Going Wild

Spike Jonze adaptation or not, I love this compendium of Wild Things tattoos...

Commend

The sheer talent of this artist is so totally mind-blowing...

See more of the work she did for the Neiman Marcus Christmas Catalog here.

And here, I thought I couldn't be any more excited for Christmas!

thanks to Yulia Brodskaya for the inspiring work

Step 3: Shower Them with Gifts

I'm feeling inspired by the beautiful colours and textures of the season.
Here's part of a piece I did last October, in honour of fall. See the final published piece here.
Enjoy the bounty-a pile of pumpkins!

Step Two: Show Them You Care

It's getting brisk out there, kids. Don't forget a sweater!
I wouldn't want you to catch a chill...

(you're welcome)

Step One: Admitting you have a Problem

I've been an admittedly bad blogger as of late, and feel as though I ought to enlist in some sort of 12-step recovery program. Bound to the studio with work, I tend to lose most communication with the outside world, save for the required "it's on it's way", "of course that's not a problem, I agree that shade of purple is soooo late-2008" and of course, "make it a double".
I can't promise that I'll get better, but I can promise that I will try. Really hard. Starting now.
Below is a handful of the editorial pieces that I've recently finished.
Please enjoy and please forgive.

Nick Drake, Uppercase magazine

Perspectives on Career Management and Family, Stanford Business magazine

Kawabata, The Walrus magazine

Fall Type

lyrics courtesy of Nick Drake

Commend

Beautiful short by Alexi Parizeau.
The Parishil Boys explain:

"Over the course of two days in July Alexi Parizeau captured the process of Adam Hilborn's first solo show "HOMEWARD BOUND" at the Barbershop Gallery. The camera was capturing images every 3 seconds with a Canon 5D Mk2 and 24mm 1.4F lens, tethered to a laptop.

The first night was a special invitation "Dinner with the Artist". The Dinner was prepared by Justine and Sara Wood of Les Louises. Friends and family were asked to attend the private viewing.

The following evening "HOMEWARD BOUND" was open to the public.

This is how it went..."

Homeward Bound from Alexi Parizeau on Vimeo.

Covet

I love all of Kiel Mead's jewelry, but how sweet are these Forget-Me-Knots?

I want.

Dime Bag Online

Giant Robot has posted the entire Dime Bag Show online.
View the show and buy some art here.
Some seriously fun work to be had.

Also see pictures of the packed New York opening here.
Enjoy!

Commend

To this day, one of my all-time favourite websites, Jonathan Harris' The Whale Hunt.
Begin the hunt here.

just beautiful.

Crave

For my first post, I can't choose just one, as I crave, covet and commend this.

"Collectors...with an appetite for late 19th-century relics like apothecary cabinets and dressmakers' dummies, are turning their homes into pastiches of the past."

From The New York Times Home & Garden

It seems these collectors and I are cut from the same cloth as I shudder with delight at every taxidermied head, every curious antique, every perfectly thoughtful vignette.

Crave, Covet, Commend

I like things.
I want things.
I like to look at nice things and wish that I had them.
I like to come across interesting ideas and wish that I had come up with them.
Whether it be a fresh new illustrator, an innovative way to roast marshmallows, or a current favourite font, there is so much out there that deserves cred.
Thus Crave, Covet, Commend, a new feature I'm adding to the blog that will include a daily item that I crave, covet, ....well, er, you get it.

My Place

See My Place in this week's issue of EYE Magazine.

typetastic

Here's a super sneak-peek of the work that has happily kept me studio-bound as of late.
I may have logged about 1200 different letterforms, all done by hand, and developed a mild case of carpal tunnel due to the tight turnaround, but all in all, it's pretty much been a dream job. Letterforms and portraits and doodles, all done in nothing but pencil...heaven.
It's a huge body of work that will eventually get up on the site, once the campaign is launched and my hand has healed... In the meantime, enjoy.

MORE

Home Truth, MORE magazine

A piece I recently finished for the September issue of MORE Magazine on the struggles we face and the decisions we are forced to make in caring for our aging parents.

Dime Bag 3

Whole Lotta Love, graphite on paper and Sculpey heart.

Here's the piece I created for Dime Bag 3, another great group show curated by Jordin Isip and Rodger Stevens. Currently showing at Giant Robot in New York, it is among 294 (!) pieces of artwork contained and displayed in plastic dime bags. For Whole Lotta Love, the original 5"x7" drawing was folded down to fit into the 3"x3" baggie, allowing only a sneak peek of it's subject. Heart included.

