{ summer prints: for sale! }

'Reef Oil'  - forty only fine art Giclee prints for sale

And who wants some new togs for summer? 'Blue Polkadot Bikinis' - forty only fine art Giclee prints for sale

What better way to kick off summer than with a cute pair of bikinis and some good old Reef Oil? I had been deliberating for a while as to whether to get some prints done for Christmas; but as soon as I had finished these two I knew I had to share them around. So, these little treats are my next two limited edition prints available for sale  - just in time for Summer and of course for Christmas, too!

These will be my last prints for 2012 with a limited edition of just forty of each so get in quick with orders if you're keen - as once they are gone, they are really gone! So the details...

'Blue Polkadot Bikinis' and 'Reef Oil' - forty limited edition fine art Giclee prints of each for sale

SIZE: 200x300mm

PAPER: Archival 'Hahnemuhle' 100% cotton rag 305gsm paper

PRICE: $100 each

POSTAGE: $10 within Australia (and I'll combine for multiple orders); international available (email for rates)

PAYMENT: Via direct debit within Australia (sorry no credit card) and Paypal for overseas

TO ORDER: Email pip_boydell@hotmail.com with your postage address

Oh, and I should mention that the originals of each of these are available for sale upon enquiry as well. So if hanging the master 'Reef Oil' or 'Blue Polkadot Bikinis' on your walls tickles your fancy then email me at pip_boydell@hotmail.com .

Well I do hope you love these latest prints; and that you are all enjoying the onslaught of the festive season. Less than seven weeks till Christmas is here! See you again soon.

Pip xx

All images copyright Pip Boydell 2012.

{ to the beach! }

The rocks at Burleigh. One of my fave day trip spots.

A summer essential. No make that addiction.

I love pigface... a funny name for a very pretty native!

I have to admit this is my boyfriend's.... I am biased but he really is a very cool dude on his boards!

So this is me. 

As soon as Summer hits, any chance I get I will hot-foot it straight to the beach for a sunbake and a swim beneath our wonderfully hot Australian sun. Between the sun, salt and sand, the coconutty smell of Reef Oil, and a fresh cold juice (or a Weis bar!), almost nothing in this world can make me happier.

So I guess then it's not that surprising that these things that I love translate to my drawings too...... thought I'd share just a few of the things I've done lately. It's funny, I've long had a dream to design and make boardshorts, but turns out in the meantime I can just draw them - which is almost as fun! 

These particular ones were a commission for a very fabulous client who has been an absolute gem to me. I love her and this was absolutely one of my funnest jobs so far....... 

... oh, except possibly for this Reef Oil. I'm super obsessed. But more on that one to come!!!

Well it's Friday afternoon here and in the spirit of this post I an well and truly looking forward to a productive Saturday rewarded by a trip to one of our favourite beach spots on Sunday. Can't wait. See you next week!

Pip xx

All images taken by me on my iPhone

{ lately... }

A hydrangea commission off to it's new home this week! 

These seashells are one of three pieces that are going to a lovely customer's Straddie house...

... and these are some of mine....

The hydrangea earlier on...

Some very sweet peas - a housewarming gift and beautiful addition to our new living room...

I did a lily a week or two back... I often enjoy the 'pre' paint piece as much as the finished one.

And for good measure, some Spring time lavender.

Here's a few things that have been keeping me busy lately. Pretty shells, blooming hydrangeas a lily and more... 

I have a bit been absent these past few weeks as we've just moved house; and let me tell you that amongst all the odds & ends of (re)organising your life, a shifty Internet connection has got to be up there as one of the most time-consuming and frustrating glitches to have! 

Technology aside though, I am head over heels in love with our new home. It's been not two weeks but already I feel so settled and happy here..... it's a very wonderful feeling. I will do a proper post soon and show you some more pics, but here are a few details from around the house this week in the meantime. 

It's well and truly Springtime here - but what's even better is that Summer is peeping its bright and sunny head around the corner. I love this time of year so much and can't wait for what's going to be a busy but very fun lead up to Christmas!

By the time most read this it will be in time for a 'Happy Friday' - here's to the first week of October , down, and have a great weekend everyone.

Pip x

All images taken by me; images 1,2,4 & 6 artwork & images by Pip Boydell.

{ cuties pies }

I've recently had a couple of commissions for little girls which have been heaps of fun indeed. These first two were very very dear to me, as last weekend my darling friend Z welcomed her very beautiful little girl into the world. Her name is Alula and she is beautiful! 

