I worked on the new WOM dining guide in HK, and I really like the glossy brightness of the cover. I created an illustration about food and drink in HK, and managed to feature all my favourite buildings.
As this issue is about award-winning dining, I drew all sorts of badges and awards inside, for the different categories.
The awards were also given to the actual restaurants, and it was great to see this on display!
shiny water
in photography, San Francisco, travel, USA
On our roadtrip up the West Coast this weekend the weather was turbulent and wild.
And the Pacific was moody and full of deep colours. 
There were moments of stillness, 
and the waters of estuaries, full of moorhens, sandpipers and gulls, shone with the last light of the day.
Thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving is this coming week here in the States. Every year it falls on the 4th thursday of November and everyone goes to see their families and have a huge turkey meal, and think about all the things they're thankful for.
I'm thankful for having such a lovely husband, wonderful family, excellent friends, and for being able to draw every day. I hope you all have lots of things to be thankful for too...
Hearst Castle & Monterey
in drawings, exhibitions, lifestyle, people, sketchbooks, travel, USA
We visited Hearst Castle last weekend, which was totally enshrouded in fog and completely crazy. It was fantastic to walk through the rooms and marvel at the mismatched objets...
I liked the details in the carvings and sculptures...
and I really loved the vintage phones in all the rooms!
On the way there we drove down the Monterey coast along Big Sur. 
It was absolutely beautiful. We cruised '17 Mile Drive' and looked at the famous lone cypress and saw sealions and dolphins, hurrah!
Washington Flyer
I did some nice grainy line illustrations for the magazine Washington Flyer this month. It's their holiday gift special...
You can see the full issue here.
It was fun to design the wallpaper pattern, and also fun to start thinking about Christmas. I love the holiday season!
happy halloween!
Hope you're having a spooky day and looking forward to all the tasty treats this evening! Here are some I made earlier...
open studio
in editions, exhibitions, printmaking, products, San Francisco, shopping, travel, USA
Today and tomorrow I'll be at my studio in Dogpatch, San Francisco, with lots of prints for sale. I'd love to see you, please pop by!
Graphic Arts Workshop, 2565 3rd St. #305 San Francisco, CA 94107. 11am – 6pm both days.
For the first time, I even have a selection of my vintage prints for sale... 
It's been fun sorting through my collection, I'm looking forward to sharing!
open studios San Francisco
I'll be taking part in San Francisco's Artspan open studios next weekend: October 25 & 26th, at my print studio in Dogpatch: Graphic Arts Workshop, 2565 3rd St. #305 San Francisco, CA 94107. 11am - 6pm both days
It's an opportunity to visit the print studio, and buy prints directly from the artists. I'll have a big selection of etchings...
some lithographs, and also some Japanese woodblock prints...
All available to purchase. Some work is framed, most is unframed. I'll also be selling some limited edition greetings cards.
Bring along your wallets for some happy bargains!
Really hope to see you there.
River Cottage light & easy
I illustrated Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's new cookbook, which is available now, and it's lovely! The recipes are totally amazing, especially when you realise that they're gluten & dairy free. 
My illustrations throughout the book are drawn in colour pencil, so I could make them feel 'light and easy'... 
I did some little drawings to add flavour to the page...
and some larger ones across whole spreads.
I did some drawings around the text...
and some for the text to go around.
I worked with the whole Bloomsbury team, as well as Hugh, but mostly with the wonderful Lawrence Morton, who art directed the book.
There is now a River Cottage youtube channel, where they feature quite a few recipes from this book. Take a look, it's really fun!
River Cottage light & easy is available from River Cottage's amazon page. And of course all good bookstores. Enjoy!
umbrellas in Hong Kong
Hong Kong is the city of my heart, and it's totally breaking. I can't believe what's happening. I was there just over a month ago, and although there was tension in the air, it was nothing like what's going on now. Please show your support and spread the news.I love you Hong Kong!
fabric bag
I got myself a little eco fabric bag to keep my computer cables in while I travel, and it seemed a bit plain, so I drew a cable monster on it.