Read a short review and see some snaps here. Check back to Giant Robot's site soon, as they will be posting the entire show online (quite the uploading endeavor!)

Dime Bag 3 at Giant Robot, NY

Each artist (yes, all 240 of them) must create artwork to be displayed in a 3"x3" dime bag...
Thrilled to take part, I'll post my baggie here soon.
[Visit Giant Robot for the full list of artists]

Tie One On.

love this.
http://www.typographyserved.com/Gallery/Tie-pography/227637
courtesy of Ed Nacional

Hot Press for your Hot Bod

There's no escaping it, Ladies, it's officially bikini season...
And destineau is there!

Sneak Studio Peek

I had my apartment + studio shot by the amazingly talented Talia Shipman a while back...here's a quick glimpse into my world-even before she's put her magic finishing touch on them!

trendy

Had enough prisms yet?

Don't Be Greedy.

Illustrators Stand Up to the Google-giant.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/15/business/media/15illo.html

This kid grew up to be an Orthopod.

Scott

Destination: Summer!

{Capri maillot}

Destineau is abuzz these days as we gear up for a much-anticipated summer...
See the suits on SweetSpot and in NOW Magazine's Hot Summer Guide (and on the cover!)
Or stop by the Destineau website to browse the suits and to custom order!

WonderWall

an homage to many things past, see if you can find yourself on the Wall of Wonders!

slow work

new work for Maissoneuve,
about the Slow Movement infiltrating the technological world

Unconditional Love

One of the handmade cards I've done in honour of Mother's Day, or any day.

Email me (courtney@spoonstudio.com) to buy one and/or to see more of the limited edition!

The Gang

In case you missed them...

Denny

Benjamin

Barbara Van Allen

Oskar

Tripp

Thanks to Elizabeth, Adam, and the guys at the Barbershop for a great show!

CMYK stumble!

an uploading accident turned pure joy...

Selected!

I just found out that this Coldplay piece I did for SPIN was jury selected
to appear in the upcoming American Illustration Annual 28.

The Annual is published in November, but you can still get AI 27 which features work by talented friends Kiersten Essenpreis, Leif Parsons, and Ted McGrath (who also did the fantastic cover), among many others.

I'm thrilled to be included in another great annual alongside peers who inspire me to no end.

Barbershop Gallery

Barbershop Opening

Here are a couple snaps of my work at the opening of
The Northern Superlative Order of Wandering Portraitists Show.
I'll post each member of the family here soon, but enjoy the sneak peek for now...

photos from blog t.o.

love/food

I try my hardest to provide tasty tidbits of all things illustration, art and design; when it comes to feeding myself, however, I often fall short. That's why I leave that to my friend Angus of Angus Bennett Catering-just about the greatest chef I know. Angus has been feeding my always-hungry belly ever since he moved into town, and he's now ready to share some tasty (and beautiful) morsels with all of you.



Who says art can't be eaten?
Visit his new blog LOVE FOOD to be inspired by talent of a different flavour.

Upcoming Show

The Superlative Order consists of Adam Hilborn, Elizabeth Dyer and myself.
A Portrait show opening April 8th at Barbershop Gallery; check back soon for full details as well as a sneak peek of some of the new work being shown....bound to be a good one.

Pass the Buck. I mean, Luck.

Some sad looking, but very meaningful, pieces of luck passed down three generations to me.
They've been through a lot. And now, I pass them on to you.
Happy St. Patrick's Day.

Two Birds

A "family portrait" I recently finished for my dear friend Caroline
(whose new baby, Emma, is also my new god-daughter!)

The Walrus

A piece about the key players of history being consigned to oblivion in our over-documented, over-saturated age; in this case Ephrem Brisebois, the first French Canadian officer in the North West Mounted Police.
Brisebois Drive, The Walrus

Green Clean

Don't know about you, but I'm hopping on the bandwagon and goin' green for the ol' Spring Clean this year.
Green Cleaning, Chicago Magazine

Group Show

In honour of President Obama's first visit to Canada...
come check it out!

an outpouring of LOVE

In honour of my (ahem) favourite holiday, I'm giving love to some old drawings.
Crappy Valentine's Day!

see more lovely things at www.spoonstudio.com