The giraffe just seemed like the perfect 'friend' for little Alula with those big eyelashes; and the 'Goodnight Moon' poem is one that her mum has always loved and that will surely get many recitals in Alula's years to come - I wasn't familiar with it till now but the words are pretty adorable! I felt so honoured to paint these two pieces to go in her (insanely fabulous) nursery and I love that they'll be with her as she grows. Um and how great is that wallpaper by the way?!

In other news - I have developed quite an obsession with painting swimmers (as you may have guessed !) and fortunately for me I have some customers who feel the same! So I have happily obliged to a few commissions of this nature of late, here's a snippet of a pair I have recently finished. They are so much fun to do with all their ruffles and crinkles and frills; I just wish they made them in my size!

I've got heaps more on the boiler at the moment as the Christmas rush sets in so I'll keep sharing my work as I go; plus I will have some new stuff happening in a few weeks which I'm looking forward to sharing with you, too! See you soon.

Pip xx

 Images 1-5 & 7 copyright Pip Boydell; Image 6 from here at Pinterest (original source unknown sorry).

{ 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

{ colour wheel }

 From top: colour in my studio; a snippet of my latest bananas; pretty jonquils & a shell;

paint colours again; morning coffee in my studio (sparkles thanks to Lumie app); 

and lastly the full Banana Bunch painting.

Winter has well and truly hit and I do love all this cosiness and rugging up; but no matter what time of year I think I just need to have bright and fresh colour around me. These are a few pics from my studio over the last little while.... and yes those little squares of bright colourfulness are indeed paint cards! When I was growing up my parents owned a hardware store, and ever since I cannot help but go past these big walls of colourfulness without stealing a few chips. The perfect way to freshen up my little studio space on a cold dreary June day!

There's also a pic or two of my Banana Bunch painting which is being framed at the moment before going off to its new home in Adelaide. The story of this one was a bit serendipitous actually... I received an enquiry about another painting that had already sold, and at the time didn't know anything about this lovely (now) customer - but she got me just at the right time as I'd just finished these bananas, and thought I would send images of it on just in case she liked it too. Little did I know that her husband's family had actually a banana wholesesaling business for 20 years - so it had to be hers! This is what I love about what I do. Not only is creating these paintings such joy for me to do, but I love the stories of where they end up, and how they get there, and what they mean to people along the way.

Hope you're all staying warm in the chilly weather (and enjoying the Summer, for those in the northern hemisphere) - and I promise I will be back sooner rather than later!

Pip xx

{ a rosie-mary wedding }

The venue: The Moreton Club in New Farm, Brisbane.

A flower portrait... what a sweet little jonquil! 

Me on the left, and my two oldest and very best friends in the whole world on the right. 

Rosie in the middle... isn't she the most beautiful bride you've ever seen??!!!

The flowers were amazing. Hands down most beautiful bouquets ever.

 She had rosemary with each place setting - such a beautiful thought, and smelt divine!

Rosie and Tim. Love these two so much.

It was a whole week ago now that my beautiful best friend was married. I won't carry on too much (I could go on all day) but was the most beautiful and wonderful day you can imagine and one that I will remember forever. Rosie and Tim are such happy, kind-hearted, funny and loving people so it was only fitting that their special day felt just like that.... just thinking about it makes my little heart smile! I am very lucky to have two best friends, and the three of us have been just that for nearly 20 years. We really are more like sisters so after all these years, to be her bridesmaids, see her off and also (officially) welcome her husband into our little party of three was a pretty special thing. So much love!  

My gift to Rosie & Tim... a magnolia, a lime & rosemary. 

I very much struggle with whether to give my own artwork as gifts to people (it just feels so presumptuous and immodest of me!!) - but painting this for Rosie and Tim was more about the gesture and meaning than the product and just something I really wanted to do. It's a blooming magnolia, a lime with its little flowers, and then sprigs of rosemary entwined through. Each of these three things mean something special to Rosie and Tim (one of them is her namesake!) and painting this for them was without a doubt the most enjoyable thing I've yet created. I hope it lives with them for what I know will be a long, happy and full life together.

The happy couple are currently honeymooning their way around France, Italy and Spain (tough, hey) - but Rosie & Tim if you read this, thank you for having me be part of your special day. It was just perfect - and I can't wait for all the fun times ahead! 

Pip xx 

PS. Top image and table setting image courtesy of Elizabeth - I missed so many pics on the night so thank you for these! x