nails

I got my nails done twice in Hong Kong, a wonderful extravagance! I love having nails that are interpretations of my own work.

I took this mokuhanga print I made in to the wonderful Alian at NailUps and she created this green and pink design for me.

Before I went to Japan I asked for a pink sakura design, taken from my Japan Toile ceramic collection, and she created a silver and pink wonder.

Alian paints everything by hand with the finest paintbrushes you can imagine, it’s truly like magic. I’m already thinking of what I’d like for next time…

Hong Kong trip II

I stopped in Hong Kong for a few days before heading home to California; a few more meetings, a few more ceramic samples checks, and a few more nice meals with friends. I walked everywhere, and even managed a wander through the botanical gardens, where I sketched some of the birds.

Meals in HK are always a treat, and I try to go to few new places every visit, to try a few new dishes, as well as my favourites…

I checked in on the progress of my new ceramics. I’m loving the green and gold of the new Hong Kong Toile collection.

Hong Kong at night always shines: I love the lights, the neon and just strolling around soaking it all in…

Star Wars Celebration

Part of our trip to Japan was reserved for Star Wars Celebration, the huge convention, held every couple of years for fans. We got tickets for it way before we even booked our flights. There was was just so much to see, and over 100,000 people there, it was incredible.

I sketched in the panels we went to, and even managed to sketch some of the cosplayers. I traded my sketches for merch: apparently trading like this is a tradition at Star Wars Celebration.

The cosplay was next level - some of the costumes were exact replicas, but I loved the ones that took Star Wars and mashed that up with Japanese influence, or their own fun versions. Everyone was there to see and be seen, and so happy to pose for photographs.

I especially loved the little miniatures display of artwork by Tanaka Tatsuya, making dioramas of Star Wars using everyday objects.

We watched animations, saw Anthony Daniels and caught a glimpse of Hayden Christiansen. We bought all sorts of Grogu merch, ate Chewbacca-styled yakisoba and I actually learned alot of Star Wars culture and history I didn’t know. We would definately do this again!

Kamakura

This week we spent a few days exploring Kamakura. It’s such a beautiful town, although the sheer number of visitors, both local and international, was a bit overwhelming. We did manage to find a few quieter spots, which was lovely. The first was in the grounds of the Hachimangu temple, where the peonies were in perfect bloom. I sketched some of the incredible flowers…

Each peony bush was protected from the sun by a paper parasol, and with the backdrop of perfectly blossoming sakura trees it was like a dream.

We also visited Sugimoto temple, the oldest in Kamakura. It has lovely mossy steps and a quiet atmosphere. I loved the designs of the paper labels on the insides of the structures - signs of visitors long past.

The cherry blossom was blooming at its peak, and we walked along the longest avenue of sakura I have ever seen.

And no visit to Kamakura is complete with seeing the big buddha at Kotoku-in. We made it all the way there, but couldn’t face the sheer number of tourists, so we said hello through the gate, and decided to walk along the beach instead…

It was a lovely visit, and I especially enjoying going on both the old-fashioned Enoden train line, and the retro-futuristic monorail!

Hayama

We just spent the week in the most beautiful house we’ve ever stayed in. We have been living in Hayama, next to Kamakura, south of Tokyo, and I enjoyed it thoroughly: it’s relaxed, friendly, and somehow cosy. I set up this area to draw in, and was super productive. I’d love my own studio to be like this one day!

Every room in the house was thoughtfully designed, preserved and made comfortable. I truly didn’t want to leave… If you ever feel like spending some time in Hayama, I recommend it! You can book directly with them here.

We walked along the beach and coast in various places at different times of the day, and it was always stunning. Even in the rain.

We went out for many delicious local meals…

…and we drove further down the coast to Miura, and visited the dramatic Jogashima coastline. The geology is so wonderful, I wish I knew more about it! So much to discover all the time in Japan.

sakura season

I’ve been in Japan for a week and wherever we go, have been loving seeing the sakura burst into bloom. There are so many kinds, in all different tones of white to pink, and even on the rainiest day, looking at cherry blossoms makes me feel lucky to be alive.

Hong Kong part I

I’ve just spent a week in Hong Kong, enjoying the temperate weather (for a change) and getting lots of meetings in. I always walk around the city and see my products in store, and this time I even caught my HK toile teapot in use in someone’s home…

My favourite views in HK are looking down across the city, and looking out from the Star Ferry…

As usual, I managed to fit in lots of wonderful meals - dim sum, the newly Michelin star bib-gourmanded black sesame icecream, and some fusion HK local treats.

I visited the shiny new HK Stadium, which looks like an alien spaceship!

…and was absolutely fascinated by the replica Kowloon Walled City exhibited at the new Airside Mall.

I love HK at night, it has some sort of magic. I’ll be back again soon…

craft night sketching

Last weekend I went to a wonderful craft night at someone’s house and spent the evening sketching and chatting.

It’s always relaxing to draw with no purpose in mind, just looking and creating randomly. It’s like stretching muscles that have not been used for a while.

