Sat 5th Sept: No Days Off Update

Just at the moment Im catching up with the lastest news from different departments to see what everyone else has been up to over the summer. Teo Connor and Patrick Duffy are the terrible two that work as the team "No Days Off" who don't just have a brilliantly shrewd name but also turn out equally astute graphic design. Somehow they managed to steal a few minutes from the grindstone to send over these images of their latest projects.

The first client here is Paloma Faith, who's album book and single sleeve they have art directed. They have also informed me that Paloma's is performing at The Scala soon, which everyone should go to as she is amazing live...............

The second album artwork they have been attending to is She Keeps Bees record 'Nests'. It is currently album of the week in NME available at Rough Trade now or on iTunes for the absolute steal price of only £4.99! Its BEEn on constant play in the NoDaysOff studio for ages and according to their personal review "if you like the White Stripes and PJ Harvey, get it. Apparently Morrisey is a fan, which usually mean the band are absolutely shite, but this time he seems to have got it right." You have been told!

The third image here is Electronic Poet which is a design for a new clothing range, soon to be on sale in Oki Ni and also online at www.paper-scissor-stone.co.uk.

Last but not least is a snap from work in progress of a series of 'NO' paintings for an exhibition in the pipeline for a future show. All pieces are designed on reclaimed items from the streets of Whitechapel, where the duo are based.

To check out more new work visit their ace website at www.nodaysoff.com, with lots more to come in the next few months......

Friday 4th Sept: Lucy Aebischer

Here is Lucy Aebishcer who came to help me last season by sewing, sticking and generally keeping me sane over the festive period when I was studio bound in solitary confinement. She just graduated from Bath Spa and has spent the summer assisting other colourful folk such as Jiggery Pokery and most recently Jamie Brown painting the outside of The Old Blue Last with giant cat faces.............check her blog for pictures if you aren't in the East vicinity to see for yourself.......http://lucy-aebischer.blogspot.com/
Here are couple of snaps from time she has spent with me this Summer ........and also her business card which is a rainbow stick of rock packaged with screen printed label and polkadot film..............what a WINNER!

Thurs 3rd Sept: Scott Ramsay Kyle

So Im setting up shop at Supermarketsarah.com today and installing my guest wall which will go live at fashion week. Its going to be an opportunity to buy some of my archive pieces................Swarovski encrusted lobster anyone? But in my nature of collaboration and recommendation I have selected 10 designers to also feature on the site for your chance to snap up other one-off items by some of my favourite creatives. I had to reach for a paper bag to stop hyperventilating when I received the delivery from Scott Ramsay Kyle. Here is a cape that he made specially on commission for Jane How once upon a time.............an original created by a true original.............BEATUIFUL!

He is just wrapping up finalising his new website if you want to check out more:

http://scottramsaykyle.com

Thurs 3rd Sept: I HEART CARR

SO BLOODY EXCITED TO SEE DIANE'S FULL FEATURE! Here is a snippet from her blog today.
Here is one of my mentor's Alistair Carr in conversation about working with one of his mentor's Mr.Pearl.................don't get much better than this............
...........Alistair you are looking HOT my friend!

Weds 2nd Sept: Spadgermatazz for Slashstroke

Amy Gwatkin shot my last collection for an article in the new magazine slashstroke which has launched online today. This is the spread which also features a portrait by Amy in collaboration with Anna Leader with whom she used to work with under the guise of "Mishkin". After the shoot we sat down to drink tea and talk shop for an informal and investigative interview to accompany the images.............all of which we recorded on dictaphone for Amy to transcribe..........but got lost.........isn't it always the way! But it didn't matter because it was the perfect excuse to actually stop working and get together for some quality time for once..........any time spent with these two ladies is an absolute pleasure ........I only wish we could do it more often..............

Tues 1st Sept: Lady Ga Ga in convo with Craig Lawrence

Craig and I are both from the illustrious creative breeding ground of East Anglia UK. Yep, the fields of sheep and combine harvesters nurture some seriously strange talents! The last time we were both back in the homelands, we hooked up for a walk along the blustery beach of Southwold to catch up on how are collections were going. As Craig had been at home that week I assumed that it had been some down-time with the family and keeping local. Oh no! He related that he had just returned from a jaunt up to Manchester for an MTV recording of an interview with Lady Ga Ga. .........as you do, natch! LOL! So here it is! Its just launched on the international music channel but you can check it all out at this link. The series is different musicians meeting up with the creatives that inspire them.............the other episodes feature The Beastie Boys, Marilyn Manson etc.

