Illustration Crush: Shira Sela

This week I am loving the beautiful, peaceful work of Shira Sela, who I discovered randomly whilst floating around Etsy recently (when I was 'working' of course). It's been such a busy, frantic week here at Red Parka, with both myself and my husband with our heads down busily making to keep up with the ridiculous Christmas market schedule we have set ourselves, not to mention we are trying to pack and move house as well! And so, this image of Shira's really caught my eye and made me stop, breathe, and sit for a moment and think how lovely life really was.

There's something so magical about red and turquoise - my favourite colour combination at the moment!

Shira is an illustrator and designer from Montreal, Quebec, in Canada, a place I am dying to visit as I have some beautiful friends who live there. 

I hope you enjoy these few pictures - I think they are my favourites but it was so hard to choose just a few to show you! It was impossible for me to resist the girl on the zebra, whilst the girl on the pier reminds me of being a child growing up on the coast of Tasmania, back when life was simple!

If you enjoyed this insight into Shira's world, you can visit her Etsy Store for many more wonderful creations.
You can also visit Shira's website or blog for updates on her work. Now I just need to decide which one of these would work best on the wall of our new house! The most exciting thing about the house is there is room for my husband and I to each have our own studio! We are not going to know ourselves after a year living in a little apartment, both trying to create and work from home. And of course, new studio means decorating! Yay!

Happy Wednesday folks!

Jen xx

MARKit love

So yesterday was MARKit at Federation Square here in Melbourne, one of my favourite design markets which happens just twice a year at this funky Melbourne landmark. For those of you not local, Fed Square (as it is known) is loved and hated by Melbournians in equal measure for it's crazy architecture and prominent location, right in the centre of town across the road from historical and beloved buildings like the venerable St Paul's Cathedral and iconic Flinders Street Station. I, for one, love it, which is interesting as I am usually far more partial to the old than the new when it comes to architecture.

Photo by AdamsJWC

Anyway, the one reason to love it that has nothing to do with architecture is that lots of good design events happen here, one of which is MARKit, a design market for Australian illustrators and designers to show their wares.

It was a ripper of a day! Wade and I were both so flat out behind our Red Parka stall that we had little time to look around, but I did manage to snap a few shots of our lovely and talented stall neighbours to share with you.

On our right was Studio Antic, a great design studio that screen prints original designs on fabrics, books, cards and more... very cool stuff.

On the other side of us was the gorgeous, natural screen printed linens of Memi Design. Her whites and reds on natural linen were a real hit with market goers, as you can no doubt see why!

And finally, across from us was Betty Jo Designs with an amazingly eclectic array of handmade goodies, such as this owl clock (how cool is it?) made from recycled lino and other upcycled treasures.

Happy Monday everyone! Wade and I have a full week ahead of us - making, marketing and moving (can't wait to show you our new house!!). What exciting things are happening in your world?

Jen x

Illustration Crush - Stacie Swift

I have fairly recently joined the Twitter brigade (@redparka) and have had a ball meeting new people and discovering great artists from around the world.... my most recent and favourite discovery is Stacie Swift (@stacie_swift), a UK illustrator that has stolen my illustration-loving heart!

Born and bred in London, Stacie now lives and works in Bedfordshire, UK. She does the most beautiful, quirky and bright coloured animal work I've seen in a long time, and as anyone who knows me knows, bright coloured animal drawings totally rock my world! Stacie is really making a name for herself in the illustration world, notably having done book covers for Ian McEwan and work for Harrods (wow!) as well as stocking her work in various UK stores (not to mention an old favourite of mine from when I used to live in Edinburgh, Paper Tiger!)

So here's a little insight into Stacie's world for you all - hope you enjoy as much as I do!! You can find Stacie on her website here, her shop on Etsy here, and she also keeps a lovely little blog where you can keep up with her adventures.

Happy Monday folks!

Jen xx

Tasmanian Adventures - Art, Craft and Rainbows!

Recently we went to Deloraine in Tasmania for the annual Tasmanian Craft Fair. The TCF is the biggest working art and craft show in Australia.... it's really huge - 16 venues in one little town, shuttle buses that run people from venue to venue all day, a gormet food pantry, live music and of course lots and lots of art and craft from all over Australia. They even have awards. Yes, it's that big! (Deloraine Rotary club - you totally rock!!)

So our Red Parka adventure started, as do all good adventures, on a boat, crossing Bass Straight on an 10 hour overnight journey. After little sleep (caught on the bench in bar as we got the budget sit-up-all-night tickets!) it was off to beautiful Deloraine to set up.

Leaving grey old Melbourne....

...for beautiful Tasmania!

