun type artworks for sale too. They're a bit different to the norm so I'm looking forward to getting them out! Here's a little peek....

It's starts at 9am tomorrow till 3pm at Black & Spiro - 768 Brunswick St, New Farm. Hopefully I'm on the mend and in a fit stake to be there so hope to see you tomorrow!

Pip xx

{ window paintings, polka dots & more }

Sorry it has been so long since my last post - all of a sudden the month of May seems to have all but passed! There's been lots happening but finally it has calmed down so hopefully I will be a bit more on deck form here on. Amongst other things last week I was working on these window display paintings for Anna Spiro, as part of the launch of her wallpaper range for Porters Paints last Thursday night. The evening was heaps of fun and a huge success, and it was lovely to share the success of what is such a huge achievement for Anna (imagine designing a range of wallpapers, no less for a brand like Porters. what a dream!) One was just a big watercolour of her logo in pink, and the other a painted version of the story behind the range which I used her custom colours and a few motifs from the papers themselves on... nothing very tricky but I must say I just love doing stuff like this, so it was really fun to work it in with her papers and colours. 

As I 'm sure you can imagine there was so many beautiful things to look at and these pics hardly touch the surface - but you can check out more pics at her post on Absolutely Beautiful Things.

I also managed to finish one more painting in time for the night which is now hanging in the showroom and available for sale - it's these cute little polka-dot swimmers. Email me at pip_boydell@hotmail.com if you'd like any details or are interested in purchasing!

So after this flurry of activity last week I have also had a huge weekend with the wedding of one of my best friends for which I was a bridesmaid. It was such an amazing wonderful happy day - wish we could do it all again - but I have some gorgeous pics and pretty things to share later in the week. Pop by and see. 

In the meantime - happy Monday!

Pip xx

{ new artwork! }

'The Pineapple'

'The Pineapple'... hanging on the 'Round & Round the Garden' wallpaper

'Fruito Weis' - hanging on 'Round & Round the Garden' wallpaper

'Mango Weis'

'Pattern No. 1 in Taupe' - hanging on Rosey Posey Trellis wallpaper

And 'The Blue Bikinis' before heading off to the framer... these didn't manage to stay in the shop long enough for me to photograph them on display, but thought I'd show you anyway!

I am happy to finally share with you my latest work which is on show in Black & Spiro in conjunction with the launch of Anna's signature wallpaper range for Porters Paints. 

There are four pieces hung the display rooms, pictured here from top to bottom: 'The Pineapple'; 'Fruito Weis'; 'Mango Weis'; and 'Pattern No. 1 in Taupe'. For anyone who is in Brisbane you must pop by Black & Spiro as the rooms look absolutely wonderful all papered in the new wallpaper and are bursting with beautiful things. And of course you can see the artworks for real while you are there! The Blue Bikinis were snapped up before the display officially opened by one of Anna's clients who negotiated them into her home that day - so these are already off the floor! actually whisked it away to her home! I hear it's a beautiful one at that though and it was a lovely surprise for it to sell so quickly. 

So, what's for sale? Well as I mentioned the Bikini's are already gone and the two Weis Bars were also sold the day they were put up, however 'The Pineapple' and the 'Pattern in Taupe' are both available. For anyone interested in prices or purchasing you can email me at pip_boydell@hotmail.com.

I must say, this has been my favourite lot of work to complete yet. As I am still so green in this 'art' world I am constantly learning and changing every day; but I think the big thing I have taken from this is that you really truly must do what you love. Weis Bars might sound an odd subject for a painting to some - but to me, there's nothing better! - so I just did it, and I loved doing it, and they turned out just how I wanted. Plus, the lawyer who purchased them has decided to hang them in his chambers - kinda cool, hey!

I am now working on a few more pieces to replace those sold and these will be ready for later in May. In the meantime I hope you like what you see here and of course any enquiry on the above email away.

