New York Day 1

Ok! Finally getting around to posting some photos from my very fun business trip to NYC last week.

Saturday evening I met up with Illustrator/ Surface Designer Helen Dardik in SOHO.


Within an hour of meeting up Helen + I had our first celebrity citing: Photographer Terry Richardson. Ooooh ahh.


One of Helen's Patterns.
I really like the density of her work + her unusual colour combos.
 

Helen stops to take some shots while strolling through the West Village.

Side Note!: Check out Helen's fabulous Orla Kiely bag which I think could be renamed 
"the official purse of successful artsy woman everywhere."


Over dinner - as expected - Helen had lots of interesting things to say. Wildest discovery = the fact that she's an extreme night owl with regular work hours between 10 pm + 4am. Whoa!
After reading Helen's blog + hearing about her for many years through friends it was great to finally meet her.
You can read my full interview with Helen over on the uppercase blog.

New York

I'm in New York - staying with a friend on the Upper West Side.
For the next 3 days I'll be attending SURTEX: The National Surface Design show on behalf of uppercase magazine. While at The Javits Centre I hope to also pop into The National Stationary show and The ICFF (International Contemporary Furniture Fair) which are running simultaneously with SURTEX.  Am off right now to meet Helen Dardik for an interview. Stay tuned!

Toronto Star Mother's Day Gift guide


My Hudson's Bay Tea towel appeared in last Saturday's issue of the Toronto Star in the Mother's Day gift guide. Sandra Rojas-Chinni from La Merceria is featured in the piece with her list of suggested gifts for the hard to please mom.  In case you haven't been...La Merceria is a very sweet shop/cafe tucked away at 506 Adelaide St. West. It's full of carefully selected home accessories. Definitely worth a visit.

Great reference Book: Print + Pattern 2

 
 I'm working on a new surface design project this week + for inspiration have been consulting Print + Pattern 2 by Bowie Style (aka Marie Perkins - who writes the very popular blog of the same name).


The book is great for getting ideas for new colour combinations to use in one's work.
I absolutely love the colour combos which Jessica Jones has used in her Calliope pattern above. Both colourways are sooo juicy.
The book includes some of my favourite illustrators and/or designers including Lab Partners, Donna Wilson,  Dwell Studio + the fabulous Rob Ryan above.
A great reference book and methinks essential for any surface designer's library.