Sat 3rd April: Its Nice That - Issue 3

I was about to practise heresy according to Jasmine Raznahan and scan in some pages of ItsNiceThat Issue3 to illustrate this feature (as I was to shy to take pics at the launch as usual..........Rob Ryan's perspex brooch was particularly appealing / snag intimidating)............

On reading what my favourite image was.........turns out to be Jack Newling!  I love Jack's work!  Ive been blogging him since 2007.....see here, here and here!!!!!  I suppose there is no coincidence as he is supported by Paul Smith who has also given a helping hand to ItsNiceThat for this publication.  Not only has he undertaken an interview for the magazine but he has also offered the team space at his premises on Kingsway WC to hold the exhibition.  What a hero.  So to read answers from this legend and a few more including Milton Glazer, Tom Dixon & Dan Tobin Smith purchase your copy here.  Each page is a delight and it is for this reason that Ive decided not to dare crack the spine and instead rip these images from their website.........I NEVER do this but on this occasion Ive had to make an exception, sorry. 

If you are in London head down to the exhibition:

6 — 10 April, open 12—6pm (Until 8.30 on Thursday 8th).
Princes House, 39 Kingsway, London, WC2B 6TP

Sat 3rd April: Birthday wishes from Cooperative Designs

From their S/S 10 collection "Happy Birthday Bauhaus" Cooperative Designs have gifted me with a "Happy Birthday Butler" tank top............as shot for the campaign by Amy Gwatkin and originally  shown at an incredible LFW presentation art directed by Alex Cunningham.

Thank you Annalisa and Dorothee......its looking joyous in the optical section of my wardrobe!

Friday April 2nd: VJ Riyo Nemeth

When I went to visit Fifi and Lola at Blood Sweat and Fears I was also drawn to check out another artist at the event - Riyo Nemeth.  Our paths have previously crossed working at Candid Arts (cafe not studio!) but I had no idea what her creations were like...........as it turns out they are projected!  I pushed our mutual friend in her direction to ask if she might like to vj these beautiful screen stealer's at my spectrum birthday bash and the good news was yes.  This is why I love going to explore as many different things as possible because there is always a hidden treasure to fall upon.  

Here are Riyo's snaps of the evening..........infact the entire duration of the proceedings for which she patiently sat with her laptop from 9 til 4 to keep the walls lit up with magic from start to finish.  As Jimmy Saville used to say "Dedication's what you need".............and how true of this trooper!

Thank you Riyo!  To check out more of her work click here........... or here 

26/03/2010-No.02 from Riyo Nemeth on Vimeo.

in this clip I think I can hear Malcolm McLaren "Double Dutch" which Im guessing was played by Callum Turner who kindly came and took over the decks to get the party going..........

Friday April 2nd: Birthday Wishes from Jim Stoten

YES!

I am the proud and ridiculously smiley owner of an original Stoten...............totally stoked!

April 1st: Three ASFOUR birthday wishes

Who's a lucky girl?  Wow............me!

Look at this incredible metallic cobalt / Yves Klein blue corded cosmic wonder that crash landed at my door as if a meteorite had fallen from another dimension.  Infact it was fedex from Forsyth Street, NYC.  An unbelievable and immense 30th birthday present from ThreeASFOUR.  Im still in shock at this generous gesture and falling short of knowing how to say thankyou.........so here is a start!  THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not only did the parcel contain this piece of wearable art but also a pair of Yoko Ono print stretch pants!  Art on art!  I cannot wait for the special occasion that will be special enough for me to enjoy wearing these heavenly, heavenly gifts!

ThreeASFOUR have just started twittering so get following...........and check out the back catalog of beautiful backstage photography on their website (as seen above).

April 1st: April Fool..........

......... except its not!

More fool you for not using your noggin.  Sprung!