See you soon,

Pip xx

{ breton chic }

Image via Pinterest

  

Image via Another

Image via Esquire 

Image via Ocean Prep

Favoured over time by icons like Picasso, Hemingway, Hepburn and James Dean, the Breton shirt has long been a French wardrobe staple. But it's not just a pretty stripe - the design was actually introduced by an Act of French Parliament in 1858 as the official uniform of the French navy, and it was said that the distinctive block stripe would make it easier to spot seamen who had fallen overboard. Cute, hey! So while I don't so much have a need for it in its lifesaving capacity, I've always loved anything breton and find this blue & white combo and heritage so chic and iconic. 

'Breton Shirt' - by Pip Boydell

 Image courtesy of Absolutely Beautiful Things

I had been itching to paint something like this for a while, so I feel quite chuffed that this one I recently completed is going to an extremely well-styled home itself. I painted this for Anna from Absolutely Beautiful Things and it is going to live in her gorgeous beach house at Straddie. I'm sure many of you are familiar with Anna's beach getaway (above is as it appeared a while ago in Country Style, and   another glimpse here) - so I'm so very pleased that it's going to such a lovely home, no less by the sea!

I've had a really big few weeks and have lots of paintings completed that will popping up in various places soon, some of which will be for sale. I'll keep you posted on all of later this week, but do look out if you're interested in purchasing, as there are some new and different things and possibly some of my favourite pieces yet!

See you soon.

Pip xx

{ framed }

Great LA home. Via Commune Daily

Picture perfect. Via This is Glamorous

Entrance-come-void. Via simplipi

'Mopho' Commercial interior by Hassell. From Arch Daily 

Perfect shape and dimension in this hanging light. Via Wild Ivy

One of my seahorses. Searching for his new frame.

There's something about the dimension and simplicity of pane-glass with a fine black iron frame that really grabs me. This design always feels so substantial and smart - imagine the inside-outside feeling this floor to ceiling glass would bring with the morning sun streaming in; or a series of these boxy pendant lights hanging low in big utilitarian kitchen... I would love to make a feature of this in a home one day. However in an application closer to home right now, I'm also on the search for the perfect combination of a fine matte black frame with thin glass to set off some of my black ink pieces. When done properly, I just love how refined and simple this look can be; and the finer the frame and the glass the better I say! So while my dreams of a home inspired by this look might be a way off, hopefully I can post again soon when my art frame search proves fruitful! Hope you're having a great week.

Pip xx

{ happy new year! }

Happy, happy new year to everyone! 

This is just a short post to check in for the new year and to thank you for your support in the year just passed - particularly over the last month or so, through which my posting has been sporadic to say the least!

At the moment I'm enjoying a few very rejuvenating weeks away at the beach, but from mid-January I will be back on board and getting stuck into 2012. Already it's feeling like a great year so I'm looking forward to sharing the journey with you all. 

See you in a few weeks.

Pip xx

PS. This image is a snippet of the latest window drop I painted for Black & Spiro.... I'll be sure to show you a full pic later this month!

{ new work }

Today is the first official day or summer and also the day a few new paintings of mine have gone up in Black & Spiro. There's a pair of shoes; some words; a flower and a bottle of San Pellegrino..... all quite season appropriate I think!

'Wink & a Smile' - watercolour & ink with gold leaf

'Laelia Orchids' - watercolour & ink

'San Pellegrino' - watercolour & ink

'The Summer slippers' - watercolour & ink

You're welcome to email me if you are interested in any of the above or would like more information. I hope to have a few more coming before Christmas.

'Bikini' in pigment ink 

Tomorrow I'm off to Byron Bay to celebrate the wedding of two very special people... they are wonderful friends (also owners of my bikinis, above, which now reside at their at their gorgeous beach house!); but much more importantly they are possibly the most inspirational and just all round best-couple I know. So lots my favourite people, in my favourite place, at my most favourite time of year - I can't wait! 

Hope you all have wonderful weekends too. See you next week.

All images and artwork copyright Pip Boydell 2011.

xx