A midsummer nights dream

open letter

witch

A little bit late for halloween, but a witch all the same.

Red Magazine

An editorial illustration for Red magazine, a fashion publication from the Netherlands aimed at middle aged women. This was an interesting assignment, as i had to draw an old woman for the first time, i think. The article is about women faced with the tough decision of what to do when their parents reach an age where they can no longer look after themselves (which must translate into zorg sandwhich). The illustration itself was based on a netherlands saying 'sitting behind the cranesbill'  - which i think encompasses the subject of solitude and stillness - and luckily enough cranesbill are also darling little flowers with heart shaped leaves. This push into a different angle was rather satisfying and made me conscious of the age groups i usually illustrate. In my old age i'd like to be an eccentric loon like Edie Beale and have a lavender beehive and a house full of cats and canaries and grandchildren painting on the walls, so seeing as it'll be another 50 years till i'm old enough for that, it's only manageable to bring it to life on paper - the purple hair part, anyways.

carmen miranda bike

heaps of glitter + glue = the bike i made for the sydney bicycle film festival.

Paper Tales

I am completely over the moon to be a part of Paper Tales among such a glorious collection of Australian artists. Such good company!  If you live in Brisbane i do urge you to go along and check it out. I've had the pleasure to see the work of Lily, Bec, Beci, Courtney and Erin in galleries before, and the extraordinary talent of these girls must be enjoyed in the real world. Computer screens do not suffice when trying to translate such impeccable beauty.


And now for a sneak peek....Over the past few weeks i've been working on some meticulous pencil drawings for the show. In an attempt to branch out and experiment, i put away the paints and tried to fill everything in with only a pencil. (welll...a pacer, to be exact.) This meant occassional hand cramps, thousands of small lines and long focused hours - but the final result is something i'm really proud of and so happy to exhibit. I'll show it all once the exhibition is underway, but for now....

RIDE

OPENS TONIGHT!
Sorry for the late notice guys, but i still hope to see a bunch of you sydney folk in attendance.
The life-size plywood bike i decorated will be up on the wall. It's a glitterific fruitfilled bonanza!
(and i hear that the opening is going to be quite the party, so dance shoes are a must.  so cool. dancing is the centre of my world right now.  )

humble abode

pacer pencil

Some little snippets of two very time consuming pencil drawings for an upcoming show.

prints for christmas

If you would like to purchase some giclee prints for christmas then now is the time to pre-order!
I only keep very limited stock instore, so if something takes your fancy and you would like to have it hanging on your wall, or would like to give it as a gift, you must let me know so i can order it in for you now, in time for christmas.
These are museum quality giclee prints on hahnemuehle cotton paper. They are beautiful, vibrant and archival.
to see some examples, visit: 1, 2, 3, 4.
As a special treat to my blog readers, I'm discounting the price and will also include a selection of free 4x6 inch prints with every purchase.
a4 giclee prints = $27 AUD + postage. (around $8 for overseas and around $4 for Australian residents.)
a3 giclee prints = $55 AUD  + postage (around $14 for overseas and around $6 for Australian residents.)


All you have to do is send an email to caitlin.shhh@hotmail.com and i will get back to you.
Virtually anything on my blog or flickr is available as a print, so take your pick. :)
I'll be ordering my next batch around the 20th of november, so please let me know by then.
p.s. i'm also interested in considering swaps! so if you run an online vintage boutique, or make arts/crafts and would like to swap a print or two for some goodies, let me know!

femme fatale

A perfume scented narrative for Le Magazine.

Le Magazine

Back in july and august i was busily working on a bunch of illustrations for Le Magazine. I was really pleased with how they turned out and so have been dying to reveal them. Finally, the mag is out and i can do so. First up is a collection of glass perfume bottles, which make want to dabble more in painting objects. I think watercolours are the perfect medium to capture translucence and shine. Secondly is a fashion editorial inspired by classic pin up girls like Betty Grable and Bettie Page. (both who have such glorious figures!) I feel like i'm getting the hang of posture and hands, which makes me happy.
The illustrations sadly got a bit altered and fuzzy when being utilised for the mag, so i hope you can enjoy them here in all their glory. & There is lots more art to come! This week i'll be preparing some new pencil works for an upcoming show in Brisbane, in-between listening to the bell jar audio book and wilting in the summer heat.

the queen of cats wears Jill Stuart

emerald city

Doesn't really even look like me at all, but i forgot to take any halloween outfit photos.

Empty Mailbox

A languid and lingering lovesick lady in a dress of liquid silk.


This illustration is for the marvellous English magazine Ballad Of.
The next issue 'Ballad of... Nanny Floff' is released on november 12 and is themed around an empty mailbox. It features a handpicked selection of young illustrators/photographers/creative souls from around the world and does so with a flair and charm which i find irresistible.
Created by two girls Lindsey and Claire (who i believe to be my kindred spirits in London),  Ballad Of  is a world i'm glad to be a part of. Their website is packed full of decadent goodies like street style snaps, party invites, exhibition news and is a space which lovingly showcases fresh new work.
Pre-order your copy of the mag here! Or if you are based in London, pop along to their launch party at Jaguar Shoes. (here's an invite for you!)
I wish i had some ruby slippers that would fly me there so i could go and attend. I do own some purple satin shoes from London's infamous Biba store, but i think their magic wore out in the 70's because they won't even transport me up to the local shops to buy a bunch of bananas. oh well!

raspberry beret

An illustration for  Blow Online to accompany an article about their top 5 key fashion pieces for spring/summer.
This is the Dalston hat, designed by Piers Atkinson. A Speckled raspberry beret topped with hollywood-esque mirrored letters and two tiny plastic people. I think it goes nicely with marshmallow hair!

I am looking forward to this summer - my first as an adult living outta home. It'll be full of markets and swimming pools and wine with ice cubes and backyard bath parties and nice tunes.

This summer all i want to wear are 1950's watercolour silk dresses in earthy tones, outrageous cats eye sunglasses, floor length chiffon skirts, art deco jewellery, ruffled peasant shirts that sit off the shoulder, and skirted swimsuits. time to get sewing!