The fair was four days of serious marketing so we had very little time to look around, however, we discovered one little Tasmanian gem on our peek around the market - the gorgeous Otekah!

They make beautiful things from wood, with a great illustrative flair that I really fell in love with - these necklaces and brooches were my favourite item.... the illustration in the wood is just so beautiful! Love!!

It's always a little sad for me leaving Tasmania, but on the return boat journey I was greeting by a dawn rainbow over Melbourne! I have never seen anything quite like it!

So we are back and well and truly stuck into the crazy season with five markets a week for the next few weeks! My new website is getting a bit of action too which is also exciting! I'm feeling a touch over committed but it's also exciting - I've never been one to do things by halves and I love working the business like this!

Enjoy tonight's thunderstorms folks!

Jen x

The Wolf Women of Renee Nault

In the crazy spring Melbourne weather of sunshine, wind gusts and storms, I've found myself pouring over the gorgeous work of Canadian artist Renee Nault. I'm especially in love with her red headed women.... and a little envious that my own red curls never look anything like this!!

By Renee Nault

We are moving house next week to a little cottage, a bit further out of the city, down near the ocean. As a Tasmanian, I always miss the ocean when I am away so I can't wait to be a regular visitor to the beach - just in time for summer too.... this piece, entitled Tides, is just what I need to inspire me this week as we pack our little city pad up and head south. To just sit in the water like that and drift away with my thoughts.... I can't wait!

By Renee Nault

By Renee Nault

By Renee Nault

I'm really loving the rich colour combinations Renee uses, especially the rich reds that jump out of each image. As a lover of Japanese art, I also love the way she mixes Japanese-inspired patterns within her own unique style. There's something dark and evocative about much of her work, wild and yet peaceful. Much like the Melbourne weather of late in fact! I kind of want to jump into each drawing!

Renee has an Etsy store where she sells her work as well as a great website with lots more to see.... enjoy!

Now that I have recovered from Blogtoberfest I am going to attempt to adopt a new blogging routine! As we are just entering the crazy season (I have five markets this week alone!!) it will surely be a challenge, but I look forward to getting into my next blogging challenge.

Happy creating wherever you are!

Jen

4 Things I Learned from Blogtoberfest

Greetings everyone! It's November! Wow! How the time has flown....

Photo by Foxtongue

I thought today I should do a little wrap up on my Blogtoberfest experience. I knew doing this would be a challenge, one I wasn't sure if I was up to. But I like to say yes. I believe saying yes is almost always better than saying no. So I did it. I signed up. And I failed. However, failure is not a bad thing - there are so many lessons in failure and the only time failure is bad is when you don't pay attention to the lesson within. So here's a little list of how I benefited from Blogtoberfest.

1. I learned I simply am not and will never be a daily blogger. And this is ok. I participated partly to experiment with my blog as it's still fairly new. And I wanted to work on my blogging 'routine'. Most blog posts take me at least an hour, if not two. And I love every minute of it! But I found doing it everyday a drag - it started to grate on me and I started to resent it. I considered putting up posts I had not given much thought to. Or had rushed out, simply because I thought I had to. But then I'd feel my writing was not up to scratch and a whole gamut of insecurities would flood my mind... I'm sure you know the drill. So the outcome. I have decided to aim for being a three times a week blogger. For now. Who knows what the future holds!

2. I learned that in order to be a regular blogger, be it daily, three times a week or whatever, it's a good idea to have some posts tucked away for a rainy day. Every time I tried to do a post but for various reasons felt uninspired, pushed for time or likewise, turned into a stressful moment. So I've decided to find a few days soon where I write a bunch of posts that are not time specific that I'll save for those days when I want to post but life over takes you. I have a lot of those. So I need to be prepared.

3. I learned that there are a whole lot of amazing people out there doing amazing things! Of course, I knew this in theory, but it's always good to be reminded of the reality and Blogtoberfest did this. Through the Blogtoberfest Roll I discovered a whole lotta goodness, from all over the world. My reader list is bursting at it's proverbial seems!

4. I learned about the supportive and caring nature of the blogging community. I received beautiful, encouraging words from complete strangers and witnessed connections made so full of possibility it makes me wiggle in my chair! As a newbie to the blogging world, Blogtoberfest brought me my first real experience of being part of a global community. And I like it!

So for all you you who did Blogtoberfest (and the wonderful organiser!), thank you for being a part of this amazing collection of creative people! Despite my failure, I have had a fabulous time with you all and look forward to growing connections as well all move into November and beyond. I don't know if I'll participate next year.... it feels like so far away - who knows where I'll be in life and blogging by then!!

I'll be back soon (not tomorrow!!! But soon....)

Jen x