Hope he'll be able to keep my cables in order!
Japan trip: Wakayama
I've just spent a lovely few days in the Kii peninsula, in Wakayama, Japan. We stayed in traditional guest houses, in onsen towns along the Kumano Kodo ancient pilgrimage route. Our first stay was in Yunomine.
The tiny public onsen 'tsuboyu' there is the only UNESCO world heritage recognised hot spring! After enjoying that, and cooking our own onsen eggs, we walked part of the Kumano Kodo, over a mountain, enjoying the moss and ferns.
I love the combination of lush green, tall trees, and ancient stones.
We then stayed at the delightful Kameya Ryokan in Kawayu Onsen, on the Ota river.
We sat on the rocks and swam in the river, where the cold running water mixed with the bubbling hot spring water rising up through the stones.
I love onsen holidays!
Tokyo print exhibition
Our collaborative mokuhanga print project wood + paper + box is on show until sunday at the Tokyo University of the Arts (Geidei). You can read all about it here.
This is the installation, which shows a generally chronological view of our 1 year project.
Each print was framed in perspex and had its own individual shelf. We showed each artwork as a physical object.
This uchiwa fan is my final print. It's double-sided and when the light shines through the white jugs, you can see the reverse print pattern through it.
Hope you can make it see the show!
Tokyo
in drawings, editions, exhibitions, food, friends, japan, printmaking, travel
I'm in Tokyo for the 2nd International Mokuhanga Conference, where I'll be giving a presentation as part of our group project wood + paper + box, and also showing some work in the corresponding exhibition. Photo to follow of that next week! In the meantime, here's a tasty picture of our okonomiyaki dinner last night...
PMQ Hong Kong
Puerto Rico map
I've been doing city and country maps for PCMA Convene magazine in the US for quite a while, and for the most recent issue, I did a clean, bright, minimal map of Puerto Rico, highlighting a few places with black & white pencil icons.
phonograph project
I've just completed my prints for the group portfolio project Phonografik Collectivo. I was invited to join, and assigned a letter, or glyph, from the Phoenician alphabet, and asked to create an edition of prints based on its sound. I was given the glyph
which has a sound like nu-n, or noon.
I listened to the sound over and over, and realised it reminded me of the repetitive sound of oars hitting the water. I've always liked Phoenician galley boats, so I developed my work from there as a starting point.
I then decided to make etchings, of scattered Phoenician coins, that featured the glyph, in a sort of minimal, hidden way. I mixed a dark green/black ink, sort of an antiquey colour, with gold highlights and details.
It's going to be so interesting to see how the other participants have responded to their glyphs.
best of Chicago
I did some fun line drawings for the annual 'Best of Chicago' special for Chicago Magazine recently. I really love how they turned out...
I did drawings on the headings for each section,
and little icons throughout.
I especially enjoyed drawing on some of the delicious photography.
Hope I get to Chicago again to try some of these places out!
exhibition this weekend
I have a small selection of prints on show this weekend at my new printmaking studio in Dogpatch, San Francisco. If you're around, please do drop in!
There are 7 printmakers showing work; all of us are 'new' at the studio.
I'm showing some of my playing card prints, it's a chance to see them if you haven't yet! One day I hope to have a whole set...
The show will also be open by appointment for the whole of August.
happy birthday me!
in food, friends, illustration, San Francisco, USA
I've spent a lovely few days celebrating my birthday: I went to the De Young museum to sketch, and then to the wonderful State Bird Provisions for dinner with friends. OMG it was totally amazing. It was sort of dim sum style, with waiters coming round with selections of tasty little plates. The pancakes with corn & Mt Tam cheese were absolutely to die for! 
Everyone was casual and friendly and they gave us extra ice cream sandwiches which was a lovely touch.
And then today I had a picnic in the local Washington Park in the sunshine...
I made cucumber sandwiches with the crusts cut off, and everyone brought something to share. 
My friend made these amazing individual jellies...
Another lovely birthday. Thank you everyone!