other people's pixels

Illustrators, designers and photographers are like the catwalk models of the artistic world... because they require an impressive portfolio to get more work! However, unlike models, we don't have a team of helpers doing our mundane chores while we walk up and down a big plank in designer clothing! If you hate doing up your website as much as me, and just want to get on with the job of drawing, why not join many of the leading artists handing the job over to Other People's Pixels...solely providing templated portfolio sites for creative people,they are incredibly affordable, the design templates are chic and simple and all you have to do is upload your work. And if my favourite illustrator in the world (Kat Heyes) has signed up with them, I'll certainly be following suit next time I revamp my look!

half a cup of tea, anyone?

Ah, January...early morning swims before work, prawns dipped in aoili for dinner, renewed creative energies and slowly getting 'back into the swing of things'. Forgive me for getting very lax on the 'daily' part of this blog. The posts will be coming in thick and fast very soon, just winding back up like a little cuckoo clock. Some exciting news- Xanthe is off to Paris next week indefinitely so we'll be getting a good regular taste of our fave city!

Secondly...today's little find. It seems someone out there is able to produce something beautiful and intricate using a scalpel and paper without hurting themselves...i still have a lovely scar on my right thigh from trying to build a paper model on my bed in the first year of uni ten years ago, so, suffice to say, I am in awe of halfacupoftea's creations. Just don't attempt to do this at home!

italy- la biennale de venezia

One of Martino's recommendations was to visit the architecture biennale happening in Venice while we were there, called OUT THERE-Architecture Beyond Building. Set in the gardens at the bottom of the Venice, almost every country in the world was represented by their own pavilion (no-not ugly plastic tents but architect designed, almost permanent, freestanding buildings) to showcase concepts of future architecture, without being restricted to the idea of a building- much like haute-couture isn't really wearable on the street, the designs were imaginative and not constrained to the idea of actual buildings, but what a space could be if the architect were to think 'beyond building'. It was creatively unrestrained and almost overwhelming to see so many ideas and models trying to outdo one another in such a historical setting. The exhibition continued in the Arsanale area, an old military yard, where some of the bigger names like Zaha Hadid and Gehry architects were given room for large scale installations to show what they thought was going to happen next in architecture. We took loads of photos but here are just a few....!

Chile pavilion

British pavilion

Me walking through part of the Italian pavilion

Conceptual illustrations in the Arsenale

Me amidst Zaha Hadid's installation

My favourite model in the Australian pavillion

The exterior of the Japanese pavillion which was a white space covered in delicate pencil illustrations and filled with botanical arrangements.

italy- Martino Gamper

ITALIAN FAVOURITES: The smell and touch of buttery leather handbags in Florence, the taste of seafood marinara in the Cinque Terre after 6 hours of trekking the misty coastline, the train ride through Verona which brought to mind Romeo & Juliet as we witnessed a very old couple reunite with a kiss at the station, and learning to order a good cappuccino in Rome by simply adding the word 'Dopplio!' (Double shot!) I WISH I'D: Well, been born in Tuscany.

Now, may I ask, what have you made today? Me, personally, I made scrambled eggs with rocket and parmesan for breakfast...and my bed, 

I made that too. Well it is summer holidays after all. Still makes me feel lazy when compared to the efforts of genius Italian designer Martino

 Gamper, who made 100 chairs in 100 days...all incredibly made from other old chairs (including some designer icons!) and this is just one of his countless projects which have redefined those overused terms like 'vintage', 'reuse & recycle' for me and given them fresh meaning. I met Martino by chance on a train from Milan to Venice...he had a gorgeous tan leather bag and moleskin diary that gave away his identity as an in-demand designer and we got talking...with his tips we had an amazing time in Venice and Florence filled with many gorgeous design finds (see posts to come). Visit his site here and spend hours on there as I did...and most importantly buy the dazzling book! I think my favourite commission of his is this Berlino Bench. Not to travellers - DO talk to strangers...you never know who you might meet!