In the run up to fashion week you can keep up to date with Craigs news as he has started twittering and just launched his own blog in conjunction with photographer Kenzie Burchell called "Chateau De Gateau"..........lots of excitements looming..........

http://www.chateaudegateau.com
http://twitter.com/craigknitwit

Tues 1st Sept: Ritta Ikonen Profile Fin

There are lots more images from Ritta that I could post to give more insight into the workings of her mind and world...........but I have edited it down to give a one-hit, one-stop shop of information. But whilst it has taken a few days to upload them in installments I received a thankyou message from the artist with this photo attached..............exquisite!
Ritta at The Hayward.
Thankyou so much for all your time in compiling everything Ritta, best of luck with all your new secret missions!
Now go and have a poke around all her previous projects:

Tues 1st Sept: Ritta Ikonen Profile Part VI

And these mates, I have lost their origin. But they are important.

Had a wonderful haircut here one day... all done with clippers!

Who knows what this place was called..., but it was pretty incredible. A blessed shop where I finally found a foot for my little random sewing machine, found abandoned on the streets of Brooklyn.

To finish off Ritta's profile here is a selection of random things that made her chuckle on her adventure...........quite a good measure of her comedic sensibility. When I knew that Ritta was going to NY I put her in touch with another NY/LON photographer friend of mine -Annie Collinge as I knew that they would get on.....both with the same ridiculous sense of humour and quirky aesthetic. I was right.......according to Annie :
" thank you for putting me in touch with Riitta, she is very funny, she took me to lecture about NY waste disposal..."
Wish I had been a fly on the wall for that one!

Mon 31st Aug: Profile Weekender : Ritta Ikonen Part V

In this excerpt I'm going totally off-shcedule from the feature because I just have to! When I was researching some content for the profile on Ritta's latest news..........I came across this past project. How gorgeous is this? She was commissioned by Action Aid to create a large scale installation using over 200 shoes donated for the "Put your foot down" campaign. If you watch this film clip you can see many of her inventive and resourceful techniques for customising the wide variety of 2nd hand shoe styles. It ranges from glued feathers to modrock to metal panel beating! So gorgeous and clever.............just like Ritta!

Mon 31st Aug: Last chance saloon

Ok, so I got it wrong.........the final day to vote is today.............so please go for it...........lets cross all 10 fingers and 10 toes.........
Whatever the outcome......... Ive had a lovely time doing the canvasing with our fun campaign and all the support has been most humbling..........XXXX

http://www.dazeddigital.com/projects/BlogAwards/Finalists.aspx?Category=Fashion

Photos Dan Wilton
Model and Artist Maki Lou Lou

Sun 30th Aug: Profile Weekender : Ritta Ikonen Part IV

So what is next in the pipeline for Ritta?

"Other stuff coming up are exhibitions and some more masterclasses in Russia in September, some talks in Helsinki and a little project with YCN, Whitechapel gallery, Tate etc."

Damn the girl isn't giving anything away! But talking of YCN, here are some action snaps of Ritta setting up the earthworm from the series 'A sentimental yearning' from a previous YCN LIVE project at Applied Works. The worm was lost overground in Hoxton and made its way to rehabilitation in Dartmor............

"Some photos from an earthworm day...
The promised rain and gloom never came for our planned shoot. I put my hope into autumn rains and shall return for the final picture. Got plenty of manoeuvre shoveling experience by now..."

Go to Ritta's site to see the final photos by Anja Schaffner of the worm winding its way round Shoreditch.........

Sun 30th Aug: Profile Weekender : Ritta Ikonen Part III

Ritta's other major preoccupation whilst in NY was working with Ian Wright on their contribution for this year's "If You Could: Collaborate" exhibition titled 'Peace and Quiet'. Here is the brief for their venture which could possibly give some hints as to what they have been up to but unfortunately the whole process is top secret until the opening in January. So this is a great scoop to see a couple of snaps from their initial time together..............