(window spotted in new pop-up shop on Carnaby Street and Hillman Studio's original window at Dover Street Market)

Weds 31st March: Tim Walker exhibition opening in Belgium

The third stop on the Walker exhibition expedition is the Knokke-Heisst Foto Festival in Belgium.  Hillman Studio again collaborated with Tim to curate a space to best bring his imagery alive in an interactive 3D environment.  This time a giant skeleton, spitfire and snails were installed amongst the packing crate style display boxes.  

I have always taken it for granted that a museum or gallery are responsible for putting on a show.......but no........I have come to learn that an artist can have complete control and input from the outset.  I suppose we should expect no less from a creative who is fundamentally fastidious and specifically successful for over seeing every element of his photography.  Initial plottings were turned from sketches into a small scale architectural maquette.  From here, the whole construction was orchestrated with the usual team behind Tim's sets  and then shipped over to Belgium.  Existing archive props nestle inbetween these new pieces to give an overall tactile retrospective to complement the prints.  Here you can see Shona Heath's surrealist glove hanging next to Andy Hillman's shot of Aaron knitted cars.  

As before there are Tim's precious sketchbooks opened up for inspection...........e.g original prints of our studiomate Andy Macgregor's first modelling for Tim with pastel powder clouds.  Here is Tim and stylist Jakob K having a peek at the private view and Jacob also looking at one of my personal fave portraits of Patrick Wolf .  

Thanks to Alex Cunningham for the shots from the opening this weekend.

Tues 30th March: Birthday Wishes for Lady Gaga

I wasn't the only blondie Arian celebrating her birthday this weekend...............Lady Gaga had a double celebration as "Telephone" was No.1 in the UK for a 2nd week.........

(here are a couple of cute illustrations of her wearing my hat, discovered and kindly sent to me by Jo Apps and Connie Kang)

Tues 30th March: More Birthday Treats........

Warning:  I am going to drag out my birthday on here, sorry!  Ive just had the best time so...............

The message on the inside of my card from Teo Connor and Andy Macgregor said "Friends are the best accessories"..............HOW TRUE!

Top to bottom:  Kryptonite hair slide by Rosy Nicholas (just look how cosmic it is...........even too cosmic for my camera to capture!), beautiful flowers from Gabi, Balloons and cake from Alex Cunningham..............apparently the sales assistant asked Alex "how old is she today?".....answer "30"...... oh dear!  Can never get enough unicorns and rainbows though............ 

Mon 29th March: Birthday Wishes from Tom Ryling

"Many Many happy returns on your birthday!
I've attached a humble momento, it's a funfair i went to in't countryside!"  Tom Ryling

Mon 29th March: Birthday Wishes from Chrissie Abbott

Verity and I were extremely lucky to have our party invitation designed by insanely gifted and generous Chrissie Abbott.  Thank you so much..........what a brilliant gift to mark our milestone!

Mon 29th March: Birthday Wishes from Fifi and Lola

The girl's stepped it up a level and the decoration equated the cosmic cupcake batter rainbow.

Thanks to Fifi and Lola for jazzing up the proceedings of the birthday celebrations with this spread of magic munchies.  Here I am, seemingly worse for ware which I can only fathom as an unfortunate angle of the photograph as apposed to my disposition..............also, just to clarify the secret ingredient I had requested was not hallucinogenic as speculated but magical juice from a flower known as "love-in-idleness"....................... the proof is in the pudding...........

................. unfortunately I gave up my cupcake to my star VJ Riyo as she had missed out..........so no mwah for me this time...........but an excuse to make more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Images c/o Lucy Aebischer 

Mon 29th March: Birthday Wishes from Clare Shilland

"I saw this pink dog yesterday, and i thought you would appreciate him.
Happy birthday!"

Clare Shilland

Sunday 28th March: Birthday wishes from NOKI

Sunday 28th March: Cosmic Birthday

Here is a little snippet into my 30th birthday party which I will follow up with more info shortly..........

Portrait of Rosy & I by Rory DCS

Fifi & Lola's rainbow cupcakes taken for twitter by Nova and Bubbles.