Anahata Katkin

Inspiration: Paxton Gate

This time of year is always such a strange mix of the outdoor experience.  I've been so happy to see Cherry trees blooming but there's still a gothic, grey look since nothing is yet green but there's warmth in the air.  Green shoots and flowers jetting up through old leaves and bare sticks.  The flipside of fall- but not yet spring.
It has me thinking of the strange and wonderfulness spotted at Paxton Gate when I was in SF last month.
Part curiosity shop, part garden center, 100% inspired.  It's a place with taxidermy freaks like unicorns, and crocodile headed geese.  We loved every minute in this freaky wonderland.  
It makes me want to decorate my porch with willow branches and bird bones.  I love how when a store or a designer has such a strong and defined vision it's so contagious!  I actually started thinking..."yeah- I could use a taxidermied horse with a fake unicorn horn- I need that in my life.  I need more medical beakers overflowing with bulbs, right next to a spider collection!  Yes.  That's soooo me!"  Ironically I hate bugs and darkness and yet Paxton Gate was full of magic and inspiration.  A porthole into the mind of a thriving & beautiful imagination.  

Hong Kong: Next Month

Next month a few of us are taking a working field trip to the cultural mecca, Hong Kong.  I'm getting really excited thinking about visiting this unique city.  We manufacture there and my brother has been our Asia guy.  Braving all the extreme flights and language limitations over the years.  He's made many friends and changed the face of what's possible as budding manufacturers.  But this time we are taking a more creative approach and going for exploration of new kinds of craftsmanship and all the trades that are so famous, skilled and abundant in progressive China.  
 I wanted to pick your brains though and ask those of you who have been if you have any favorites or must see's.  We'll be pretty busy while where there so we won't get to do all day events.  But I'd love to know some spots we could drop in on and explore.  I am most fascinated by old Hong Kong and it's history.  Of course I'd love to find art hubbs, antique markets and I have a particular love and fascination with traditional Chinese Painting.  But any favorites are welcome!  xoxoxo...(Photo's Kelvin Wong, FromTheNorth, Beerboxerboy.)

Make Your Own: Scout Books

Thanks to an informative post over at the savvy sfgirlbybay I am so curious about Scout Books.  They are offering a wonderful recycled paper, custom notebook. You can design your own (covers & inside pages!)  and they have wonderful pricing for quantities.  A great addition to an Etsy store or just a great  idea for clever keepsake invitations or home spun holiday gifts.    UPDATE: Scout Books was sweet enough to see us here and is offering blog readers $25.00 off on "Make Your Own" orders!  Nice!  They say just enter BLOGLOVE at checkout to receive the discount.  

Fiona Hewitt

I can't imagine at this point that you aren't familiar with the illustration of Fiona Hewitt.   Maybe best known for her Miso Pretty series with Blue Q.  
I took some time to see what more I could learn about this design wizard.  English artist Fiona says she has been deeply influenced by her years living in Hong Kong.  Fiona says: "Gaining confidence in my new-found style, I returned to my Asian flavored 'paintings' with gusto, this time bringing on board more elaborate and obscure sources, inspired by toys, communist-era propaganda, the Fifties, the Forties, sweets and packaging."
  
  Fiona's artwork seems groundbreaking to me and is such a playful and refreshing example of todays range of possibilities for us all.  I love her no apologies commitment to her own style and clear fascinations.  Fiona's artwork can be found on many interesting and fun products here with Wu & Wu, Blue Q, and Chronicle Books.

Japan!!

 Todays handiwork is this eggplant baby.  We've decided our color at PAPAYA this year is unofficially purple.  We are all so tired of pink and turquoise-but still trying hard not to use it.  Can you believe it!  Finally.  So our remedy has been playing in smokey colors and deep tones. 
It must be no coincidence that this Japanese maiden joined the collection today.   Because we just received this little snapshot from our new Japanese distributors at a current show.  They built this lovely little alcove for us and are giving PAPAYA a warm Japanese welcome! Yippee!

Wallpaper Panels- Reinvented

 Along with the older pieces I've been reworking I just pulled out some scans of old wallpaper panels.  This one I did by hand in Bali and this weekend I completely reworked the image with some digital enhancements. Adding snippets from other paintings and a brand new face.   
  This one was also a wallpaper panel original that I took and focused more on softening areas, changing colors.  Subtle changes.  Overall I'm enjoying repurposing what's hanging around.  

Recycling Artwork

 This year I have been doing a lot of recycling of old pieces.  Refreshing them, salvaging them.  Making stuff that I didn't like into something more finished.  Maybe I made it years ago and didn't have as many skills as I do now or maybe it was a more recent piece I just never liked.  This image is something I completed last month.  I used a previous project and reinvented it.  Mainly by adding a new figure over the old one that wasn't workin.
This was the piece before.  I had it custom framed and renewed the artwork as well as filled it in with resin.  i'm much happier now and  was able to reuse some favorite textures in the original.  I think next I'm going to pull out some final projects from college and give them a makeover... 

Inspiration: Valentine Blooms

I did the rest of my Valentine shopping today in my little town.  Thank God for the kick ass local shop, Prize. They always have my back!  But being in a small town makes being resourceful a fun challenge. Over at Design*Sponge I found these various images of gorgeous flowers in vintage cans and bottles. 
  I have these pink tea tins from Pearl River in NYC (cheap & online too) that I think will work to deliver the blooms!  How cute is the little herb-in-tin guy?  I love that.  You could even use a floral stick to add our free CD music download and artwork to the bouquet.  Hey!  Share the love!

Refreshing: Brad Huck

Today I saw the works of Maui resident, Brad Huck and was blown away! (@ Bohemia Gallery)  His artwork in person is just incredible. Textural and full of detail.  That great and inspiring mix of finer areas and loose, intuitive areas.  Yummy!  All of his pieces are also done with encaustic wax.  A process I have never tried or used but after seeing his work today I'd love to know more. (hint hint y'all) 
It's artists like him that make collecting originals seem like more of a priority in life.  Way to go Brad!  I'm a huge new fan...
 

Share the Love! Free Downloads

Hey look what our PAPAYA cuties have been up to while I was away!  So cool.  I didn't even know we could do this. (They are way ahead me!)  Free Valentine downloads!  Click here to see how it works.  SWEET!