I really should sketch more! When I travel it’s so easy, seeing new and interesting things everyday, but when I’m working at home, I need to make the time. 2025 goals.

wine region maps

The exclusive members wine club 67 Pall Mall recently launched their newest book ‘Wine & the Food of Asia’. The book explores how you can pair wines with Asian cuisine, and I created illustrated maps for each of the chapters.

I worked with the book’s designer Lawrence Morton to devise a layout where I could show the countries in the map in each chapter, with featured cities, and also illustrate some of the foods representative of those places.

It is a beautiful hefty book, full of gorgeous photographs, as well as my maps.

I thoroughly enjoyed researching the foods from all these countries, and illustrating in a loose drawn style to capture the flavours of dishes and ingredients as much as possible.

Working around the gutter of the book was a challenge, as I had to keep anything important out of the middle of the map. I really enjoyed creating the pattern of the sea that is all hand painted in watercolour!

As well as ingredients and finished dishes, I researched the tools and equipment used in Asian cooking, and had fun playing with the shapes and textures of these objects.

I also subtly reflected each region in the border design I made for each map. I researched local textiles and ceramics to come up with a pattern that would be representative but not too specific.

The first maps I created had lines around the country borders to give more definition, and darker colours on the backgrounds of each country, but these were eventually removed to make the maps more minimal. Here’s the original Japan/Korea map with darker colours.

I hope the book is a success! I loved making these maps.

Singapore Toile Collection

I designed a brand new Toile Collection exclusively for inside, a boutique in Hong Kong and Singapore and it’s available in stores now.

Currently there is a teapot, teacups and saucers, Chinese teacups, mugs and teatowels, with more items in the future…

I created the design to feel tropical and urban, classical and modern, just like Singapore. I used colours inspired by traditional Singapore shophouses.

The design features local buildings, wildlife and tasty treats. I think it’s the prefct gift for anyone who has lived in or visited this wonderful city!

theatre sketches

We went to see the play Cuckoo Edible Magic yesterday and had an incredible time. I laughed so much I absolutely loved it!

It’s always tricky to draw in the dark, but I give it a go and hopefully capture something of the actors’ movements and characteristics…

sketching the Grammys

I watched the Grammys last week, and absolutely loved seeing all the delightful outfits everyone wore. I did as many super quick sketches as I could.

The simplicity of the little drawings reminds me always that every time I draw it’s great practice. Especially drawing people.

Can you spot anyone you recognise?

Happy Lunar New Year!

It’s the Year of the Snake and I really hope it will be a good one. Keep up the hard work, and we can make the world a little better for everyone.

I made this for the Keswick Foundation charity in Hong Kong. Only one more to do for them and they will have the full set of 12 animals!

Hong Kong LEI article

I met with the online Japanese-language magazine Hong Kong LEI when I was in HK last, and we had a great conversation about my work and my history with HK. I invited them to the faux showroom where they took some lovely photos. Here’s the full article in Japanese, and if you read it here in Chrome, it will translate to English. Enjoy!

window painting

I was commissioned to create a temporary painted window for The Lovely Clinic in Knightsbridge, while their renovations are happening.

I created a window design with a hand-drawn version of their logo and name, with an illustration of one of their laser machines. I added sparkles and wording and a little cheeky speech bubble.

I drew the design in black line first, doing all the lettering backwards, as I worked on the inside of the window.

I then painted from the front to the back, layering the colours to create as even and flat a layer of colour as I could.

The clinic will have its shutters down behind the window while they are renovating, so my painting will serve as a notice of what’s opening soon.

If you happen to walk past, let me know what you think, and do send a photo!

London

It has been an extremely chilly and frosty start to the year in London. I don’t remember it ever going down to -5C here before. I’ve been trying to capture some of the beautiful frost, lining all the vegetation in the mornings…

Getting up close you can really see the ice crystals forming over the different textures.

The garden is bare at this time of year, but the frost does make it seem sort of magical.

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone’s year is starting out well! I’ve just come back from Brussels where I visited my friend Aude and spent the weekend working in her studio on a Mokuhanga Sisters project.

All 9 of us in the group worked in our own timezones across 6 countries over the weekend to carve a snake/moon image and print an editon of 25 postcard-sized prints.

I started by sketching a variety of snakes, then decided to create a snake and moon vase, working out if it should be a red vase on white, or a white vase on red.

I added some floral elements into the design, and then simplified it as much as possible to be able to carve it in one day.

I carved 2 blocks, the gold highlight block, which I printed first, and the red vase block.

All of us used the same red sumi ink from Nara, so that all our prints would match. We could add one extra colour, so I added an ochrey gold to the moon and added some gold shading inside the vase and in the pattern of the snake.

I printed the edition of 25 cards, and will add my chop when everything is properly dry!

It was a great experiment, and fun to know that the other Sisters were also printing, all around the world.

London Christmas

I’ve been in London this week, visiting family, celebrating Christmas, and even managing some sightseeing in town. I do love looking at the Christmas decorations and lights all over the city…

Happy Christmas!

Wishing you all a very wonderful holiday season with family and friends!

I based this little robin on the two who live in my parents’ garden. They each have their own corner, and would visit to say hello when I was staying in London over the summer. I tried to capture their little hopping motions and the way they suddenly switch from facing left to right. They’re friendly and so curious about everything…