Some thoughts on good Bios

The top 20 twitter post got me thinking about writing bios in general.
I have collected great bios for a while now. Here are two faves:

Simon Collison: Author + Web designer: kept alive by tea and roll ups.
Mr. Fogey: Black sheep, Bon vivant, Failed mercenary in Africa

Have noticed some connecting threads:
1. All are funny
2. All don't take themselves too seriously
 ie. none contain the words Innovative, Creative, Strategic, Extensive experience or claim to Push the envelope or Supersede your expectations - Barf!

Put another way... these bios follow the age old writing advice to Show don't Tell.

ps. This ability to be more self deprecating + a bit opaque seems to come most easily to the Brits. It's a skill I hope more writers + art directors in North American will adopt as I'm getting a bit weary of unimaginative + "Trying too hard" company descriptions.
I'll get off my soapbox now.

Operation Tea towel!


Food quotations Linen Tea towel

Some process shots:

Inking the screen


and Ta - da!

I also printed the image on large 24 X 36 paper.
I like the combo of very dense writing contrasted with lots of white space on all 4 sides.

Please note: The tea towel is just a protype - not yet available!
The prints are artist's proofs. I will have a full edition + pricing by next week.
Please email me at alanna(dot)cavanagh(at)gmail(dot)com if interested in either item.

ps. Must be mentioned... The linen tea towel samples were sewn by Alexis DaSilva - Powell and she did an amazing job.

Carol's FLOR


Here's my friend Carol's FLOR carpet that she recently ordered from NEAT on Queen St. I love the gutsy combo of greys + oranges which she choose. I think FLOR is one of the best companies going. Making the carpet tiles from scraps left over from larger carpet jobs = very green. ps. That is Dudley at the top of the photo.

New Project


My food quote piece inspired by many good meals
I liked the combo of high + low quotes: Brillat Savarin mixed with Woody Allen


Blank screen picked up at G+S Dye on Dundas.

After coating the screen with emulsion + shooting the image Dave Murray washes out the screen.


Tada! Screen ready to go.

Coming home.
Screens are notoriously difficult travelling partners
= large taxi bills for printmakers :-(

Two years ago when I was in Berlin I was inspired by many good meals + beautiful murals to paint a series of food quotes in my sketch book. I am now finally getting around to making something with it! Today I got a screen made of the image and in the next two weeks I will be making both tea towels + silk screen prints with this image. Stay tuned for the final results.